Well hello Derek. So you're in. Congratulations. Told you playing the game would get you rich. Or should I say, might. You have to do your job first. Don't worry about the little timer in the corner by the way, it's just counting down the time until this document is automatically deleted. Rely on your memory my dear man, you'll need it.

Chancer looked down and saw the little red clock. It read 4 minutes 35 seconds and as he watched, changed to 34. Damn. He knew Chris Leach was a technical genius, but this? He made so-called I.T experts look like kids with their very first computer. Chancer was surprised Leach didn't have a computer which said "Welcome home Chris," in a seductive female voice, when he walked through the door. Then a slot opened in the front and his piping hot dinner came out, followed by a beautiful prostitute hours later. He looked back at the screen. He needed to read this and fast.

So, I'm not entirely a slave driver Derek. This iPod is a 500 GB model, packed with all your favourite music, movies and of course porn. Plenty of women being abused for you to watch. But that's in your free time. How much of that you have is up to you, but if you want money you'll have to work for it. So, the app, this iPod only has one app on it, it's called "I'm listening." All you have to do is open it and hold the device up with the microphone pointed towards where you need it, while wearing the headphones included with the iPod. It can hear up to 50 ft. away, as clearly as if they are next to you. But if you want payment, you have to be listening. Did you think you could just put it on and leave it? No chance. Every hour, you'll have to press the "I'm listening" button labelled with a little earphone icon, or your payment will stop being calculated. There is also a "talk" button marked with a telephone icon, but that is only to be used if it's urgent. I should also tell you about the password. If it's entered incorrectly 3 times within 10 minutes, well let's just say you won't be able to re-enter it a 4th time. You won't be alive to try.

Chancer stared at the iPod in a mixture of horror and awe. Leach had rigged this so-called iPod to kill if the wrong password was entered 3 times? Holy fuck! He'd known Leach was a genius, but this? Chancer didn't know whether to admire this amazing technical feat, or scream and throw the iPod down the toilet. How would it kill? Release lethal gas? Explode? He hoped he wouldn't find out. He knew the password and had flushed the paper, so it wouldn't be an issue. Still, one thing was certain. Leach didn't want anyone else getting into this iPod. So much so he'd kill to stop them. Chancer wanted to say Leach was bluffing, but if he knew Leach like he thought he did, he wasn't. Chancer sure as fuck wasn't going to try it to find out.

I will also be sending in my contact to get face to face reports from you as well. Just in case. The files are recorded onto a secure external server, but… You know. Can't take any chances. We might miss something. So expect visits from him from time to time. You know him and they'll let him in.

Chancer looked up from the screen, anger rising in him. What the fuck? Leach was making him work every angle for his money. It fucking better be worth it. The problem with Leach was that he had so much power and influence, not to mention he was terrifying, no one dared to refuse him. Chancer looked through the bars again towards Michael's door. He could just see the killer standing stock still at his cell bars, steadily gazing at Hayward's cell. The sight made Chancer hesitate. This was suicide, this really was insane! Could, would, should he do this?

He knew it wasn't too late to back out, money be damned. If Michael Myers found out what was going on, Chancer would be dead before he even realised it. If he could kill a guard and countless others without blinking an eye then he'd definitely kill Chancer for spying on Hayward without a second thought. If Michael had second thoughts that was. For a few seconds, Chancer was seriously tempted to say no. To hand this goddam killing device disguised as an innocent looking iPod in and tell Leach to fuck himself and his client, just as he'd said to Sarcozi. Having seen how nervous Sarcozi had been when he'd handed it to him, he sensed Mark was also uncertain about this. They would both be spying on Hayward and by association Michael Myers. Sarcozi knew this too, Chancer was sure of it. He wasn't even sure Sarcozi would come back. He was skittish, always had been. Yet, if Leach dangled a big enough money carrot in front of him, he wasn't sure Sarcozi would be able to refuse it. Chancer could understand, to some degree, if enough money was offered. Given how, to use the clue, rich, Leach was, it would be a huge sum. He wasn't sure he could refuse it either.

Slowly his hands shaking a little, he opened the "I'm listening" app. It looked very easy to use. A headphone Icon and a "Stop" button. Next to it was a telephone Icon with the word "Talk" on it. He assumed that would get him through to the people he was working for, if needed. He didn't know how long he was expected to listen for each day, he assumed the more he heard the more money he'd get. He sighed as he plugged in the earphones which had come with the iPod, (or was it, killing machine) and pressed the "I'm listening" button.

He pointed it towards Danielle's cell, holding it casually as if he was listening to music. Immediately he heard a soft hissing noise which he knew was from the iPod's microphones, which he was sure were way more powerful than standard ones, then heard Hayward cough. Jesus Christ! She was all the way down the other end of the corridor, yet he could hear her as if she was next to him. Too bad she wasn't. He'd fuck her then kill her and love every second of it.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to concentrate. This could be a very long job. Not to mention he had to press the button every hour just to tell Leach he was working. All it probably did was ping Leach's inbox with an email without which he wouldn't pay him. Probably didn't calculate anything at all. Technical son of a bitch had thought of everything. When the hell was he supposed to sleep? What if he missed something important? No loopholes to exploit and entering the wrong password 3 times would be the last thing he did in his life.

…

Danielle sat on her surprisingly soft bed with her hands over her mouth. So Dr Stark had been right. She'd heard Michael being put into the cell next door to Chancer and Dr Loomis asking, "Good work gentlemen, are you all ok?" He'd told her Michael had tried to grab Ryan by the throat. So Michael was dangerous on and around Halloween.

Danielle had felt tears spring to her eyes. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked.

He's going home for the day but thank you," Dr Loomis replied. "He'll be fine, he wasn't hurt."

Danielle sat there, 4 words running constantly through her head like a stuck record, but which she couldn't deny no matter how hard she tried. I love a killer. I love a killer. I…

…

"Back into the breach," Rick said as he pulled on his heavy jacket. It was freezing outside and he was finally able to return to work. He'd taken the full 2 weeks off, and now he was finally back. Joanne had told him of what'd almost happened to Ryan. Dr Loomis had called, warning her to be careful on her shift that night, and about the interaction between Michael and Danielle for now. 2 guards and no physical contact. Joanne had covered her mouth just as Danielle had, blinking back tears.

"Is he ok?" she'd asked Dr Loomis.

"He'll be fine, he went home after it happened. Just please be careful, you and Rick as the 2 guards who work closest to Michael."

"We will," Joanne had said, "Thanks."

Now, Joanne's emotions crashed over her, but this time of a different sort. Standing, she pulled Rick tightly to her and kissed him hard. "Hey," Rick soothed, as she fought back tears and hugged him as tightly as she could. "What is it babe?"

"I just love you so much Rick," Joanne said through the lump in her throat. "Please, please be careful tonight. I almost lost you once, I can't do it again!"

"Hush," Rick murmured, kissing her back. "I'm not going anywhere Jo. Plus I could say the same for you sweetheart. You do the same job as I do and you're even better at it than me."

"Oh shut up," Joanne smiled faintly, trying to wipe away her tears.

"Hey I'm serious," Rick murmured, as they held each other tightly. "You were asked to look after Danielle and she trusts you. You're a damn good guard Joanne Turner and don't you ever forget it! So you be careful too, you hear me?"

"I hear you darling," they kissed again.

Dr Loomis had called Rick 2 days before, asking him if he was sure he wanted to work a night shift as his first day back. Rick had said it was fine, so now here they were. Dr Loomis knew about him and Joanne, he saw them one day when he'd come round to visit Rick while he'd been off. He smiled and simply said, "Congratulations. About time. We could all see it except you 2!"

Rick and Joanne had stayed together every night since they'd become a couple, either at hers or his. Now they left Rick's in his car, both in uniform. They'd pick up their equipment in the office before starting. They called the office the guard hub which had all their lockers in and their break area. But Joanne tended to bring her own food rather than spend money in the staff canteen. Occasionally she did treat herself, but not often. Today she decided she'd treat her and Rick to a cooked breakfast in the canteen once their shift was over at 7:00 tomorrow morning.

For the last few days, Rick had come to pick her up from work at the end of her shift. Damn. She was never letting this man go. If he didn't ask her a certain 4 word question before too long, she'd ask him herself. Joanne Turner had never felt so happy or in love in her life. Rick had met her mother twice now; with her father gone she'd treated him like her son from the first moment they met. Although that might've been because Joanne had told her all about him for months.

"She hasn't stopped talking about you actually," Ruth Turner had said the first time she met Rick, pulling him into a tight hug as if she'd known him all her life. "So I feel like I know you already. Do come in, both of you, lunch is on the table."

When Rick had called her Mrs. Turner the first time, Ruth had mock glared at him and said "Hey, I'm Ruth to you dear boy. My future son in law calls me "Ruth," Rick didn't say it again, he'd just smiled. Joanne could see the 2 already loved each other by the end of the meal. Good. They were the 2 people Joanne Turner loved most in the world.

"What does Ruth think about you working at Smith's Grove?" Rick had asked her that night. "You being her only daughter and all."

"Oh she's great about it," Joanne answered. "Said she's really proud of me, just tells me to be careful."

"As am I," Rick said, kissing her softly. Joanne adored him.

Now, they reached Smith's Grove and showed their ID. "Good to have you back Rick," Jason, the guard on the gate, said. Rick smiled at him. "Thanks pal. It's good to be back."

"You be careful though alright?" The guard shook Rick's hand as he handed him back his ID. "You're a good man, don't want to lose you the next time."

"Well said" Joanne said. Rick smiled at both of them. "I'm not going anywhere," he said.

They entered the guard hub and pulled on their vests and equipment belts. Jack and Dave who were also working the nightshift shook Rick's hand and welcomed him back.

"We've missed you man," Jack said. "Good to see you back."

Neither of them said anything about Rick and Joanne, but Rick saw them smile at each other. "Do they know?" He asked her quietly as the 4 guards headed in for their briefing from the night shift supervisor.

"Um yes?" Joanne looked at him as if he were stupid. "I told everyone, I'm so happy."

Rick pretended to roll his eyes, then squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "Me too," he said softly. "I'd have done the same." He didn't release her hand as they went into their briefing.

"Listen up!" Andy the night supervisor said and the room went silent. "Michael Myers, it seems, has a reason to kill someone." 3 guesses who, Joanne thought.

"He could've very easily killed Ryan Jenkins this afternoon. So if you need to interact with him tonight, take precautions, stay well back and be very, very careful. Everyone get me?" They nodded, Jack and Dave murmured "Jesus" in unison.

"Joanne, I believe Dr Loomis has already given you instructions about Michael and Danielle this evening?" Joanne nodded. "Yes Sir."

"Just call me Andy," Andy smiled. "It's only us in here. No need for Sir tonight." They smiled back at him. "Yes Andy," Joanne amended. "I know what to do."

"Good stuff. Ok well that's all, have a safe night guys."

They all said "Thanks," then headed into the block to start their shifts.

…

Derek Chancer lowered the iPod, removing the earphones. He'd had it on listening for 3 hours now and had heard nothing. After he'd tested it the first time, he'd taken it off for a couple of hours before putting it back on, but there had been nothing for him to hear. Danielle was in her cell alone and not talking to anyone. He'd have to wait until things got interesting. But at least he knew how the damn thing worked now.

Lying back on his bed, he thought of all the introduction screen had said. The password triggering a killing device if entered wrong 3 times within 10 minutes, Chancer highly doubted that would really happen. On that he was sure Leach was lying. It would probably be within 24-hour. That would make the most sense. If he couldn't get in, for the risk of dying, he wouldn't make money. Technical bastard. He'd seen the little clock which came up when he entered the password, showing how many more attempts he had before… Well, before whatever happened, happened.

He died? Again, Chancer willed that thought out of his mind. Never mind how the so-called iPod would kill him. He really didn't want to think about it. Plus it wouldn't happen, he was sure of that. He'd also noticed the line, "Can't take chances" which had also annoyed him. That one was most definitely a pun on his name, even if the other ones hadn't been and he hated Leach for it.

Insolent son of a bitch. Yet, he couldn't deny the guy knew what he was doing and knew his stuff. Chancer couldn't help but respect him for that. Whoever this client was, he must be paying good money for Leach to bring this equipment into operation. He obviously really wanted to know Hayward's movements. The why, wasn't Chancer's concern. But he couldn't deny he was curious.

His ears pricked up then, as he heard the block doors opening. It was the night shift guards. He glanced at his watch. Yep, had to be them. He looked through the bars. Ah, so Ray, Reece, whatever the fuck his name was, was back. Ha, Chancer snickered behind his hand. Don't come too close to me pal, or Michael Myers for that matter. Not if you really do want to die this time.

"Hey Reece," he yelled. The guard glanced over and pointedly held up his name badge. Rick. That was his fucking name. Rick. "Alright Ricky?" Chancer yelled. "You look like a woman! It's no wonder I almost killed you! Come back for another go?"

Rick turned away. Grinning, Chancer lay down on his bed. Oh this was going to be so much fun. He heard the soft clinking of chains and felt himself shiver a little. Myers had clearly heard him. Ok, so he'd said enough for tonight.