The Royalists enforced a curfew which made organising Alister’s escape all the more difficult. While the others were enjoying their time in civilisation July considered what he could prepare for even without the plans for the prison. When Thomas returned a week later the official strategy could then be worked out. The crew of six sat around July’s dining table with maps, lists and photographs scattered out before them.
“The good news is that the prison is located west of the mountains, however, in Christian territory,” Thomas began, he shot a concerned look at July; they’d be butchered if the Templars caught them. “The bad news, or worse news, is that it’s built in the side of a cliff. Our first concern should be getting inside the walls; every week a vehicle laden with supplies visits the prison, I suggest we use that as our way in.”
“Okay,” said Charlie. “What next?”
Tom shrugged. “Hey, I got us this far.”
Charlie leaned over her map and observed the guard’s quarters and mess hall in the centre of the prison with the main tower and warden’s office above it. The prisoner cells were furthest from the entrance, tiny rooms carved into the rock itself with steel doors.
“What about an explosion?” Charlie suggested.
“With the tower on top?” said Jodie. “You sure that’s a good idea?”
“Most of the guards will be in this area.”
“Yeah and so will we… I think.” Jodie glanced at July for confirmation.
He had been quiet so far, staring into space with his fingers laced together. He answered. “Bats.”
Everyone was thrown off by this proposition. They looked at each other, wondering if he was serious.
“Come again?” said Wade.
“Bats,” July repeated. “Just north of here there are hundreds of them in the caves, thousands, bigger and meaner than the ones we saw on our way in. We lure some into a handful of large crates which we then unload into the prison mess hall, the guards think it’s food so they open the crates up and the bats go on a killing spree, or at best they provide some cover while we each perform our own tasks.”
Thomas nodded, acknowledging everyone’s stunned silence. “He’s right. Do we agree?”
The group either shrugged or nodded, but they were all affirmative. “Screw it,” said Wade. “Let’s do bats.”
“Excellent,” July went on. “The next step will be the warden. Charlie and Tom climb the tower and take him out, then Charlie, you stay and provide sniper cover for the rest of us while Tom heads down and opens the armoury.”
Tom showed them a picture of a group of mechanics working on some kind of light tank. “As well as a solid collection of weapons, the armoury also has this bad-boy, I’m assuming it’s like an anti-riot vehicle, should help cover our escape and assist the cause later down the track.”
July tapped two more locations on the map; one was the underground holding cells and the other was a building for high-value prisoners. “While this is happening we’ll need Alice, Jodie and Wade to free the prisoners. For this we’ll need a bus to wait outside the prison until the bats are released, uh Jodie, you can drive. You are to drop Alice off here where Alister is and then pull around and drop Wade off to release the rest of the prisoners. Fill up the bus and then come to the rendezvous point here. If all goes well, Tom will be waiting in the light tank, Charlie and I will take the Jeep; we should be able to provide enough protection to get home safely.” He studied the map some more. “That’s it. That’s all I got.”
The group considered it for a moment. “Not bad,” said Wade. “It ain’t perfect, but it ain’t bad. I like it.”
They spent the rest of the night hashing out the finer details.
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