Falling for Crime

Chapter 3

"There's a meeting. Small, but urgent. I need you to gather the other officers immediately, under my own command."

Kirkland shook slightly as he walked next to his General, not helping but to glance back and stare at the thick iron door he left Alfred behind. Damnit, he wasn't done talking with his new prisoner!

"I-uhm, yes sir."

"And you are to do so quickly." The General seemed tense. More tense than usual.

Officer Kirkland glanced away from the iron door, finally out of sight, and back at General Bielschmidt. "Of course. S-sir, is something th-"

"No questions, Officer, do you understand?" His voice barked suddenly, making Kirkland tense up and gasp when he did so. He then nodded with a mumbled "Yes general", before skittering off to obey orders.

Kirkland rushed through employee doors, making his way to every place he commonly found his fellow guard co-workers at. First stop, break room; Officer Carriedo. Somehow, someway, Officer Kirkland had always found him lounging in the break room, drinking coffee, yet he has never gotten a what for from The General. Next stop, storage room, where Officer Kiku usually was putting boxes away and organizing them. Final stop, Officer Yao's office, where he'd usually find him sitting back in his chair pretending to do important paperwork.

But this time around, unlike with the other two, Yao wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Hey- uh, sir? Do you know where Officer Yao went?" Kirkland asked a random passerby employee, and the other just smiled slightly.

"Didn't you hear? He finally got a prisoner to watch after instead of lazing about in his office. Man, I heard this new ones a psychopath, too..." The employee went on as he walked away and Kirkland hummed, following back down to the lower floor, where the cells kept. He passed by every which cell, 11405, 11406, 11407...

He slowed to a stop after passing 11408, stopping completely when he heard soft sobbing.

Unable to keep himself from listening, Kirkland debated his options. He's never heard a prisoner crying in his or her cell before, and nonetheless, alone. Kirkland refused to peek a look inside the iron door, instead slightly pressing his ear to the side, to listen. It sounded like the prisoner was praying.

"Please, Dio, I know I'm only a day in, but being in here is everything Grandpa Roma didn't want..." Kirkland noted that his voice was deeper, but his accent was the same as prisoner 11511s, so he kept listening.

"I didn't mean to leave my brother behind! Tell me, mio dio, tell me he doesn't despise me." Kirkland hummed to himself solemnly, wondering for a brief moment before he decided it was best to leave a man in private while in prayer and continuing his search for Officer Yao.

It didn't take him long, finding the chinese officer at cell 11410.

"Officer Yao, General Bielschmidt sent me around to get all the guards gathered to the meeting room." Kirkland spoke as he approached, and Yao perked his head up slightly. He had been staring into the iron door.

"Oh. Ok."

"I heard you got someone to watch, who is it?"

Officer Yao simply hummed at first, glancing back inside the cell room. "His name is Ivan Braginsky, prison number 11410." Yao answered distantly at first. "He's...interesting."

"How so?"

"He's been arrested for murdering three people, all of which have currently not been named," The officer sighed, keeping his gaze inside. "But...he doesn't act like a murderer. He is actually really nice, almost too nice, and is always quiet and abiding. He's russian, too. The oddest prisoner I have ever had to keep my eyes on."