There was no response to Elliott’s question. Blank looks were shared all around.
“No seriously, guys, what now?”
There was still no answer. The only noise was the rumble of the road beneath the enormous tires of the prisoner transport. Elliott shrugged.
“Maybe it’s unlocked. Mom always said the most obvious answer was usually the right one.” He stood up and tried the handle. It was locked. “Goddamnit, Mom,” Elliott mumbled.
He turned back to find Higgins shaking with laughter. “Obviously,” he said.
“Shut up, you talk too much,” Elliott said, but with a smile. “Monosyllabic bastard.” Higgins thwacked his shoulder affectionately.
“It was worth a try, kid,” Fipps said. “You never know.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Elliott said. “That was some pretty good acting, Junie.”
Junie gave a little smile and pushed her hair behind her ears, casting a glance at Fipps. Elliott blinked in mild surprise; he’d sensed that Fipps liked Junie but… did Junie like him back? And was she aware enough to know that she did?
That was a first.
The prisoner transport jerked suddenly to the right, and Elliott and Junie were both thrown to their feet. Fipps kept his balance a little longer but eventually he too fell. Higgins lurched and fell against the doors… both of which flew open. The cop flailed his arms and he fell out of sight.
Silently, of course.
Elliott stared at the door in shock.
Fipps lurched forward, his hand outstretched, but he missed. Junie scrabbled at the deck, crying out but couldn’t gain purchase as the van spun around. When she finally fought her way to the edge, she turned back. Elliott refused to believe, hoping against hope that Higgins could survive the fall, that-
“He’s hanging on to the door!” Junie cried, smiling. Just then,
Higgins large hand reached up and grasped the inside handle of the swinging door, and he began to pull himself up.
With a squeal of the brakes, the prisoner transport ground to a stop. The door with Higgins attached slammed shut, throwing the cop back into the cab. He rolled to the back wall, which halted his momentum.
Elliott stared. “Does anyone feel like eventually this luck is going to run out?”
Fipps shook his head, laughing. “Almost constantly since I fell in with you folks.”
Rubbing his back, Higgins stood slowly and huffed. “Unlikely,” he acknowledged.
“But hey, you were right, Elliott! The door was unlocked, we just needed Higgins’ face to prove it!” Junie said brightly.
“Quick, let’s go!” Fipps said. He opened the door and they all jumped out to the tarmac. Ahead they could see the rest of the convoy, moving on without them.
“Perfect,” Higgins said, waving them forward.
“What are we doing?” Junie whispered.
“If I’m reading Higgins right,” Fipps said, “we’re going to jump in the cab, get rid of the crew, fake our way into the military installment and free the rest of our people.”
“That sounds dangerous and borderline impossible,” Elliott said.
Higgins turned back around, and smiled. “Exactly!”