32. Ohara

The only way to get Lily out of the prison was to bring everything under my control. But no matter how senior I became as a guard, I was never going to have total control. That power rested solely with the Supervisor.

Could I manipulate him into giving me just enough of that power to get Lily out of there? Other prisoners had escaped with Prizes and used the riots as cover. Could I do the same… but use the fallout from the riot?

I took the stairs up to the Supervisor's office, the other guards nodding to me in turn as I rose each level.

Being with Lily, seeing her, smelling her, feeling her body wrapped around me… It made the threat of losing her all the more real.

And this complicated game of cat and mouse would come to an end eventually, and when it did, I didn't want to be caught surrounded by guards.

It would be the worse possible situation. Me, a former prisoner, caught having broken back into Ikmal.

It wouldn't take them long to learn why, and Lily would be suspected of having something to do with the riots, the escaped prisoners.

The sooner I got her out of here, the better. The better for both of us.

The sentry on duty outside the Supervisor's office saluted with a fist to his chest before turning and opening the door for me.

I entered and approached the Supervisor's desk. He stood behind it, looking out on the alien landscape through the large windows.

"Well?" he asked without turning around. "Does the madam have anything to do with the escapes?"

I shook my head. "Negative. She's clean."

Very clean.

"A pity," the Supervisor said. "A guilty party of zero significance could have made this whole issue go away."

I bristled at him terming her as insignificant but I maintained my cool. Soon, I would be far away from here, leaving the new Supervisor to deal with yet another escape. Then anything he said would be as insignificant as he accused Lily of being.

"We've lost multiple prisoners and Prizes," the Supervisor said. "We cannot allow anyone to know that. Thankfully, with the riot chaos, it will be easy for us to convince the prison that they were killed and did not escape."

He turned to face me. "We cannot allow hope to spread among the prisoners or they will all be trying to get away," he said, shaking his head.

"We can convince the majority of the prisoners," I said. "They are ignorant and know nothing more. But there will be those with informants, spies. They will know the truth and they might seek to exploit our weaknesses."

The Supervisor nodded. "How do you propose we control these prisoners with the extra resources?"

He took a seat and peeled a Glorian frieshad with a knife.

"I suggest we talk with them and develop a relationship," I said. "Get them to share their resources with us."

"How are you going to do that?" the Supervisor said, cutting a slice from his fruit and putting it in his mouth.

"Give them advantages by… overlooking some of their more profitable enterprises," I said.

I'd thought about this idea a great deal ever since I jumped the original Lead Guard at the way station before he was due to accept his role at Ikmal.

I had no intention of helping Druin consolidate his power, but I would do whatever it took to get Lily away from his clutches.

"Overlooking their criminal activity?" the Supervisor said. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"With the prison still recovering from the riots, it's still vulnerable," I said. "If we don't act fast, the criminal elite will take advantage and then there will be no way to bring the prison back under control. It's a risk, but one that is worth taking."

The Supervisor nodded. "Very well."

That was a relief. If I wasn't given the go-ahead to work with Druin, I would have to figure out some other way to escape, some chink in the prison's armor. But with how tight the guards had locked Ikmal down, it wasn't going to give us much leeway.

"I'll get to work on it right away," I said, turning to leave.

"Hold on there," the Supervisor said. "You're new here, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"And keen to impress, no doubt."

I nodded my head.

"In my experience," the Supervisor said, cutting another piece from his fruit. "It's always wise to know the people you're working with. Look them in the eye. Know what they're thinking. You catch my drift?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

"Good. Here. Take this."

He extended the slice of fruit to me, the knife's edge glinting from the harsh overhead lights.

"I'm not hungry," I said.

"I insist," the Supervisor said, maintaining eye contact with me through my visor and holding the fruit out.

My stomach churned as I realized he wanted me to take my helmet off. He would see my face and realize I was not the guard he thought I was.

Then this whole rescue-Lily episode would be over before it had even begun.

What had made him suspicious? I wondered. Had he seen my files? Would he take any interest in them? He wouldn't have been the one to recruit me — the previous Supervisor would have.

Still, I didn't want to leave it up to chance. Not with Lily's life on the line.

But if I refused to take my helmet off, that would make him even more curious and investigate who I was. My mouth was dry and I swallowed what little saliva I had.

Then I had an idea.

My ability!

I could use it to make the Supervisor see the face of the guard I was supposed to be!

I reached for the metal clasps on either side and released them. The helmet fell away and I presented the other guard's face into the Supervisor's mind.

He just sat there, looking at me. His eyes dropped to the piece of fruit and I took it.

He waited once more. It wasn't enough to take the fruit — I also had to eat it. I did, and the noise was loud in the tense office.

"You have an honest face," he said. "I always like to look into the eyes of those I'm working with."

I nodded. "I understand," I said, before placing the helmet back on my head. "It's best to be sure."

The helmet could protect someone from my ability to manipulate them… but it could also be a way to cut me off from my ability. I would have to bear that in mind the next time I needed to use it.

At the door, I saluted the Supervisor and left, grateful to be away from him. He was creepy and I sensed there was more to him than met the eye.

Yes, I thought, the sooner we were away from this place, the better.

I headed down the steps and wound through the hallways as if I had never been away. Nothing had changed about the place.

A pair of armed guards flanked me on either side.

Two goons stood outside the cell Thillak had used as his office. I was surprised to see Cayggod still sitting at his desk, sporting a large black eye from where Druin had taken him by surprise.

I wished I could have revealed to him who I was, to talk like old friends… but not with Lily's life hanging in the balance.

"I wish to see Thillak," I said, my voice electronically distorted.

Cayggod might have been expecting me by the lack of surprise he wore on his face.

"He's in a meeting right now," he said. "I'll end it and have them leave immediately."

I waited as he disappeared inside the office and two heavyset Ghanisians exited, keeping their eyes firmly on the floor as they left.

"He will see you now," Cayggod said, ushering us inside.

I motioned for the two armed guards to remain outside. I didn't want them to overhear the offer I was going to make to Druin. I would give him anything he wanted, just so long as he could get Lily and me safely out of the prison as soon as possible.

As Lead Guard, I could make things happen that Druin could only have dreamed of.

The office was also exactly how I remembered it. Small, cramped, very plain, and simple. The only difference was the creature sitting in the seat of power on the other side of the desk.

"I was wondering when you were going to show your face in my office. I figured it was only a matter of time before you brought your investigation my way."

I knew he would be here, knew he had done away with Thillak… and yet, hearing his voice in the flesh still made my skin crawl and my anger flare up inside me.

I needed to control myself or else I risked throttling him, and being the Lead Guard or not, that was a mistake I couldn't afford.

"I have come with an offer from the Supervisor himself," I said, each word tasting like ash in my mouth.

"Then why isn't the Supervisor here to give it to me himself?" Druin snapped.

Typical of Druin to be so arrogant as to expect the most powerful person in this section of the prison to bow to him.

I had no idea how Thillak could have allowed this to happen, to let Druin usurp his throne and take over his empire, but ultimately, it wasn't something I should concern myself with.

Lily and me getting out of here, I repeated to myself. That was all that mattered.

"The Supervisor wishes to grant you access to every area of the prison," I said.

Druin pursed his lips and leaned back in his chair. "I will allow you to explain your offer."

His powerful arms were so muscular that he almost couldn't place his hands together across his belly.

I swallowed my pride and gave him the offer that would, I hoped, lead to our escape.