Chapter Twenty-Three #3
Jack didn’t like the answer. Not because it was evasive—because it was—but because it sounded like the warden had rehearsed it. As if he’d given that answer to any question asked of him countless times before like some auto response he uttered without thinking too much about it.
Draven nodded once and walked a few steps ahead of them to reach the door to the building.
He spoke briefly to the guard there, who nodded and came to attention. Draven used a key to open the door and the three of them walked into an open receiving area of sorts.
“We’re headed to Tower Three,” Draven said to a guard seated at a desk behind glass.
The guard nodded and the door beside his enclosed space buzzed and opened slightly. Draven pulled it only wide enough for a single person to enter at a time, gesturing that they should go ahead of him.
This door led to a long hallway angled in the direction of the tower Jack had noticed on the cold side of the planet.
The corridor was wide, with rooms lining either side all the way to the end, a hundred yards away.
That must be office space, he thought, because there were no bars keeping folks inside.
And men not wearing combat armor bustled in and out of the offices as the three of them proceeded down the middle of the corridor to a set of metal doors at the end.
Draven opened the doors and they continued down another corridor.
Jack could barely swivel his head enough to keep track of the activity around them. The entire prison functioned as an isolated world inhabited solely by men.
Jack noticed several guards and office workers stop what they were doing to stare at Madelaine. Most looked merely curious, some looked confused and one or two looked rather annoyed.
Draven noticed, too. “The staff isn’t accustomed to visitors like the Paladin Courier,” he said, sounding like they should know the reason why.
Jack knew.
“Visitors like me?” Madelaine asked.
Draven nodded. “Women are rarely allowed inside. Actually, you’re the first one since I took command nine years ago.”
The answer was blunt and exactly the answer Jack didn’t say out loud.
Madelaine likely also knew, but apparently enjoyed having Draven explain everything to her.
Jack knew she was doing it to throw him off, like she was some ingénue in a job that should have been given to a man.
Not making it clear how strong and smart she really was could be an asset.
It made some people underestimate her, which Jack knew was foolish.
Draven continued, “The average officer assigned here serves three to five years without seeing a female.”
Jack moved a little closer to Madelaine. The warden’s eyes flicked toward him. And again, that faint smile appeared, as if he’d noticed the protective gesture and found it entertaining. Jack was getting really sick and tired of Draven’s amused attitude about their relationship.
Madelaine, as if sensing the two of them were not far from coming to blows over manly man showmanship, cleared her throat. “I’m only here to retrieve the package and then we’ll be on our way.”
The warden’s expression didn’t soften, exactly, but the man seemed less constipated. “Fortunately, your package remains where it should be.”
“That’s reassuring. Thank you.”
The warden gestured toward the door at the end of the long corridor. When they reached it and he inserted a key, pulled from one of the many tactical pockets adorning his uniform, it turned out to be an elevator.
The doors opened. He removed the key.
“If you’ll follow me.” The warden stepped into the elevator. Jack gestured for Madelaine to go ahead. He looked behind them as he entered the elevator. No one was watching them now.
Once inside, Jack realized it was a smallish elevator. The three of them fit comfortably, but if anyone joined them, they’d all be rubbing shoulders. This car would only hold five people, six maybe, but only if they were the size of children.
The doors closed and Draven put a key into the panel and pushed the only button available. “Your contact is housed in what we call a tower cell.”
Jack’s instincts immediately sharpened. “A tower cell? Why is he sequestered from the other prisoners? Is he dangerous? Is there something we should know before meeting with him?” Jack didn’t move closer to Madelaine, she was actually only a couple of millimeters away, but he wanted to.
The warden paused. “No. Winslow is not technically dangerous. At least not in any physical way.”
“Okay. That’s good.” Jack didn’t relax. He sensed a big “but” coming.
“Not exactly good, though,” Draven said as the elevator car ascended slowly.
“Unfortunately, he often is in possession of quite confidential information and his clandestine knowledge has caused several governments to panic more than a time or two. Thus, he resides here with us. Out of harm’s way, so to speak. ”
Jack blinked, thinking it was somehow worse. Could the guy read minds? Was he some sort of a paranormal entity?
He traded a guarded glance with Madelaine. Jack could tell they were thinking similar things about this prisoner they were about to meet and what he might be capable of.