The prison was quiet while the Restorationist guards continued their search for Valentina and Elijah. Of course, they could not let Horowitz know that they were idly waiting for results, so they continued to give Mischa daily beatings. Years ago, Mischa would fight back, throwing men off his back, blacking eyes, dislocating jaws. He didn’t fight back any more. Mischa wouldn’t risk Valentina’s safety, but little did he know that she was already in danger. It was getting harder to keep secrets for Mischa, seeing his friend battered and bruised, but Yuri wouldn’t risk his chance at freedom. If Yuri even let Mischa know the progress he had made in repairing his mind, and Mischa confessed to the guards, that would only make Yuri a target for interrogation. No, there was safety in his secret.
Five, or a man known as Searzy, was looking for Valentina with little results. It had been weeks since he left with his sister and Four had only heard that they had found Valentina, and that they would proceed to interrogate her for Elijah’s whereabouts. But Four was getting impatient and deployed other agents to look for Elijah on their own, and one team was accidentally on the right track. Yuri was impatient to inform Elijah or Viktoriya of their situation.
Finally, during what must have been the night shift, the guards left the hall. There was only one man stationed outside of their rooms, and the guard, Six was a younger, more sensitive one. He had shift every fourth night, and a routine to his duties.
“Mister Sima?” He asked as he slowly entered Mischa’s cell. “I… I had commissary duty today, and I noticed you didn’t come to meal call. I brought you water and some bread, and… Well, they wouldn’t let me bring you meat but I got this baked potato for you. And uh… Oh, I brought you some clean bandages and this snuck this antibacterial cream out of the pharmacy.”
“Thank you,” Mischa would mumble. Yuri didn’t know if Mischa was being rude, or if perhaps his lips were too swollen to speak clearly. If Mischa was smart, he’d eat his bread and potato. Six was too honest to try to poison them. But even if he wasn’t, Mischa was of no used to the Restorationists if he died quietly before their movement could be consolidated, and Yuri’s death meant nothing. His life meant nothing either, but that was beside the point.
After a short time, the routine was repeated. “Mister Utkin?”
Yuri looked up from his book, he was trying to reteach himself French. He used to speak it so fluently, but only now was it starting to make sense again. He gave Six a wild look. He was the only guard that would actually come into his cell since before Phillip happened. Most would just open the door and slide food in or shout through the door. Or not bother with him at all.
Six was small. Barely an adult. He looked like he hadn’t even had his first shave yet. His red hair was cropped short, and his blue eyes wouldn’t meet Yuri’s. “I… I had commissary duty today, and the guards didn’t bring you in. I thought you might be hungry. I brought some water, and some bread.”
When Six put down the tray there was a lot more than just a plastic cup of water and a hunk of bread. Wrapped in foil was a baked potato, some carrots and a more than generous portion of cooked red meat. Beef, bison, venison, he wasn’t sure but it was there. Yuri looked up at Six, catching his eyes. He made the young man nervous.
“Thank you. The others are all too afraid of me to get me, or talk to me. I guess they didn’t warn you?” Yuri asked, his English surprising even himself.
“Warn me about what?” Six nervously rubbed his arm. His uniform was too big for him.
“I’ve killed several guards, doctors, all innocent people.” Yuri took the tray and sat on the bed.
YOU ARE READING
Looking For The Light (Book 2)
ÜbernatürlichesElijah's life has been thrown for a loop. His girlfriend left him, he's leaving his home behind, and setting off into the unknown. Doubting his mission and himself, the young telepath struggles with many of the great questions of life.
