When Mike saw the photo that Jeannie had sent to him taken the day she visited Steve at Chino, his emotions were at serious overboil. He was wiping his eyes when he heard footsteps and hurriedly jumped from his chair to move to the window. The tears fell as Bill Tanner entered, he could see Mike's shoulders shaking, and then saw the photo on the desk. When he picked it up and saw who it was, he put it back, quietly closing the door so Mike could have privacy.
At Chino, some inmates were on a cleaning detail. As he was mopping the corridor, Steve felt something jab into his lower back. He was stopped from turning to face the violator by Red, who was grabbing his arm. He gave Steve a slight shake of the head, Steve nodded and went back to work and ignored the incident. He saw Dougan pass by with a sneer on his face and realized why Red had stopped him.
After the cleaning was done, Steve and Red were talking over in a corner of the dayroom.
"I hope that doesn't cause you any trouble." Steve said with quiet concern.
"Don't worry about it. I can handle it, if it does, just did not want you meeting your maker too soon. You don't belong here. Don't get me wrong I am really grateful you are trying to make right what happened in your own way, but you don't belong here." Red spoke frankly. "Do me a favor?"
"Sure, if I can." Steve waited to hear the request.
"Once you are out of this place never do an assignment like this again." Red requested seriously.
"You have my word, Red. Never again." Steve promised sincerely.
"Your family has to be really frantic about you. I know I would be. That lady that came to visit, I could read it in her face and eyes she was scared to death. Not about being here to visit, but about leaving you here and you being here in the first place." Red recalled the situation as if he saw it that very minute.
"Yeah, she was. I probably owe her an apology when I see her again. I didn't hide my anger at her very well for coming here." Steve admitted shamefully.
"Got a feeling the anger wasn't because you didn't want to see her, but more because of being afraid for her safety here." Red said insightfully and saw Steve nod. "I'm sure she understood once she really thought about it. She will forgive you for it when you get to talk to her again. "
"I told her not to come back here. I will talk to her about it when we can talk more openly than we could that day." Steve remarked wistfully.
Just then he felt the eyes boring into him again and felt angry about it and dared to glance up. Red saw the look on his face and looked out of the corner of his eye in time to see Buster pursing his lips like he was sending a kiss. He nudged Steve and motioned for him to get up they were leaving. As they were leaving Buster did the same thing again and Red had to hold Steve back to keep him from going after Buster right there.
"No, wait. Come on." Red said authoritatively. "You got some money?"
"Yes, what are we doing?" Steve asked curiously.
They stopped at the commisary and got Steve 4 cans of tuna and a pair of athletic socks. Once they were back at their cell, Red fixed the sock up for Steve with the cans of tuna inside to use as a weapon. He hid it under the cover on the bed within easy reach of his hand when lights out came.
"If I know Buster like I think I do, he will try to make a play for you tonight. When he comes over make sure you have your hand on this sock and be ready. You make sure to wait until there is no doubt of his intentions than you let him have it. Can you do that?" Red asked seeing the look on Steve's face. "Look, you aren't going to kill him. But if you don't show him you are not taking this crap he will keep on and...well, you have to at least hit him hard enough to knock him off his perch."
"Yeah, I can do it." Steve said a bit anxiously.
They talked quietly for a little bit over a game of checkers. When Buster entered neither looked up so as not to give away what they might be thinking. When lights out came and all were in their bunks, Steve laid with his eyes closed and waited to see if Red was right and prayed that he wasn't.
He almost had fallen asleep an hour later, when he heard a footstep. He was on instant alert, his eyes as slits, where he could fake being asleep but see what might go on. He felt warm breath from beside him then felt the blanket raise slowly he tensed up ready to teach this jerk a valuable lesson he hoped will never ever be forgotten. He grabbed the can laden sock tight and swung hard and made contact.
"What the hell..."Buster yelled.
Steve jumped down from the bunk and tore into Buster venting all his frustration and fear and anger. Red heard the commotion and realized Steve was losing it and jumped and grabbed hold of him pulling him back. Just then the cell door was opened and in came Dougan and a few other "hacks."
Dougan saw the sock in Steve's hand and immediately knew what happened.
"Take him to "the hole" maybe he will cool off after he has some time to think." Dougan ordered abrasively, then he saw another "hack" grab Buster, thinking it was him Dougan was talking about. "Not him, Livingston is to be put in "the hole" Buster goes to the infirmary."
Steve was led away by one, while the other went to the infirmary with Buster. They left and the cell door was re-locked.
During the time Steve was in "the hole" he did push ups and sit ups and … waited. Buster was moved to another cell, thanks to the warden being told the truth of the matter that Buster had been after Steve/Livingston. Once that fact was established it was basically a matter of keeping a predator from violating his person, Steve was released from "the hole" after three days.
He and Red met up at the weights to talk again after he had got cleaned up and shaved. Steve had seen the new "hack" on his way from the shower and recognized him immediately, but was thankful that he had not looked Steve's way.
"You okay?" Red inquired genuinely concerned. "They moved Buster to another cell."
"Yeah, I'm okay. No worries. Well, except maybe one." Steve said quietly. "You seen that new "hack"?"
"Givens? Yeah, don't think much of him though. Why?" Red asked curiously.
"I know him. He was in the police academy same time I was. He didn't make it; they caught him cheating on some test. I know it's been quite a few years but I am afraid he might remember me too." Steve was concerned. "If something happened and I can't do it, would you get a hold of someone for me if I give you the number and his name?"
"Of course, I had already thought about asking you about someone to contact right before this happened with Buster. I have a way to use a phone without being monitored."
"Thanks, I might be worrying over nothing but want to be prepared just in case. His name's Mike Stone. He's with SFPD, homicide squad. If he is not at work when you call, tell whoever you talk to it is regarding Steven Keller and that it is an urgent message for Mike and they will get him asap." Steve spoke as quietly and as hurriedly as he could. Red could hear the anxiety in his voice.
To Steve's dismay, who else was watching them talk from afar but the very "hack", he was concerned about recognizing him. Instead of moving toward them though, he walked casually away as though he had not even seen Steve. Once inside the building he hurried to find Dougan, as they were old friends from their college days and he felt as head "hack" Dougan should be made aware of this new development, that he had information concerning the inmate known as Josh Livingston.