Faded Grey

Chapter 2

Elias didn't really get to have a glimpse of the prison since the back of the van he was in didn't have any windows. This made him slightly annoyed as he wanted to know as much as possible about the situation he was in since everything seemed out of his control. 

Soon enough, he felt the van slow to a stop and he was pulled out of it by the guards. They lead him into what seemed to be the reception. Elias saw a man in front of the reception desk who held a bag of things and seemed to be in a good mood. He guessed that the man was about to be released. Here was this guy, about to walk out of here a free man while Elias came in not knowing if he would ever see the outside world again.

The guards once again put him into a cell, and they told him another person would come later to take him for processing.  

Elias assumed he wouldn't wait too long, but he clearly hadn't learned anything while he was in custody at the police station because he stayed in that cell for what seemed like hours. By now, he was completely drained from the stressful events that were taking place at an alarming pace. However, despite being exhausted, he couldn't fall asleep. 

The anxiety he felt at the moment kept him wary of his surroundings. His hands were clammy and his heart was pounding loudly into his chest. For a man who prided himself in keeping his cool in difficult situations, his reaction to the situation was throwing him off. Maybe it was because everything was happening so fast. It was like he kept trying to grasp something to keep him from falling but his fingers kept slipping off. 

Elias slapped his hands on his face to try to regain some clarity. He wasn't even among the prisoners yet and he was already losing it. If he didn't get a grip, he would certainly be targeted for his weakness. 

He cursed his father again for throwing him off the rails. It was hard to admit, but maybe he had underestimated the man. No doubt, he had probably had people watching him for a while. It was also possible that Elias had been so taken by his desire to take him down that he had been sloppy, and had grown overconfident. 

He wouldn't give up because of this set back though. Noah could still keep the case going, although he would have to be more careful. The detective would be able to bring his own copy of the file to a journalist to give him the evidence. Elias allowed a slight smirk to grow on his lips.

If his father thought he had gotten rid of him, he had another thing coming. 

Hours later, a guard finally came to collect him from the cell. They took his fingerprints as well as their mugshot for their records, which felt a bit surreal since those kind of things are only seen in movies, and you don't expect to be the one to be holding the plaque with your inmate number on it. 

He was then interviewed by a counsellor who informed him of the different activities he could partake in such as the kitchen, the laundromat or the workshop. He was also told the different rules of the facility.  

After that, he was taken to a mostly bare room with a medical bed pressed against the wall. Elias watch in dread as the prison guard who escorted him put on gloves. 

"Take off all your clothes please, we have to do a search to see if you have anything hidden on you." Elias chuckled nervously.

"Listen sir, I'm not stupid enough to bring a knife in here on my first day." The guard wasn't fazed by his words.

"If you don't cooperate, we will have to restrain you to do the search. I suggest you just do as you're told and stop talking back." Elias stalled for a moment before he finally began to take off his shirt with a sigh.