The Fugitive's Touch

CHAPTER 5 : HELP ME

CHAPTER 5 : HELP ME

Midnight in Cell No. 2, and the atmosphere was silent. The ten men who shared the same room as Rey lay on their iron bunk beds or on the floor, wrapped in tattered blankets. However, one figure remained awake, sitting in the corner with sharp eyes, observing each of the inmates who were now under his control.

Del Rey.

Over the past week, he had become the king of this cell. The inmates who once saw him as a loser now obeyed his every command. Rey had proven not only his strength but also that he possessed something they did not—intelligence and abilities beyond human limits.

He waited until all the guards had truly fallen asleep before whispering, “Wake up.”

One by one, the inmates opened their eyes. They quickly sat up, forming a circle around Rey in the corner of the cell, their expressions filled with curiosity.

“We’re breaking out,” Rey said shortly.

Those words made them glance at each other before turning back to Rey. Some looked hesitant, while others appeared excited.

“Are you serious, Boss?” asked the tattooed man who was once the leader of the cell.

Rey nodded slowly. “I’m not staying here any longer. And I want you all to come with me.”

A bald man frowned. “But how? This prison is heavily guarded. Many have tried to escape before, but they all failed.”

Rey met his gaze. “I have a way.”

In a low voice, he began explaining his plan. He had been studying this prison from the very first day he arrived. Every corner, every gap, every habit of the guards.

“There’s a window with iron bars behind this wall,” he said.

“But that’s impossible!” one inmate whispered harshly. “Those bars are solid steel!”

Rey raised his right hand and stared at his fingers. “My hands don’t just paralyze people. I can also weaken metal.”

The inmates stared at him in awe, but they didn’t doubt his words. They had already witnessed him take down opponents with just a single touch.

They fell silent, exchanging glances. Then, the tattooed man nodded. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” said the bald man.

One by one, they voiced their agreement.

“We have to move fast,” Rey continued. “We’re doing this tonight.”

The inmates swallowed hard. Their hearts pounded. This was a chance they had long dreamed of.

As the night deepened and the guards grew more complacent, Rey stood before the small window—their only hope. The dim moonlight streamed through the iron bars, casting a faint glow into the cell.

Rey raised his hand and touched the cold steel. He felt something flow from his fingertips, an energy strange yet powerful.

Slowly, the once-solid metal began to lose its form. From hard and unyielding, it softened like jelly. The inmates watching held their breath.

“My God…” one of them whispered.

With little effort, Rey pulled apart the softened bars, creating an opening large enough for a person to squeeze through.

“One at a time, move quickly,” he ordered.

They carefully climbed out, one by one, until Rey was the last to go.

Now, they stood outside the prison building, the cold night air wrapping around them.

“No alarms…” the bald man murmured.

“Not yet,” Rey replied. “Let’s move before they notice someone’s missing.”

They ran, disappearing into the night. Their breaths came in rapid bursts, their feet moving swiftly without looking back.

As the wailing sirens finally blared in the distance, they had already passed beyond the prison walls.

But their journey was far from over.

“Where do we go now?” one of the inmates asked.

Rey stared ahead, toward the dense forest stretching before them.

“There,” he said simply.

Without hesitation, they followed his lead, vanishing into the darkness of the trees.

—

After running nonstop for nearly an hour, their bodies began to weaken. Their breaths were ragged, sweat drenching their skin. But they had no choice but to keep moving. Stopping now would only increase their chances of being caught.

“This forest is too thick…” the bald man muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead. “What if we get lost?”

Rey surveyed their surroundings. They were indeed deep within an unfamiliar forest, surrounded by towering trees with thick roots sprawling across the ground. Only the sounds of insects and rustling leaves accompanied them.

“We need shelter,” Rey said. “Look for a cave or anywhere we can hide.”

The inmates scattered in small groups, ensuring they stayed within earshot of one another. They searched the area, looking for a rock formation or any natural cover that could serve as their refuge.

“There!” one of the inmates pointed to a rocky slope in the distance.

They rushed toward it. Upon arrival, they found the entrance to a cave large enough to accommodate them all. The inside was dark but dry, and deep enough to keep them hidden from view.

Rey stepped forward, running his fingers along the rough stone walls. This place would do.

“We’ll stay here for the night,” he decided.

The inmates filed inside, some sitting on the rocky floor while others leaned against the cave walls. Exhaustion left them momentarily silent, savoring the cool air that soothed their overheated bodies.

“But we can’t stay here long,” the tattooed man pointed out. “As soon as the police realize we’re gone, they’ll start sweeping the forest.”

“We just need one night to rest,” Rey replied. “Tomorrow, we find a way out of the forest and into the city.”

A younger inmate shivered. “What if they’re already waiting there?”

“We’ll deal with that tomorrow,” Rey said coldly.

He walked to the cave entrance, gazing out into the distance. The night stretched on, but his mind was restless, filled with plans for what came next. He had to ensure they all survived.

In the distance, the faint howls of tracking dogs echoed through the trees. They had to move fast before their trail was discovered.

For tonight, the cave was their sanctuary.

—

The inmates began preparing to rest. Some searched for comfortable positions on the cave floor, using their arms or jackets as makeshift pillows. Others sat against the rough stone walls, too restless to sleep. Heavy breathing and exhausted sighs filled the dimly lit space.

Rey remained at the cave entrance, staring at the night sky now veiled in a thin mist. He heard the tracking dogs’ howls growing louder, though still far away. That meant the police were starting to narrow their search area.

“We can’t sleep too deeply,” he said, turning back to face the others. “We’ll take turns keeping watch.”

The tattooed man nodded. “I’ll go first. You all rest.”

A few inmates lay down, trying to find comfort on the cold, hard ground. But many remained uneasy. The escape wasn’t over, and they knew danger still lurked.

Rey walked to a corner of the cave and sat cross-legged. He tried to clear his thoughts, but memories of his murdered family resurfaced. The fire of vengeance in his heart burned even brighter. He couldn’t let this escape be for nothing.

An older, thin-faced inmate approached and sat beside him.

“You’re not the same guy who first walked into that cell,” he said quietly.

Rey didn’t respond immediately. He simply stared into the cave’s darkness.

“Everything I’ve done isn’t just to escape,” Rey finally said. “I need to find out who killed my family. And when I do, I’ll destroy them.”

The older man sighed. “I don’t know what happened to you, but I see the fire in your eyes. That fire can make you stronger… or it can consume you.”

Rey said nothing. He knew vengeance was a double-edged sword. But he didn’t care.

Meanwhile, the tattooed man keeping watch at the entrance suddenly raised his hand, signaling for silence.

“Someone’s coming,” he whispered.

Everyone tensed. They held their breath, listening closely. The sound of snapping twigs echoed from outside, followed by soft, deliberate footsteps.

Rey stood up, his body rigid. If it was the police, they would have to fight—or flee again.

The footsteps grew closer…

They waited in suffocating tension, ready for whatever was coming.

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