by E. M. Leya
"That you’re a fucking hero, who saved a bunch of kids. The rest, they don't need to know, though John in cell five keeps asking me for more personal details. I'd watch your ass if you end up getting your hour out at the same time he does."
Dyson laughed. "I might let him have my ass if he's any good. The worst part about being in here is the lack of sex. I used to get laid almost nightly before I got caught. If I'm detoxing from anything in here, it's sex."
"Yeah, I admit I'm taking longer showers. Out of all the things I'm going to miss being in here, it's sex. I may hook-up with someone once I get to prison, but here, nah, I need to know someone before I fuck them."
Dyson would have taken pretty much anything at the moment. He had a few limits, but his cock was craving attention desperately. Sex took the edge off, and without it, he was stressed and worked up with everything going on. "Did you have anyone on the outside?"
Patrick shrugged. "No one serious. I was working at Dave's Tires when all this shit went down, and there was a guy there I thought might be something more serious, but our first date was scheduled for the day after I killed my sister's husband."
He wasn't shocked to hear his cellmate was gay. He'd gotten that impression from day one. While there wasn't really any attraction to Patrick, his cock still tried to let him know that anyone would do. He ignored the need, not about to ruin a good friendship and risk ending up with a cellmate he couldn't stand if things went bad between him and Patrick. "That sucks. Has he got hold of you here?"
"Nah, I didn't expect him to. What guy wants to hook-up with a murderer? What about you? Did you leave anyone behind?"
Other than his whole team? "No, there was no one serious. I'm more into the hook-ups. I'd use dating apps or pick a guy up at the club if I could get there early enough. Seldom ever saw them again afterward. I'm not sure I'm the type to ever settle down." The thought of only having one person for the rest of his life didn't work for him. He needed the variety. He wanted a taste of everything depending on his mood. Sex with one person would get boring.
"I thought I'd be the only gay man here." Patrick laughed.
"Nah, I bet there are a few of us. I'm not one to make it public around here. I don't want to do any harder time than I have to, but you know, if I'm here for fifty years, ya gotta do something. Half the guys around here who end up at the prison will experiment. Probably more than half. You gotta do what ya gotta do to get off."
Patrick made a disgusted face. "Yeah, looking around at most of the men here, I'll stick to the solo showers."
"Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing. Hopefully, our options improve once we get to prison." He really prayed that never happened. He needed more than that to satisfy him. God, he prayed the team got him out of jail before he had to make those choices.
"When's your next court date?" Patrick asked.
"Next week. It's just a preliminary hearing. I have no doubt this is going to drag on for months. I have no expectation of a speedy trial with my case. I've hardly had time to talk to my attorney yet. We've only covered the basics." Dyson honestly wasn't even sure who had called the lawyer for him. One just suddenly walked in saying he was being paid to represent him, and Dyson didn't argue. If the team got him out of jail soon, he wouldn't need the man to do much anyway. "How about you?"
"Nothing for another two weeks. They keep delaying my case. I guess there was some case in Baltimore where my sister's husband had been arrested for raping and beating a woman. He's looking into that before we go on. The more we can show how violent he was, the better it is for me." Patrick shrugged. "My gut tells me it won't matter. Murder is murder in many people's eyes, and a jury could go either way on this."
"The not knowing sucks." Dyson sighed.
"It does, but at least we don't have to go through it alone." Patrick held up a deck of cards. "You up for a game?"
"Sure, why not?" Dyson moved so Patrick could sit at the other end of his bunk and deal the cards between them.
This was his life now, card games, horrible meals, long hours of nothingness, and worry that something might go wrong and the team wouldn't get him out. He had to be ready for anything. His luck had run out the night he got arrested, and he wasn't sure that it had ever returned.
CHAPTER SIX
Waiting was killing Bryon, but after nearly four weeks, he was finally ready to get Dyson out of jail. It was going to take everything working perfectly to make it a success. The whole team was on edge, and ready to help in any way possible.
"Let me do this," Xander argued.
"No, I can't have any of you seen. You have to stay here. I promise I'll bring him here once the coast is clear. I've got a friend handling all the driving. There will be cameras following them. Carter is trying to hack into everything along the route so there won't be a video of the vehicle, but we all know that we're talking miles of area, and we won't get them all. The plan is flawless once Dyson walks out, but we still have to make sure they can't track him. If we're lucky, it will be morning or later before the jail realizes the mistake."
"I'm good to go as far as the jail." Carter looked at the notebook in front of him. "I've timed it so he'll be released with the midnight group. That's usually the largest group since those who have served their full sentence are released at midnight. The office staff just does what the computer tells them to. Unless someone is really paying attention, which I doubt they are, they aren't going to question his bail release. He'll just be another name mixed in with the others."
"And once he's out, how does he know who is picking him up?" Noam asked.
"Codeword," Xander told Noam. "We all memorize it from the day we start going out on stings." He glared at Bryon. "Noam should know it."
"Yeah, I just realized I never sat down with Noam or Matt because they aren't as at risk as the rest of you, but I'll take care of that as soon as we get Dyson situated. The whole team should know it." Bryon made a note on the paper in front of him. "Anyway, my friend will be waiting outside for Dyson. He will get his attention, give the code word, and lead him to a car. The car is like all our others, license plates show it's part of the State's fleet. They will drive to another location, ditch that car, grab another, and drive to yet another location. Dyson will be there for at least twenty-four hours, maybe more. Once we know the coast is clear, I'll go grab him and head here. You guys will have a few hours with him before I get him out of town."
"For how long?" Xander asked.
Bryon just stared at him. The answer was obvious. Once Dyson left town, he'd be stupid to return. He was going to have to adapt to a new life somewhere else. Bryon had that life set up for him, but he wasn't talking about any of it until he was able to tell Dyson about it in person. He expected arguing, but there was no other option. Dyson had to leave if he wanted to keep his freedom.
Carter leaned forward. "The team is going to have to deal with changes. Once we get Dyson out, the team is still on hold. We won't be doing anything new for a month or more. We need things to cool down. Jumping right in would put us all in danger."
"I do have a few out of state things in the works that we'll be doing, but as far as local, we sit and wait." Bryon glanced at Xander. "I know Dys is your best friend, but you have to let him leave. You can't fight me on this. It's the only way we can keep him safe and free."
"Can you at least tell me where you're sending him?" Xander had his arms folded over his chest, glaring at everyone.
"No. That's up to Dyson to let you know once I talk to him. Don't press me on this, Xan. I'm trying to keep us all safe. None of us are happy about this. None of us want Dyson to leave, but it's how it has to be. You all knew when you signed on that this was a possibility if we ever got caught. Just because he's a few thousand miles away doesn't mean you won't ever see him again."
"A few thousand miles?" Xander grabbed his beard, running his hand down it.
"What? Did you think I'd move him a couple towns over? Leave him here in the state so that everyone who's s
een him on the news can identify him and turn him in?"
"Faith wants to see him before he leaves," Matt said.
"I figured. She's as much a part of this team as any of you. I'll make sure everyone is here who needs to be. One thing, since Faith and Dyson did communicate through mail at the jail, she needs to be sure not to contact him once he's gone. If she wants to call or talk to him, have her do it through Carter so he can make sure nothing is traced. It's just until things cool down. It's going to be a change for all of us, but as hard as this is on us, remember how much harder it is going to be for Dyson." Bryon stood, moving across the room. "I'm trying to make sure Dyson has everything he needs to start his new life. I can't go into details yet, but I promise you I'm not sending him off alone. He's still a part of STK and he always will be. You all will be unless you choose to leave, no matter what happens to any of us. We are family, and we don't turn our back on each other."
"I know we haven't said it much, but thank you for always having our backs, Bryon. You've always made sure that we're protected, and we sometimes take that for granted. Carter and you have worked from day one to make sure none of us ever suffered for choosing to be part of this team. I know I can honestly say, even when I thought I was going to end up in jail…" Kasey smiled at Noam. "I knew you'd always be there for me."
"Just like you'd be there for me." Bryon smiled. "Carter is the one holding us together. While I don't do it often, I go out on stings too. It could have easily been me instead of Dyson. It could have been any of us. It's Carter who would always put the plan in action, and it's been Carter who has done most the work to get Dyson out. All I've done is make sure he has a place to go once he is free."
Carter smiled. "When Bryon and I first met and discussed starting this team, I was still hurting. It had been a couple of years since my family had been killed, and I wasn't in a good place. It was this team and the work we do that's helped me heal. When I thought all my reasons for living were gone, it was you guys who showed me just how much more I had left to do with my life. I wouldn't want to work with any other group of guys."
Bryon nodded to Carter, remembering back to when they'd met so many years ago. They'd both been unstable, grieving their own losses, and together they'd found a way to piece their souls back together. "So, we are a go for tonight?"
Carter nodded. "Is your guy in place, ready to go?"
"He is." Bryon had talked to him just an hour ago. "He's just waiting on confirmation from me."
"You sure this is going to work?" Xander asked, still tugging on his beard nervously.
"No clue, but it's the best chance we have. I'm confident we've done everything to make it work, but we all know that it only takes one small slip to fuck up the plans. We'll just go with it and pray for the best. If it doesn't work, then we try again. We've got other options, but this is the best one out of all of them, so pray it works." Bryon looked around at the group. "You guys are welcome to hang out here tonight, but I won't have any verification that he's out until probably four or five in the morning. We're keeping contact at a minimum. I won't even talk to Dyson for a few days. Everything will be done by people from out of state and not part of the team."
"You trust these people?" Xander asked.
"With my life," Carter spoke up. "These are sources I've made through the dark web and from as far back as when I worked for the government. These guys are some of the best at what they do. They don't ask questions. They'll do the job and disappear."
"You all know we wouldn't bring in anyone we didn't trust," Bryon said. "We've known these guys for years. They'll take care of Dyson and keep him safe. Once he's away from the jail, I'm confident we'll keep him out. It's going to be that initial ten to fifteen minutes when he is called to roll up from his cell, walking down to release, and walking out of the jail that is most risky. We get him in the car, all should go as planned. It's hoping that no one sees his name on the release orders and focuses on why he's being let out. Carter has everything looking authentic, but should they call anyone for verification, we're fucked."
"So any questions on how this is all going to work tonight?" Carter asked.
Bryon looked at the group in front of him, glad when no one spoke up. "Then I'm guessing I'll see most of you back here tonight. Beau and Parson are bringing dinner at seven if you want, but it will be a long wait until midnight when all systems are go."
Glad that no one argued with him over his plans, he headed to his bedroom. He needed time alone before everything went down, because if anything went wrong, it was on him, and he couldn't handle seeing any of his men suffer any more than they already were.
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Dyson Fowler, roll up!" The pounding on his cell door and the words yelled into his cell had him jumping out of bed.
"What the fuck?" Patrick stared at him from the top bunk.
"Don't question it. Just act like it's normal. I swear once I'm out, I'll do all I can to help you. Keep my shit. I won't need it." He grabbed his legal papers to make it look like he really gave a fuck but none of it mattered. Once he was out the door, he wasn't looking back.
"Dude." Patrick continued to stare.
"Stay strong, Patrick. And if the same thing might ever happen to you, go with it, don't question it, and remember the word, penguin. It will let you know that it's me. I'll do what I can for you." He gave Patrick a confident smile as he stood beside the cell door, waiting for the guard to open it.
"How?" Patrick looked confused.
Dyson put a finger to his lips a second before his cell door opened and he stepped out into the pod.
There were four other men from his pod being released and the guard had them all line up at the door. Until they were officially released by the office, the guard was still treating them as if they were the scum of the world, barking orders at them.
Dyson ignored it. He needed his full focus on his surroundings. This was the part of the plan that was the most dangerous. It was where everything would go wrong if anything did. As they stepped out of the pod, he stayed in line, following the guy in front of him to the area where he would sign his release papers.
He prayed that no one got suspicious. He didn't know what Carter did to show he was up for release, but he bet it was a simple bail bond, and that could be put on hold quickly if anyone questioned it. He kept his head lowered, not wanting to remind people of who he was. With his face in the news, it would bring him the attention he didn't want or need.
Once in the main office, he waited as the guy in front of him was given his clothes to go change into. When he was handed his own, he quickly took them and headed for the small changing room. He pulled on his black pants, and a black t-shirt, but tied the hoodie around his waist.
Being out of the jail jumpsuit was the first step of many, but he still wasn't in the clear. Once changed, he stepped out and waited again for his turn to sign his release agreement and get the check for the money he had on his books. As he looked around, no one seemed to be paying any attention to him. It was fifty yards from the office to the jail doors, then another twenty-five yard to the road.
"Do you need to use the phone to call for a ride?" the clerk at the desk asked.
"No, I should be okay." Dyson smiled his thanks as she handed him the paperwork.
"Through that door." She gestured to the exit.
"Thanks." He took the paper, added it to his legal papers, and walked out. He didn't rush. Running would draw attention to him. He had no idea what the plans were once he got out the door. He was sure Bryon had something planned. All he could do was wait and see and go with it. He trusted Bryon to have everything covered.
As he stepped outside, free for the first time in nearly a month, he took a deep breath, enjoying the cool air as he looked around. He saw several men and women gathered at the end of the walkway, but no one that looked familiar.
He kept his pace slow as he walked down toward the parking lot, aware of everything going on around him. The others
being released rushed past him, excited to be free. He didn't blame them, after nearly a month in a cell, the world was a little more beautiful now.
"Penguin," a man he was walking near softly said.
Dyson didn't make eye contact with the man, but turned and slowly followed him into the parking lot. He was glad to see the man stop by a car he didn't recognize and not one of the team members' cars. As strange as it was to get into a car with a man he didn't know, the code word assured him he was safe and that Bryon had sent him.
He climbed into the car without a word, continuing to keep his head down and remain calm. He couldn't knock the feeling that at any minute police would surround the car and drag him back inside. His pulse raced as the man started the car and pulled out onto the road.
"We drive for twenty minutes, then switch cars. Drive another two hours, and spend the next twenty-four to forty-eight in hiding, then the team will be in touch." The man kept his speed low, not drawing attention to them.
Neither of them spoke until they were several miles away from the jail. It was then the man finally glanced over at him. "My name's Brad. I'll be with you for a few hours, then Rob will take over. We'll keep you safe until Bryon comes for you in a couple of days."
"Thank you. You have no idea how good it feels to get out of there." Dyson slowly started to relax, the tension he'd been holding for weeks gradually easing. "Just promise me, if anything goes south and we're at risk, you forget about me and get yourself safe. I won't have anyone else facing charges because of me."
"Nothing is going to go south. We've got everything planned out to the second, and every possible scenario covered. We're headed to a warehouse. Once we pull inside, I need you to follow me to another vehicle several bays over from the one we are in. This car will leave again with two people in it, then we'll wait another twenty minutes and we'll leave with four other cars. Before we get in the car, I'll take your old ID and give you a new one. I want anything you have on you that connects you to your old life. You're no longer Dyson, you're William D. Liston. Once we get farther south on the freeway, we'll split from the other cars and head to a safe house. I need you to put that hoodie on to cover your tats, and there is a hat in the glove box, use it. We're nothing more than a couple dock workers headed home for the night once we leave the warehouse."