A Necessary Kill by James P. Sumner Page B

bust me out of here first.”
    I hear the door open outside the room. I don’t have much time…
    “I’m guessing that’s not going to be as easy as it sounds?”
    She shakes her head.
    Damn it.
    “Okay, sit tight. I’ll think of something.”
    Great… now I just need to think of something!
    The door to the room opens and the guard appears. “Okay, time’s up. Let’s go.”
    “Can I not just have a couple more minutes with her?”
    “I’m afraid not. Too much excitement sets her off.”
    I glance sideways at her, suppressing a smile. She winks at me.
    “Yeah… I can imagine.”
    I walk over to the door, pausing in front of the guard. He’s about my height—similar build and shape. A bit younger than me. He’s on edge, his body language is tense.
    I look past him, over his shoulder, at Ruby, who’s sitting patiently in her chair, watching me.
    I’ve never been one to really plan things. And, if I was being brutally honest with myself, my track record of improvising in the heat of the moment is poor at best.
    But when in doubt, stick with what you know…
    I whip my body to the right, slamming my elbow into the guard’s temple. No warning, minimal movement, maximum effect. He drops to the floor in a heap.
    Ruby stands and runs to the window, slamming her hand on it. “Are you crazy ?” she shouts.
    I gesture to the surroundings. “Really? You’re asking me that after what I just had to sit through?”
    I crouch down and take the nightstick and keychain before dashing into the corridor, fumbling around with the keys, trying to find the right one. I strike gold on the sixth and pull the door open. She’s standing in front of it, arms crossed over her chest.
    She pokes her head out and quickly looks left and right. “Are you an idiot? I mean, I was acting… but you—you’re genuinely this fucking stupid, aren’t you?”
    I frown. “Hey, hold on a minute, lady! I’m doing you a favor busting you out of here!”
    “And I’m eternally grateful. But my door, like the one opposite, is alarmed. It’s not linked to the main system like everyone else’s, so it can’t be opened centrally. Extra security measure for high-risk inmates, should they have a system failure or something. Hence the alarm—no one can open my cell without everyone finding out.”
    “Oh…”
    “Plus, that guard you just laid out has a panic button that’s electronically linked to a heart rate monitor, so if anything happens to him, it sends an alert to the central system, also telling everyone.”
    “Ah…”
    “So, Adrian, while I’m glad you’re getting me out, tell me—what do you intend doing about them ?”
    She points to her left, and I turn my head to see what she’s referring to. Through the darkness I see the lights flickering into life above the metal gate separating us from the stairs. I see the two guards from the desk standing with five of their friends. They’re armed with what look like cattle prods—I can see the blue line of electricity crackling at the end.
    I look back at Ruby and shrug. “Good question.”

7
    11:46 EDT
    “Well?” she asks.
    “Shush!” I hiss. “I’m thinking.”
    We’re at the end of a corridor. The only way out is directly ahead of us through a locked metal gate and a team of armed security guards. I have a nightstick, of the non-electrified variety, and a half-dressed woman who I’m trying to bust out of an insane asylum.
    I’ll be honest, nothing’s jumping out at me…
    Ruby sighs. “Oh, for crying out loud—move!”
    I feel a little bewildered by all this. I step to the side, allowing her out of her room. As she passes me, I see her sink back into character once more. The madness fills her eyes, and her body language changes as she morphs back into the psychotic bitch I saw a few minutes ago. She disappears inside the observation room, coming out a moment later dragging the unconscious guard behind her by his collar.
    “What the hell are you doing?” I whisper,