Steve stops the car, kills the engine and just sits there.
Thinking about what had happened last night, how did he ever get himself to
agree to use someone’s information that he did not even trust. After all, all
this started by someone calling him to say he could deliver them the two people
they had been looking for seven years. The unfortunate part of all this was the
lack of evidence involved in the case as no one has actually seen any picture
of these two fugitives. The only people who could identify them were dead.
Remembering the conversation, the man on the phone had said
“the two of them are known to always deliver the same drugs.” He said
confidently, “they always carry a briefcase which contains the drugs and they
always take it to the person to make the sale themselves. The exchange is
always done at night and the criminals always show up unarmed.”
Now thinking about it, the profile of the two caught today
does actually match the profile of the two fugitives that have been off the
radar for seven years. Whatever this was about he was not convinced that the
two known as Les Papers, the name
indicating that they only dealt with people who had money, were the two that he
arrested last night. After all, Les Papers
would not have been caught so easily when they had escaped for this long.
Steve takes a deep breath and clears his head as he steps out
of the car. He heads inside the building which he first entered after he got
the call from the informant. He walks quickly to the door that has ‘Chief’ on
it. Knocks on it and opens it.
The Chief who was sitting behind a desk shouts out “Steve,
just the man I want to see. I have to admit that I did not really think you
were going to get them without a fight but you did. Well done boy.”
“Thank you very much sir for the support. It could not have
been done without your cooperation. All I did was supply the information which
I got from a third party.”
“Nonsense my boy, you did it all. We have been looking for
these two for the last seven years and you found them within six months.” The
chief says excitedly, obviously pleased with Steve.
“Yes sir, it was our joint effort sir. By the way, I have to
ask a question, how do we know for sure that these two are really Les Papers? After all, we don’t exactly
know what they look like.”
The chief who was once excited became very quiet and the
irritation on his face was obvious. “Again with the questions, just leave that
to us. You have done a good job now go out and celebrate, leave the rest to us.
That is an order.” The Chief says as a matter of fact, signaling the end of the
meeting.
Steve knowing when not to overstep his boundaries gets up,
leaves the office and decides to take a stroll to get a cup of coffee. On his
way there, he gets out his phone and dials his informant, the person who gave
him the information that led to the capture of these two, the line was switched
off. There was more to this story and Steve intended to find out.
He switched directions and headed towards a door on his
right. He entered it and went straight to the holding cell and saw the two he
arrested last night being taken outside of their cells. They were being
escorted out by two guards. Steve sees a third guard in front of the cell and
he asks him “What is going on?”
“They are being moved, a space just opened up in one of the
prison facilities and the warden said they are ready for them so they are being
transported there right now.”
Steve asked “who ordered their transfer?”
“The Chief.” The guard replied.
“Does the chief normally do this?” Steve asked carefully
“To be honest, he doesn’t. There is no record of them being
arrested. There is no record of them being held here. Even this transfer is not
being recorded, everything is off the books. If you were not here right now,
you would not know about this.” The guard responds and darts off towards the
van where the prisoners were being taken.
Steve follows the guard and sees the prisoner enter the back
of the van with the two guards entering with them. The third guard who was in
charge was about to open the door of the passenger side of the van when Steve
stops him from opening the door. Steve looks at the guard and says “I don’t
know you. But you know that what is going on here is different. Give me a
minute to talk to the prisoners before you leave.”
The guard looks at him and gives an affirmative nod. “You
have two minutes.”
“Thank you.” Steve runs to the back of the van, opens it up
and sees Jake and Kevin in chains sitting between the two guards. “Can I have a
word alone with the prisoners?”
The guards both look at him strangely and then hear the guard
in charge shout out “Give him two minutes.” The guards at once step out from
the van; Steve gets in and shuts the door behind him. They were alone for two
minutes and he had to make the most of it.
Steve says “Look me in my eyes as I say this.” Both Jake and
Kevin look at him.
“Seven years, Mexico, Les
Papers.” Steve says quickly as he looks into their eyes for any sign of
recognition at the words he just mentioned. Both of them just stare blankly at
him.
Steve says quietly “You are not them.”
Jake hears and asks “We are not who? Who are you talking
about? What is Les Papers?”
“Forget I said that.” Steve says as he rubs his head and
begins to think of what next to do. “We do not have much time. The two of you
are going to do what I say if you want to ever see the outside of a prison
again. There will be no lawyers for you. There will be no calls allowed or
visitors allowed for you. There will be no court for you. You will probably
never see the outside of your cell for that matter.” Steve pauses for a moment
and then says “Someone set you up and if you are going to find out who did it,
then you need to find a way to get out of jail.”
“You mean escape from prison?” Kevin asks with a shaky voice.
“That is the only way this can work. I will do what I can do
from the outside but I need you both to leave prison to force the people who
set you up to come after you.” Steve says
“Why would they come after us?” Kevin counters.
“They will come after you because they are the ones who put
you there. Your escape will make them uncomfortable. Also they will know the
reason you probably escaped is to find them which will make them want to look
for you the more. But for that to happen, you need to get out of prison.” Steve
says in a hushed tone
Both Kevin and Jake look at Steve and ask “How do we get out
of prison?”
“Just hold on.” Steve says as he quickly steps out of the van
and asks one of the guards a question. He gets back in and says “alright I know
what prison they are moving you to. I know someone on the inside who can help
you. Just ask around for Carlos, he is very quiet but don’t be deceived he is
your ticket out of jail. Tell him that Steve from Malaysia sent you. He will
understand, I must say here that do not contact Carlos unless you are
absolutely certain that you want to leave prison. He does not play around and
also forget about your previous life, it doesn’t exist anymore. You will get
new identities. Carlos will explain all this to you, once you leave jail the
only place you will be safe is with the agency that he works for. The people
who put you in prison will be looking for you. If you really want to get out of
this then find Carlos.”
There is a knock outside the van, “Time up.” The guard
shouts.
“Alright, I have to go. Remember what I have told you, Find
Carlos, if you do this we might see again.” Steve says as he steps out from the
van. The guards enter and the van drives off carrying the passengers in it to
their next destination: Prison.