Chapter 19
The whole of Amber Block Two was awake and waiting in the communal area to see who returned, as was allowed during War Zone nights, as no one slept anyway.
It was the early hours, daybreak still far away, but no one was tired, all eager to hear the horn blow, to see their friends walk back through the door, wanting to know who died, if they had lost their wager.
Bear was led in by a guard, having just been cleared by the healer. He was still a bit dazed, but nothing a good night’s sleep wouldn’t cure, he had been assured, not that he was going to get one by the look of things.
Raven approached as the guard walked away. ‘Another War Zone was called.’
‘I gathered.’ Bear glanced around at the subdued inmates, most of them playing cards, reading, or talking quietly in groups. ‘Does anyone know why?’
‘No. It’s just the way it is now, I guess.’
Bear went to his cell to sit on his bed, his head pounding, his muscles a little achy.
‘You okay?’ asked Raven, joining him.
‘Healer said he had to cure inner burns.’ Bear huffed, shaking his head slightly at the thought. ‘Inner burns, Rav. That’s how fucked up Binnow is.’
‘I think she was sent home. No one’s seen her since dinner.’
‘They should send her to Red, not home. Lock her up and throw away the key. Fucking bitch.’
Raven sat by his side, leaning closer. ‘Stay focused, Bear,’ he whispered, giving him a knowing look, which made Bear nod briefly.
‘Yeah, I’ll get back to routine.’ Bear yawned, thoughts of finally breaking through the escape hole feeding him motivation. ‘Just need some sleep. I feel like someone stole all my energy.’
‘You rest. I’ll stand guard while the cells are open.’
Bear raised his brow while stifling a yawn. ‘Tell me who went into the Zone, then I’ll decide if I can rest. I know my sister wasn’t named, else you wouldn’t be so calm.’
Raven hesitated, then named Judd first, and Oxley and Scarlen last, causing Bear to jump to his feet.
‘Don’t stress, Bear. Ox can take care of himself.’
‘I know, but it’s the fact they’ve put Smithson back in there that’s bothering me.’
‘It is strange, and people are talking about her.’
‘Something’s not right about any of this.’
Raven leaned close. ‘I know you care about her, but we know what we have to do.’
Bear understood perfectly, but it didn’t stop him worrying about Scarlen in the Zone without him.
He’d made a deal to protect her, but how could he if they took her away while he was unconscious?
Surely the warden wouldn’t do such a thing, knowing who Scarlen was.
The general would have told Cardell to make the sentence run smoothly.
Wasn’t that the reason he was asked to be involved?
‘Bear, I can feel your tension from here,’ Raven warned.
As weak as he still felt, Bear left his cell to pace, the frustration of not being with Scarlen reaching all corners of his mind.
‘Daddy Bear heard the news, I take it,’ said Varklee, sliding his backside off a table nearby.
‘Fuck off, V.’ The last thing Bear wanted was Varklee sneering in his face. ‘I can still knock you out. I’m not that weak.’
Varklee chuckled. ‘Yeah, you’re weak. So I could take advantage of your unfortunate state of affairs, but I happen to know what a remarkable memory you have, and you’ll soon take your revenge once healthy.
’ He poked a finger into Bear’s chest. ‘Or I could annoy you.’ He laughed.
‘Just kidding. I know you’re all flustered about your gal being out there with Judd. ’
Bear growled, and Raven tugged him away.
‘I’ll be right here to comfort you when your little miss is brought back in pieces,’ trilled Varklee, blowing a kiss for good measure.
‘Ignore him, Bear.’
‘Oh, he knows I’m just messing with him,’ Varklee called as Bear walked away. ‘I’ve always got love in my dead heart for my baby Bear.’
The horn blew, echoing through the cell block, bringing the inmates to silence. All eyes turned to the door, and Bear felt his stomach curdle.
Normally, after the sound of the horn, it would take about twenty minutes for the survivors to return.
‘Is it just me or, is it taking longer than usual?’ Raven asked Bear, edging away so he could speak to the guard at the door. ‘Sir, what’s the hold-up?’
Varklee leaned over his shoulder, one hand curled close to his neck, so Raven shrugged him off. ‘Have the rules changed again? Just so you know, sir, it’s starting to piss us off, all this not knowing what’s going to happen next. I, for one, like being in charge of my future.’
Raven side-eyed him. ‘You know you’re in prison, right?’
‘Still in charge of me, Rav. More than can be said for you, all mushy, mushy for your gal.’ Varklee twirled a finger by his temple. ‘Does things to the mind.’
‘I don’t expect you to know anything about love.’
‘Ouch! Did you just attack my heart?’ Varklee sniffed Raven, making Raven pull away with a frown. ‘I’m smelling jealously.’
Raven scoffed. ‘Why would anyone be jealous of you?’
‘Because, birdy, no one can hurt me. But the likes of you, well, you’ve got all kinds of weak spots.’
Raven went to reply but stopped as the inmates were returning from the War Zone, heads low, their movements slow.
‘Ooh, they’re back,’ called Varklee, gathering attention.
Bear inhaled deeply as he made his way closer to the door, along with half the block.
He could hear some murmurs, but nothing that stood out enough to give him the information he was seeking.
He noticed the two women were guided to the female block, then he saw Judd stride in, lips twisted, nostrils flared, and eyes searching as Pirates circled their leader, patting his back, whispering, then glancing at Bear.
‘Where’s Ox?’ Raven asked the guard. There came no reply, and Raven asked again, turning to Judd.
Judd had his stern gaze firmly on Bear. ‘It was an accident.’ His tone was sharp and weak all at once.
‘What was?’ asked Raven, stepping into Judd’s eyeline.
Judd shuffled, biting his bottom lip for a moment, and Varklee came to stand beside Raven. ‘It was an accident, I said.’
A tic hit Varklee’s right eye. ‘You’ve got five seconds to explain to this block where Torro is before I show you a War Zone like you’ve never seen, boy.’
Judd snarled at his enemy. ‘It’s the Zone. Someone has to die. Wasn’t my fault it was Torro. I was aiming for the traitor.’
A beat passed.
‘Oh,’ said Varklee quietly, padding towards Judd.
‘You mean to say your target was little Miss Smithson, but you went and snared yourself a Rebel instead?’ He didn’t wait for an answer; he turned to his audience.
‘I think it’s safe to say Judd here killed Oxley Torro.
’ He raised one finger. ‘Excuse me while I just shimmy to the side.’ Making a display of moving so Judd was face to face with Bear, he mocked a bow. ‘Your turn, Vyer.’
Bear still hadn’t processed anything that was being said. He could see all eyes were on him, and Judd’s nerves were bouncing one leg, but nothing but numbness owned the moment until Raven’s voice faded in.
‘Sir. Sir.’ Raven was in the doorway. ‘Is it true? Is Ox … gone?’
The guard bobbed his head, looking as sorry as the inmates. ‘Yes, it was Oxley Torro who died.’
An eerie silence fell, then Bear’s roar filled the air, rattling off each and every bar. With teeth bared and fire in his glare, he ran at Judd, practically flying through the air to land upon him, slamming fist after fist into Judd’s face, busting it open at every corner.
Guards rushed in as the inmates cheered and yelled, some encouraging the fight, others wanting their own war. Pirates thrashed at Flames, and Varklee was in the thick of it, taking down all that neared him.
The lightning rods were put to use, but inmates turned on the guards, fighting back while taking hits, and still Bear smashed his fists into Judd, his mind blank, his heart dead, undiluted pain ripping through his soul.
Raven jumped on Bear’s back. A bold move under the circumstances, but if Bear killed Judd, he’d be sent to Red, then they’d all die in the prison. ‘Stop, Bear. Stop,’ he yelled.
But Bear couldn’t stop. He couldn’t do anything but take revenge for his brother.
Guards flew at Bear, hands latching on to his arms, shoulders, chest, tugging him hard, hitting his back with their batons, jabbing lightning into his side, but Bear roared and roared through the ordeal, seeing only Oxley, his forever friendly smile, hearing his laughter, watching him fade to nothing.
‘Ox!’ he yelled. ‘Ox!’
Raven tried to help calm him, but the guards pushed him away, then dealt with Varklee when he came for them.
‘We’ve got this,’ said Varklee. ‘Let him be. We can handle this.’ His demands went nowhere fast, as more guards rushed in, and something sharp was stuck into Bear’s neck, removing his energy at once.
Bear slid to the floor, vision blurred, voices muffled.
He could just about make out the fight in front of him being broken up, and inmates forced into the cells, doors clanging shut, cries drifting in and out of his ears.
Raven’s face was close, then dragged away, his mouth silently moving, the warning in his eyes of what, Bear couldn’t be sure. Anger perhaps. Fear.
The ceiling moved in on him, then he realised he had been lifted and was being carried out of the block.
With fluttering eyes, and no sign of a pulse, he let go of the fight he was trying to hold, giving in to the potion swirling within, relaxing his muscles, dousing his flames, swallowing his emotions.