by Logan Byrne
“Doing okay?” Rosie asked.
I looked back at her. “Doing just fine,” I said, with a little smile, before taking my first bite of food. I might just have a plan brewing.
•••
“Have you given it any more thought?” I asked Rosie the next day as we were walking around the recreation area.
“The leaving plan?” she asked cautiously.
“Yeah, that one,” I replied.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about it more,” she replied.
“And?” I asked nervously.
“I want to, I do, but what happens next? Where am I supposed to go, Lexa? They know where I live, where my family lives, and there’s no way I could just go back home and never be found again, only to live out my days happily,” she said.
“You’d go to the resistance camp,” I whispered, looking around to make sure nobody would hear me.
“How would I even get there, and what about my family? You know they’d go after them if I successfully escaped from here,” she said.
“They would go there too, until the fighting died down and Kiren is gone,” I whispered.
“Lexa,” she said, shaking her head.
“Just trust me, I have contacts, and they’ll keep you and your family safe. You said they helped you once, right? You trust them, don’t you?” I asked.
“Yeah, I guess I do. I just don’t know why you think that we, out of everybody who’s ever tried to escape from here, could get out. I’m not even sure anybody has ever gotten out of here. Even the innocents who are proven not to be guilty have a tough time leaving,” she said.
“I haven’t worked out that part, but I know we can do it. It’ll take others, though. Like Raul, what’s his story?” I asked.
“Long and boring, trust me,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“No, seriously, he must be able to do something, right? Or else he wouldn’t be in here,” I said.
“He’s a pickpocket and a glorified free runner. Basically a thief, but not even a good one. I don’t think the resistance would be crazy about bringing in a thief,” she said.
“You’d be surprised,” I said, shrugging.
“Besides, wouldn’t bringing more people in just mean more liabilities?” she asked.
“Yeah, it always would, but you even said you and I weren’t capable of doing it alone. Maybe we need to take that risk to reap the reward,” I said.
“Then what? When we get out, if we get out, then what? They’ll send people for us instantly, and remember what lies beyond those windows,” she said, pointing at the roaring majesty of the very unforgiving mountains and snow outside.
“We can survive long enough to get where we need to go,” I said.
“Which is where?” she asked.
“Far enough to get out of the dampener’s range. From there we can teleport to the camp,” I said.
“And you’re that positive in your magic that you’d be able to go that far, and without a wand?” she asked.
“Yes, I am,” I said, thinking of the mark.
“Fine, but I want to be a part of the planning and approve stuff before we act on it. And I’d like to get more done before bringing anybody else in, so we at least have a plan to show them instead of just saying, ‘Oh hey, we want to get out,’” she said.
“Deal,” I said, smiling, before nudging her gently. “Get ready to taste freedom again.”
I purposefully withheld the information about the resistance trying to break me out. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her, she seemed very trustworthy, but I did know that loose lips sink ships. It was easier to say that we were leaving here than to spread that somebody was coming here. That would result in more security all along the perimeter, which would mean Blake and the others would never be able to get inside. They only had one chance at extracting me, and it couldn’t be ruined.
“Move over,” Zark said, pushing another man off the bench press as we walked past. He dusted himself off and looked at Zark with disdain.
“Still at it,” I muttered, my arms crossed.
“Like I said, he’s the leader here, self-elected, and he isn’t going to step down from his post anytime soon,” she said.
“Well, luckily for us, we won’t be dealing with it much longer,” I said.
I sat up in my bed that night thinking of an escape plan that made sense. I didn’t have a pen and paper, and couldn’t leave behind physical evidence of my future plans, so I had to keep them all in my mind, which didn’t make it easy to review.
I thought of what Rosie said, about Raul being a thief and pickpocket, not to mention his free running abilities. Those could come in handy, I thought, and might be good enough for a very specific action if we needed it.
I’d noticed during my time here, though it was short, that the guards all had key cards attached to a retractable string on the belt of their pants. This was sort of like what we had at the precinct, so that doors could be kept secured and locked but the officers could still access them without a physical key. It was supposed to be more secure. What if Raul could get one of them?
It would involve him maybe getting into a little scuffle, but if he could knick one of the cards, or if we had a way to replicate it, we could get around the prison undetected. The only other way we were getting out was through brute force, involving me invoking, or trying to invoke the mark, and hoping that the building didn’t dampen it. I could meditate and access it, but that was a far cry from actually summoning the power through my body and charging up enough energy to blast through solid concrete and steel walls.
If we could get to some sort of vehicle bay, though, we would have the advantage of vehicles that would allow us safe passage through the mountains far enough to where we could teleport out. That or we could just drive back to the realm, if that was an option. It would also keep us out of the elements, but I knew the chances of all of us making it safely to the vehicle bays and getting away were pretty slim. I had a better chance of blowing my way out.
Another thought dawned on me, though. What if we used the cards to gain access to the area with the dampener itself? If we could break it, they wouldn’t have their protection and we could all leave. The shifters in here could shift, the witches and wizards could use their magic, and the guards wouldn’t stand a chance. That would mean that all of us would get out of here.
The only problem with that plan, however, was that we really didn’t have a clue where the dampener was. I heard it was deep within the mountain, but that wasn’t even a guarantee. There weren’t exactly visitor maps lying about with directions to the most powerful and heavily guarded piece of equipment in the prison. I still had faith it was possible, though, and doing that would mean nobody would be attacked or persecuted should a few of us escape and the others were left behind. I wouldn’t put it past the Warden, especially, to dole out punishment to those who weren’t even a part of anything we did. He was a sick man.
A guard walked slowly past my cell, catching me mouthing and whispering softly to myself. He looked concerned while I stared at him. He moved along, not exactly quickly, before I stopped my planning and wiped my clammy palms against my jumpsuit. I was lucky I was able to catch myself there—I wasn’t always the best at noticing those around me when I was in the zone.
I started to think about other prisoners I’d seen in the block, having to narrow the choices to those in our block as we didn’t have any connection to the other inmates, while I tried to decide who else to tell. I figured five people was enough, including Rosie, myself, Raul, and two others, with maybe a sixth added on for good measure if we had the room and ability.
But who? I had to think about who would be helpful to escape, but also who would be an asset to the resistance. I couldn’t just bring anybody in, and I was only bringing Raul for what he could do for our escape and less because Chancellor Pote would love to have him join the team. She wasn’t too fond of thieves, I was pretty sure, though she did take kindly to me.
&nbs
p; Shifters weren’t going to be much help, either, because their abilities were completely hampered inside the prison and even for a distance outside it. Mages might be able to help, but I highly doubted another person here had the mark, and without wands and with that dampener, they would only be good for numbers.
I thought my team would have to include people who were magical, but not those with huge powers. People like Rosie, and even Raul, but I knew with that plan I would have to do most of the legwork. Maybe that was okay, though. Maybe that was all we needed—enough people to cause a commotion and get the little things we needed.
I postulated that the plan would take another two weeks to arrange, maybe even three. I wasn’t fully honed into my powers, and there were supplies we would need to stash to survive in the wilderness. I couldn’t take the chance that we would be able to get a vehicle, and instead needed to go with the blow-the-damn-wall-up method to ensure a quick escape.
Our jumpsuits would be okay in the snow, but we needed more under them. Maybe more clothing, or even fluff to shove in there. The trek was a few miles, and even without foot-high snow it would be difficult to traverse. I wanted a wand, if I could get one, because I knew I could send a beacon to the resistance. They would come immediately, and we could be extracted without me trying to use the mark and my power to teleport us all out.
Rosie was right when she asked if I was sure I could use my magic to get us all out, especially teleporting that great a distance. I wasn’t sure that I could, and I wasn’t positive I could get even just myself that distance, especially with how exhausted my body had become after being underfed here, and in these weather conditions. I only lied to her to gain her support, because truthfully, I didn’t know if it would happen or not.
There were guards who were witches and wizards here, who I did see carrying wands in sheaths. We could take one hostage before we got out. But no, I thought, that was wrong, we couldn’t do that. I didn’t want some ruthless escape with a body count. But then again, sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to escape wrongful imprisonment.
God, why couldn’t this all be easier? I put my forehead against my hands, my feet perched on the metal frame of the bed, before letting out a long, drawn-out breath. I put my chin on my forearms, looking at the bland, chipped wall in front of me, before shaking my head from left to right.
We couldn’t take casualties, and I know if we took a wand from a guard it would only result in another inmate doing something worse. If we held a defenseless guard on our side, and I took their weapon, somebody like Zark would rip their throat out to make an example of them. I didn’t want that.
We would do this cleanly, and we would get out. No heads would roll.
6
“Get up, you have a visitor,” I heard a guard say from my cell door.
“Me?” I asked, sitting up, looking confused.
“I’m standing in front of your cell, ain’t I?” the guard grunted. “Get up and let me cuff you.”
I walked over to the cell door, putting my hands in front of me, and he latched the heavy metal cuffs onto my wrists. “Who is it, do you know?” I asked.
“Listen, witch girl, I just get the people, I don’t ask questions. Whoever it is, I’d count yourself lucky. You must have some friends in high places because stuff like this doesn’t happen for those in your block,” he said, motioning for the watch guard to open the doors.
A loud buzzer went off before the doors unlocked and the guard slid them open. “Come on,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. We walked side by side as other inmates watched us. Someone being let out of their cell was the highlight spectacle to watch around here. It was about as close to television as you could get.
We walked towards another block, the first block, which I knew housed the least threatening offenders. Why they were even here to begin with, I didn’t know. I peered inside the thick glass windows as we walked by. The prisoners walked around, laughing and playing, none of them sitting in their cells. I was perplexed. I guess their lesser crimes offered them a chance at having some sort of freedom, but I couldn’t help but wonder why we were never afforded anything like that. Surely we weren’t that much of a threat, were we?
“In here,” the guard said, before opening a hulking metal door into what seemed to be some sort of interrogation or visitation room.
“Mirian,” I gasped. He looked at me with concern, likely surprised by my disheveled appearance and sudden weight loss. I wasn’t even all that chubby to begin with, so that must have been a shock to him.
“Lexa, how are you doing?” he asked, standing up.
“You two have ten minutes, use them wisely,” the guard said, closing the door and giving us privacy. I knew this place was bugged somehow, so there was no way Mirian and I could talk about the resistance or getting me out of here, at least not the illegal way. I wanted to give him signs or facial expressions, but I wasn’t sure there weren’t cameras, either. I didn’t need the Warden catching onto Mirian. I wasn’t trying to ruin his life.
“I’m okay, I guess. This isn’t exactly a resort, if you haven’t noticed,” I said.
“I pulled a lot of strings to get this meeting. They didn’t want to give it to me, but I’ve helped the Warden in the past and cashed in a favor. Turns out you’re not very well loved here, unlike at the precinct,” he said.
“Yeah, tell me about it. I’m finding the people a little rough here,” I said, alluding to the guards who’d beaten me not too long ago.
“You’ve lost weight,” he said.
“We eat three meals a day, but none of them are particularly healthy or satisfying. Don’t even get me started on the taste of the food here, or the fact it’s always the same thing,” I said, sighing.
“We’ve been working with a lawyer to try to get you out, at least on some sort of bail,” he said.
“They’ll never go for it. The crime they’re accusing me of is far too great to just let me roam around, at least in their minds,” I said.
“But you didn’t do it, Lexa,” he said.
“I know that, you know that, everybody back home knows that, but they don’t care. Our President has said otherwise, and that’s all that matters. It’s sad, but true,” I said.
“Have you given up hope?” he asked.
I peered up at him, my left eyebrow raising just enough for him to notice. I could tell he knew that I was signaling him, and that he got the message. “I’ll never give up hope that I’ll be able to leave here someday, but I’m not sure it will be anytime soon. I appreciate the work of my lawyer, though. He or she must be going through hell right now.”
“He is. He definitely is, but he’s working on the side of justice and is confident there will be at least a little movement in your case. Have you been keeping up with your meditation? It can be calming for the soul,” he said.
I knew what he wanted to know. He wanted to know if I was strengthening the mark, or if it would even work in here. I wasn’t sure asking about my mental state and calmness was high on the agenda.
“Yes, I have been working on keeping my breathing steady so that I can keep calm and let the stress roll off me,” I said.
“Good, that’s very good. Keep up with it, you never know what it can do for you or where it will take you,” he said.
“How is Charlie doing?” I asked.
“He’s well, though still shaken up. He’s been assigned with Xelia, and they’re working on cases. He misses you, so do the others. Especially Blake, he’s been pretty shaken up through all this,” he said.
“Tell him I miss him? Tell all of them that I miss them,” I said.
“Of course. You can count on me.”
“Did you ever figure out the vampire case?” I asked.
“No, we didn’t, unfortunately. Turns out we really need our top auditor on the case to make any significant progress,” he said, with a small smile.
“I needed that little boost,” I said, smiling back. “Soon, I hope.”
“I know so, Lexa. I know so. You just hold on and before you know it, you’ll be back in your bed, with Britta snoring next to you,” he said.
“Your time is up,” the guard said, barging into the room.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said, looking up at Mirian as he stood.
“I know it,” he replied, before walking away.
I was escorted out of the room and back to my cell. The happy warmth of seeing Mirian dissipated as I was thrown back into the hole I was staying in. Those ten minutes flew by. It was the first time I’d finally felt normal and human since I’d come here. It was all sucked out of me now, though, and all I could do was sit on my bed and plot my revenge.
I knew Mirian thought that this lawyer would be able to get me out, but I’d have to be a fool to hold out for that. Kiren would never let it happen. It would be a horrible display of power, or the lack thereof, and he’d rather see me die in here than let me out on bail. I wasn’t quite sure if Mirian or the resistance were mounting a rescue attempt; it wasn’t fully clear from our talk, though I supposed Mirian couldn’t quite come out and say it.
All I knew was that my fate and my destiny were in my hands this time, not anybody else’s. If I wanted to escape and retreat back to the camp, I needed to take charge and make it happen myself. I was going to have to talk to the others and recruit a few more people if I were going to make any of this happen. It was the only way.
•••
I noticed Raul alone in the yard later that day as we were getting our exercise. He was standing around, looking out at the snow falling on the glass above us. “Would be cool to feel that, wouldn’t it?” I asked.
“The snow?” he replied.
“Yeah, we see it all the time in here, but we never get to actually feel it or experience it,” I said.
“I guess it would be cool, but you can’t hold on to those types of things. I don’t think anybody here is going to be feeling it anytime soon,” he said.
“What if you could?” I asked softly.
“What are you getting at?” he replied quickly, a puzzled yet interested expression on his face.