Daffodil sat on the bed with Scotty Primo, watching three guards huddled in a corner, talking quietly into their walkie-talkies. Jake marched over and began to handcuff Scotty to the bed.
“Not in front of my daughter, boss!” he implored.
“We have to leave and get cleaned up,” the guard apologised. “Some kind of health and safety emergency.” He patted Daffodil’s arm, then withdrew his hand quickly. “You stay with your dad, sweetheart, till we find out what’s going on.”
The officers trooped out, locking the door behind them.
As soon as they had gone, Daffodil bent one leg and slid open a hidden compartment in the heel of her boot. She removed a small vial and tapped a few drops of clear liquid onto Scotty’s handcuffs. A pungent smell filled the room.
“Don’t let that touch you,” she warned. “It’s concentrated sulphuric acid.”
A few seconds later, the links had corroded and Primo was free.
“Great plan so far.” He rubbed his wrists. “Now we’ve just got to get past a million guards, dozens of locked gates and a fifteen-foot wall.”
“Quit bellyachin and take me to the White Spider.”
“Follow me.” Scotty led the way. “But you won’t like what you find.”
The White Spider was immobile on his bunk, leather straps fastened across his chest, legs and head. As an extra precaution, his hands were manacled to the iron sides of the bed. The man’s complexion was pale and waxy, the result of the pill he had been given.
“I would greatly appreciate a little help.” He stared at the ceiling. “My nose is itching rather fiercely.”
“The guards are gone.” Scotty began to unbuckle the restraints. “And I’m with the girl I told you about. Daffodil McNugget.”
“Hello, my strangely named ticket to the outside world,” the Spider said agreeably. “May I ask what has prompted you to rescue a poor sinner like myself?”
“You can ask.” Daffodil sprinkled acid on the manacles. “You gonna stay put if you don’t get an answer?”
“I am serving life without parole, missy.” The shackles fell away and the White Spider sat up and slid off the bed. “I think explanations can wait for a more opportune moment.”
“It just me, or is it getting really cold in here?” Scotty shuddered. “I feel ill enough without catching flu on top.”
“Where’s the doctor?” Daffodil asked.
“Got his own room next door.”
“Tie the door shut with these bandages.” She opened a medicine cabinet and tossed a roll of gauze to the White Spider. “At the end of the ward is a closet where the medical staff keep their spare outfits. Change into scrubs and white coats. Each of you take a surgical mask too.”
“You seem very familiar with the details of this organisation.” The Spider tilted his head. “Been in prison before, perchance?”
“Got no idea.” Daffodil removed a thermometer and looked at it. “When the temperature reaches nine degrees, we leave.”
She turned her head away as the prisoners peeled off their prison blues and put on the green outfits of the medical staff. She squirted the last of the acid on the infirmary lock and a wisp of smoke rose from the dissolving metal.
There were shouts of alarm from outside and the sound of weapons being cocked.
“They’re waiting for us.” Scotty slipped on a doctor’s coat and wiped a droplet of perspiration from the tip of his nose. “We’re trapped.”
Daffodil seemed unfazed. “Every guard in this place has just washed their hands with sanitiser from the soap dispensers.”
“So they’ll be nice and clean when they shoot us.”
“We doctored the liquid soap with an adhesive that clings to flesh,” the girl explained. “At a certain temperature it suddenly goes rock hard. A bit like superglue.” She looked at the thermometer again. “Nine degrees.”
The commotion in the corridor increased.
Daffodil pulled open the infirmary door. A dozen guards were thrashing and shouting, stuck by their hands to the walls or each other. Two were still mobile and raised their shotguns in panic.
Scotty ducked and covered his head.
“They can’t fire,” Daffodil reassured him. “Their fingers are set rigid.”
“Time for a spot of delicious revenge.” The White Spider picked up a discarded weapon and cradled it. “Suddenly I feel all warm and fuzzy.”
The warders backed away in terror as he advanced on them.
“Keep the safety on.” Daffodil got in front of him. “Nobody’s dyin today.”
“You don’t know the way these animals treated me,” the Spider hissed. “I may have deserved it, but I’m also a painfully sore loser.”
“Don’t know and don’t care. Safety on.”
“I’m afraid I’m done taking orders.” The man pointed his gun at her. “Had my fill of that in Iraq.”
Scotty scooped up another discarded weapon and trained it on his fellow inmate. “Let her be,” he said, voice quavering. “The girl got us this far and I won’t have you harm a kid.”
“You must have a particularly soft spot for her.” The Spider’s eyes bored into his fellow inmate. “Or you wouldn’t be taking such a suicidal course of action in threatening me.”
“Don’t need your help, Scotty.” Daffodil stood toe to toe with the killer, though she only came up to his chest. “You won’t get another foot without me, you creep,” she rasped. “Drop the attitude or the hardware. Your choice.”
“My, what a feisty young terrier you are!” The White Spider bowed and lowered his weapon. “I can tell we’re going to get along famously.”
“So long as you accept me bein in charge.” Daffodil turned to the cowering guards. “Lie on the floor, face down, and don’t move till we’re gone. The stuff on your hands will dissolve when the temperature goes up again.”
They obeyed without protest.
“Frankie?” She fingered her neck. “Start unlockin the corridor gates. We’re comin out.”
The iron barrier at the end of the corridor slid open with a beep.
“Let’s go.” She headed down the passageway, Scotty close behind.
The Spider stopped and licked thin lips. “Who is this Frankie and how exactly did he execute that nifty manoeuvre?”
“He’s my accomplice on the outside.” Daffodil raised an eyebrow. “I’m fourteen. You think I organised this shebang with a troop of girl scouts?”
“It should be utterly impossible to interfere with Sunnyside’s security systems from beyond the walls.” The Spider trotted after them. “I’d very much like to meet your mysterious partner in crime.”