Divas Prison Ch40
"I swear, I've told you everything I know!"
"You've told me nothing!" Agent Wight slammed his fists on the table. Emma was frightened at the outburst. Wight had been asking her question after question about Sasha Banks, the riot and the escape for over an hour at this point before suddenly losing his temper. She was handcuffed through a metal ring on the table so had nowhere to go, and the door would have been locked. She had no idea what she could do to stop him.
"It's all I know, Sasha put together the riot to try and take out another prisoner, the one who killed a friend of hers. The fight over food was a ruse to take two guards out quickly so they couldn't stop us! I wish I'd never done it, I'm sorry I did it, but I didn't know she was going to break out, please!" Emma spoke as quickly as she could, trying to placate the huge FBI agent, who wasn't interested. He grabbed her around the throat.
"You must be more stupid than I think, or you think I'm stupid." His grip tightened as she struggled for breath. "We offered you a deal on your time, we offered to drop the inciting a riot charges. Yet you treat me like a fool? Talk, now!"
"That's enough Paul!" Jericho entered the room. Wight released his grip, leaving Emma hunched over the table, wheezing as she tried to get oxygen back into her lungs. "She doesn't know anything else. I've just finished with that other blonde, the one they recaptured. She had no idea there was an escape planned either, she was in the right place at the right time to get involved. They dumped her as soon as they could, before she found out anything. If she knew anything she'd have told me, she wanted to cooperate for a shorter sentence."
"Yeah, so does this one. It's amazing how eager they are to help when we have them bang to rights, looking at long stretches inside."
"Cool it Paul, I don't care why they want to help, as long as they do. Go get yourself a cup of coffee, I'll take over here." The larger man nodded.
"No problem, see you later on." The two shared a nod as they switched places and Wight left.
"Right, are you ok?" Jericho turned his attention to Emma, who had gotten her breath back and adjusted her position at the table.
"I am now, what was that? I should make a complaint for assault. Just because I'm in jail, you can't treat me like that. I should get my lawyer back, file charges. He should be fired, or arrested, or both." Jericho could see her anger building.
"Please calm down Miss Dashwood. Agent Wight has been my partner for a long time. He's always been loyal to me, and I will be to him. I'm sure we can put this behind us somehow?" Emma wasn't sure if he was being honest or not.
"Somehow? Somehow I don't think I can trust you either. He said it himself, you've got me bang to rights on hitting that guard. I'm going to plead guilty and hope for the best."
"Well I could speak to those involved in your case, as long as you do nothing to jeopardise my partners career, and agree to help me with something."
"What do you mean? What can I do that helps you, I'm about to go back to prison for years." Emma, while resigned to her fate, was interested in the proposal, but didn't believe he really meant it.
"I know, but you could be useful to me in that situation still." Emma suddenly caught on to what she thought he wanted."
"You want me to be an informant, a snitch. Well you can forget it, I'd rather take my punishment, however long. At least my life won't be at risk."
"Because your life isn't at risk there? Wasn't there a murder and a riot in the last few months?" Emma didn't answer so Jericho continued. "I'm not asking you to be a rat. I couldn't care less who going to beat up who, or who is sneaking food out of the kitchen. I'm a federal agent and I've got my own agenda. If you find out something that will help me, then I want to know about that."
"So what is that?"
"I assume you know who Vince McMahon is?"
"Yeah, if course, he's the Governor. You're saying the Governor of Florida is involved in something the Feds are interested in?"
"No not him, he's come back as clean, I even voted for him, and I'm planning to again when the elections come around again soon. The problem is with his daughter." Jericho opened a file, took out a photo and placed it on the table in front of Emma. The picture was of an older man with his arm around a young woman, both of them waving to a crowd. Emma recognised the man as the Governor they talked about.
"That's her then?"
"Yes it is. Now I'm not going to waste time talking to you if aren't interested, all I want is information on her, no matter how small, no matter who else it implicates. If you don't get any, fine, but if you hold back, I will have you on as many charges of interfering with a federal investigation as I can make stick. You will go from prison to a retirement home. I'm sure I'm clear there. Now, if you agree, I will have the state drop the inciting charges, as we offered before. That'll take a year off your time right away, and push for leniency in the assault charge. So do we have a deal, or do you want to go back to your cell?"
"No chance, the conditions in the cells here are disgusting! So, I guess I'm not going to get time to think? Not that there's a choice. I'm in. I have a request though. I want my job back in the prison kitchen. I want to be a chef when I get out and it's helped me do my time. I was all set to get an honest job, go straight, put that life behind me. If I can keep cooking, I can keep that hope."
"Done." Jericho didn't hesitate. "Now, let's talk. Coffee?" Emma enthusiastically nodded and Jericho poured two cups. He freed one of Emma's wrists so she could drink, locking the other cuff around the metal loop so she was still secured. Emma was fine with this of course, the coffee was much better than anything she'd gotten for a long time. She couldn't help but think how much Paige would like it, and to rub it in her face when she saw her. Now he had a deal in place, Jericho was much friendlier, he wanted his new help to be happy so she would do what he wanted.
"So this," Jericho sat down and pointed at the picture. "Is Stephanie McMahon. The eldest daughter of Governor McMahon, a key part of his political team, and one of the most wanted criminals in the United States today."
"How can she be such a criminal and a big time politician?" Emma asked.
"Because she's smart. She uses the power she has to run most of her operations out of Florida, then into other states, mostly up the east coast. She uses her position as cover for what she's really doing, travelling to other countries, setting up agreements and deals all over Central and South America. We have to work with Interpol to make sure other countries police don't ruin our investigations by wading in or trying to take her into custody there. She has been arrested before, but she's got great lawyers, and has sued for wrongful arrest each time, and either won or it's been settled out of court., with the media making her seem like the victim. We just haven't been able to make anything stick. I'm pretty sure she has used her power to have influence over many in the police department, the courts, the DA office, certainly, judging from recent events, the DOC. I've been after her for years. My whole career has been about seeing her behind bars, in a disgusting cell, if I can use your words, for the rest of her life. She's easily run up enough charges to make sure she goes away forever, it's just about making sure we do it right this time."
"So what's she done? How does she keep you away?"
"You name it. She's involved in guns, but we've never caught her with them, she's very careful and the guns are moved on too quickly for us to get a fix on in time. She has killed repeatedly, more people that anyone knows, and ordered even more. We've never found a witness to this who will help us. Kidnapping, trafficking, both people and drug. Her drug labs are staffed by illegals. We've shut several down, but can't link them to her. Then more spring up. Most people don't know they are working for her, so they can't name her, pick her face out, anything. If anyone finds out the truth about her, they've disappeared before we can do something about it. Some people have come back alive, but now won't talk to us or testify in court. Some have turned up dead, some haven't turned up at all. That includes some of my own colleagues. That's why this is such an important case to us. Agents I worked with have been killed by her or her organisation." Jericho looked away, clearly upset at this thought.
"I have spent years on this. Everything has gone towards the day I put handcuffs on her. And when I lock her up, it'll be for good. I dream of the day I see the judge sentence her to prison. She screams at me, curses me, tells me I'm dead. I'll just stand there and smile, I might even wave as the bailiffs drag her off."
"You need to calm down, I get you hate her, I can't blame you." Emma tried to interrupt.
"I've got a lot of words to describe her, it's quite a mouthful if they all come out together."
"Yeah, I bet. You'll get her one day, you're supposed to be the good guys right?"
Jericho laughed. "If you believe that, why would you break the law?"
"It was fun, and I enjoyed it, then I got good. But I don't want to talk about that with a cop. I'll tell you if I hear anything about her, but why would her name get mentioned in prison?"
"Two reasons, one is I don't know everyone who has been involved, we could easily have some of her organisation already behind bars, they kept quiet to avoid getting killed. If we don't know who they are, they could be in any prison in the country, but likely in high security facilities like yours. I'm hedging my bets.
The other is the reason we met in the first place. One of the escapees from your riot was one Sasha Banks." Jericho picked up a new file, with Sasha's name on it.
"Sasha is one of the more high profile names in the McMahon organisation. She was her Hitman, or Hitwoman if you prefer. She took care of the bigger problems for her. She got to people in witness protection, in FBI protective custody, even in prison, to stop them talking. She came up through the ranks with her, never said a word after getting arrested twice, for assault, then later for accessory to murder. She did time for both, then went back to her. We thought we struck gold when we caught her basically red handed in an attempt of killing two people, but only able to save one of them. She got 40 to life, and it would have meant life, but again she wouldn't talk, no matter how good a deal we offered. There is no doubt that Stephanie McMahon was the brains behind the escape and Sasha was the only one she cared about. Brianna and Nicole Bella are now on my radar as a result of taking the case, and I will put them back inside too, but my only real interest is if they can help me to help me get to Banks so I can then get to McMahon. If I find the two together, that's assisting an escapee, which could mean ten years, but that's not enough. When I find Sasha Banks, it will be her last breath of freedom. If she won't give up McMahon, and I doubt she will, I'll find another way to bring her down. You might be able to help with that once Sasha is back in prison, one wrong word and you might give me my silver bullet to see her in the next cell. So do you see why this deal is so important? Why I'm offering it? Most importantly why you need to cooperate?" Emma nodded as Agent Wight came back in.
"You get her to talk?"
"No, but there's nothing she can tell us right now. I've explained the case and remade the deal, she will keep in touch with us if she hears anything that's going to be helpful. Once Banks is back inside, she could be a real asset."
Wight looked at Emma. "You better come through, catching McMahon is all he wants. She killed a friend of mine too. We want justice is all. Screw us over and I'll come after you." His imposing look and size continued to frighten, but Emma didn't let it show this time, simply looking him back in the eyes, nodding to him. That seemed to be enough for both the agents.
"Right, we are way over time here, and I need to get over to the DA to discuss the deal on your charges." He unlocked Emma from the table and took her to the door, opening it. "We are done with her for now." He said to the guard nearby who took Emma and escorted her back to her cell.
"Ok, so what's next?" Wight asked.
"You can go home. I'm just going to stop by the DAs office on my way. Meet me at the prison tomorrow at 10 to start interviews with the other women on the block they were held in."
"Sure thing. You going to offer anyone else that sort of deal?"
"Nope, only needed one pair of ears in there. Not a lot we could offer anyone else anyway."
"Think it will pay off?" Wight asked as he helped pack up their files.
"I don't know. Something will, will get her. One day that bitch will go to prison. On that day, we will go out for a big steak dinner. The beer will flow, and it'll all be on me."
"You've said that before you know. Are you aware how much I can eat?"
Jericho laughed. "On that day big man, it's all you want. What are expense accounts for anyway?" The two exchanged a fist bump, and Jericho left.
"Hello, boss."
"Hello Sasha, put your hands down, you look ridiculous." Sasha did as she was told and came face to face with Stephanie for the first time in a long time.
"Well you had a gun on me, what did you expect?" Stephanie's face had a smirk on it that many people were used to seeing, but not all of them liked seeing it. "Well I had to be sure it was safe, didn't you hear, there's a crazed escaped convict out there?!"
Sasha smiled "There is? Oh my god! Well you know what that means!"
Stephanie feigned horror, trying to look scared without laughing, not really succeeding. "What does it mean?"
"It means..." Sasha continued. "It means that everything worked perfectly!" The two laughed and shared a hug.
"It's good to,see you Sash. Good help, Loyal help has been so hard to come by since you, well, left."
"You don't have to avoid it boss, it's not a dirty word." Sasha said.
"Well it's not a nice thing. You did it for me, and I appreciate it. Here, I've got some things for you. First of all, your old friend." Stephanie pulled out a pistol from a bag sitting near her and passed it over to Sasha who accepted it gratefully. She cud led the clip, saw that it was fully loaded, and pushed it back into the gun.
"Oh I missed that sound. That's almost sexual." Stephanie raised her eyebrows.
"Wow, you have been away a long time. It's just a gun Sasha. If you're craving that kind of attention, you're in the wrong place."
Sasha tucked the gun in the waist of her pants, covering it up with her shirt. "That's beside the point. My gun has been the closest thing I've had to a partner. The number of times I've been staked out, waiting for my target. Just me and my gun. Every kill I made for you, I made with this gun. I'm just happy to see it, hear it, feel it again."
"That's why you were always the best. Mind on the job at all times. Loyal to the end. That's why I've got this for you next." Stephanie handed over a set of keys. "It's a safe house, just of the coast, about 30 miles away, and a car parked outside to get you there."
"I'm guessing it's not my old Mercedes?" Sasha asked.
"No, it's a Ford. You don't need to be drawing attention to yourself in a flashy car, making people look. Then it's not the expensive car, it's the escaped murderer behind the wheel. Get it?"
"Yeah I get it. I loved that car though. Where is it?"
"Cops impounded it when they picked you up. Probably did tests and then auctioned it." Sasha was disappointed but confused.
"Tests?"
"Yeah, fingerprints and such, see who else was in the car, find out who else you killed or who you worked with, or worse, for."
"Now you know I don't work like that. If something in that car got someone busted, it wasn't my fault." Sasha snapped, then realised that wasn't a good idea. "I know you wouldn't, but someone might. I'm just tired."
"I get that, been quite the night hasn't it. Well I have something else for you, something that I know will make you feel a lot better." Stephanie then revealed something that did make Sasha feel better. Her eyes sparkled and she smiled ear to ear at the sight. Stephanie was holding two large bundles of cash.
Sasha couldn't get her hands on them fast enough. "Oh I missed you." She said to the cash, flipping through the bundles and taking in the smell. "That's good, I mean really good."
"Well good, that always was your favourite part, not that I can blame you. There's ten thousand dollars there. Payment for the last job I gave you." Sasha stopped in her tracks, looking at Stephanie confused.
"Ten? That job was for twenty thousand. You've never short changed me before. What gives?"
"That's right, twenty for two targets. You only hit one before the cops took you in. I've never left a debt unpaid, so one successful hit is ten thousand."
"Ok that's fair. You've always done right by me, this will be enough to secure things and get me out of the country. If you're able to, I'd really..." Sasha was interrupted as they both heard a noise from the opposite end on the building. She shared a look with Stephanie and they both prepared themselves as very feint footsteps were getting closer. As the owner of the footsteps came around the corner, both Sasha and Stephanie drew their guns and had them pointed right in the face of their unexpected visitor as they appeared. If either of them were inexperienced, they would have fired, but since they recognised this person, the guns were lowered.
"Is this the welcome I should expect from you now you got out?"
"Welcome? You should be glad I don't blow your head off. If you did your job right in the first place, Naomi would still be alive! I should kick your ass right now!" Sasha looked ready to follow through with her threat, but Stephanie held an arm out to stop her.
"Cool it Sasha, we don't need any of this right now. She has a point though. You should have looked after her better, Lana."
"It was unavoidable. The fight that killed her went against all expectations. There was no riot as I expected to cover their tracks. People didn't get involved as they should. You know that, so don't blame it on me." The Russian stared right back at Sasha, who looked ready to kill right then and there.
"You could have done more, you were supposed to do more, if you'd got the guards involved the way you were told, we would have been out then. Both of us."
"Well you got your revenge on me. You were not told to hurt me the way you did, it was to be staged for anyone who saw us. You punched me right in the jaw. It still hurts now."
Sasha smiled, remembering that punch. "Good, you deserved it. And if it hurts, the shut the hell up and do us all a favour."
"I told you both to cool it!" Stephanie snapped.
"I apologise, Miss Stephanie." Lana said, trying to calm herself.
"You should. I've done a lot for you. I'm the only reason you're even still in this country. You know that you were going to get fired for that drugs scandal. No job, no visa, and you and the big brute you calla husband are on the first plane back to Russia!"
Lana knew she was right and tried to look humble. "Yes, Miss Stephanie." Sasha grinned at the sight, but this was spotted by Stephanie.
"You should remember you wouldn't have gotten out the first door without her help, and her keys." Sasha knew she was right and quickly adjusted her expression. Stephanie let the two of them stand in silence for a moment before continuing.
"Right Lana, I assume you've come to collect your payments." Lana nodded and stepped towards Stephanie, who produced another bundle of cash and a laptop computer.
"Ok, $5000 cash here, and everything is set up for your offshore account. All the details are here. Nobody knows it exists, not the government, the IRS, or any authorities. Just enter details here, and here." Lana typed into the computer. It was the wrong way around for Sasha to see but she saw Lana smile as she looked at it. She couldn't help but wonder how much was paid for her freedom.
"Thank you Miss Stephanie." Lana said. "You have done so much for me. I must go now, before my husband worries."
"Just one second Lana." Stephanie said sternly. "Don't think I'm done with you." Lana looked back in fear and anger. "We are done now. I have my money, you have her."
"No Lana, we are not done. You work for me. It's not going to hurt having someone on the inside at the biggest women's prison in the state, I've already got someone in the men's equivalent, the DOC and most areas of the justice department. I expect regular updates, you will receive instructions as appropriate, if you encounter associates of mine, you will look after them. In return, you will be compensated accordingly."
Lana didn't like the plan. "What about the agents? What if they find out? Surely I should get out of there now?"
"What agents?" Sasha and Stephane asked at the same time.
"FBI agents, investigating the escape and leading the hunt." A big guy called Wight and a blonde guy, Agent..."
"Jericho." Stephanie finished the sentence along with Lana. "That makes it important you don't stray from the routine you had before all of this. They schedule you, you work."
"What about the FBI?"
"Answer their questions, don't make them think you've got anything to hide. But either tell them nothing or lead them down the wrong path."
"What's the wrong path, I need a strong story, I will not risk ending up one of those animals."
"Fine. Sash, who's someone you passed in the escape we could pin it on instead of Lana?"
"We only saw three staff, one was a guard, and we can't frame a dead man." Sasha spoke with pride but quickly got back to the point. "Then there is the doctor and the nurse. I took the nurse down pretty bad too."
"Then than leaves the doctor." Stephanie said, speaking without any remorse. "I'll arrange a substantial transfer to her bank, plant some emails, such as those security plans we set you up with for the cameras. My guys will make it look like she was the one behind everything. She won't know anything, so can't have an alibi."
"She gave me the code to open her safe and get the keys too."
Stephanie laughed "She hasn't got a prayer when we're done with her, they'll put her away for years."
"And probably on my block. That letch of a warden we have is insistent on making examples of everyone involved." Lana and Sasha laughed too, until Stephanie stopped.
"But remember, you get caught, you're on you're own. You talk about me, even a word, and you will be dead. You won't be safe from me in prison. I hope that's clear." Lana nodded. There was nothing more that needed to be said at that moment. Sasha waited for her to
"I guess this is where I move off as well. Thanks for everything Boss. I'll send you a postcard." Sasha picked up her things.
"Wait Sash, there's still one more thing I've got for you." Sasha put it all down again. Stephanie brought an envelope out of her bag and handed it to Sasha. She opened the envelope and looked down at the one thing that was contained inside.
"Who is this?" She asked.
"That, my dear is one Dixie Carter. She is the likely opponent to my father in the election. And she can beat him. She's got huge momentum, a massive following, and support from groups I'd do anything to have on our side. She also plans to use the rumours about me against him. His place as Governor is really under threat."
"Well, you know he's got my vote, except, well, I'm not sure I can vote, and putting my head in a Government building is not high on my to-do list."
"Well I know you'll find another way to dispose of her." Sasha was worried that's what was meant.
"Hold on, you want me to take care of her?"
"Yeah, you always were the best, and this won't be an easy job, that's why the price is twenty five thousand dollars." Stephanie spoke like she'd asked Sasha to pick up some milk.
"I can't do this Boss, I'm public enemy number one right now. Probably on every news show. I have to lie low, find a way out of the country. I thought you were going to help me."
"And I will, but when I need you, like I do now, you still work for me. I didn't spend a lot of time and money getting you out so you could skip off to warmer climates you know."
"But...I...if they see me, I'll go away again." Sasha knew there was no argument she could give that would help her case here.
"Then don't be seen. It's better for everyone that way. If you can, make it look like an accident. Even better, no worries about the police if they don't suspect anything. Just have it done by next week. She's got this big press conference planned. I don't know why, but it's not going to be good for us. My dad deserves his place, and I'm not going to let that bitch beat us!" Stephanie took a moment to calm herself.
"There, now you have your instructions, go show me why you're my top gun." Sasha knew this was her way of saying 'get out' so left without another work. She left the building and used the keys to find where her car was parked. A bit too businessman for her, not flashy enough. But it'd blend in as much as she needed it to. She sat in the drivers seat and looked at the picture. It wasn't what she had expected at all, but she didn't have much of a choice. She had to do the job, and the money would be helpful as she started a new life. She started the car, and pulled away.
A/N: as always, thank you for reading. I can't believe I've reached 40 chapters. Each milestone is a new surprise. Without you who read, follow, favourite and review, I wouldn't have made it. I thought I'd run out of ideas by now but thanks to a few muses (I hope you know who you are) they keep coming. I'm always open to new ideas, please don't be afraid to leave a review or a pm to let me know. Thanks again.
And a happy thanksgiving to all my American friends :-)
