Sasha pursed her lips. “Well, looky there. Thank you, sweetie.” She took the brush and worked it into her mane. “I’m sorry for poking fun at your legs. They’re really not that bad.”
“They aren’t?”
“Nope. They’re not good either, but they’ve got potential—and you’re not getting these boots, not while I’m still breathing, anyway.”
That instant, Carly backed away from the door, eyes widening in fright. “They’re here.”
Sasha straightened and produced the broadest closed-lipped smile of which she was capable. The door flew open, and two guards made entry, one of whom she recognized right off the bat. Terrific, she thought.
“Good day, ladies, this is a shakedown, so pay attention. We’re here to open every door and drawer, strip down your beds, and check every crack and crevice. If you’re hiding anything, we will find it, so put your butts against a wall, zip your lips, and stay out of our way. Female officers will be arriving shortly to check your persons.” He glanced around the room at the airs being sent his way. “Is something amusing? Just what the hell are you three smiling about?” He eyeballed Sasha with zeal. “Especially you, mother hen?”
Her buttocks glued to the wall, Sasha tilted her head. “What’s crackin’, McCracken? I missed you.”
Phil, the guard, harrumphed. “Right. Sure you did. How blessed that today’s scenario has reunited us all.”
The guards began rifling through the room, dumping drawers, and overturning furniture. They stripped sheets and blankets from beds, yanked pillows from pillowcases, and shone flashlights beneath bed frames, chairs and desks. Seemingly unsatisfied at the absence of contraband, they began feeling about the walls.
“Hey, McCracken?” Sasha began. “Not that the party isn’t compelling and all, but what in shit’s name are you mining for? Clue us in, and we might help you find it.”
Hands to his knees, Phil rose and stared her down. “We are mining for prohibited anything and unauthorized everything,” he roared. “Contra-fuckin’-band. For that is what happens during a shakedown. I’m surprised your stint in the clink didn’t teach you that.” He smiled. “But since you’re a privileged constituent of the general population now, I’ll charitably inform you. A good amount of provisions has come up missing, and we’ve been ordered to either locate the missing goods and ensure their safe return, or find the thief, or thieves, and see to it justice is served.”
Carly rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion, knowing this was bound to happen.
Morgan only cowered in the farthest corner of the room, refusing to look anyone in the eye.
“That’s striking,” Sasha persisted. “I could’ve sworn the only thing you agonized over being served was breakfast.” She snorted. “Oh, and lunch and dinner.”
Phil moved to square off with Sasha, his chest bumping hers, index finger in her face. “You do recall what happened the last time you lost control of that mouth in my presence?”
Sasha’s expression molded into a simper. She nodded. “I believe I…fell down.”
“That’s right. You had an accident. Does another sound appealing?”
“Oooh…more dirty talk,” Sasha cooed. “And before a mixed trio of onlookers this time…very cosmopolitan. You’re such a tease.”
Phil bit into his lower lip and backed away gradually, sizing Sasha up as his glower darkened. He glanced to the mess on the floor, around the room, at the ceiling, then at every wall, his scrutiny ultimately finding a new target. “You!” he rumbled; his rigid finger aimed at Morgan.
The scrawny girl lifted her head with hesitancy, peering at him through her bangs. “Me?”
“I’m pointing at you, aren’t I? Who else would I be talking to?” He curled his finger into a ‘come here’ gesture. “Get over here.”
“W-why?”
“What was that?” Phil snapped. “You don’t ask why; you don’t get to ask me why. You don’t have the freedom to question anything. You come when I say come. I order and you obey, like a good little mutt; otherwise, I’ll grab a choke collar and chain you to a tree.”
Morgan trembled as she inched closer. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But you’ve been acting peculiar ever since we walked in that door. And your body language is giving off all the signs of a guilty conscience.”
“I-I don’t have a guilty conscience. I’m not guilty of…anything.”
“Young lady, I am well trained to visually ascertain practically all forms of illegitimate behavior.” Phil extracted his cuffs. “Now, place your hands out in front of you. You’ll be coming with us.”
Morgan began quivering and sobbing at the sight of the restraints.
“Aww, hey now, it’s okay. Don’t worry about a thing. You just come with me, nice and easy, same as last time. We’re going to get this all figured out.”
Same as last time? Sasha was steaming at watching the interaction go down and assumed Morgan’s phobia to be based on something disturbing, unrelated to today’s visit. As soon as Phil’s grimy paws took hold of the girl’s hands, she moved to intercept. “Hey, McCracken, hang on a minute. Take a good look at her, will you? The girl’s emaciated. She looks like she hasn’t eaten anything in weeks. Is justice really what you’re looking for? Or do you just need a scapegoat?”
“Back off me, mother hen! I won’t warn you again!”
“Goddamn you, I said look at her!” Sasha hissed. “The poor girl’s ribs are showing! You’re seriously going to stand there and point the accusing finger at her as having the highest potential for food thief?”
The other guard moved to stand in Sasha’s way. “Slow your roll, ma’am. That’s close enough. Just relax and let us do our job. You don’t want this to escalate.”
“Tase her if she comes any closer, Jonas,” Phil said, gazing upon Morgan’s tiny wrists. “Damn, you are a little thing, aren’t you? You’re starting to remind me of my five-year-old niece. These cuffs might be too big for you, half pint.”
Morgan rotated to her friend for counsel. “Carly?”
“It’ll be okay, Morgan. Just don’t fight them. Do whatever they say, and don’t
