"Unfortunately, it's our only choice," Bob sighed.
"We're not fully prepared, but if we wait any longer, we'll lose our last chance at freedom."
Nathan's eyes hardened with resolve.
"Then let's do it. I'd rather die than live like those brainwashed people every day."
"Alright, let's move tonight!" Bob agreed, though a flicker of concern crossed his face.
"But we don't know how the silver wand patrol at night. Rushing straight to the target would be too obvious, and our chances of success are low."
Just then, a voice interrupted their whispered plans.
Startled, they turned to see Jimmy standing by the cage.
"Jimmy? What are you doing here?" Nathan asked, surprised.
Usually, Nathan and Bob communicated in a pretty cryptic way, but today, Nathan seemed a bit out of it, so neither of them noticed someone quietly approaching.
"Captain, you and Bob are planning to escape, aren't you? Honestly, I've known about it all along," Jimmy said, his face bitter and worn, no trace of the youthful cheerfulness he once had.
"Even though I'm young, I'm not stupid. You two get together every couple of days whispering, and the captain always sneaks out at night to practice wandless spells under the covers. I've seen all of it."
Nathan was shocked to hear this.
He glanced at Bob, then back at Jimmy.
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Speak up? Why would I? Wouldn't it be better if you actually managed to escape? Maybe you could even bring help," Jimmy replied with a wry smile.
"I knew I was useless for so long. All I've done is cause trouble for you, Captain. So when I found out about your escape plan, I didn't try to join you, I didn't want to drag you down. The best I could do was cover your back."
"Jimmy…" Nathan was touched by his honesty but still asked, "You're a great guy. Why cause trouble for us? You said you could help, what do you mean?"
Jimmy
Jimmy seemed to guess their thoughts.
"Are you thinking of sneaking out through the fireplace at night? If you rush out like that, the chances of getting away are almost zero."
Nathan trusted Jimmy as a friend and nodded.
"Yeah, but you've seen how those silver wands treat us. Even if the odds are slim, Bob and I want to fight hard. It's better to die trying to escape than to become emotionless walking corpses."
Nathan and Bob exchanged looks, both filled with determination.
"So, that's the plan."
"I always thought you were a bit weak, Captain. I never expected you to be the bravest among us," Jimmy said, looking at Nathan and Bob with genuine admiration.
Then he leaned in closer and whispered, "If I help you draw the attention of some silver wands while you're making your escape, do you think your chances of getting away will improve?"
"Draw their attention?" Nathan blinked, surprised by the suggestion.
He stared at Jimmy with wide eyes.
"You mean... but wouldn't that put you in danger?"
Jimmy smirked.
"Well, it seems like waiting around isn't doing us any favors either."
He fixed his gaze on Nathan.
"Tonight, I'll find a way to make some noise. When that happens, you take the chance to run. If you can find someone to help us after you get out, that would be ideal. If not... just take care of yourself. I want you to know that all my efforts won't have been for nothing."
"Jimmy!"
Nathan's chest tightened, and he almost choked on the emotion swelling inside him.
Jimmy shook his head firmly to stop him.
"Captain, now's not the time to hesitate. If you can escape, those of us still trapped here have hope of seeing the light of day again. We can keep holding on. But if we all just stay here... what's the point of living?"
He glanced over at Sykes, the person he used to despise the most.
But after everything that happened today, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
Nathan took a deep breath, exchanged a determined look with Bob, and then nodded hard.
"Alright, let's do it. Jimmy, don't worry. If I get out, I'll head straight to the Ministry of Magic and seek help from the Aurors."
"The Ministry of Magic?" Jimmy hesitated.
"After being stuck here so long, you should know how connected those club members and NGOs are. They've been pushing for Germany's division, and some of them might even be in the Ministry. Are you sure it's safe to trust their people by going straight there?"
"No matter how powerful the Silver Wand Club is, people like Director Andre of the Legal Enforcement Department would never team up with them. As long as we can find him, there's hope," Nathan said firmly.
Andre's reputation in the German magical community is well known, not just for his bad temper, but also for his jealous streak.
So when Nathan mentioned his name, Jimmy and Bob nodded in agreement, convinced.
Moody, who had been quietly listening nearby by the trio's cell, also nodded with satisfaction, not because he feared they might escape, but because seeing them make up their minds was a good sign.
The bond between Jimmy and Nathan was clearly strong, and hearing the sincerity in their conversation touched Moody more than he expected, almost making him feel guilty, though only just.
That night, around midnight, many prisoners found themselves unable to sleep, haunted by memories of the silver wands' brainwashing of fellow wizards.
Some even woke up from nightmares.
Then, in the dead of night, a sudden light appeared, cutting through the darkness.
As everyone looked around, they realized a cell was on fire!
"It's on fire! Help!"
A sharp cry rang out, quickly followed by a chorus of shouts and chaos.
The fire had started in the cell where Jimmy and Nathan were held.
At first, it was just a quilt mysteriously catching fire, but when Jimmy threw the flaming quilt into the wooden, makeshift toilet, the flames spread rapidly.
The fire grew, soon reaching the neighboring cell.
Panic spread like wildfire among the prisoners, sparking loud cries and frantic calls, even among those far from the blaze or on different sides of the conflict, as if the world was ending.
The entire prison suddenly buzzed with noise, like a busy morning market.