He was distraught, Belle had been crying to him all last evening about Dillon being in the segregation unit she worked in. He prayed it got better, and she actually joined in. It was nice having an outsider join in, he had hoped that maybe this event would be the catalyst that would bring yet another person into the light of the lord. However, he did not yet feel the same pull and devotion from the lord as he usually did and this brought him cause for problem. Was he doing something wrong? What path was he supposed to take? Crosby walked around the maintenance shed looking for a tool to take the power cat’s front engine mount cover off. He needed to gather a lot of things. He’d been working all day on basically nothing, every so often Grim would come by and when he spoke to Crosby he actually seemed happy that things were broken.

  Grim was happy to find “Broke, disorder, chaotic, and mangled” things or so he had directly mentioned. Crosby basically would pretend to look around for tools for a while then return to the power cat, take some bolts off and carefully place them where he knew he could find them, and then replace them before moving onto another part... Occasionally he would take whatever said part was, off of the powercat and sit it down for a while. He had a usually good job for some reason. This sort of thing didn’t happen often. While he was working on the powercat, and he had no real idea what he was doing. He was tapped on the shoulder.

  Crosby turned around. “Hello.”

  “Immanuel!”

  “My son.”

  “Stop it, I’m not that young. Ha-ha. What are you doing here?”

  “I am everywhere.”

  “Did you get assigned maintenance too?”

  “What happened to your plan? You should be gone.”

  “Oh... I guess I haven’t seen you. Dillon got locked into the segregation unit so our plan is foiled. I’m not sure what to do, so I’m procrastinating today. She’s supposed to try and sneak a note to him and see what he wants to do.”

  “You know what to do. She has already shown you the way.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There was an event that she had witnessed. The inmate who rhymed and screamed.”

  “I remember that. They extracted him from the cell and beat him to death in front of her.”

  “Sad thing to see him join the dead.”

  “So what are you saying Immanuel, that they do a cell extraction on Dillon? How would that help?”

  “Think clearly child, if he can escape his cell he can surely escape the building.”

  “What about the guards in the control pod?”

  “There aren’t any. I will share with you a secret, the illusion of security is in itself security. I have already said too much.

  “So if there’s no one in the control pod then the officer on the floor must control it... Come to think about it...” he paused. Belle only ever talked about one guard, the cell extraction team was four men though. I’m not sure how he could defeat all of them.”

  “Immanuel?”

  Hmm... Crosby whispered to himself “He always seems to appear out of thin air that old man. I suppose that’s how he is able to sneak around so well.

  Crosby put together the remaining parts of the power cat, as the day was winding down and he was excited to get back to Belle and discuss the day’s events. Their only problem would be if they got taken and locked up in the segregation unit also. Crosby had drank more dining hall water than usual to make sure his levels were somewhat whatever they might be looking for. Evan had told them to moderately intake something so they didn’t all end up in his situation. Could it really work? Could Evan get out of the cell and overtake potentially five men, who have weapons and can activate tasing restraints? Logically he thought it was impossible, but in his heart he had a confidence in Evan. The way he talked and portrayed himself, he was a scary figure. Something emitted from him, a presence, a feeling you got. There was a sliver of hope, and if all he had to do was keep this machine down until tomorrow then that was fine with him.

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  He did want to find out more about Immanuel though. He enjoyed speaking with him, and he was the only person who seemed to know more about the bible and the Lord than he did. It was spectacular. When Crosby quoted bible verses typically he was shut down and people simply agreed or had no proper idea what he was talking about.

  Grimm’s keys jingled and Crosby could hear him making his way over to where he was. Crosby turned around to see the long sullen and terrifying face blankly staring at him. He had sort of a hunch back and was eerily frozen there. His eyes moved from off of the side of viceroy’s direct view to meeting him with full eye contact. His mouth opened like a talking Halloween mask.

  “Fixed?” Crosby shook his head “I think I can have it done tomorrow. I’m trying to follow the instruction and performance manual as much as possible. It’s ha-“Grim cut him off, his voice coming out like a screech of bats. “You... Will have fix this by two days’ time… Or I shall...” he smiled and looked up at the sky. Grim was the only guard Crosby had seen who was unkempt. He had a scraggly looking facial hair going on and he thought he could see hair underneath his hat that was oily. Grim didn’t wear the duty belt the other guards wore either.

  He just had trousers and a normal black belt on. “I will bury you...” he snapped his head down and focused on Crosby. Which the whole experience was enough to make him feel like he wasn’t supposed to be alone with this man. Shivers ran down his back and goosebumps formed on his arm. “You may... Go.” Grim opened his arm like an old barn door, showing him the way to the exit. While eerily moving about and inspecting the power cat. Crosby stepped awkwardly towards the exit and began his walk back to the barracks. He wasn’t allowed to leave the maintenance shop until the absolute last minute so he had chow delivered to him by one of the courier inmates. They took things to and fro, from this shop to that shop, acting as runners and constant toy being berated and beaten for being slow enough or not bringing the right item. Crosby walked very slowly back to the barracks, it was already late. He was just trying to gather his thoughts.

  So... I am going to talk with Belle and see if she has any new developments. I pray the perverse guard she is working with didn’t do anything to her today. We need to get her away from that situation if nothing else, ill pray again for her safety this evening in hoped the lord answers my call. He smelled the air, it was so hard to catch a fresh breath of air. There was just a moment of clean air where you thought you could breathe in deep, and then the smell of smoke and chemical. The sun was down and at least a cool breeze passed over him, tickling his face softly. Crosby entered the barracks, passing by some platoons still formed outside on his way in. No-one questioned him. People tended to move only where they were supposed to go.

  He walked passed all of the decrepit and foul smelling bodies strung about the barracks, people half alive and pale looking. A definite change since they arrived, Crosby noticed they were truly all dying. Many people whom he had brought here himself. He knew that even though he witnessed such suffering that he did right by bringing them here. If the lord’s will is what lead him to this area then it was their time to go. If Crosby escaped, then it wasn’t his time to go. Either way it didn’t matter because they would all be reunited in heaven. All of god’s children were to be reunited and bask in the everlasting light of the lord. Reunited with their families, children, ancestors.

  So it was okay for him to see this, he did not feel sad or angry. It was their time to go. Crosby at peace with himself, sat down next to an already sleeping Belle. Crosby poked her in the shoulder and she came to life.

  “Wahl!”

  “Well good morning ma’am. Did you have a good nap?” Crosby chuckled

  “No I just fell asleep actually...”

  “Did you get to talk to Evan today?”

  “Nothing more than a whisper and a glance.” She frowned, clearly saddened by this.

  “I have good news Belle.”

  “We’re living in a dream?”

  “No. But I think I have a way out.”

  Belle looked at him intensely, he could tell she had been crying as her eyes and nose were red.

  “Have you seen any guards come out of the control pod in your building?”

  She thought for a moment, raising her eyebrow...

  “Come to think of it no. I only ever see the one guard on the floor.”

  Crosby nodded his head “They aren’t as much staff as you think. What did the riddle do to get murdered?”

  Belle looked at the ceiling “He... Threw a cup of piss on the guard?”

  Crosby nodded again “So what happened next”

  “Then a team came in and they were upset the guard had opened the door and he fell off the one of the top ranges hitting his neck.”

  “Well... if Evan does that... can he take them out?”

  Belle looked sullen, staring at the floor. “What do you think?”

  “Well I couldn’t. I can’t fight through being taxed.”

  “Crosby, even if he could fight through being taxed there is at least four of them.”

  “Well it might be the best chance we’ve got ma’am.”

  “So what do you want me to do?”

  “I think you should tell him the new plan.”

  “What’s the new plan?”

  “That he makes them cell extract him and that he has to win.”

  “How are we getting out after that?”

  “I’m not sure, but it might be the best we have. I will pray as long as I can tonight for our success.”

  “I’m not sure... If we fail we will die in here. If we fail in the plan, we might die during the plan. But belle, I feel it. We have to try something or we won’t survive in here much longer. Especially if they lock us up like they did Evan.”

  Belle sniffled, tears coming to her eyes “I’m scared... I’m nervous. I see them give Evan a shot in the arm yesterday and today. I noticed he looks sickly now. He’s letting them do it for me. He’s hoping we can get him out of there Crosby... If this is the best we’ve got then I’m willing to go down fighting with him.”

  “I’ll have the powercat ready. Just help Evan win that fight, and I know he can figure out a way to make it to me. We’ll get out of this place.”

  “Okay Crosby. Let’s do it.”

  Crosby took her hand and they ended the night in prayer, sleeping amongst a sleepless night. Trying to fight an endless fight, and preparing for the day to come.