Episode 1: Resurgence

Scene 7: Break in to Break out

The sound of the iron bars clamored throughout the halls. It was at times like this that Jack realized how confined he really was, he was a prisoner, a criminal, an animal to everyone outside the fenced compound. It was late afternoon and the setting sun shined through the limited windows. Jack laid quietly on his cot as he feebly attempted to block out the noises that echoed around the building. He looked up that the bunk above him to the pictures he had tapped to the bottom of the top bed frame; he stared at a picture of Carl. Although he saw his son every month, Jack felt as though Carl was growing up quickly and that he was missing more than his friends or family let on. Jack then looked at a picture of Declan, the picture taken only a few weeks before his death. He could see the fire of possibility that his brothers young eyes held and knowing that all the hopes and dreams that were once in those eyes, would never get the chance to attempt to succeed in the life that they planned, saddened him.

A thought disturbing clatter from the cells above slightly brought Jack back into focus but the noise quickly died down as the guards voices and footsteps approached the disruptive source.

Jack then looked back up and saw the picture of Emily and Nolan sitting in a booth at the bar. Seeing them so happy in that moment automatically brought a smile to Jack’s mouth. He looked at Nolan in the still photo, who had a drink in his hand and a grin on his face. Jack then drew his attention in on Emily’s image; simply by looking at her smile he felt warm. To him, Emily had become this beacon of hope that at times seemed to be the only thing he had. Jack pondered the way he felt about Emily, though he would usually tell himself and others that she was just a good friend, sometimes he allowed the truth to take hold. He loved her, he had always loved her, even when he wanted to hate her he couldn’t help but love her; for him it wasn’t something he could turn off.

Suddenly a voice from outside his cell shook him back into reality.

“Jack...Jack, you awake?” the voice whispered through the bars.

As Jack looked over, he saw a tall, lanky man in a guard uniform. At first the figure was unrecognizable but as his eyes adjusted, Jack found that the body was that of his friend, Nolan’s.

Jack stood up and quickly approached the front of his cell.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked, concerned and confused by Nolan’s disguise and presence.

“I’m just dropping off some top secret info” Nolan said with a grin.

Jack looked at Nolan’s hands to find that the gripped a folder.

“Is this part of Emily’s plan?” Jack asked as he motioned to the contents of Nolan’s hands.

“Sure is...how’d you get so clever? Maybe it’s all this free time you’ve got” Nolan joked.

“Maybe I’ve just gotten to know you too well” Jack responded back.

Nolan then handed the folder through the bars.

“Listen,” he said “You need to memorize this info, inside and out. There cannot be any more holes in this story than there already are. Once you’ve got it, destroy it. We can’t have anyone finding this stuff”

Jack nodded.

“I’m meeting with your lawyer on Wednesday to discuss some interesting ‘info’ I’ve found recently so you have about two days to know this better than you know how to pour beer. Got it?”

“Yeah”

Nolan and Jack smiled at each other briefly.

“I gotta go. I’ll see you as a free man, okay?” Nolan said in a low sincere voice.

“We can only hope for the best,” Jack responded “Thank you” he continued.

Nolan’s expression was his response; he then turned and left. Leaving Jack with a folder full of lies and a glint of hope.