THE OUTCASTS

Chapter 3

-picture of Neji included

Neji woke up several times that night, the dreams of an arena haunting him again. When he first started having them almost fifteen years ago, his mother had sent him to a psychiatrist because he claimed they felt like memories. The doctor would listen to him every week for an hour until Neji was finally convinced that they were just memories and signified a change. That year he started a prestige school in Virginia after being kicked out of a school in North Safe Burrows, and with some guidance he managed to drill discipline and loyalty into his core in the manner of four years.

Still, those dreams haunted him. 

He could feel the tug of them as if trying to make him remember. 

What.

 He didn't know, nor did he cared anymore. Finally, after giving up sleep in total, he checked his pad for the time and news. 4:30 a.m. and a list of the inmates released from Arville Woman Prison yesterday afternoon.

He took a quick shower, made himself tea and started reading. Aberon Amanda: 15, imprisoned for multiple hooliganism‎ in Bronx. Cameron Lutessa: 20, imprisoned for forgery government issued I.D.s. Damian Lucy: 16, imprisoned for cybercrime, special warning. He continued reading until he saw a familiar name: Evans Jane J: 18, imprisoned for smuggling and an attack on a security guard. He recalled one of his colleagues, Barton was his name  mentioning her a couple of times as a living proof of genies gone bad. After working at Arville prison as a guard for almost ten years, his then captain hired him to be on the force a couple of years ago. 

He liked the man, who was in his late forties, and loved to chat. He mentioned Evans to be quite quick on her tongue, when someone insulted her, she would throw a quick remark, smirk and continued on her business. He found her bloody and beaten because of those a few times in the first month of her imprisonment. 

Since then she kept to herself.

Neji couldn't help feeling a bit bad, not just for her, but for the rest of them. So much talent wasted away. 

He continued reading the list of the nineteen names. All under twenty, minor felonies and good behavior. He guessed the prison had no more room for inmates. He got dressed, packed his uniform and went for a run around Peace Park, used to be named the Great Central Park, but after the war it was the place where the remaining countries of the world signed the treaty and since then people referred to it as the Great Peace Park.

By the time, he got to his office it was 7 o'clock. Neji liked to start his job early, making sure everything is ready for the day of protecting the Council and the major. He knew that since he was the youngest Captain to ever been chosen at his age of twenty-three, he made sure to prove himself, knowing that some of his colleges and guards didn't trust him to perform well in his duties due to him being so young. 

Neji didn't let such talk get to him. He knew what they thought of him, about what they discussed behind his back. That he only got to this position thanks to his family connections.

 At eight, the whole office buzzed, everyone doing their job, and Neji was called down to the practice range. He didn't mind. He liked to practice with his closest men and women. 

His unit. His team. 

That kind of loyalty and respect was something difficult to earn, but very promising once deserved. Doran and Harper had the highest scores in long distance shooting, but Neji and Kent had the best scores at hand to hand combat. 

After practice, he headed to his office, only to find someone waiting for him. Two large guards you could barely detect as female were stationed just outside his glass doors. He knew who was here. He noted to the guards and let himself in. Standing there, mounting over a piece of paper, was the major of New York City: Azami Shay. 

„What can I do for you madam?" he asked, a bit of concern on his face. The major would visit the Central Guard Station every month to inspect her city guards. 

Lately, it was the only time he got to see his mother. 

Ten years ago when she had decided to enter politics with help from his grandfather, Neji was pleased for her. He helped her with her campaigns, but when he decided to become one of the city's guards after college, she was disappointed. 

She stood shorter than his six foot, but they had the same hair colour, and face contours. The only thing he got from her. She was dressed in a red business suit, black pumps and her earpiece was hidden by her hair.

„What can I do for you Mrs. Mayor?"

„Good morning to you to Captain. Since we are now past our informal titles."

"I am at work." She shifted a little bit, but gave a small smirk.

"What do you want?"

"Straight to business then. As you well know, a group of nineteen young women were released from Arville Woman Prison yesterday afternoon. It was done in a bit of a rush." She handed me her padscreen with the names of the prisoners.

„I have read it already. Is there a point to it or are you just disappointed that they were released earlier than expected."

„I thought you would know by now that I always expect everything."

„How could I forget." She ignored Neji's comment like it had never been said and continued. 

„Eight of those nineteen girls are different than your usual type of criminals. I want them brought to my office by nightfall." It was not a request, it was a command. Neji wanted to ask his mother more about it, but she only said to get it done and left him alone.

 Her guards going after her as every man and woman stood up. He requested his task force, studying his new list as he climbed aboard the aircraft. Knowing that a long day awaited him.