Chapter 26: Point Of No Return
Stone River was already undergoing repairs before most of the city had woken up. Guards patrolled the walls, especially the area that was damaged from the attack.
Two individuals in skin tight colourful costumes hovered above the prison, observing at intervals.
None of the inmates were allowed in the yard that morning. The only reason Nathan was out of his cell was because Veronica had asked for him.
He settled in the chair, feeling its familiar comfort. The white walls and serene calm of her office was refreshing from the noise of the block.
She sat across from him, sipping tea as usual before setting the cup to speak. "I’ve decided to aid you." Her tone held no flair.
Nathan wasn’t entirely surprised. "Thanks."
"But as we’ve established, you’ll meet my conditions?"
"Of course," Nathan replied. "You get to keep tabs on me."
Veronica sipped her tea. "I spoke to someone last night. They have a bit of experience with this sort of thing."
Curiosity prompted Nathan to ask. "Who?"
"His name’s Mozzie Lester." Veronica replied. "If you’ve been in the yard, you should have seen him at least once."
Nathan took some moments before he recalled where he’d heard the name. "Moe?"
Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Moe?"
"Oh it’s a nickname of some sorts."
Veronica didn’t react. "I asked for his insight and he got back to me this morning."
Nathan finally understood what Moe’s words meant last night. He let out a slow breath. "And what does he want in return?"
"I’ve handled it. And for some reason he seemed to be in a good mood." Her eyes met his. "You are quite social."
Nathan smiled. He didn’t know how much Moe charged. But it seemed Veronica paid for his escape expenses.
His eyes widened slightly as a thought flashed through his mind.
My rebate has been robbed
Veronica dropped her cup and entwined her fingers like a mad scientist. "Which brings me to another issue. Manpower"
"Manpower?" Nathan asked.
"Yes," Veronica replied in an obvious tone. "We need extra help to ensure it goes smoothly."
"I spoke to your cell mate, Theo, yesterday and from what he said about you. It seems you two have a good relationship."
Nathan tapped his chains. "Something like that."
Veronica paused for a moment. "Do you think he’d be open to aiding you? Of course it won’t be free. I can put in a good word to help with his appeal or maybe he’d prefer money?"
Nathan assessed the situation. Veronica seemed to be willing to invest a lot in his escape. Of course he already knew Theo would help. But it’s good he would get something else out of it
"I can convince him to help. I’m sure he’d appreciate the offer." Nathan said calmly.
Veronica gave a pleased smile which quickly faded. "The other person we need is a guard."
She let her eyes linger on Nathan as if he was hiding something but he remained calm
His composed expression faltered when Veronica spoke.
"I’m aware there is a certain guard you’ve given favors to." She let her eyes settle on him.
"I can neither confirm nor deny that."
"I can," Veronica said with a grin. "I asked and he told me."
Nathan shrugged. "So what now? You’re going to discipline him? Use it as leverage on me?"
Veronica sipped her tea. "Of course not. I know the prison economy and I understand how difficult the job can be."
She traced her fingers on the mug. "And why would I want leverage on you?"
Nathan ignored the small smile she gave with the statement. "So I take it he’s in?"
"Yes. You did help him out and he knows how to handle delicate matters."
"What about the plan itself?" he asked.
Veronica reached into her drawer and brought a case the size of her pinky. Inside it was a pill. "You’ll take this."
She handed it to Nathan who examined it.
"What does it do?"
"It’ll make you lose consciousness and be paralyzed."
Nathan’s eyes widened. "Paralyzed? I don’t like the sound of that."
"It’s only temporary. I would never do any harm to you." She traced her cup and slowly looked at him. "Unless you wanted me to."
Nathan briefly recalled he and Theo’s conversation on Veronica’s interest and slowly realized his cellmate might have a point.
"No I don’t." He examined the pill with a frown. "Does this mean I won’t be awake for any of it?"
"Yes," Veronica answered. "To help the illusion of you being dead so you pass checks and all."
She leaned slightly. "Don’t worry, I’ll be with you through every step of it."
Nathan exhaled, still uncomfortable with the plan. "Well. it seems my life is in your hands."
Veronica chuckled. "It would seem so."
There was a moment’s silence as they both held eye contact for longer than necessary before Nathan spoke up.
"When do I take it?"
"Around dinner time. Wait for the guard."
Nathan tucked the pill in his jumpsuit. "I have one more request. It’s about a certain detective."
Veronica raised an eye. "Go on"
Nathan explained what he wanted and when he was done, she nodded. The guards came and escorted him away.
Her eyes lingered on the door for a brief moment before she returned sipping from her cup.
—
Back in his cell, Nathan explained what he and Veronica discussed to Theo. The plan and her offer to help his case.
By the time he was done talking, Theo was smiling in his cell.
"You’re a blessing, Mate." He went silent for a moment. "I take it your sponsor is still...paying regardless?"
"Of course," Nathan replied with a smile.
Theo heaved a sigh of relief and laughed which prompted Nathan to ask him what was funny.
"A few days back, I was giving you the ropes on this place and now..." he chuckled, letting the words trail off.
Nathan smiled. "Well. Thanks for everything."
"I should be the one thanking you," Theo replied.
Nathan told him he’d receive the remaining payment gradually. Theo had no problems with that and they both discussed how it would go.
Moments later he sent fifteen thousand dollars in crypto to Theo.
He sat down, thinking about the whole thing. A part of him was anxious but the other part looked forward to it.
He steadied his hands and an image of Catherine came to mind.
He could picture her face clearly. The various expressions she made when she was worried or happy.
He also remembered the sound of her voice cracking when she said she wanted to hire a lawyer, the hope that had flickered in her eyes.
Nathan considered telling her everything then. But he couldn’t, not yet anyway. He let the image of her pass but his mind replaced it with another. His father, Henry.
Both he and Catherine had a lot in common. The same dark hair, dark circles from lack of sleep. His father was a man who’d devoted himself to raising two children after his wife left.
Nathan looked at the ceiling, recalling a memory.
-"It’s okay, son. We’ll get through this."
Except they never did, and as time went by Nathan could see the hope fading from his eyes and with it, his health.
He exhaled. What he was going to do to them was cruel. They would learn of his death and mourn him.
It’ll only be for some time, until...
A resolved feeling stirred with him as he remembered the whole reason everything happened. His eyes darkened as three people came to mind.
...Until I’ve gotten payback.
—-
The day went by in a blur. Nathan took the time to read, improving his knowledge on technology.
His TiikTuk account was growing steadily and the familiar screen of the system was at his side and before he knew it, the day gave way to evening.
The speaker blared, announcing dinner time. Nathan stood up with the pill in hand. He exhaled many times to be sure.
"So this is it, mate," Theo said quietly.
Nathan’s grip on the pill tightened. "This is it."
Theo smiled in his cell. "Good luck man. May the force..."
"...be with me?"
"I was thinking, the force that drives Moe’s simping for Lady Might. But that works."
Both of them laughed.
"If all goes well, we’ll meet outside these walls as free men," Nathan said.
"When it goes well." Theo corrected. "That’s the plan."
A knock occurred on Nathan’s door. He received his food from the guard who gave him a signal. Nathan nodded and made sure the guard was alright with it.
"Don’t worry. This isn’t new to me," the guard replied.
Veronica had notified him the drug was slow acting so swallowed it with the water from the food tray.
He pulled out his phone and sent crypto to the guard.
"I sent a fee to your account," Nathan said. "I don’t know if we’ll meet again. But thank you."
The guard nodded, his eyes glistening as he checked his phone for the notification. "Thank you, sir. Good luck."
"You too," Nathan replied. He taped his phone in his jumpsuit as it was the only item valuable to him.
The drug’s effect hit Nathan roughly twenty one seconds later.
His vision grew blurry at first. Then, his arms and legs slowly went limp. He heard the guard unlocking his cell, rushing to meet him as he dropped to the concrete floor.
A dark thought came to his mind as he lost control of his body.
Am I poisoned?
[No.]
Nathan smiled at the familiar golden screen as the edges of his vision faded away.
’That’s comforting’
Then, the darkness swallowed him.
—
Moments later, Nathan’s eyes fluttered open and the scent of antiseptic and lavender assaulted his nose.
He could feel he was resting on something softer than his prison bed, a sofa.
His vision slowly cleared, only to come face to face with a woman’s cleavage.
Huh?