The Scorpions Nest

The Scorpions Nest. Chapter 8

8. Leyhill Prison

Gloucester, England

17.45 GMT/20.15 AFT

A thick metal fence surrounds the prison yard, prisoners in groups do not stray too far from their friends, no grass just dirt and dust, watched over by eagle eyed guards, trained to spot trouble if it should start to rear its head, armed with batons and tasers these guards do not really want to go down into the yard, their defensive weapons are designed for close quarters only and that is not an appetising thought here.

"Should I go down there and break it up warden?" ask a guard looking pensive.

"Nope let them tire each other out for a bit longer."

"What if one of them gets killed?"

"They've been fighting for three minutes now, if either of them had a shank they would have used it by now, take Gomez and Clarke down there with ya, but give them a couple more minutes."

"Ok where do you want them placed? Solitary?"

"Put Ayling in solitary, and confine Sykes to his cell."

"Yes sir."

Warden Ashwell a thin stick of a man, in a crisp blue suit, born and raised for better things took the job of warden for the extra money it would bring, not for a burning desire to reform people, he walks down the badly lit corridor flanked by officers Gomez and Blakey and stops at cell C28.

"Open C28" he shouts back to a guard who is sitting at a control booth at the far end of the corridor, there is a loud clunking sound, and the cell door slowly slides back, inside is David Sykes an ex bodybuilding competitor, with an aggressive demeanour, standing at nearly six foot tall and equally as wide, this man with a menacing face is here for the crime of theft, not as dangerous as he looks but physically a formidable foe.

"What was it this time Sykes?" enquires the warden.

"He just came at me for no reason."

"You’re not in solitary, so you don't have to try and bullshit me; I just want to know why it's always you two"

"It's his macho bull, I just can't take any more how he did this and did that and saved people and killed people etc, he is so full of shit."

"Well he is a decorated soldier."

"I know but it's when he said he stayed in a lake for three days just to get to his target, that's crap and it grates on my nerves, I served six years in the Paras with two tours in Iraq and I've never heard anything as dumb as the levels he says he went to."

"So basically you're saying you started it......again."

"If he is so bad ass why is he in a minimum security prison, he is only in here for assault."

"He broke both legs of his wife's new lover, that's not assault that's GBH, and the only reason he is here and not a higher level prison is because it was classed as a domestic dispute, he is out of here in eight weeks, if you two have one more dust up, it will be you in solitary."

"OK ok he just angers me."

"Listen, I've read his profile and seen his records, trust me he is only in solitary for your protection, not as a punishment".

"Warden” The warden leaned back from the cell door and looked inquisitively at the approaching guard.

"What is it Jenkins?"

"There's an Officer from the MOD in your office with some documents from the home office, and he said it's very urgent, in fact he was extremely insistent."