Apprentice (Star Wars / Alex Rider Crossover) (BOOK 1)

Chapter Fourteen

Hideout

Zanzibar Prison loomed ahead, its large castle-like shape dark and foreboding. It seemed to suck all of the light out of the sunny day. There were four stories and several turrets. A large moat surrounded it, with a large bridge that was lowered by ropes and pulleys over the moat. It was hidden in a large clearing in the middle of a forest that surrounded it. Stormtroopers patrolled the edge of the woods.

Obi-Wan and Alex were crouched behind a cluster of bushes a good distance away, planning their strategy.

"How about swimming across?" Alex suggested.

"I don't think that will work," said Obi-Wan. "The moat is filled with a deadly poisonous fish that secretes a toxic chemical into the water, making it also poisonous. One drop would make you very sick for the next few hours, and then you would die."

"You've got a point there," he said. "What other options do we have?"

"Have you forgotten already?" Obi-Wan corrected him gently. "We're Jedi. We have the Force on our side."

Alex could have slapped himself. Duh, Alex. "Force-leap."

"Now you've got it," said Obi-Wan. "The moat isn't that wide across. It won't be hard to jump across it. We'll wait until those stormtroopers disappear around the other side of the prison, then we'll make our break. One more thing," he added, "Don't use your lightsaber unless it is absolutely necessary. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention and give ourselves away."

As soon as the stormtroopers were out of sight, the two Jedi took off running. Normally, Alex would never have been able to jump across something that wide, but it was not big deal now that he had the Force. They got closer and closer to the moat. Alex called on the Force. He counted his steps. Three...two...one...Alex flew off the ground and went sailing through the air, somersaulting in midair. He landed safely with a soft thud on the other side.

Obi-Wan landed next to him. "Very nice, Alex. But try to land on your feet next time."

He helped Alex up and they headed for the entrance. Two stormtroopers stood guarding themselves against the large durasteel double doors.

Obi-Wan and Alex pressed themselves against the wall.

"What we need is a distraction," Obi-Wan said. "I'm on it," Alex said. He stepped out and boldly walked up to the guards and put his hands to the door handle.

"What do you think you're doing?" one demanded.

"I'm here to see my father," Alex said calmly. "He was captured last week and I heard he was taken here."

"No visitors allowed," he said gruffly.

Alex shrugged. "All right, I'll leave."

As Alex turned to leave, he swung all the way around and drove his foot into the guard's midsection. He didn't even see it coming. He doubled over and fell to his knees with a grunt.

Alex took off running around the side of the prison, the opposite way he had come.

"Come back here!" yelled the other stormtrooper as he took off chasing him.

Blasterfire zinged past Alex. He ducked and dodged the red energy bolts.

The stormtrooper saw him disappear around the corner of the building. He turned the corner and stopped. Where did that kid go?

Alex watched from his perch atop the ledge above the guard. As he had rounded the corner, he had seen the ledge and had Force-leaped onto it.

Come on, a little closer!