Sinbound

(43) Prison II

"They attacked her," Melanie sobs, clinging to her brother, "I was right there and I couldn't do anything."

"Right there?" Ada questions, "they let you see her?"

"I lied to the receptionist, she was quite compassionate," Melanie says, "the guard... he was out for blood, he was taunting her, asking her what she thought it'd be like to die by being beaten with a metal stick."

Pollys hand was shaking as she placed it over her mouth, she was horrified, and she felt like this was all her fault.

Mel reaches for Amari's hand, turning it over before reaching into her pocket and placing a chain in it, "she told me to give it to you."

"Did it seem like she was saying goodbye?" Tommy queries, eyeing the dog tag.

"No," Melanie shakes her head, wiping away her tears, "she said that she'd come home once, and that she'd do it again. She promised me."

A knock sounds from the door, Arthur turns towards it, "go away!"

The person knocks again, and Arthur huffs, storming towards the door, "are you deaf? Piss off."

The rest of them could hear a man's voice respond, "I can help your sister."

"You were at the auction," Arthur replies, as Major Poole nods, "I was."

"Arthur, let him in," Michael says.

"Michael..." Polly sighs.

"Alex trusts him," Michael responds, "that's good enough for me."

"How could you possibly know that?" Polly asks.

"She told me," Michael says, "he was at the auction, I asked her about him."

Arthur sighs, leading Major Poole into the betting shop, where everyone was sat.

"Why are you helping?" Melanie asks abruptly.

"Because she helped me... she's the reason we don't have the same marking," Major Poole responds.

"Marking?" Melanie repeats.

"The Austro-Hungarian emblem," Poole states.

"That's what it is?" Lewis asks.

He'd obviously seen the branding when Elis had removed the bullet from her torso, but he didn't really want to ask her about it.

"I've already had a lieutenant placed in the prison." Poole tells them.

"You have the power to do that?" John asks.

"I have the power to do a lot of things," Major Poole replies, "my father is head judge of the royal court of justice."

Everyone seems to perk up at that news, that's where Alex's hearing was set to be.

"He's reinstated her visitation rights as of Monday," Poole states, "and her trial has been moved up to the end of next week. As head judge, due to the publicity her case seems to be getting, he has been assigned the judicial role. He can't overturn the vote of the jurors, but if they declare her guilty, he does control the sentencing. He's agreed that if they do find her guilty, he'll sentence her to six months, which could be reduced with 'good' behaviour."

-

"Lex," Amari says, as Alex is lead into the room where she and Polly were sat.

She had a black eye, and a couple of cuts on her cheek. Amari stands, placing a hand on her cheek, as he girlfriend smiles at her, "I'm fine."

Alex's eyes divert to Amari's chest, she was wearing the dog tag around her neck, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"You don't look fine," Polly says.