"Wow, you guys really are dumb." Driver-Dude said. "I guess I should have expected that from pigs like you guys.

Neither Pay nor I responded. I plopped myself on the ground and started to untie the ropes around my hand. The ropes didn't need to be met by an escape artist to get it off my hand. Nope. Whoever tied the ropes around my hands really was an amateur at trapping their enemies.

Everyone knew you were supposed to use zip-ties. Those were impossible to get off your hands. Or legs. Or anything else the zip-ties are trapping you against.

"Don't even try to escape," Driver-Guy said, on his way towards the exit. "You won't be able to."

"I'll be the judge of that," Pay retorted from the prison cell.

Axis raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Following behind Driver-Dude, the siblings left the dungeon. Only the other prisoner, the two of us, and the guards remained. (I'm not sure if they're actual guards. I haven't seen them move a muscle since we entered).

"Took you long enough to get yourself trapped in here," a different, sassy voice called from behind us. This time, I could recognize the voice. And I'm pretty sure that Pay also did.

I turned around to find Lemonhead hidden in the corner and shadows of the cell.

"Oh, hey Trivia!" I said. "Did they catch you, then shoot darts to make you unconscious, and finally bring you here and trap you too?"

"No, Target," she replied, snarky. "A giant bird dropped me in here."

"Giant birds exist?" I asked. "How come they don't teach you that in science?"

Lemonhead just rolled her eyes. "No, you dunderhead. Of course they caught me and poisoned me or something. The darts looked very unhygienic." She shuddered. "They probably reuse the darts with everyone's germs on it."

"See, I told you so," I replied, not really paying attention to her rant about hygienic poison. I've heard it many times before (the hygiene rant, not the poison one).

"Told me what?"

"I told you we shouldn't split up," I said. "Like in all horror movies, it just makes it easier for the other people or monsters to catch you. See, Pay and I-"

"Don't drag me into this," Pay interrupted. His hands were also free, the ropes on the ground.

"Okay, but both of us stuck together. That's why it took them much longer to bring us here," I explained.

"Does it look like I care?" Trivia asked.

"Yes?" I guessed.

"I DO NOT CARE!" She took a deep breath. More light shone on her, making her less hidden like a ninja.

Lemonhead turned to Pay. "How about we focus on escaping this dreaded place?"

"Don't feel like it," Pay casually replied.

"WHAT?!"

"I said, I don't feel like doing all that work," Pay repeated for Trivia, still staying calm. "Instead, why don't we stay here for a little bit, and see what the Defendants want with us?"

"They're going to take us away and interrogate us. Happy?" Lemonhead snapped.

Pay seemed to consider this for a moment. "No, not really."

"I don't have time for this! I have much better things to do than stay in this stupid prison cell!"

"Then you're free to escape on your own, without my help," Pay added.

Trivia glared at him, crossing her free arms. "Fine. Then let's see their pathetic excuse for wasting my time."

***

Two days passed.

The Defendants came to check on us once, but never called us for the interview. However, they did bring us food and water three times a day.

The rooms were boring. They didn't provide television or any board games for us. All of our stuff was taken away to another room, including all of my hundred and fifty hidden daggers. I think we were searched while we were unconscious in the car ride.

It reminded me of the first time when I was captured by the police: when I was 8.5 years old. It was my first job, and I was captured with the older kids who were on the mission with me. We were supposed to rob a bank- a really easy job -but the mission failed and the police were involved. And we landed ourselves a one way ticket to jail.

I was to it by now. Prisons were one of the places I was more familiar with. Probably because of the fact I grew up among agents, spies, mafias, and all of those types of people. The first thing I learnt about the world was the prison system and how to escape it.

But even the police station cells were more fun than the ones the Defendants had.

Two guards were standing in front of the door. They wore helmets and were pretty big. There were many cells lined up, but the only ones that were full were ours.

"Wow. The Defendants really waste a lot of space," I shook my head.

"What do you mean?" Trivia didn't look up from painting her nails. She had her phone taken away, but not her makeup kit for some reason. I guess the Defendants thought it was regular makeup and not some high-tech escape tool or weapons.

"Why do they have all of these cells, if they don't even hold people?" I asked. "It wastes a lot of space down here. They could've turned it into an indoor swimming pool, or a lake."

"How will they fit a whole lake into a tiny room?" Trivia asked, sounding annoyed.

"Those were just ideas, not plans," I pointed out.

"Whatever."

I looked at the guards at the door. "Are you guard-people sure you don't know when the interview starts?"

The guards didn't answer. Again.

"Hello?" I asked. One just turned to me, glared, then went back to facing the way they were facing before. That was a lot of faces.

I turned to Pay, who was just watching the guards. Trivia now got out her compact mirror and was looking in it. I scooted closer towards both of them.

"Are those guards robots? Or are they really still humans that are able to ignore me and not get annoyed even after I called their names exactly one thousand three hundred and fifty times?"

"Pretty sure they're human, with nerves of steel if they can ignore you like that," Pay replied.

"So, have you made your decision to escape now, Goldilocks?" Trivia snapped at him. "Literally been two days or more, and still, nobody even comes and bothers to look at us.

"It's called patience," Pay replied calmly. "But I don't think you, of all people, would understand it."

Trivia looked really offended about that. "Oh, I'm sorry I don't have any patience. Why don't you try doing a perfect winged eye-liner? Literally, you try messing up everytime, and have to redo the same thing about three hundred times just to get one eye right.

"So, yes. I'm sorry that I don't have any patience. It was used for much important things."

"Wow. Learning about your eyeliner. I couldn't care less about it," Pay replied.

Trivia slammed her compact mirror shut so hard that I was pretty sure that the mirror inside probably broke into millions of little mirrors. "What did you say?"

Just then, before anything violent could happen, the door opened. Out came three very familiar people: Acra, Axis , and Driver-Dude. Behind them were two unfamiliar people.

"Hello! Are we here to get interviewed?" I asked.

No one answered my question.

"Hey! She asked you guys a question. Honestly, do you guys have any manners?" Trivia criticized them. "You speak when spoken to. Basic etiquette."

Acra looked very uncomfortable at the situation. Still, she didn't say anything.

Driver-Dude walked over to our cell. He brought out a key, and unlocked the cell. Pay watched the key intently as it went inside the keyhole and unlocked it.

I think I knew what Pay was thinking of, but he didn't know that I was thinking it, along with him. And that was a lot of thinking and thinks.

"Out." Driver-Dude ordered us.

"Nah, it's quite comfortable here," Trivia snapped.

"I said out," Driver-Dude repeated, his voice growing louder. "Don't make me repeat myself again."

I think I was the only one who happily went outside. Trivia and Pay stayed stubbornly inside the cell.

Snapping his fingers, Driver-Dude pointed to Trivia and Pay. The two unfamiliar figures went inside the cell and grabbed them both by their hands, dragging them outside.

With great difficulty, Trivia and Pay cooperated. They were standing, with their hands held behind them by the two unfamiliar people. Still, the two ex-Crowns looked really angry.

"Good. Let's go," Driver-Dude turned and marched out the doorway.

~~~

A/N:

This chapter, half of it was supposed the be chapter 12. The other half was supposed to be chapter 14. But oh well. You win some you lose some. Also, we're about half-way through the book. Fun.

Anyways, Lemonhead is back. All three of them had a reunion where most people do- in prison.

So, this was a short author's note. But today's the forth of July, so that's why I decided to post an extra chapter.

Have an amazing day/night!