"The djinn has determined that it is a physical ward of salt, iron, and plastic layers. It is thin, maybe a centimeter thick, and the iron layers have electricity running through them. The ward is a shell around the whole corridor, with individual warding around each cell. The warding does not extend to the bars of the cell doors."

Puck starts talking out of nowhere, and pulls me from my thoughts.

"So, if we break the outer shell, the warding on each individual cell will fail?" I rephrase to make sure I fully understand what he is telling me.

"Correct. Break the outer warding, and turn off the electricity and the warding on the whole corridor is down." He agrees.

"Was the djinn able to sense if we are the only warded corridor on the ship?"

"One moment, I will ask."

The silence drags on. Clearly, we are waiting for the djinn to expand their sensory search. Thirty minutes, then an hour. Finally, Puck responds "There appear to be four more warded corridors."

"Is the warding connected?"

"No. They are separate physical wards, but it appears to be one electric source."

"If we turn off the electric source, breaking the physical warding becomes easy, and then you and the pheonix can port everyone out."

"The phoenix has been here for less time than me, they still have good energy. I don't think I can port anyone unless you set up the fairy circle." Puck does sound exhausted, even with the energy I've transferred him.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"I can do that. Is everyone else strong enough to break the bars of their cells if we turn off the electricity?"

"The phoenix and I can coordinate the evacuation."

"Okay, I will make the fairy circle right in the middle of the corridor. How is Remus doing?"

"He is still capable. He and the djinn both arrived a day before you."

"Can you let him know that I will need his help to break out the other corridors."

"Of course. I will also try to contact the captives in those corridors so we can all work together to break out."

"Are they in your range?"

"Yes, but unless someone is in physical contact with the hull, I probably won't be able to reach them. Especially with the warding in place."

"Of course. Can you tell if the hatches are all manual or do they have electronic locks we can disable? What about the cells?"

"One moment."

It takes another hour before Puck responds. During that time, the guards come and collect another prisoner. Whoever they took needed to be dragged to their appointment? Session? I wonder what they call what they are doing to us. How do they rationalize it?

Eventually Puck answers "They appear have an electronic override, but, obviously, they are also able to be opened manually."

"I suspect the electronic locks disengage if the power goes out?"

"I wouldn't know, but that sounds like it would be smart to design it that way." Puck pauses for a moment, "Loki, we need to get out of here soon."

"We will, I'm working on a plan, and I should be able to break us out in the next two days."

"No, Lo. That's not good enough."

"Why? What am I missing?"

"Loki, I've been here for a while. I've seen the progression of their tests. The next time they take me, will be the last time. I… I won't come back."

I sit up, "How long do you have?"

"Sixteen hours."

Sixteen hours? I won't have time to convince the lady scientist to turn off the electricity. "Okay. We'll be out of here in fifteen hours."

I have no idea what I'm going to do. Fifteen hours isn't enough time to enact any of the plans or backup plans I have. I have to come up with something new, fast.

That, or we have to get lucky.