Chapter Four

Owen wasn't met by the cosy backroom of a pub, but what looked like a warehouse. Although it didn't feel like a warehouse, fear, despair and hopelessness hung on the air. Owen found the place totally sinister and turned to leave again but when he turned around he found the door he had come through had gone and was replaced by the warehouse wall. He felt the wall but it was scarily solid. He could hear people coming, he froze he had a strange feeling that if he stayed perfectly still they wouldn't see him. That idea seemed to work. A group of figures shuffled his way they were a boiler suited chain gang. The warders kept a close eye on them. Owen saw the prisoners sad and dejected faces. His heart froze as he recognised one.

There amongst the crowd was Toshiko, her hair lank and her eyes dull. He wanted to rush over and free her, pull her away from the crowd and escape. But he knew he didn't stand a chance with that many guards. He would have to change the habit of a lifetime and use his head.

Toshiko lay on the cold hard floor of her cell as she had many times before, wishing she were dead. She had no idea what would happen to her of even if her mother was alright. It seemed like an eternity that she had been incarcerated in this place. She had totally lost track of time, every day was the same, stuck in her cell with occasional exercise. There was no talking to her fellow prisoners though, that was prohibited, just like everything else. Toshiko felt she would have been treated better if she'd killed someone. If she was lucky the monotony would soon be broken when she was brought her food, if you would call it that. Toshiko wouldn't have inflicted it on a dog. Some days she ate it up and some days she couldn't face it, but she didn't care her weight was getting dangerously low, it just brought death closer, and it would be welcome after this place.

She had been right it was time for slop. She was instructed to stand, she did as always. The door opened and a warder entered.

"Got your erm food", the warder said with a heavy London accent Toshiko didn't recognise. She lifted her eyes cautiously to look at him. He didn't seem familiar at all. He picked up a bread roll.

"This is a bit stale, you could have someone's eye out with this", he said throwing it up and down in his hand as if he was contemplating juggling.

All of a sudden he threw it higher and harder and took out the camera and microphone in the ceiling.

"Quick we haven't got much time before they notice", he said.

"For what?"

"Escaping, that's what", he looked at her "You don't remember me? What have they done to you?"

"Who are you?"

"No time for explanations, we need to get out of here sharpish" he said grabbing her hand.

He took a cautious peek out of the door, the coast was clear and the camera was facing the other way.

"But I'll get into so much trouble", Toshiko complained.

They ran for cover, a blind spot for the CCTV Owen had noticed earlier. They stopped for breath.

"Well it couldn't exactly get any worse, I heard them talking they were going to keep you there indefinitely".

"What!"

"No trial, nothing. God you were only gone a couple of hours".

The sirens started to go off.

"Bugger", Owen said "They've noticed. I thought we'd have more time".

Owen went to the wall and removed a panel. He took a couple of small jars out of his pocket and handed Toshiko a hankie. He also took one out for himself.

"Put this over your nose and mouth".

He took a pill out of one jar.

"Why?" she asked.

But she soon found out as he put the pill in the other jar and it started to give off a strong gas.

"What's that?" Toshiko coughed.

"Keep that over you face", Owen said indicating the hankie. "It's retcon gas".

"What gas?"

He threw it into the air conditioning unit.

"What have the done to you? Come on we've got to go" he said grabbing her hand again.

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