The Iron Hallway

Chapter 19

(Abigail's POV)

I sat up the next morning and realized just how much better my sleep had been in my luxurious bed in my quarters, as contrasted with the hard prison cot. My pleasure soon vanished though, as two unpleasant thoughts crossed my mind. 

First, I realized that I was beginning the eighteenth day of my separation from Baird. I wiped a tear from my eye as I realized how much I missed hearing him rattle on and on about the newest chapter in one of his projects, or endlessly complimenting me on my awful performances in some of my earlier movies. Baird wasn't at all the dream man most girls desired, but he checked all my boxes. 

Or, most of them, I mused. 

When my mind moved on from Baird, I realized how much of a contrast there must've been between my restful sleep in this comfortable bed, and Wendy's night, still on that prison cot. If only I had any good ideas for how I could get her out of there. Unlike my new blonde friend, my strengths didn't lie in the physical realm at all. But could I outsmart Pietrovo and the guards? Possibly, but unlikely. 

I suppose my...feminine charms could be used as a weapon of sorts against them, but then again, that would make me super uncomfortable, and could easily go wrong. The men around here would certainly take it way too far. Baird certainly wouldn't be proud of me, either. 

Then my idea hit me. 

The man who'd directed The Clumsy Gang was the type of director who wanted to make everything as realistic as possible, despite the fantastical nature of the cast themselves. That being so, I'd had to learn actual lock-picking for my role in a certain heist scene where the police had to draw the criminals in by pretending to be on their side. At any rate, some more rehearsal for A Brighter Path had been scheduled in an hour, and I was sure the hairdresser would have plenty of bobby pins and such I could swipe. 

The only other difficulty was getting the guards away, as my real-life fighting skills were abysmal. Only knowing Baird would've taught you that word, I told myself, the thought somehow comforting and saddening. 

Anyhow, I thought as I stepped into my bathroom and prepared to take a shower, I'll have to play all this by ear, but as long as I've got an outline of a plan, the details can practically fill themselves out. 

******************** 

(Baird's POV) 

It was 9 in the morning when Aaron slowed the Sand Dollar to a stop over the raging waters below. The moment had finally come for us to plunge into the depths and enter Unterstat. As before, he summoned us all to the cockpit. 

When we had all arrived, he gave us each a reassuring grin. Actually, Jedrek was left out of the encouragement, even Sila being offered a smile instead of him. "Well guys," he began, "this is it. We've got two detachable submarine pods on the bottom of the vessel. They've got four seats each, so we need to decide how to divide that up, first." 

I did some quick mental math. "That means one pod will have four inside, and the other will have three." 

"I don't care who I'm with, as long as this abomination doesn't share a pod with me." Keira declared, jerking a thumb at Jedrek and purposefully jabbing his shoulder in the process. 

Aaron nodded. "That sounds reasonable. I'll keep an eye on him, so Urban, you're coming with me." 

Jedrek muttered something I believe was affirmative, but in the end, I didn't fully hear. At any rate, resignedly or not, his spot had been decided for him.