Read Online The Omega Team: Death Sentence (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Tina Donahue - Free Book Online
Authors: Tina Donahue
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handed over the plastic cup and turned her back so Barb could relieve herself in as much privacy as the prison allowed.
Finished with the exam, Hallie escorted Barb to a bed. “If you need anything, let me know. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Barb rolled to her side and curled into a fetal position.
Sorrow weakened Hallie. Rage gave her the fight she needed.
*****
Alone in the bubble, Chase monitored the chow hall. The “disturbance” proved to be two inmates smiling at each other. That and talking wasn’t allowed during meals. A rule the guards imposed to make imprisonment more miserable than necessary.
At least it kept Edward and Dick out of here. Edward strutted around the dining area like a cock of the walk. Dick had left for parts unknown. Possibly polishing his horns and hooves.
Chase’s cellphone rang. Jacqui. “Yeah?”
“Dick’s in the dormitory, cellblock E.”
At this hour, the area was empty, prisoners at their jobs, in the yard, or eating. Wary of in-house surveillance he might have missed, Chase put on a show for anyone who might be watching or would later review recordings. “Why are you calling?” He transferred the phone from his left ear to his right. “I’m at work. No, you hang on while I do my job.” He checked the cameras. Each worked except for the one that monitored E. An educated guess said Edward had cut the feed before calling Dick to the chow hall. Chase spoke to Jacqui. “Why are you bothering me? What’s wrong?”
“I take it you can’t see what Dick is doing, right?”
“You’ll have to tell me what’s going on. I can’t guess.”
Jacqui made an approving sound. “You’re good at this. An Oscar-worthy performance. Dickwad’s in the second row, three beds from the left. According to my chart, the bunk belongs to…” Paper rustled. “Natalie Perkaski.”
Twenty, cute, and scant weeks from release. “Can you tell me more, or do I have to read your damn mind?”
“He’s looking around. Wait. He’s staring at the camera.”
Chase’s gut twisted. If Dick spotted the device….
“He turned away.”
Swallowing came easier. “And?”
“He just lifted Natalie’s mattress. Hold on. He’s slipping something beneath it.”
“What?”
“Can’t tell. That’s why I said something. Pay attention.”
Chase fought a smile. “Well excuse me. My mistake.”
“He’s leaving now. Take care, okay?”
“Yeah, same to you.” He slipped his phone into his back pocket and radioed Dick. “Where the hell are you?”
Dick strode into camera view, away from E, and back toward the chow hall. He spoke into his mike. “Why?”
“I should have taken lunch five minutes ago. How long am I supposed to wait for you or Edward to get here and relieve me?”
“Lock the damn bubble and go. Don’t be such a pussy.” He entered the dining area.
Chase raced to E. Given Gatekeeper’s desire to keep expenses low, no guards were around to see him. Today’s on-duty personnel yakked outside and enjoyed their smokes.
At Natalie’s bunk, Chase pulled out the toothbrush Dick had planted beneath her mattress, its handle whittled to a point for use as a shiv. He slipped it in his pocket, smoothed her bedding, and rushed to his locker. Hiding the homemade weapon in his thermos was his only recourse at this point.
He took a detour to the chow hall. Batons in hand, Edward and Dick talked, laughed, and ignored the quiet prisoners.
Disgusted, Chase trudged to the canteen for a soda.
*****
Getting inmates to open up was easier in theory than practice for Hallie. She spent the day examining women sentenced to confinement and tried to bond with them on any level they’d allow.
Most were stoic but polite and answered her medical questions in monosyllables. They offered no secrets as Chase had said they would and she’d hoped. The beaten-down ones, like Barb, stared into space and let her poke and prod them without complaint.
None had visible trauma.
Finished with the exam, Hallie escorted Barb to a bed. “If you need anything, let me know. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Barb rolled to her side and curled into a fetal position.
Sorrow weakened Hallie. Rage gave her the fight she needed.
*****
Alone in the bubble, Chase monitored the chow hall. The “disturbance” proved to be two inmates smiling at each other. That and talking wasn’t allowed during meals. A rule the guards imposed to make imprisonment more miserable than necessary.
At least it kept Edward and Dick out of here. Edward strutted around the dining area like a cock of the walk. Dick had left for parts unknown. Possibly polishing his horns and hooves.
Chase’s cellphone rang. Jacqui. “Yeah?”
“Dick’s in the dormitory, cellblock E.”
At this hour, the area was empty, prisoners at their jobs, in the yard, or eating. Wary of in-house surveillance he might have missed, Chase put on a show for anyone who might be watching or would later review recordings. “Why are you calling?” He transferred the phone from his left ear to his right. “I’m at work. No, you hang on while I do my job.” He checked the cameras. Each worked except for the one that monitored E. An educated guess said Edward had cut the feed before calling Dick to the chow hall. Chase spoke to Jacqui. “Why are you bothering me? What’s wrong?”
“I take it you can’t see what Dick is doing, right?”
“You’ll have to tell me what’s going on. I can’t guess.”
Jacqui made an approving sound. “You’re good at this. An Oscar-worthy performance. Dickwad’s in the second row, three beds from the left. According to my chart, the bunk belongs to…” Paper rustled. “Natalie Perkaski.”
Twenty, cute, and scant weeks from release. “Can you tell me more, or do I have to read your damn mind?”
“He’s looking around. Wait. He’s staring at the camera.”
Chase’s gut twisted. If Dick spotted the device….
“He turned away.”
Swallowing came easier. “And?”
“He just lifted Natalie’s mattress. Hold on. He’s slipping something beneath it.”
“What?”
“Can’t tell. That’s why I said something. Pay attention.”
Chase fought a smile. “Well excuse me. My mistake.”
“He’s leaving now. Take care, okay?”
“Yeah, same to you.” He slipped his phone into his back pocket and radioed Dick. “Where the hell are you?”
Dick strode into camera view, away from E, and back toward the chow hall. He spoke into his mike. “Why?”
“I should have taken lunch five minutes ago. How long am I supposed to wait for you or Edward to get here and relieve me?”
“Lock the damn bubble and go. Don’t be such a pussy.” He entered the dining area.
Chase raced to E. Given Gatekeeper’s desire to keep expenses low, no guards were around to see him. Today’s on-duty personnel yakked outside and enjoyed their smokes.
At Natalie’s bunk, Chase pulled out the toothbrush Dick had planted beneath her mattress, its handle whittled to a point for use as a shiv. He slipped it in his pocket, smoothed her bedding, and rushed to his locker. Hiding the homemade weapon in his thermos was his only recourse at this point.
He took a detour to the chow hall. Batons in hand, Edward and Dick talked, laughed, and ignored the quiet prisoners.
Disgusted, Chase trudged to the canteen for a soda.
*****
Getting inmates to open up was easier in theory than practice for Hallie. She spent the day examining women sentenced to confinement and tried to bond with them on any level they’d allow.
Most were stoic but polite and answered her medical questions in monosyllables. They offered no secrets as Chase had said they would and she’d hoped. The beaten-down ones, like Barb, stared into space and let her poke and prod them without complaint.
None had visible trauma.
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