In Between

Chapter Fifteen: The Black Market

The prison was a fairly large and sturdy building which meant that it was one of the only buildings with such a description in the Strip. It was located south of the Town Square, near the outskirts of the Dark Forest, and was surrounded by tall grey fences completed with barbed wire atop. By Earth standards, it appeared very much like a prison in the worst part of town.

At the front gate, less important Warriors stood guard to keep anyone from wandering in. There were lookout towers at each corner surrounding the prison where Warriors sat eating their lunch and talking with their friends. Security appeared tight, but since there really wasn't any reason for someone to want to break into a prison most of the Warriors didn't take their jobs very seriously.

Draven knew this because he'd been there once before, but he'd never told Kieran about that particular adventure, because sometimes his business was exactly that—his business and nobody else's. Draven knew how to break into the prison if that became necessary; however, he didn't mention this to anybody since he thought that the whole idea was as stupid as stupid ideas could come. "You'll all be caught, and the Warriors will lock you up for a decade," he told them.

Everyone had crowded into Mel's bedroom and taken seats wherever they could find one, including the bed where Mel's younger sister slept, so that the group could discuss the idiotic plan.

"We only want to visit him and see if he's alright," Kieran said fiercely. "Are they going to arrest me for that?"

"Yes!" Draven snapped. "If any of those Warriors at the prison have been notified that there are escaped Outsiders on the loose who are travelling with two unnamed citizens—one of whom is blonde—than we're definitely going to stand out."

Apryl shifted uncomfortably from her place on the bed next to Mel. Draven could hear her considering this anxiously in her thoughts. He didn't attempt to hide the fact that he was listening, but this time she made no attempt to throw him out. When she spoke again, it was to him. "Could they really recognize us that easily? Even with disguises that hid our hair or something?" she asked, glancing quickly at Kieran.

Draven knew by the expression on her face that she was deeply worried for him—Apryl was head over heels for Kieran, and Draven knew it. He was particularly observant when it came to women, and Apryl was also a terrible actress. He decided that it was in everyone's best interest to use her feelings against her in the hopes of convincing her that this was a truly awful idea.

"They'll figure it out the second either of you look them in the eye. All of the Warriors know that the general's son looks different than the rest of us—it's common knowledge, even for those in the lower ranks who are stuck guarding the prison. They're bound to recognize him, and if anyone sees you, they'll know that you couldn't possibly be from here," Draven explained.

Apryl looked dismayed. She sat back and thought hard about how to work around this flaw in the plan. She knew that visiting Mr. Dalhart was important to Kieran, and she looked ready to go to any lengths to make it happen, but this conflicted with her fear of him getting arrested. Draven wondered if his best friend even had the slightest idea of how important he was to this girl.

Kieran had called dibs on Apryl, but that had obviously been an impulsive decision in an attempt to keep Draven away from her. He told himself that he wasn't sure why he had pressured Kieran into calling dibs, but truthfully, Draven knew exactly why he'd done it and refused to put the reason it into words, let alone into thought. Instead, he'd convinced himself that it had been his whim to call Kieran's attention to the possibility until he finally noticed Apryl's rather obvious signals.