I'm here, Aren't I?

"You what?"

Petri cringed.

"You let two of our prisoners - your lab rats - escape from their cells, incapacitate two of your guards, somehow manage to bumble into some of our most dangerous, most secret, and most of all, most guarded rooms?"

Petri’s hands were held out in front of him in a supplicating gesture - his shoulders were lowered, and his eyes were downcast. "It was all accidental, Vlad. I - I take full blame for all repercussions that this might have."

The Major stared him, tapping one finger against the hard, oaken wood of his desk. He grinned, his canines glinting in the fluorescent light. "Hmm." The heavyset man reached under his desk. "Guards," he intoned, "please escort Mr. Brishkov to the brig."

Moments later, two stone-faced men carrying exceedingly large guns came in through the door. Each grabbed one of Petri’s arms, as he sputtered out apologies and platitudes. The Major was not moved. After the men had left, he stood from his chair, turned, and looked out of the window, one hand absently rubbing at his coarse chin.

"This could pose to be a problem." He said, to no one in particular.

* * *

Jonathan stood panting, one arm propped up against a wall. His knuckles and feet were sore, but he had managed to make it past most of the guards. Maximillian stood next to him; his face was coated in a thin sheen of sweat and one of his hands was resting of the small of his back. He was looking around nervously.

"John, this isn’t good."

"No, man, it’s not." John replied.

"What’re we going to do? This is the wrong way. We ran in instead of out."
"Pointing out the obvious again, are we?" John smirked.

"No need for sarcasm. Look, there’s a machine in the center of the room - wonder what it’s for?" Max took a hesitant step in it’s direction, and then motioned towards his partner. "And there’s a slot for that keycard you swiped."
John hobbled over, his breath coming in hitches. He glanced at Max, irritated. "So swipe it."

"And they call me the smart-ass." Max replied, as he shoved the card through the slit on the stand. They both jumped as the machine in front of them, a metallic circular ball, began to spin at an extremely rapid speed.

"Uh.." John muttered, his eyes wide.

"What; finally at a loss for words?"

"Shut up."
The spinning contraption had come to a halt - for that matter, there was no spinning contraption anymore. Only a man-sized inky-black void where it had once been. A rapping was heard on metal of the entrance behind them. John and Max looked at each other.

"So, er, who goes first?" Max grinned.

"You’ve always been the procrastinator. Maybe it’s time you proved yourself." John replied.

"You want me to go through that thing?!" Max’s voice was cut off as something rather large began beating on the door behind them.

"You know, it’s a good thing that they designed their locks so well."

Looking backwards, Maxamillian grinned. "Yeah."

"Hey, got that communicator you snatched from yer scientist?"

"Yep. Got yours?"

"Yes sir. It’s time we do this."
"I agree."
As the door to the room burst open, all that were left of the two escapees was a bright flash and a room full of nothing.