"Guards are coming," a voice warned.
He could hear the girl struggling with the lock.
"Damn," she swore viciously. "This is the wrong key! Your goose is sure cooked now. Whether you like it or not, you'll hang with us when they find us trying to get you out of here."
Brian felt as though something had kicked him in the stomach. She was right! He had to get out now. He wouldn't be able to explain this away.
"Give me that key," he hissed and grabbed for it.
He snapped two of the coigns off in the lock and went to work with the rest of the key. He had designed these escape-proof locks himself. In a few seconds the door swung open and they were fleeing silently down the jail corridor.
The girl paused doubtfully at a crossing passage.
"This way," he snarled and took the lead. He knew the ground plan of this jail perfectly. He had a moment of wonder at the crazy spectacle of himself, the fair-haired boy of Venus Consolidated, in his flapping bathrobe, leading a band of escaping rebels out of the company's best jail.
They burst around a corner onto a startled guard.
"They're just ahead of us," Brian yelled. "Come on!"