Life in prison

Chapter 21

The cold...

But can a heart-to-heart talk melt it?

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"All right, big guy, stand down!" - Anika scolded. - "You've been here long enough already! Do you want to spend the night in solitary confinement?"

She looked very angrily at the prisoner who had already had the IRIS in his arms for an hour. The prisoner was wearing a very old jacket and was sitting among the children's tables with his daughter, who was reading a very interesting book.

"Are you listening to me at all, Miles!"

But it was as if the sergeant didn't hear her, clinging even more to his daughter.

"Daddy..." - the Iris began pitifully. - "Please go back to your cell. I don't want you to get in trouble!"

"Shut up." - growled the sergeant kissing his daughter on the top of her head. - "I'll be with you."

Anika watched Miles sit with her daughter and hug her for the umpteenth time. And each time, she had a question.... Why doesn't the sergeant leave that little girl? Why is he risking himself?

"Miles, what's gotten into you? You're like Richard." - she started, but then she stopped and decided to continue. - "You're both getting your asses handed to you today. Huh, and both ended up in solitary confinement."

Miles glanced quickly at his teacher, but then looked away with a frown.

"I want to be with the Iris."

"Well, it's past lights out time! And in a few minutes the patrol will start!" - the teacher was indignant. - "And you're sitting here!"

"What do you care, Anika?" - he looked at her with a tired look.

She didn't say anything. And indeed... Why?

"Listen... I have to put the kids to bed, and your presence is really scaring them." - she looked at the group of little kids the teenagers were trying to put to bed. - "And besides, I can't let you stay here all night! Those are the rules."

She kicked her assistants out, for they were all prisoners. But only Miles was stubborn enough not to leave, clinging harder and harder to his daughter.

"Daddy."- began the Iris, but the sergeant wouldn't listen.

"Anika, leave me alone with my daughter." - the sergeant spoke calmly.

"I don't..."

Shadow, as usual, was watching the whole dialog. He studied the sergeant with interest.

>Do you think Richard made the right choice? >

)}]{I can't say yet. He's not that faint of heart. )}]{

> So Tinka's death wasn't that hard on him? >

)}]{Perhaps. As Richard suggested, this sergeant is the one who cares the most about the Iris. )}]{

>YOU WANT US TO KILL THE IRIS????

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Vin's worried look on her. But she also met the sergeant's gaze.

"Okay." - She whispered and stepped away from the couple.

]DAD! PLEASE TELL ME THAT ANIKA'S ASSUMPTION IS JUST A MISTAKE!]

//Vin... In order to become a follower we must be broken from the inside out to make a contract.//