Veronica's Diaz, public defender's office
She was just shuffling the last of her files in her briefcase at 9pm, rising to leave and lock the door.
A man snuck his head in quickly, at this late hour, giving her quite a scare…"Oh I'm Sorry", he held his palms up in defeat…"again, I'm here to apologize for being so short with you today. The closer an execution gets…sometimes you get all little testy."
She recognized him as the FBI prosecutor from the courthouse this morning. "Well, anyways, I brought a peace offering", as he handed over a full manila envelope.
"It's the surveillance footage from one of the stores nearby at the time of arrest, and a few statements. Remember, it was a closed trial….so no one else but the judge and jury saw this. No public publication or reporters."
"I don't understand, why are you helping me….?"
"I'm not, when you watch it you'll see….it will help give you closure…that the right decision was made." And with that last reply, he turned and left as quickly as he had came.
Veronica shook her head in agreement…thanking god for small miracles.
Litchfield Pen.
Sometimes Alex even surprised herself, pulling that fire alarm had stopped her from having to see Piper before she had gotten the meds. But, with a little bit of blind luck, now finding herself back out in the yard was exactly where she needed to be. She immediately began to scan around….seeing others begin to group off, mainly just goofing off, none of them knowing how long it would take before they would be corralled back into their cells. Many glad to have the extra time in the sun.
She walked purposely back to where she had left that 7/16 screw lying but a few turns from being in her possession, before she had been unfortunately propositioned by Big Boo and her crew. Quickly ascending the wooden slats and taking a seat. She crouched over with one forearm on her knee, her long black hair hanging down as a curtain as the other hand reached beneath the top slate…. felt for her prize….finding it….and deftly began turning.
Alex made quick work, then after three or four turns, just as she was pulling the screw loose from the hole and had the length of metal in her palm…she heard a familiar voice in her ear.
"Now I thought we had an understanding….I told you this bench was for family only…..and you made it very clear that you're not", Boo eyed Alex, as she had also been amongst the bunch that been evacuated from D block because of the fire alarm….something that Alex had not thought about before making her way over here.
Boo had started over to her usual spot and the last thing she had expected to find was this little pretty perched atop her bench again so soon after their last standoff…She let her eyes wander briefly down her jumpsuit and noticed her hand curled under the edge of the wood of the bench and that's when she saw it.
"Well, well , well, why don't you hand that over?"
Alex froze, her eyes glittered dangerously as she vainly tried to calculate her next move. She had honestly thought about just punching her in the face. But, not only was she still sore from her last fight with Vee, but she couldn't afford to get thrown in the SHU. She was just going to have to find another way out of this.
She sauntered down the steps, slowly but purposefully, until she reached the ground. She took a few seconds to hopefully allow Boo to feel intimidated by the inches that she stood over her….they held eye contact firmly…neither saying anything…but if looks could kill…Boo would be laid out on the ground indefinitely. Boo only held her eyes with a lecherous smile. Alex forced herself to hand the screw over into her waiting palm….her stomach churning all the while.
Boo turned it over intently examining it, several of her crew crowding forward for a look, " Now that's a good, long piece of metal with the right work…you could do some serious damage with it"….Boo eyed the newcomer…"The real question is fish…who was you looking to do the damage to?
Alex rolled her eyes briefly…"Look its not what you think"…she made a casual grab for the screw back and was denied quickly. Boo took a step closer and tapped the end of the screw firmly against her chest.
"Don't think that I don't see things and hear things…I have eyes all over this place….and I know that you've been consorting with the other side…..getting real friendly like…and I'm only gonna give you one warning that you had better decide real quick who you're fighting for…before someone decides for you, Pretty."
She traced the screw from shoulder to shoulder and then down the center of her chest between her breasts and down her navel much as you would gut a fish. Alex only tensed up but held firmly Boo's eye contact…not backing down or stepping back as Boo tried to intimidate her.
"See here, last time I checked me and you was born on the same team…you get me?
Just then Office Bell came by the back fence carrying a semi-automatic rifle, as were all the officers patrolling in and around the edges and through the middle of the yard, vigilant against any other setbacks for today.
"Inmates, I need to some space between you two", she called out.
Alex eyed the screw intently…..jesus…she wasn't going to get it back now…Boo followed her line of sight to the weapon in question, "Yea we'll just be keeping this…I'm sure you won't mind"
Alex wanted to spit in the face of her gleeful eyes but chose not to as Boo made a big motion of stretching while blocking Bell's line of sight and she arched her back…. hiding the screw almost about to drop it down her collar, when the pretty girl that was always at her side quickly grabbed it from her and slipped it inside her jumpsuit.
They stood still, chest to chest…neither backing away. Bell began to get angry and banged her rifle against the chain link fence, "Right now Inmates…separate"…it'd be their last warning before solitary confinement.
"Yea, fish, you heard the officer…so you better move along…this is our bench.", Boo puffed her chest more knowing there was nothing that Alex could do. Alex's feet were glued to the spot…seconds passed..until she forced her feet to walk away looking angrily back at Boo but Bell stood firm until Alex was far down from where they had been arguing over the screw.
She wandered aimlessly through the yard, eyeing the metal grates and thought that she really needed to check the progress of her paper swans. Then suddenly she saw Vee and some of the PI crew being let through the gate. Rosa, a few of her goons….Alex closed her eyes briefly thinking that God just might be blessing her endeavor just a little when she saw Poussey and Taystee trailing in the back.
Alex scampered to catch up…she sidled up next to Vee, shoulder to shoulder….."Didn't know there was any work today….?"
Vee grumbled, "Small stuff today, fish, don't need but a few."….Alex hoped that was all as they neared the warehouse and storage sheds for PI…she leaned in and whispered…."So tell me what it would take to shake down another inmate…get back something they took from you? I was hoping we could help each other out here….I really need this thing back"
Vee looked over with little interest, "If you're wanting use my muscle, then you know what you need to tell me"
They reached the guard shack and were being patted down one by one as they were let into the PI warehouse. The others first as they talked in the back of line….Alex said, "Yea, yea I know Watson…when the time is right."
"I'd say the time is right now…", she quickly disagreed.
"No, the time is right when we are both standing outside those walls. We both know that you're sitting on life without parole, and you don't wanna rot in here…unless you knew someone….someone who knew a way out maybe, so whaddya say?", Alex waggled her eyebrows.
"I'd say that all I've heard is a lot of talk….and no action….The time better be very soon…I won't keep playing these games with you for long, fish."….. Vee turned suddenly and shoved a finger hard into her chest…."And don't forget I can pull your PI card anytime….this is a limited time deal."
Alex attempted to squeeze through the guards with the PI crew, as they should recognize that she usually gets to work with them, but with a subtle nod of Vee's head…two guards stepped In front of her blocking her path and relocked the gate, leaving her in the yard and them the only ones let into the warehouse….effectively ending their conversation and any hope of getting help from her, Alex would have to handle this on her own.
Frustrated, she tagged along to the back and tried to make eye contact with Taystee before she slipped into the warehouse. However, all she received was a distant head nod, between all of her shenanigans with Poussey. She made no effort to stop or slow down, and most definitely didn't seem to have anything to hand off to her….she threw her arms up in disgust as they disappeared inside where she was not allowed to go today. She lay down on the ground on her back, watching the sun as it was nearly setting…the day and her hopes of getting those pills dwindling away.
Solitary confinement
Nicky tossed and turned in her bunk, kicking the thin blanket off in frustration….two days had passed which made it Monday…Monday…she quickly jumped and began to pound on large, metal brown door. When a response didn't come fast enough, she began to yell too. Finally, the only way to get food or communicate in the SHU was through the slot that opened the length of the top of the door. A man's face appeared, " Hey quiet down inmate!"
"But, hey…it's Monday right….can I use the phone yet…."
"No outside communication, you know that", he turned to close the small window.
"Wait…please….I always call my girl on Mondays…..she doesn't know I'm in here, she will be so worried that something has happened to me….one minute…that's all I need.", Nicky pleaded.
"Sure…you know what and I'll get you a pizza while I'm at it…Not a chance…." Was the last thing she heard before the metal slammed shut again. She threw herself back on the bed punching the pillow in anger….Lorna….what would she think….she had to get a hold of her somehow….Caputo may not let her out for awhile.
Guard Shack
Mendez approached the officer that worked the inmate data entry clerk job. They had a spread sheet of running inmate numbers that kept track of which ones went to which lunch, which yard time, worked which jobs and things of that nature.
"How's it hanging Mendez?"
"Eh...same shit, different day...tell me something", as he flipped through his clipboard, "Is there an Allen Schweitzer in Gen Pop?"
The man made a few taps on his keyboard...'Nope"..."What about in the SHU?"...seconds passed..."No record of any inmate with that name, boss?"
Mendez slammed his palm on the counter..."What's the reason?", the other guard quizzed...
"Nevermind"...he just knew she was up to something...that damn Vause...
The Yard
An hour later, after bunks had been safely counted down and no threat of fire existed, the inmates of D block were being transported back by row. Many other inmates had used this time to exchange shanks by the bleachers, some made with glass, or sharpened steel, some actual knives that had been snuck in with other supplies by older inmates. Race Wars was coming to a head much faster than the guards realized.
Alex was desperate for one more chance to find a reasonable solution to getting back the screw, so she scoured the grass for Boo's big body and found them straggling as usual. She tapped her on the shoulder, "Alright I'm in"
Boo could hardly keep the sneer from her face, " I'm not sure I heard you right…did you say you're in?"
Alex kept her face blank, as Boo stared at her, long and hard…"I'm not sure you've got what it takes, Pretty."
"Whatever it takes….if you want me to fight…I'll fight….the screw from the bleachers, that's what it was for.", Alex lied easily.
"Well, you know I'm a lover more than a fighter"…Boo drawled as she ran her forefinger down the softness of Alex's cheek, stepping very close, Alex forcing herself not to pull away…."But, if you're looking to fight, looks like you'll get your chance real soon." Boo eyed the growing group of black inmates nearby….hard stares all around from both sides.
"At next count", Boo informed her
Alex squawked, "Tonight?!"
"yea, you got a problem with that honey….", Boo's girlfriend clapped excitedly as this would be her first riot as well….."Cuz don't worry, we are all going straight at 'em….no warning…surprise them is our best bet since we're outnumbered in this block."
Just then the PI crew began to trail out of the warehouse, Poussey noticed Alex and Boo right away standing just a few feet away on the other side of the fence. She nudged Taystee, "Hey, there's your girl…."
"Well, all I need is a weapon then…?", Alex said
Boo's girl twirled the piece of metal in her face, the light glinting off of it…"You ain't getting this back", she reached into Alex's jumpsuit and placed a popsicle stick in the front pocket. From Taystee's point of view, however, all she saw was Alex consorting with one of the head's of their enemies and what looked like a weapon that she had just received from them.
"Sorry, Pretty, you'll have to prove that you're really 'down' if you get my drift….. before I can give you any weapons to fight for my family." She patted her front pocket, taking an extra second to squeeze the soft flesh beneath it.
Taystee watched the end of the interaction, not liking what she saw one bit, "Ah damn, white girl tryin to flip the script on us….like we some punks?" Poussey just shook her head in disappointment also, as she watched them separate, she thought, it was time they had a private conversation, as she eyed Alex and began to make her way towards her as they lined up to go back to the cells. Poussey and her sifted their way to near Alex and as they were about to be split off, they each grabbed one of her arms and pushed her left with all the inmates going to Block C rather than hers.
Alex stiffened and turned in retaliation at the unknown hands on her, then relaxed when she saw it was them, "Thank God...I've been sweating bullets all day trying to find you...", she smiled briefly as things seemed to be looking up. She was wound around a few corners and into the doors, Taystee steering them into the nearest bathroom where several other black inmates were showering. Alex paused..."Why in here?"
Taystee pulled out the bottle and jingled the pills in her face. Alex followed her then into the last stall by the back entrance. But, as she pulled the curtain, she was grabbed roughly by her arms and slammed against the tiles inside by Cindy and Janae. Alex began to struggle as they pinned her arms and Poussey kept a firm hand on her chest.
"You tryin to make look like a fool?", Taystee growled in her face
"I don't know what you're talking about...", Alex said with wide eyes
"I seen you talking with those hillbilly bitches...I got a good mind to cut you right now...", her face as serious as Alex had ever seen it.
"It's not what you think..", she denied..."They have something I need!", Alex struggled against her captors
Taystee laughed, "Really...that's funny because I've got something you need too...too bad you picked the wrong side..." as she shook the pill bottle with vigor.
Taystee popped the cap and tilted the bottle allowing several pills to fall to the ground and roll down the drain below. Alex continued to struggle, nearly breaking free but was slammed back against the wall by Taystee. She drew back slapping Alex hard against the face,as they restrained her arms...Alex grunted against the stinging in her cheek and jaw...may as well have been a punch as hard as it felt.
"Consider this your only warning...you betta watch your back, white girl...because your luck just ran out", she stated as she poured the rest of bottle into her hand and threw the empty bottle on the ground. Alex watched as she stuffed them in her pocket. " no...wait...you don't understand"...Taystee's crew let her go and as she slumped to the tile, only a loud groan could be heard. Foiled again, dammit...they exited the bathroom quickly leaving Alex behind.
A/N...I know a whole month went by...I'm horrible for leaving you guys hanging...but I'll make it up to you with a second update tomorrow