Ivy On The Wall | Prison Romance

C4 - O

IV - Cogs in a Broken System.

T A N N E R

One day ago...

Tanner Kendrick made sure to keep an icy exterior, his one-track mind focused on his mission. The sole reason as to why he was being sent to prison was for the purpose to assassinate the man in charge. From what he has been informed by his client, the security around him is thicker than the thicket of dense forest that encased the isolated facility.

He had done his research on Birdswood maximum security prison, he knew the blueprints, the surrounding landscape and terrain as well as the chain of command - in the staff but also the inmates.

His client was not the government, maybe someone who branched off of them, but definitely not the government. They had ordered him to use any and all very unethical methods to rid the system administration. He presumed that it was for control over this large institute yet it was not his job to guess the aim, it was his job to hit the target.

Tanner was an underground hitman, handyman and executioner, whatever title was more favoured to be used. But Tanner dealt with all the dirty work. He had a reputation for his good work ethic, a man who left no evidence yet did all things required plus more.

He was told that a current unaware accomplice was also being stemmed into the prison on this very bus, though that detail was pretty vague. All he knew was that he was not to harm that accomplice and to make sure no significant harm is dealt to them by others. Though the identity had been kept a secret from him, he was told that she was a woman and that he'd know straight away who she was. 

The prison bus was currently stationary, waiting for the last inmate to board, who's court verdict had been delayed with an issue concerning something that the said inmate had done. From what he observed, there was no woman on the bus as of yet, so he assumed that the woman was the last to arrive. 

He kept his back rigidly straight, dressed in a dark suit as were many other inmates who were in smart wear due to their courtroom hearings. Some had just been sentenced while others were having their sentences reconsidered. Tanners hands were handcuffed to the seat in front of him, securing him to the squeaky seat he sat on. He was situated at the back of the bus, which left him able to see everything that took place on it. 

Currently, there was one guard on the bus, which seemed unprofessional but Tanner wasn't in a position to complain.

The armoured buses door slid open with a pressurised hiss, the sound of numerous shouts, cameras clicking and arguments rang into the bus as soon as a gap allowed the noises to crowd inside. The next to clamber on was a woman, the woman, bandaged heavily like an injured bird with a tear-stained face which looked to be genuine. Tanner was meeting his unaware accomplice for the first time, even if it wasn't face to face. 

She was led on by two guards, who seemed stressed from the commotion outside as one sat down beside the other already on the bus with an exaggerated huff. The other guided her to a seat in the middle of the bus, all eyes were on her but she wasn't paying attention to the prying eyes. She seemed stuck in her own thoughts.

The bus was mostly silent, only the ragged breathing of the girl and the commotion from outside could be heard. Though when the bus door hissed shut, all that could be heard was her.

On first impressions, Tanner found her to be a very beautiful woman, though she looked to be very young. Approximately twenty or even eighteen. Behind all her tears she had a very well-framed face. Her coal-stained hair made her pale skin pop and the faint dusting of freckles across her nose were evident. The colour of her eyes was a mystery, her eyes were downcasted apart from the occasional glance sideways to the crowd outside through the tinted windows.