Refuge From The Dead (Book 1): Lockdown (4 page)

The voice behind him was different this time. Michael turned around to see one of the members of the Aryan Brotherhood standing behind him. He had been taught in the academy to look for certain characteristics of the Neo-Nazi based movement. While it was difficult to spot some of them, the one standing behind him was the picture definition of one. He was a white male in his late thirties, maybe early forties sporting a shaved head. While some of the Brotherhood sported tattoos on their arms and chest, this one had a very visible pair of Nazi SS bolts on his neck. Along with the bolts were “14 Words” across the front of his neck, just below the Adam’s apple. Several more tattoos decorated his neck and head; most of them looked like prison ink.

“Something I can do for you, sir?” Michael asked.

“Name’s Bill Young, CO,” the man said, identifying himself. He thumbed back towards Demarco Stanley. “That nigger giving you a hard time?”

Michael frowned at the Aryan. While he wasn’t used to being around black men, he was by no means racist. The “N” word ran all over him. While Stanley used it as a term to describe other blacks, Bill Young used it as its intended purpose, to disparage an entire race. He also knew better than to make enemies out of either one of the men, so he played it as cool as he could. Young was in Black Mountain for killing a black man in Northern Virginia. Michael didn’t know the details, but a quick trip to the computer would reveal a past riddled with drug problems, assaults on law enforcement, and a generally shitty attitude towards authority figures.

“No, he just wanted to change the channel,” Michael replied. “There are seventy-five other guys in this pod that aren’t watching the TV, so I did. He wasn’t causing me any problems. Did you need something, Mr. Young?”

Bill Young chuckled. “Ya’ll ain’t allowed to talk shit to the convicts any more, are you?”

“I choose my battles carefully, Bill Young. I got no issue with you or Offender Stanley. Don’t start none, won’t be none. Get my drift?”

“Whatever, bacon. I’m not starting any shit, just looking out for my fellow white brother,” Bill Young said. His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Bacon. That’s original, you skinhead fuck.
That’s what he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut. Michael knew that he would be called names during his time at Black Mountain, and as far as that one went, it was tame. Pig, bacon, po-po, and the ubiquitous “HACK” (Huge Assholes Carrying Keys) were commonplace. He cleared his throat and stood up.

“I appreciate that, Offender Young, but I have to make my rounds now. If you don’t need anything from me, I will be on my way.”

He tipped an invisible hat to Michael. “Have a good day, Officer Caine.”

Bill Young walked over to a table full of his Aryan brethren and took a seat. He waited until Officer Caine was out of direct sight, doing his rounds. He leaned forward on the table, speaking to the men seated there.

“So, what’s the deal?”

One of Bill Young’s cohorts slid him a piece of paper. Bill looked at it for a moment and smiled, revealing a smile that any hockey player would envy.

“Almost time to down the duck, boys. Almost time.”

* * *

Michael came to a realization a few hours into his shift. Night shift inside a prison is boring as hell. Make rounds, write down activities, occasionally reprimand inmates, repeat ad nauseum. The job became easy once you knew the routines of the inmates. Who went where and at what time, that kind of thing. The day-to-day workings of the prison reminded him of his military days. Life was structured, punctually driven. Be at a certain place at a certain time for a certain duration. Not difficult, but tedious. Unfortunately, those imprisoned inside the walls had nothing to do but notice differences in their daily routines.

During his rounds, Offender Stanley approached Michael again. Michael didn’t have anything to say to the inmate, but Stanley obviously had something on his mind. As Michael passed his open cell, Stanley sauntered to the door.

Stanley stared at his fingernails, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. “Ya’ll think we don’t notice. Ya’ll think that whatever is goin’ on out there ain’t gonna affect us ‘cause we locked up. They shoulda taught ya’ll better than that, Officer Caine.”

Michael paused for a moment in front of Stanley’s cell. He had to stay on his toes. Just like the TV earlier, every conversation with an inmate served a purpose, even if he didn’t know what it was. Michael turned to face Stanley’s cell.

“I think you’ve been watching too much TV, Stanley.”

Stanley grinned slightly. “Ya’ll think we haven’t noticed the same people workin’. I mean, I’ve seen it shorthanded around here, but
damn.
Ya’ll workin’ the same dudes to death.”

It was true. Much like Lindsey’s call ins at Bluefield Regional, the prison was in the middle of a rash of no-shows and call-ins. Michael knew it had to be because of the virus. More unfounded panic infecting metaphorically long before it could physically. Panic spread much faster than any sickness ever could.

“That’s why there’s so many new guys like me around here, Stanley. Got nothing to do with the outside world and what may or may not be going on.”
There ya go, Michael. Lie to ‘em a little bit more and see if they don’t see right through that, too.

Stanley looked at Michael with a face full of disgust and contempt. “Whatever, Caine. Tell ‘em what you want, but there is some shit goin’ down soon. Best you figure out what it is before you get caught up in it, too.”

CHAPTER 5

Twelve hours later, Michael was on his way home. The rest of the night had gone on uneventfully. As he drove home, he couldn’t help but dwell on what had happened his first night. Merely speaking to some of the prisoners had given him much insight. After a few weeks or months, he would feel more comfortable with it, he was certain.

After midnight, the inmates were required to be in their cells, so he only had to deal with them six hours a night. In those six hours, however, he couldn’t help but feel a heightened state of awareness. That heightened state wore off after midnight, and it drained what little energy he had left before six in the morning came. He was unreasonably tired for not having done much. Some of the other COs had made the comment:
It’s a crying shame to call what we do “work” most of the time.

Work or not, he was ready for bed.

Michael pulled into his driveway and parked his tried-but-true Chevy Silverado. A wash of relief came over him as he looked up. Home. It was amazing to see how much he liked being at home. You didn’t realize what liberties you had until they were taken away from you. He hadn’t had any of his freedoms taken away, but he was around a thousand others who had. Strange how that rubs off on a person, just being around something makes you feel part of it.

Michael went to his front door and opened it, being careful not to make too much noise. Anna was still asleep, and he wanted to keep it that way. To get to his bed, he would have to sneak past the sleeping infant. He stealthily took off his boots and tiptoed into his bedroom, glancing at his sleeping daughter as he did. She was fast asleep, snoozing away.

Michael had to smile. She was a beautiful baby, and not just because it was his own child. Anna was as gorgeous a baby as anyone could ask for. She had her mother’s blonde hair and blue eyes, and her father’s sense of humor. Even at the tender age of thirteen months, she shared Michael’s easygoing sense of humor. Everything was funny to her.

Michael got undressed and got into bed, being careful not to disturb Lindsey as he did. Within a few short minutes, he was out cold. Being a night owl most of his life would serve him well working night shift, but for now his body was still getting used to being awake all night long. Daytime sleep was the most restful for him, and it came quickly.

* * *

Babe.

Wake up, Michael.

Michael slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness of deep sleep. He rubbed his eyes, clearing the gunk out of them. When he finally did get a clear picture, Lindsey was standing beside the bed, a cellphone in her hand. While he was happy to see her smiling face, he wasn’t ready to wake up just yet.

“What time is it, babe?”

Lindsey smiled and handed him the phone. “A little after twelve, sweetheart. One of your supervisors from the prison is on the phone. I think they might need you for something.”

Michael frowned. He had just finished training, and it was unlikely for him to be at the top of the list for call-in. New guys at the prison weren’t eligible for overtime until after their six month probation was up, and he still had two more months until that happened.

He took the phone from Lindsey. She kissed him on the forehead and left the room. He couldn’t help but stare at her ass as she left. Since he had laid eyes on her, he had rarely been able to take them off. She was sexy when he needed sexy, caring when he needed caring, and a friend all the time. They thought alike, had the same taste in music (a non-negotiable issue when it came to choosing a wife, in his opinion) and they enjoyed one another’s company almost one hundred percent of the time. They connected to each other on every level imaginable. The fact that she had a smoking hot body didn’t hurt, either.

“Yeah, this is Caine. What can I do for you, sir?”

“Caine! This is Captain Winston. I need you to come in a little early this evening. I know you just worked off this morning, but we have a bit of a problem here and we need to call in some people. Even the new guys are being called in.”

Michael sat up in bed. While it was a distinct possibility for him to be called in the event of a riot or disturbance, he had dismissed it. There had not been a riot at a Virginia prison in over a decade, and conditions didn’t seem that plausible for one to happen at Black Mountain. He had been taught that most riots had very distinct signs that were often overlooked before it broke out. Those signs were no longer overlooked. The slightest hint of a disturbance – even a small one – was dealt with quickly and without much problem.

“Yeah, I can do that, sir. Can I ask what happened?” Michael answered.

“It’s not a riot, if that’s what you’re asking, Caine,”
Captain Winston said, laughing.
“You’re not gonna see anything on the news or anything like that. We’ve just had a rash of call-ins today and we had to send a couple officers home early. We’ve had a couple fights today and had some injuries, so we are down five more officers.”

Michael’s heart skipped a beat. The likelihood of a fight was high at a maximum-security facility such as theirs, but this was the first time that he had been privy to it. “Shit! Is everybody all right?”

“Yeah, we sent all five of ‘em to Bluefield Regional to get checked out, but they are going home as soon as they get cleared. We had a dozen new intakes today, and they seem to be the ones causing all the problems, so SHU is getting a little crowded. Nothing we can’t handle, but we need some more hands on deck.”

“Sure thing, Captain. What time to I need to be there?”

“Get here as soon as you can. We definitely need you her by three o’clock. When you get here, report to me. How far away do you live?”

“I can be there in about twenty minutes or so.”

“Good deal. See you soon, Caine.”

Michael hung the phone up and tossed it on the bed. He wanted to go back to sleep, but there was no point in it now. Might as well get up and get going. It was going to be a long night. Add another couple of hours to his shift, and it was going to be an
extremely
long night. He got up and sauntered into the kitchen, where Lindsey was feeding Anna in her high chair.

“Morning, sunshine. I take it that you have to go in early, babe,” Lindsey said.

Michael went to the refrigerator, grabbed an oversized can of Red Bull, popped the top, and took a long swig. Lindsey laughed, and fed Anna another spoonful of applesauce.

“Ah. Going to be one of those kind of nights, huh?”

Michael kissed the back of her head. “I’m not sure. I’ve only been there four months, so I’m not sure what one of ‘those kind’ of nights is like, but yeah I do have to go in early.”

“Well, we need the money and I have to go in to the hospital, too. I’ve already called my mom, and she’s going to watch Anna until I get off. Since her place is on the way to the hospital, I thought it would be easier than trying to get hold of the babysitter.”

Michael slurped down another drink of Red Bull. “Sounds good. More call ins?”

“Yeah, something like that. Everyone is freaking out over this new virus going around.”

“Shit. What is it?”

Lindsey shrugged. “Not sure. Some have had seizures while others became extremely violent. It’s a crapshoot trying to diagnose it properly, but it is quite the nasty little bug. Valerie texted me about your CO buddies. It appears that two of them got bit on the hand.”

“Bit? Damn. They are testing for HIV, Hep C, that kind of thing?”

“Yes, they are. Poor guys are going to have to take that nasty ass medication for a while, too.”

Michael finished off the Red Bull and tossed it in the trash. “Well, that’s why I have to go in. apparently we’ve had some call ins on top of those guys getting hurt.”

Lindsey sat Anna’s food down and stood up. Michael could sense something was a little off. She stood in front of him, gently holding his face in her hands. He reached up and held them.

“I know what you’re thinking. And I will be as careful as I can, babe.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “I know you will be. Just promise me that you’ll make it home in one piece.”

“I promise, babe. None of those convicts are gonna keep me from my beautiful girls, I swear.”

Lindsey gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Good. Now, go get ready so daddy can go make us some money,” she said, smiling.

Michael returned the grin. “Yes ma’am. I’m gonna grab a quick shower, get dressed, and hit the road. I need to grab some smokes on the way to work, anyway.”

“All right, sweets. I will…”

Lindsey’s cellphone began to ring. She gave Michael another quick kiss and grabbed it off the kitchen counter. Whatever the conversation consisted of, it couldn’t have been good. Michael watched as her facial expression went from a smile to a confused frown. Michael gestured to the bathroom, to which Lindsey waved him on.

After Michael got out of the shower, Lindsey was already dressed in her navy blue scrubs. She was in a hurry to get out the door, which was evident to Michael. He grabbed his navy blue BDU pants off the hangar and quickly put them on.

“What’s up babe? Something wrong?”

Lindsey scurried into their bedroom. “Yeah, that was the ER. They need me to come in as soon as possible. There are more cases of that virus shit going on and they are calling everyone in to assist.”

Michael was putting on his boots when she came back into the living room. “Damn. You had better be careful, babe. I don’t want you getting it or bringing it back home to Anna and me.”

Lindsey rushed into the bathroom. Through the door, he could hear her. “Don’t worry, honey. We are all wearing all of our PPE. Mask, gown, gloves, all of that stuff. It’ll suck having to wear all that for ten hours, but I’m not taking any chances.”

“Good enough for me babe. I will call you as soon as I can get a break from the action at Black Mountain. I don’t know what all they have planned, but I’m sure I’ll be busy, as will you.”

“Yeah, I’d say we are both in for a hell of a night, babe.”

Lindsey came out of the bathroom and took a deep breath. “How do I look?”

“Sexy as hell! Hell, I’d hit that!” Michael said, winking at his beautiful wife.

“Maybe later, Officer Caine. You have to hit the road, too. We are definitely taking a vacation sometime soon!” Lindsey said.

Lindsey grabbed Anna’s diaper bag and flung it over her shoulder. She picked up Anna and headed out the door. Michael gave his daughter a quick kiss and his wife a hug. Anna waved and said “bye,” one of the few words she could adequately speak. Michael’s heart melted at the sight of his beautiful daughter and wife having to leave so quickly.

“You guys be careful. I love you and I promise we will take that vacation. Just as soon as we can, baby. Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a trip to see your folks up in Ohio…maybe a trip to the Outer Banks…maybe Hawaii,” she said, laughing, and headed out the door.