The Investigators, Inc. The Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery. Chapter 9. Prison Break.

Everyone was in place now, we are just waiting for the right time to pull this off. That time will be half an hour before the guards shift change, that way the guards are only thinking about going home soon, they’re tired and not paying attention properly. That’s a perfect time to hit and get Alex out of that prison. Misty has just reported to me that the electricians are ready to cut the power to the prison. We could just cut the power to this one section where Alex is being held, but I figured knocking out the whole prison would be better. That way they can’t bring more guards in from other areas to help out in the section without electricity.

Meanwhile, back home at the chateau. “What are you doing Steffie?” asked Friskie, “I was just going to put that jigsaw puzzle away since we don’t need it now.” “Awww, I want to finish the puzzle mommy,” said Steffie pouting, “it almost done and I like doing puzzles. It very nice picture too, ‘cept this part up here in the corner is different than rest of the puzzle.” “What do you mean it’s different?” Friskie asked. “See here?” asked Steffie, “it not part of same picture, it from different picture. Color of trees and sky not the same as rest of puzzle.”

Friskie looked and sure enough, Steffie was right, so Friskie called Jennifer to come and take a look. Helene came with her too and she couldn’t understand that part at all. She said it was not part of her picture and she didn’t know why it was there. She had taken a picture of her house with a drone and sent it in to have it made into a jigsaw puzzle by a company online. Jennifer then called me and I asked Cristy to check on that company. “Too bad we not have rest of puzzle pieces,” said Steffie. Helene told us where to find the last bunch of pieces which were hidden in the little town close to us.

So I sent Dawn and others from her team to go retrieve them. It wasn’t very long and they were back. “Oh, can I put them together Daddy, please!” said Steffie jumping up and down. What could I say? “I love doing puzzles!” exclaimed Steffie, “Grownups too slow anyway.” She had it finished quickly. “Look!” said Steffie, “It castle with cannon and it shooting, that why there is smoke puff. Cannon shooting at Auntie Helene’s house over here.” Then Steffie turned to Helene.

“Um, it is okay if I call you Auntie Helene?” asked Steffie, a bit nervously. Helene smiled at her, then she picked up Steffie and hugged her tight. “I would love to have you call me Auntie Helene,” she said, “you are such a precious little girl and I was afraid that you would hate me for kidnapping your Daddy.” “Well, I was mad at you for stealing Daddy,” said Steffie, “but now I know you wanted him to help you escape, you not want to hurt him.” She then gave Helene a big smile.

“Cristy,” I said, “I want Patrick, find him for me please, he could be living in an old castle or a building that resembles a castle.” “I’m on it Steve,” she said. “The rest of you girls get ready for your part,” I told them, “okay Wisty, now!” Her part was turning off the security cameras which are all controlled from their computers at the prison. This will keep Sky available for other things, like unlocking all the doors in that place that the team needs to use. “Okay Trixie, your turn!” I said. Her part was turning off the alarm systems in the entire prison.

“Okay electricians, your turn,” I said, “just remember to leave the power to the computers.” They moved in quickly, along with Sky who unlocked the compound where everything was kept safe. Just as they opened the gate, two guards came walking around the far corner and aimed their flashlights at our team. But the guards were soon asleep and our electricians were quickly doing their job and soon the electricity was off, including the backup power system, except the backup power for the computers which were all on their own electrical system.

“Okay Tracy, your turn!” I said. Her part was taking control of the computers, so no matter what they tried, they could do nothing. Akila was now hacking into their system and removing Alex completely, it would be just like she had never been at that prison. “All done now Steve,” said Tracy, “they can cut the backup power to the computers now.” “Cut the remaining power and get out of their!” I told our electricians. They moved quickly and some of Misty’s Sneakers made sure they got away safely. Sky had joined Kat and the Bad Girls to go get Alex.

She opened the main door and soon they were inside where they met the first guards, three of them. The Bad Girls took care of them quickly with their dart guns, but as they passed the offices and waiting area, the warden and some guards came out of her office and they began shooting immediately. Kat and Sky began to fight while the girls shot their dart guns. Kat grabbed the warden and took her into her office where she was tied to her chair after Kat punched her several times in the stomach. “How does it feel to be punched my dear?” asked Kat, then she left.

Apparently this warden likes to punch certain prisoners who don’t obey the rules, such as paying her each month for protection. The Bad Girls were soon at Alex’s cell after meeting only 2 other guards along the way. With all the electronic protection systems and alarm systems in this prison, it meant they needed fewer guards, or so they thought anyway. Sky opened the door to the cell and Kat introduced herself to Alex and soon they were taking her out to where Misty and the rest of her team were waiting in vans for them. The whole operation took only 12 minutes.

The guards on the wall of this end of the prison were also shot with darts by Carine and Kristina. Those two also put a bubble over the whole prison which prevented anyone inside from phoning out for help. However, it was a big job for just the two of them, so the inside team had to hurry, which they did. As the team with Alex came outside the prison walls, Kristina and Carine jumped down from the wall and joined them all in the vans and off they drove.

The rest of the team had already gone a different way back to the hotel. These three vans split up after leaving the prison and stopped in a warehouse where they quickly washed off the black paint, returning the vans to their original light green color. They also changed the license plates to the real ones and off they went to the hotel. Everything went nice and smooth, except for one thing, three of the Bad Girls had been shot…

To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.