A/N: This note isn't directly related to this story, however, I wanted to address a recent comment from a guest who expressed frustration with my many unfinished stories. Believe me, I know there's a lot and there's several reasons that contribute to this issue. The first being that I have a massive backlog to cross post from my Tumblr, so most updates you see here are posting six or so months after I originally published them. Secondly, I often get stuck on a story and rather than not write anything, I move on to something else and don't write for the abandoned story for quite some time. Finally, I get a good amount of prompts/requests for new stories that I try to fill (in turn creating more unfinished stories) in between other writing and real life responsibilities. I hope that anyone who is frustrated with my inconsistencies will continue to have patience with me. Alright, essay over.
Keizer struck Deeks twice more before he got enough leverage to push the older man off him. He wasn't a particularly skilled fighter, but he was strong and exceedingly angry.
Deeks went for his head, punching Keizer's temple three times in a row until he stumbled. Rolling onto his back, Deeks hooked his arm around Jeremiah's neck, squeezing hard enough to make him gasp. In the distance, he heard the guard shouting for back up and metal clanging against metal.
Letting out a howl, Keizer shoved himself backwards against Deeks, and the bed caved beneath their combined weight. He grunted as Keizer landed heavily on his torso, driving the air from his chest. Something sharp from the bed frame dug into his lower back and he winced, shifting away from it as much as he could.
Then suddenly Keizer was pulled off and he could breathe again. Rough hands grasped him by the shoulders, dragging him to his feet. Before he could find his footing, the guard holding him, shoved him against the wall. He cuffed Deeks' hands behind his back while another officer dealt with Keizer.
"He's a damn cop!" Keizer insisted, fighting to break free with all his might. "I'm going to kill him!"
"Shut up," the guard shouted, shoving him back into the wall. "Davis, take Gentry to the infirmary. This one's going straight to the solitary." He was dragged from the room, the sound of his continued shouts echoing down the hall.
Even as Deeks stumbled along, his ribs aching, he felt oddly relieved. At least one of his problems was taken care of; if Keizer was in solitary, he couldn't spread rumors about Deeks' identity. He could only hope that no one besides the guards, who seemed to think his claim were ludicrous, had heard his ranting.
Deeks was deposited in an open cubicle with a stiff examination table. The guard stood over him, gripping his taser as he watched Deeks suspiciously. He just stared back with a malevolent, but exhausted glare, letting his hair hang into his eyes.
Eventually, a doctor who looked to be in his late 30s with prematurely graying hair walked in. He took one look at Deeks and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
"I'm Dr. Anthony. What's your name?" he asked, turning Deeks' face to examine his bruised jaw. He gently probed the cheekbone and around his eye socket.
"Max Gentry."
"Well, Max, I don't think anything is broken, but you need a bandage or two and this will probably ache for a while." He addressed the guard. "How was he injured?"
"Got in a fight with another prisoner," he answered shortly. "First day here too."
"Didn't start it, but I definitely could have ended it if I had the time," Deeks commented, allowing what he imagined was a bloody smirk. Glaring at Deeks, the guard took a step out of the door as a burst of static, followed by his name crackled over his radio.
"Mm. Do you have any other injuries, Max?" Dr. Anthony asked, surprising Deeks a little. Despite his apparent resignation, he obviously still cared about his patients.
Deeks didn't get a chance to answer before the doctor quickly palpated his sides and he grimaced involuntarily.
"You have some tenderness in your ribs, I see. I'll need to take some x-rays, just to be safe."
"That'll have to wait," the guard interrupted, coming stepping back into the cubicle. The superintendent wants to see him."
By the time Deeks was standing outside Superintendent Daniel Reyna's office, pain was shooting through his entire right side. Reyna motioned him in, told the guard to grab a cup of coffee, and gestured for Deeks to take a seat.
As soon as the door was shut, he turned to Deeks with a frown.
"What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"I got put in a cell with someone I arrested," Deeks responded, allowing anger to rise in his voice. "Oddly enough, he remembered the guy who got him sent to prison for 15 years after a lifetime of evading prison." Deeks let his eyes rove over Reyna, from the top of his brown hair, buzzed down to a few millimeters, over his grey suit, and shiny black shoes. "So, my question is where the hell were you when I was processed?"
Reyna looked fairly contrite for a few moments and rubbed his hand over his hair.
"There was an altercation in the recreation hall that I had to check in on. I never intended to be gone that long. I apologize."
"Well, I guess on the bright side, I already have a reputation." Deeks grinned sardonically. "If Dentz thinks I'm a rule breaker, he might trust me more easily."
"You're still planning on going through with the operation?" Reyna asked, eyeing Deeks in surprise.
"Sir, we need to stop this ring before someone gets seriously hurt," Deeks reminded him. "And let's be honest, there's probably not many other guys fit the profile you need and who are also willing to go undercover in a prison."
"That's very admirable, Detective." Reyna nodded his head, seeming to come to a decision. "But you better get on Dentz's good side quickly, because I can only keep Jeremiah Keizer in confinement for so long."
A/N: Once again, I don't really know much about how a real jail works. I'm fairly certain based on research and cursory knowledge, that solitary confinement can last for a significant period of time.