Rome In The Sky: Daybreak

CH 5: Jailbirds

LISBETH

"Walk quickly."

Lisbeth was led by a group of guards through long, broad halls, dim fluorescent lights, and a smooth white tile floor. The man in front was mid thirties, square shouldered, with a square chin and sharp nose that gave him a nearly owl-like appearance. His hair and well kept beard were brown, with an ample amount of gray in them.

"While you're here, keep your head down. The other prisoners are a greater threat than the riot guards. Don't draw unwanted attention, make a habit of good behavior, and you'll be lucky if you aren't torn to pieces before the trial begins."

'Nice bit of ominous sounding advice there,' Liz scoffed.

He came to the end of the last hallway, and after an elevator ride down sixteen floors, the doors opened to a massive open space shaped like an octagon. Hallways led down each of its eight walls, each lined with whitewashed cells.

In the center was an open space with tables and chairs, serving lines, televisions, workout equipment, and a little library. Guards in gas masks and riot suits walked back and forth, waiting for an excuse to either beat anyone who misbehaved or hit the entire yard with tear gas. The prison courtyard with all the attractions was encased in glass, and a tunnel of glass separated the elevator from the rest of the building. The air was cool, not in a refreshing way, but in a harsh, unpleasant way, causing the hairs to stand up on Liz's arms.

'Charming little place.'

The tunnel led to a security checkpoint, run by medical workers in hazmat suits. The lights were white and extremely bright. Everything was white. Clean, nearly sterile.

"Welcome to the Judge. It'll be your home for a good while, so get comfortable. My name is Technical Knight Hauser Johann. I work for Second Battalion, Jury Special Missions Regiment, but I stand in as a liaison for intake of new inmates. You'll be plenty busy down here, and as long as you follow the rules, you won't be harmed. You'll also learn to spot aggravators. Avoid falling in with them. They tend to incur...unsavory consequences on themselves."

'Unsavory is an understatement.'

An inmate was trying to start a fight with one of the guards and was quickly hit in the head and dragged away by his feet, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. The workers in hazmat suits quickly shuffled over to remove any trace.

"When we reach this checkpoint ahead, you will need to remove your clothes for decon."

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Decontamination. Your old clothing will be burned, and you'll be given a uniform, a white jumpsuit like everyone else. Not only do they take the limiting of communicable disease in this facility incredibly seriously, they also have to conduct a final search to ensure you aren't carrying anything that can be used to harm yourself or others."

'Yikes.'

They reached the checkpoint. It was like a little bubble made of glass, with fixtures on the ceiling, some for sterilization, others for scanning and monitoring, and a rotating platform on which a person would stand. Hauser led her by the arm to the platform.

"I'll do you the courtesy and turn my back. But the walls are glass, and the inmates will not be so polite. Remember, the quicker you're done the quicker you can have privacy."

Liz took a deep breath, preparing to be leered at. She removed her clothes, and stepped forward, one arm across her pelvis, the other across her breasts, chin to her chest. She was like a marble statue, tall, lean, and graceful. It was the physique of a warrior or a ranger, not a misnomer. Inmates made noises to try to get her attention, but her manner was if they did not exist, so they gave up.