Chapter 13
“Ithink I have a plan,” Sarah said.
The group quieted down, every head turning to look in her direction.
Sarah was still working out the details in her mind.
They were a low-security facility. Most of the inmates had committed non-violent crimes.
Only a handful of the inmate population, roughly thirty, posed a true danger to society.
Those were the men she would line up on the wall and execute before she considered setting them free.
They were admitted killers and rapists, men with no remorse.
The only reason they were at the prison was due to policy.
The location was a hold-over for men being transported to their final locations.
“Are you going to share with the class?” Meredith asked.
“I’m still working it out, but the men we have here are not hardened criminals.
They are tax evaders and petty thieves. What if we gave them the choice of going free or staying and working?
This place is safer than anywhere else right now out there.
We can condense the inmates we don’t want to set loose into one block.
The men who stay can work for their room and board,” Sarah said.
“Let me get this straight. You want to set them free?” Alan asked.
Sarah nodded. “We already know this place will hold for a month tops with the numbers we have right now. That’s eight guards trying to take care of hundreds of inmates. We won’t be getting power back for months, a year even. This place is going to fall if we try to keep running it like a prison.”
“She’s right,” Harden said.
“So, how do we do this?” someone asked.
Meredith didn’t answer, instead turning to Sarah as if she were the one in charge. Her heart pounded when she realized everyone was looking to her for guidance. Not once had she considered running the operation, but now, it seemed to be the only path forward.
“I think we should look at the list of inmates we have,” Sarah said. “Meredith, you should have a hard copy we can check out, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll grab it from my office.”
“Good. Alan, you can let John and Adam out and have them meet me in the courtyard. We’re going to need a few extra pairs of hands no matter what we do, and the two of them can be helpful.”
“I think you’re right about that. Also, Barns and Conners are both farm boys. They could be helpful, as well.”
“Well, let them out, too. Bring them all to the courtyard, and we’ll give them a heads-up as to what the plan is for now. Do any of you have any others who would be safe enough to help?” Sarah asked.
“I think there are a few in every block who could give us a hand and would be trustworthy,” Meredith said. “Like you said, there aren’t very many hardened criminals in here.”
“Good. I think we should start by clearing out D block first. The less area we have to cover, the better. Bring me four inmates from each block who would be willing to give a hand and that you trust.”
“They’re inmates, for crying out loud,” one guard said. “You’re saying we should just trust these guys?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. We’re not going to be able to do this with only eight people, and I know there has to be a few from every block who are either getting ready to get out or are here on some garbage charges.”
“What about the guard towers?”
“The two of you who came from the towers should go back and keep an eye out for anything.”
As everyone separated to do the tasks she’d assigned, Sarah worked to calm her nerves.
Her palms started to sweat when the doors to her block opened, and Adam stepped outside into the courtyard with John at his side.
How was she going to explain to them what was going on?
She watched them approach with her thoughts racing.
Thankfully, John was his usual self despite the obviously grim circumstances.
She wasn’t surprised to find him smiling and laughing like they were set free every day.
“Dang, Fowler! I knew you were good, but this is damn impressive! What do we owe the special treatment to?” John asked.
“The world coming to an end, John.”
His smile faltered. “Do what now?”
Sarah quickly explained to the pair what was happening and what her plan moving forward was.
She told them they had a decision to make.
They could work for the next twenty-four hours and then go free, or they could stay and have shelter, protection, and everything the compound had to offer.
Before long, the other freed inmates would be coming out, and she’d have to repeat the conversation again.
It was a task she could delegate to others but knowing Adam’s decision was what she wanted most.
“I’ve got nowhere to be,” John said. “If what you’re saying is true, then this is the best place for us all. Now, will we be locked up the same as always?”
“We haven’t gotten that far yet. I don’t think that’s going to be necessary, though,” Sarah said.
“What about me? Am I getting locked back up?” Adam asked.
Her heart pounded as she shook her head. “I couldn’t do that to you if I wanted to,” Sarah said. “I’ve seen the emails firsthand. You’re a free man, Adam. If you decide to stay and help us out, it will be as a free man and not an inmate. So, no. You won’t be locked back up.”
“Then I’m going to stay and help with whatever you need.” Adam smiled. “Besides, Argentina is a long walk, and I don’t think I’ve had that much exercise in years.”
“I was hoping you’d say that, but it’s going to be a lot of hard work to get this place set up to be sufficient enough for the other inmates here.”
“I’m not worried about doing hard work. Plus, I have to say the scenery here is much better than what I’d find out there now.”
“I’d say you’re probably right. Who knows what people are doing out there.”
“What about you, Sarah? I can only assume your parents are going to need you.”
Sarah chuckled. “I don’t know that they’ll need much help to survive, but I am worried about them taking in the wrong type of people. They’ve always been too helpful. Once everything is taken care of here, I plan on leaving.”
“Where did you say your parents lived?” Adam asked.
“Up north, in Maine. I figure a couple of days here to ensure the safety of the people here the best I can, then I’ll be heading that way.”
“Well, I’ve always wanted to see the northern states. I haven’t been in any state up in that corner of the country.”
She felt a flush jump to her cheeks, but before she could reply, the doors to A block opened, and two inmates appeared.
Giving a nod to John and Adam, she turned to the approaching inmates.
By the time she’d repeated the conversation, Meredith was joining her in the courtyard, followed by two inmates carrying several long tables from the block's common room. Everything seemed to be progressing.
They worked for hours through the list of inmates.
When it was nearing dusk, they had one hundred inmates who wanted to stay, and the rest had left the facility, leaving twenty-three high-risk inmates locked in D block.
C block was now dedicated to the freed inmates staying at the compound.
B block now housed all of the facility's food and resources. It would be guarded by two of the officers at all times. Just because they trusted the freed inmates didn’t mean she wanted to risk anyone’s getting wild ideas.
The last block was where the guards were now sleeping.
While the arrangement wasn’t ideal, it would work.
As the inmates earned trust, they could do more and help protect the facility.
Thankfully, the secluded location would keep them safer than other locations.
The sun had started to go down, cooling the compound and the now-propped-open doors.
Men mingled in the courtyard while several worked on cooking over an open fire.
She was amazed by how peaceful everything was but knew it couldn’t last forever.
Eventually, someone would come knocking at the door, and it would be up to the guards and inmates to work together to keep everyone safe.
Sarah couldn’t think about the compound’s future, not when she had her own family to worry about.
From the corner of her eye, she caught Adam watching her from where he was talking with John near the cooking tables.
Her mind drifted back to his flirtatious words from earlier as she headed toward the men cooking dinner.