Chapter 6

I woke up feeling a bit stronger than the last few days. I sorted out some breakfast for myself and Jessica and then I told her about my explorations the previous night.

I tried to find somewhere I could get help, but I can only just reach the edge of Little Greenvale and I doubt anyone there would help us, I said.

Well I did hear the local Doctor was somewhat sympathetic, but his practice is on the other side of the village from here, said Jessica.

Maybe you could contact him telepathically?

No. I tried that, I suspect my range is too limited. I can focus on minds I know like Sandra or my parents maybe a bit further out than you. But for people I don't know I can't reach that far.

She sounded a bit depressed by this so I showed her my progress imitating Sandra's kitten. It made her smile I even did the usual kitten mannerisms and she tickled me under the chin. Or at least pretended to it was still an illusion so not really solid.

Jessica was still a little tired so wanted to take a nap, I left her to sleep and went back to my lock picking practice. I studied the internals of the padlock more closely and was beginning to figure out how it worked. After nearly an hour of tinkering I had some idea of what to do and was trying to put my knowledge to use. I failed quite a lot, despite what the movies and TV have shown me it wasn't very easy to pick a lock, even if I did have the advantage of being able to sit inside it.

I was so focused on the attempt I barely noticed Jessica peeking into my head till she said, Where are you? Inside a machine or something?

I'm in a lock, I replied a little startled.

Oh so that's what that is, I've never seen one from the inside. What are you doing?

Trying to see if I can pick it. If we can get out of these cages we might be able to escape. I doubt I'll be able to escape when they take me out of the cage to hose me down. Even if I did I could never get you out. With the locks undone we could escape together more easily.

I'll only slow you down, I told you to go without me!

Yeah but if there is a chance of us both getting out of here then I think it's worth a try.

I don't want you to give up your chance of escape for me.

I know, but I'm not leaving you here to die Jessica. The chance of saving you is worth risking me getting caught.

I went back to trying to open the lock after another hour of trying with Jessica encouraging I managed to do it. The lock clicked open and with a little shove the padlock swung open.

Yay! You did it! cheered Jessica.

It was a lot of effort, but I now I know how to do it I think it will be easier the next time, I said.

I lay back exhausted. Working on the lock had really taken it out of me, but now there was hope. I could disengage the locks on our cages, but what after that. I had to get out of these chains, but that was another lock, so doable. We would then need to escape this place, Jessica was still very weak, even with the extra food I had been getting her. Months of being locked up in a cage and poorly fed had taken a terrible toll on her body, she would not be able to walk, let alone run. If we did escape we would not get far. Maybe if we waited till dead of night and then I carried Jessica out of here, we would have a few hours before anyone noticed we were gone. This being a farm they got up very early and Sandra tended to come down quite late, it gave us only a few hours to escape. Given I would be carrying Jessica and I was pretty weak myself I doubted we would find help before we were caught.

I considered stealing one of the cars I had seen about the place. I had done some lessons on how to drive for a birthday present, so had some idea how to drive. We might get into trouble with the cops but given our present situation I think they would probably forgive us. Besides if they did lock us up we would be in much bigger cells with proper sanitation, proper food, and medical care. It would be the Hilton compared to our current situation.

However if we took a car our captors would soon spot us as I would need some time to work out how to start it and so forth. If we did that at night they would hear us and pounce before we could get away, and trying in the day time would be the height of foolishness.

Maybe some creative misdirection was in order. We would escape in such a way that all the bad guys ran off looking for us in the wrong direction, then we would steal the car and get away while no one was looking.

Jessica, I said.

Yes? she replied.

I explained my thinking to her then said, So what do you think?

Hmm it might work, but how are we going to convince them we have escaped?

Well we would need some time to hide ourselves before they discover we are missing. I can see all through the house so we should be able to work out how to get about without being seen, we need some time where they don't think to look for us.

Oh I know we should trap Sandra down here, that way no one will look for us as they will think she is zapping us or something.

But she only comes down here with that brute Paul. How do we trick her into coming down alone?

That's where double agent Kitty comes in, giggled Jessica.

She explained her idea that was for me to imitate Sandra's kitten and pretend to run into the cellar. Sandra would follow, we lead her into a cage, incapacitate her and lock her in. We go and hide, sometime later the people upstairs go looking for Sandra and race off after us, then we escape. I congratulated her on her ingenuity. It would be a ingenious plan. We would have to wait till it was the weekend when Sandra would be about for a long enough period of time for our trick to work. In the mean time we would try and regain our strength and practice for our escape.

I spent a lot of time observing the kitten and practising, operating my copy under Jessica's critical eye. Soon I had my kitten illusion and performance down to a T. My lock opening skill was coming along in leaps and bounds too. I could now open the padlocks with a few minutes fiddling. I also did my best to get some exercise, the lack of movement, space, and food made my muscles weak. I continued getting us as much extra food as I dared in the hopes we would both be strong enough to get away. The beatings and the humiliation continued but now it was different. I knew it wouldn't be much longer till we would escape and Sandra would be the one locked in a cage. I tried not to let the anticipation show too much.

Jessica was likewise practising, she was mastering her electrical abilities in the hopes of using them defensively.

We both studied the building, planning our escape and Jessica pointed out some good hiding places she knew from her childhood. We also scouted the vehicles. There were several on the property we could use and would be unlikely to be used to track us. We checked them as best we could and made our plans, we couldn't plan everything as we didn't know exactly what would happen on the day. We made ourselves ready and then waited for the weekend, when it came time to sleep we were full of joy of the escape. So excited and happy again with the prospect of our impending freedom. We talked often about our impending escape what we would do first. We became better and better friends as time went by. Jessica was giddy with the anticipation and I found myself looking forward to being able to see her with my own eyes and maybe even hold her.

I can't wait to feel sunshine again, said Jessica, I know we have seen it through your far sight, but I want to feel the warmth on my face.

I know what you mean. I'd like to have a walk through a park, enjoy the fresh air. I know this nice place with a walled garden, a duck pond, and a river. We could go together, maybe have an ice cream, I paused feeling a little uncertain, That's if you'd like to.

I'd love to Eric, I hope when we get out of here you still want to spend time with me.

Of course, there's no one else I'd rather be with Jessica.

She sent me a mental grin, I'm glad, I feel the same way Eric. Sweet dreams.

Night Jessica.

We slept, hope and joy of our impending freedom making our bleak cages almost insignificant.

The next day dawned and the first thing Jessica told me was that it was the weekend. I felt like I was going to snap, the tension was so great. We decided to wait till after breakfast time. That would leave us a nice gap before lunch in which we could swing our plan into action.

We waited tense and nervous, we had a bit to eat just to keep our strength up. When they started breakfast I got ready and undid the locks on my cage leaving the padlock so it looked like it was still locked. I undid my manacles but kept them on my arms. I spent most of the time watching remotely my body lying as if asleep.

When they had finished breakfast, I saw Sandra start to walk off. I manifested the kitten and scampered up to her.

"Hey Kitty come here sweetie, I'll get you some treats," she said.

I ran away from her looking back to make sure she was following.

"Come back here Kitty!" she said, I ran to the door to the cellar and pushed at it making a small gap that a kitten could get through, "No don't go down there Kitty!"

With Sandra in hot pursuit I dashed down the stairs into the cellar. She almost caught me up, but I dived into the gap in the wall.

"You are a nuisance today Kitty!" said a very annoyed Sandra. She pushed the door to the area with Jessica in open and began looking for the kitten.

I made my move and slipped out of my cage as quietly as I could manage. While she was distracted I shut the door at the bottom of the stairs to deaden any noise then slipped into the room behind her. I was a little shaky on my feet not having walked properly for many days. I crouched in the shadows and manifested the kitten running from the shadows to the far side of the room and going into an open cages next to Jessica's.

"No Kitty! Come out of there. You'll catch something," said Sandra disdainfully looking at her sister.

She went up to the cage and tried to get her kitten to come out but it stayed at the deepest part of the cage. She crouched and crawled in to get the kitten. I had it dodge her reaching hands.

"What's got into you Kitty!" Shouted Sandra trying to catch my pretend kitten.

Eventually she was all the way into the cage and could reach the illusion, she grasped it and her hands went right through it. All of a sudden the kitten dissolved into smoke. I stood up and quickly moved to the cage while a confused Sandra stared at the empty space where a kitten had been moments before.

She turned and saw me coming, now only a few steps away teeth bared. I would have liked to growl, but I couldn't make any noise any more. Still the look alone was enough to make her scream in terror and she scrambled back further into the cage away from me. Which was rather handy as I didn't know if I had the strength to stop her if she had run at me.

I slammed the cage shut and locked it, then smiled evilly at her.

"NO! NO! Let me out you beast!" she screamed.

I ignored her, much as I would have liked to torture her or gloat at her, I didn't have time for either. And I wasn't sure I could, even after all she had done to me.

I moved over to Jessica, her dark feathered form smiled up at me from the cage. I focused on the lock and after a few minutes concentration I opened it. I reached in and for the first time touched Jessica's delicate hand.

She could barely move, she was in a pretty bad way, I carefully lifted her onto my back. She was so light she barely weighed anything. I tried not the think too hard about her naked, albeit feathered, body pressing against me.

So sister how does it feel to be the one behind the bars? she sent to me and Sandra obviously wanting me to hear her taunts.

"AH! Get out of my head demon!" screamed Sandra "HELP! HELP!"

Oh foolish girl, you know this place is well sound proofed to prevent your pets disturbing the peace! said Jessica angrily. So when you shock them they don't scream out, like this!

She pointed her hand and shot a bolt of electricity at one of Sandra's hand which she was sticking out of the cage trying to get at the padlock.

"AHHHHHHH!" screamed Sandra and fell back smoke curling off her spasming body. She pulled away and scrambled into the corner of the cage.

Lower me down so I can reach the padlock, said Jessica to me.

I lowered her down and she gripped the padlock between thumb and forefinger and passed as much current as she could through it, effectively spot welding the thing solid.

OK let's go! she said.

I turned and headed out leaving a sobbing Sandra locked in her new cage.

Right let's take a look and see what the lay of the land is, I said and projected myself out looking over our path.

I immediately spotted a big problem the brute Paul was coming looking for Sandra.

I heard him call "Sandra honey are you down here?"

Sandra moaned loud enough for him to hear and he came running.

Quick into the corner! sent Jessica. I ducked into the corner, Now kneel down and let me get a good aim!

Paul came barrelling in, saw Sandra and ran over. He began yanking on the lock trying to get her out. Sandra came out of it and began pointing frantically behind him to where we were hid. He spun around just in time to see Jessica unleash a bolt of electricity at him. He jerked around like a puppet that'd had it's strings cut. I gently put Jessica down and raced over to where he was jerking around on the floor and hit him over the head. With a great deal of effort I dragged his unconscious form to another cage and locked him in. I retrieved Jessica and she then sealed the lock permanently.

"You monsters!" wailed Sandra.

Ha! You are the monsters, you make me sick. I can't believe we share the same genetics! Anyway sis I'd love to stay and chat but me and my new boyfriend have to be going. I'm sure mum and dad will be along to cut you out in a few hours, bye now, Jessica sent.

Sandra sat crying in her cage as we exited the room.

So wait, I'm your new boyfriend? I asked.

Who else silly, sent an amused Jessica.

She leaned forward and kissed me on my cheek, I stood in shock for a bit smiling like a mad man.

Anyway, we can do more of that later, first get us out of here! said Jessica jolting me out of my shock.

I once again surveyed our route through and when it looked clear climbed the stairs.

This time rather than heading outside I turned into the house and carried Jessica further up another set of stairs to the upper floors of the house. We sneaked into a one of the guest rooms, then through a cupboard up into a hidden loft under one of the added upper floors. We hid there waiting, watching.

Mostly the house went about it's business as normal. We watched Sandra try and escape and then, when he regained conciousness, Paul. The cages were built to withstand strength beyond anything these two could muster, so they just shouted and screamed a bit. The sound proofing more than took care of their cries, leaving them to shout themselves hoarse with no hope of anyone hearing them.

Me and Jessica lay cuddled together in the small space. I was very aware of two things, one was that we both desperately needed a bath, the other was that we were both effectively naked. I had to work hard not to stare at Jessica's emaciated but still beautiful body. Jessica gave me a wicked grin when I thought of that, obviously able to hear my thoughts.

She squeezed my hand and sent Plenty of time for that later, right now I don't have the energy.

I smiled back a little embarrassed, I guessed having a girlfriend who could read my mind would take some getting used to.

I turned my focus back to the outside of the loft to prevent me getting even more distracted. I watched the people go about the business of the day and eventually begin making lunch. They began wondering where Sandra and Paul were. If I could have I probably would have laughed out loud as they searched about trying to find them, getting increasingly confused and worried before finally trying the cellar.

They saw the empty cage where I should have been and hurried further in finding our two imprisoned captors. There was a lot of shouting and screaming, people running about like headless chickens, which gave me fits of silent giggles. They spent a long time trying to free them, my Jessica's welding trick had made it very difficult to open the cages. Eventually they used bolt cutters to free the two of them. Sandra collapsed crying into her parents arms, Paul ran up stairs arming himself with a shotgun and began searching for us outside. When it became apparent that we were nowhere nearby they piled into two cars to look for us and took off leaving the place deserted. Our plan had worked perfectly.

Jessica and me shared a big grin and then a hug and kiss. We then carefully made our way back down the house towards the barn where one of the farm trucks was parked.

We were crossing the kitchen when Jessica sent, Wait Lower me down!

I did as she asked and she reached out grabbing something from behind me. There was a mewing noise and then I felt something furry perched up on my shoulders.

I had to rescue double agent Kitty, after her part in this she deserves to be free too, she sent smiling.

We made our way slowly out to the barn, I was tiring fast. I was weak and carrying Jessica, even though she was very light, was still more excursion than I had managed for weeks. I made it into the open barn to find the truck, using my abilities to unlock it and helped Jessica into the passengers side. I clambered into the drivers side and then after a few minutes of trying to start the engine, Jessica produced a key from the glove box.

We started the truck, it seemed to run OK and was full of fuel. After I started it I racked my brain for how to drive the thing. I stalled it several times but on my third attempt I got it going. I drove haltingly out of the barn knocking over a few boxes and scaring some chickens as I went.