"We could get arrested for this," Martha tells me.
"But we have to do it," I disable the alarm system with the stolen code.
We don't talk much, the rest of the way. We briefly toy with releasing some of the other animals along the way but what would it do? Penguins running through the city in the summer doesn't do much good for anyone. We just need to get to the whale enclosure. It releases right into the ocean. We can release it and be gone before they arrive in the morning.
I'm shocked and disappointed when we arrive at the control room to be met by several security guards. Only four people know this plan, and two of us are right here. Someone must have told on us. They expect an easy surrender. It will be, I don't have a gun, but they have several.
"How'd you know we were coming," I ask.
"I told them," Martha doesn't give them the chance to answer.
"Why would you do that?"
"Because you're way too invested in this. It's just one whale and it probably won't find the way back to the ocean," she says reaching out to me.
"Fuck you," I pull away.
I don't resist as they drag me out. I just think about how I should have freed all the animals on my way. Penguins, otters, seals, even the polar bears. I'd like to see them arrest a polar bear. It isn't until I reach the car that I wonder if she told on my other accomplices as well. Doesn't matter now. I wonder how much time you get for trying to free a whale.
