Author's Note

.｡｡*ﾟi hope you're staying safe and being kind to yourself! .｡｡*ﾟ

Love youuu 💗

Warning: References to death and violence

Chapter Text

SING SING - 1899

Grim and Tide were kept all the way at the far end of the lower-level block, forcing Muggs and Alexei to move past lots of other cells crammed with prisoners who exhibited an immense variety of sentiments, from the greatest grief and sadness to the surliest anger. Unlike the Refuge, they heard no talking from the prisoners, as it wasn't permitted. There was only the sporadic murmur and the resonance of their own strides through the cell block, mixed with the constant eyes from the inmates. It was no wonder how one could lose his mind in a place like that.

A few cells down, Alexei stopped dead in his tracks, peering into the dark cell of large man in his forties sleeping on a bench. Confused, Alexei eyed him for a moment, recognizing him as one of the men who'd often come to their den with Mr. Wiesel to collect drugs and girls, the latter of whom they'd deliver to Shang Draper's place.

Haggerty noticed Alexei staring at the man and shook his head, pointing into the cell with his baton. Muggs continued down the hall, suddenly itching for more cocaine.

"Just brought him in last week," Haggerty explained to Alexei. "Slit the throats of two little slum waifs after he defiled 'em. And those are just the ones we know about. Sorry to be so indelicate, Father. I'm sure you ain't used to this. It's a different world down here," he said. And then, as an afterthought he added, "Then again, you probably can't understand me anyways."

Alexei felt the breath leave his lungs. He stared at the prisoner, feeling his blood run cold. In all the years in the trade, he hadn't thought about what happened after the middlemen left. If they were paid, Muggs and Alexei didn't care to know. Alexei had always justified it in his mind. He was helping these girls, getting them off the streets, and maybe they'd have to work a little at their new houses of assignation, but it was better than dying in some gutter. Sure, he assumed life in a brothel wasn't ideal, but Alexei never considered the worse alternative of torture or murder. And just how well did he know these middlemen anyway? And how many of their deliveries never made it to Drapers?

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Alexei forced a nod, watching Haggerty hurry over to alert Muggs that he was heading the wrong way. Doubling over in a corner, Alexei held onto the wall to keep his balance while he threw up what little contents he had in his stomach.

When they arrived at the other side of the building, they walked down a tiny stairway, leading down a narrow, damp hall. At the far end of this cell block was a small chamber with no actual windows, just slight cracks in the walls close to the ceiling.

Grim and Tide were sitting on the hard ground, oblivious to Haggerty's presence. They both were wearing a heavy set of shackles on their wrists, sitting side by side. Tide had a book in his hand and was quietly tracing each line with his finger, as Grim stumbled over words. He stammered quite a bit, and Tide had to help him pronounce something here and there.

He was teaching Grim to read.

When they looked up, Alexei took careful note of their grimy faces, their sickly pale skin, their split lips, and the bruises around their reddened eyes. It was quite apparent who the guards liked to rough up.

"Holy shit," Tide muttered, recognizing Muggs and Alexei immediately, though completely thrown off as to why they were in such a getup. He nudged Grim, and they exchanged a look of confusion before glancing back at the duo.

Muggs shot them both a glare that promised nothing good if they spoke. So, he said something before they could open their mouths. "I'm Father Flannagan," he said, stepping forward. "And this is Father Rakovsky. We've been sent to hear your confession before you're to be hanged. Logan McGurk and Miles Krause, is that right? Which one of you is which?"

Neither Tide nor Grim said anything. They were too busy taking in the sight before their eyes. A smile came onto Tide's gloomy face, one that exhibited a strange combination of skepticism, shock, and joy at the unexpected visit.

"It's nice to meet you," Tide said. "I'm Logan." He nodded at Grim. "He's Miles."

Muggs summoned a grin that appeared somewhat real. "You have much to confess, no doubt."

"Yeah, I would say so," Tide answered, in a playful manner that was nevertheless lined with sarcasm. "I suppose you read the papers." He analyzed Muggs for a moment, and then abruptly looked to Alexei. "Does he speak English?"

"No," Muggs said, before Alexei could answer. "He doesn't." Muggs turned to Haggerty, who was looking very impatient. "If you don't mind, Mr. Haggerty. We must protect the sanctity of their confession. We will let you know when we're done."

"Of course," Haggerty said, but before he could walk away, Muggs stepped in his way.

He turned expectantly to Haggerty, a look of authority in his eyes. "We'll need the key," Muggs said.

"Oh, I don't know…" Haggerty cleared his throat, hitching up his breeches and shaking his head. "I can't just give you the key, Father. I wish I could, but it's my job if anything happens."

"You really want to stand in the way of the Almighty's redemption?" Muggs asked, taking another step forward. "Now where's the decency in that?"

Haggerty frowned.

Rolling his eyes, Alexei reached into his pocket and pulled out some of the bribery money Jack had given him to use as a last resort.

Haggerty's face reached something of a satisfied expression, but he simply said, "That's more like it," handing them the key from his pocket before going to the cell. "You be good, now, McGurk, Krause. Or I'll hear otherwise."

Neither prisoner replied to that warning, keeping their eyes on the priests as Haggerty left.

"What are you doing?" Grim said, after Muggs and Alexei had closed the cell door behind them. "Are you out of your minds? Do you have any how dangerous this is? You're lucky if they let you leave." He sounded very much like the concerned shepherd he'd been two years ago.

Alexei nodded. "You look like hell."

Tide laughed. "You look like heaven."

"Can we skip the pleasantries?" Muggs said warily. He turned sharply, his green eyes floating from Tide to Grim. "We're getting you out of here, okay? The others are waiting. But we gotta move now, and we gotta move fast."

"The others?" Grim asked hoarsely.

"Yeah," Muggs continued. "Duane Street's stupid idea, not mine."

"Jack?" Grim echoed, breathless.

Alexei pulled a tiny ring of keys behind his back. "I don't know why you bothered asking for a key, Muggs," he mumbled, fiddling around with different ones to see which fit into the shackles. "I swiped this off him as soon as we left the warden's office."

Grim smiled a little. "I've never been prouder."

"Yeah, save it," Alexei said, breaking the shackles open with the right key, and moving to undo Tide's as well. "We aren't outta here just yet."