Unlawful

Chapter Nine

Charlie

The rest of the week was pure bliss. I kept busy at work humming, much to Ace's annoyance, and Nash and I were dining together almost every night, sometimes even at my place. It felt like a load had been lifted off my chest from that night, a heavy load I thought I would have to carry with me through my remaining time here at the ghetto. Opening up to Nash and not caring about seeming weak in front of him has done loads to me mentally.

I was busy humming and working and Ace let out a little sigh. "You could at least hum a different tune, it's starting to drive me crazy." He said.

"Don't be such a grump, admit it, it makes you happy too. Don't think I didn't hear you humming along a little bit ago." I said

"I wasn't humming, I was, clearing my throat. I'm starting to get a bit of a cough." He gave an obviously fake cough and I smiled.

"Whatever you say Ace. Oh also I was wondering, did you ever have a partner before me? Or did you get here just when I did?" I saw him tense as I asked this.

"I've been here for two years, had one partner before you, her name was Jennifer." He said, his tone changing.

"What happened to her? Did she get relocated?" I asked, although I had a feeling it was more than that.

"She went missing actually." He said.

"Missing? How on Earth does someone go missing in prison? That makes absolute zero sense." I said, how can someone disappear from a guarded prison, especially with a tracker installed.

"I honestly have no idea, and when I asked a gov-head about it he brushed it off. It was like no one knew who she was anymore, then I was put with you a week later."

"I'm so sorry Ace, that makes no sense. Did you go to her house? Check to see if she somehow ran away?"

"I don't know where she lived, we never really spoke that much. She defiantly didn't talk as much as you do that's for sure. I just hope she made it out of this damn place." I gave him a half smile and squeezed his arm.

"I'm sure she did."

"Hey! Lovebirds! Back to work, don't make me have to reassign one of you." A gov-head yelled from the fence. Ace rolled his eyes and we got back to work in silence.

* * *

Work was done and I had just said bye to Nash as I made my way to Gen's house, we planned a game night with Akira and they told me to come straight from work, stench and all. Apparently Gen had found a board game and we were going to improvise the rules and game pieces. I defiantly need a night like this, and I defiantly want to ask Akira more questions about the ghetto, and about Jennifer's disappearance.

I knock on the door and wait for the five deadbolts to be opened, gen pops her head out and before letting my in asks me to go find three rocks. I assume this is for the game and find some in the gutter of the road. I go inside and Gen has the game on the kitchen table while Akira makes some sort of hot drinks. "Please tell me that's coffee." I say hopeful.

"Better, hot chocolate. I even have a little adult syrup for you and I." Akira shakes a flask and gives me a wink.

"How on earth did you get hot chocolate?" I can feel my mouth drooling.

"Gen actually did, she traded today, much to my protest." Akira said.

"I even managed to get an alarm system too!" Said Gen pointing to a small box on her bed.