Isaac picture>>>>>>>>
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The showers room was somewhat awful; Joanna concluded in her mind but made no audible comment. She started inspecting the place while Kevin spoke with the guard who was suppose to keep an eye on her, and Kevin was trying to convinced the guard to let him stay this time.
"You can start now! You have one hour." Kevin told her in his commanding voice. Joanna picked up the cleaning tools that was sitting on the floor in front of the Shower-room's entrance and started scrubbing.
Everything was so damn dirty. And not dirty as in there was a shower yesterday. No! It was filled with mold. She wasn't that disgusted, she'd seen more disturbing sites when she worked at a late night bar once.
After forty five minutes she was done cleaning, but no amount of cleaning in the world would make this dump sparkle, she thought, wiping the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. She was filthier than before. Joanna got in one of the showers, which was a tiny metal cubes, after she sneaked a look at the two guards. Kevin was doing a great job in distracting the other man. He looked like he was actually interested in whatever the guard was talking about. Joanna shook her head thinking that couldn't be possible. That guy is practically made of steel.
Turning the water's switch, a warm rain of water poured and she relaxed for a second before she remembered she had to be done quickly. After she dried off and got dressed in her fresh jumpsuit, she got out if the cube and stop suddenly, widening her eyes when she noticed that Kevin wasn't there. Only the other guard stood there, his arms folded over his chest while he leaned his back to the wall behind him. He looked straight at her. He wasn't as huge as Kevin and the other guards were, she noticed. She also realized that he didn't look mad or angry. He was actually smiling. As if he felt sorry for her!
Well, no time for correcting that smile now. Joanna swallowed before she said, "I... I thought it'd be ok if..."
"Save it!" The guard cut her off softly. Almost sympathetically. "It's alright, Kevin told me everything."
"Oh?" Joanna triad to hide her look of confusion. What the hell did Kevin tell him?
"It's alright, it's not like you are the first to do it." The guard continued. "My name is Tom." He beamed at her, pushing himself off the wall and lowering his hands to his sides. She was speechless. Not only did mark distract him in the beginning, He somehow convinced an ADX guard that it was ok to bend the rules. That Kevin was something, she thought. But still what did he said to the guy? Did he know too?
"Tha... Thanks." She said to Tom, trying to sound genuine.
"Don't worry about it. You seem like a good kid." so maybe she didn't know exactly what Kevin told him, but what Tom just said rolled out the 'he's-actually-a-girl' truth. She exhaled in relieve. And smiled a little at him before she handed him the cleaning tools and strode back to the cells hall.
Julian was sulking, leaning on the guard's post in the middle of the hall next to Isaac. "So, what's your next plot?" Isaac asked him. Julian's brow arched in amusement before he answered, "Observation."
"Observe what? Cage isn't even here!" Isaac told him, annoyed. "Reeeally? look who's all wet and steamy!" Julian beamed suddenly pushing himself up straight and looked at the far end of the hall. Isaac's face followed him to find Joan Cage coming in from the entrance gate. He was clean like he'd just had a shower. "So? He had a shower? What’s the big mystery?" Isaac turned his gaze to Julian. Julian remained silent, still 'observing' it seemed. "What's the big deal? He works at the showers!" He bellowed at his friend throwing his hands up. Julian chuckled. "That's true. It's a great cover you see, and quite simple. Why would a girl take a shower with a bunch of hungry men when there's a way to shower alone?" He wasn't really asking.
"That's crazy." Isaac said, shaking his head. "No, that's genius." Julian said, almost in admiration. "Do you want to bet that whatever happens, Joan boy would never take a shower with us?"
"What do you mean whatever happens?" Isaac asked, doubt on his voice. "You know, you can find out if he is a girl right now. It's a prison. Crazy things happen." Isaac said matter of factly, folding his arms against his chest. "No! That won't do. He is my prize only, and no one can know about him. I have to find out without even him knowing. Otherwise he might disappear on me." Julian answered his confused friend, looking up at his face and smiling that devilish smile of his, "after all, he disappeared on the big 'ol Mafia." He continued, rising up his eyebrows.
Isaac breathed out in exasperation. And held his nose bridge with his fingers closing his eyes in an attempt to calm his nerves. "You know," he started, "I've been thinking about your theory for a while now." He released his nose and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "And I think there might be a chance that you are right." He continued and saw Julian as he smiled cockily. Isaac snorted, "but for that you need evidence! You don't even know what this.." He lowers his voice, "Joanna Blake look like. All your theories are based on nothing."
Julian knew his friend was right, somewhat. But he was limited. "That's what I need from you." Julian told his friend and Isaac looked at him, confused again. "You know I am not allowed to touch computers or any electronic device during my time." He continued, "so, I need you to go to the library and obtain these information for me."
"You know the Internet service her is too limited. And I’m not as skilled as you are." Isaac said to him. Julian bit the nail of his thumb. Looking up at a particular cell. Number 204. Isaac looked up too, figuring out what his friend was thinking. "You do know that the only one for the job is him." Isaac told him slowly. "Hank Morales."
Julian felt his nerves shake before he drew a long breath and held it. He knew Hank was the one for this. But he couldn't look at the man's face let alone talk to him. Exhaling audibly, almost in defeat, he told Isaac, "I'll find another way." Then he stuffed his hands on his pockets again and strode off, leaving Isaac behind.
Joanna slept most of what was left of the break time before the lunch buzz came. Everything went peaceful today; even Steevy didn't approach her or Hank.
When they were in the out yard, Hank was so excited to introduce her to her new home, even after she'd already almost gotten used to it. Still, due to her mood today, she felt like humoring the poor guy.
"So, you see, the prison here is filled with closed communities." He started. "Gangs is the word you mean." She said to him, laughing. Hank gave her an annoyed look, "Ok fine, you can think of them as warlords!"
"Warlords?"
"Yes, you know, like.... the game?" Hank said, almost shocked she didn’t recognize it.
Joanna burst into laughter; she tried to stop only to laugh more when she saw the disappointed look on Hank's face. "I’m serious!" Hank said, defending himself. "Okay, okay." she wiped her eyes, and motioned for him to continue. Hank snorted.
"You've met some of them, you know." Hank told her. "I did?" Joanna looked around them. "Each warlord have a community behind him, could extend to outside the prison." He explained. "Like him." He pointed at someone and she followed his hands to find Steevy with his bodyguards, apparently bullying someone. "What? Him?" She looked at Hank in disbelieve. "I kicked his ass the first day I came here!" she exclaimed. Hank shook his head. "That's because he wasn't expecting it." He said. "anyway, He have the power to make the whole prison on your tail once he set his eyes on you."
"I don't see anyone in my tail."
"That's because of the fight. Everyone is scared that if they touch you, they'll anger Uncle Sam." He looked at her, and she couldn’t read his eyes. "Look, I really thank you for helping me out, but you have no idea what you put yourself in." He sounded concerned. Joanna shrugged and looked away from him. Misfortune was bound to follow her it seemed.
"So tell me about the other warlords." she diverted the discussion.
"Oh, right. One of them we just talked about is Uncle Sam." He pointed at the old, square man she made the deal with yesterday. She wasn't surprised that he was one with authority around here. It was too obvious to question it.
"He is the gambling master around the nation." Hank continued his explanation. "And he collect, one way or another." He looked at her, and she could see the scared look in his wide bony eyes. "And if something or someone interest him, he'll make use of them until he's satisfied." Joanna's gaze turned from the yard to look directly in his eyes. She frowned in confusion. She didn't get why she felt Hank was talking about her. That Sam can't make her do anything she didn't want to do. "I won the wager." She said. "He have nothing on me." she looked at the far old man again. "Yes I know. But if he want to, He'd find the dirtiest way to do it." Hank clarified.
"Next!" she ordered, still looking away. "Oh, right." Hank said, his eyes started searching the crowd again and stopped at a group of people, who like everyone else in the yard, didn't look the least bit civil, but somehow managed to superior all of them. "Who's that?" Joanna asked, her eyes lingering on the tall man in the middle of the dark group. He looked like he was the leader and he was looking straight at her. "That is Big Aldo."
Every nerve ending in Joanna's being froze. It seemed like the only thing that could still move were her eyes, widening until the point they hurt. Big Aldo. No way this was a coincidence. How many ‘big Aldo’ was there. "Is he by any chance related to the.... mafia?" She managed to get the words out of her trembling lips.
"Yes!" Hank beamed, almost in joy, as if she just answered the-one-million question. "How did you know?" He asked, enthusiastically. Shit!
How did she know? For the past month Mark had managed to somehow wash her brain that she didn't hear anything that night in the dark alley. But the truth was and always is, She did; and very vividly too. And among the words from that night was.... Big Aldo.
Joanna tried hard to swallow the lump of fear that gathered in her throat and then stopped trying when she failed multiple times. "J.. Joan?" Hank's voice yanked her from the dark thoughts that stormed through her brain and she immediately said, "A guess. I think. He kinda gave this aura of... you know." She stuttered moving her hands in unorganized movements. "Are you okay?" Here was the concerned voice again. She didn’t like it. "I’m fine, Hank. Just a bit cold."
The Dinner buzz couldn't have come sooner and Joanna instantly bolted toward he dining hall gate, Hank on her back. She had to think. No. She had to call Mark. Or Kevin. No. Mark will do!
"Don't you want to know about the other two Warlords?" Hank cheered from behind. He seamed so oblivious to her switched dark mood, and she couldn't blame him. "Maybe another time." She couldn't handle any other surprises right now. And this place looked full of them. She just wanted to stop her brain from thinking.
From the end side of the yard, Julian whistled loudly while ‘observing the seen’. “Oh, shit.” He chuckled before he walked toward the gate. Eyes flickering and ideas forming in his head.
P.s. to readers:
So this is the second half of chapter 10. I know it's short, I’m trying T..T
Anyway what do you think right now? Who's Big Aldo and what’s his relation to the mafia from the night Joanna got arrested? Do you think Julian is really involving with the mafia?
Share your comments and thoughts.