.Chapter four.

The next day I was woken up by someone walking around. My eyes fluttered open and, once they had accustomed themselves to the light that had been switched on, I saw Cloak pacing up and down the cell.

"Cloak?" I asked, as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Good morning," smiled Cloak, as he stopped pacing and walked up to me.

"What's wrong?" He sat down next to me.

"Nothing; I do that every morning."

I looked at him as weirdly as I could, considering I was half-asleep.

"It helps with my circulation," he explained.

"Right," I replied, as I stretched.

"You sleep well?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Decently."

"Good."

There was a bit of silence between us.
"Thanks for the rescue yesterday," I said.

"No problem," he replied.

"It was very impressive the way you took charge of everyone."

Cloak just smiled smugly.

"Where did you learn about that panel?" I asked.

"My dad was a prison guard for a few years and that panel was a major part of his job."

"Why?"

"He was the guard in charge of evacuations."

"Right; so were there a lot of evacuations seeing as the panel was 'a major part of his job'?"

Cloak chuckled a bit.

"No, but he had to make sure that it stayed in top condition in case there was a need for an evacuation."

"Right."

"He taught me the whole procedure of how to evacuate the prison; of course that was with all guards on duty. We had to do with no guards on duty."

I smiled at him.

"That's not true," I said.

"Did you see any guards on duty yesterday?" he asked.

"No, but we did have a guard's son with us and that's just as good if not better."

Cloak smiled at me.

"Thanks kid," he smiled.

"No prob," I replied.

Just then Sleeg snorted in his sleep; Cloak and I just looked up at him.

"He sure knows how to kill a moment," commented Cloak.

"You said it," I agreed.

"So what are we going to do while we wait for the guards to show up today?"

"Don't know."

Cloak set about thinking of something to do. Unfortunately we didn't have a chance to think of anything to do because the guards showed up within a few minutes.

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Within half an hour of the guards showing up we were marched out into the transport area and lined up. A very important looking Triceraton paced backwards and forwards in front of us. Suddenly he stopped and turned to face us.

"Now I know for a fact that one of you took command of all the other inmates yesterday and evacuated them swiftly and safely; what I don't know is which one of you did so. So step forward if you were the one who took care of matters yesterday," said the important looking Triceraton. No one stepped forward. Just then someone walked up to me (I was on the edge of a line) and nudged me to get my attention.

I turned my head to look at who had nudged me and smiled when I saw Zimmer.

"You okay?" he asked in a whisper with a bit of concern in his voice.

"I'm fine," I replied in a whisper.

"So who did take command of the inmates yesterday?"

"First answer my question."

"Uh, sure, what is it?"
"What will happen to the inmate that did organise the evacuation?"

"They would be given their freedom again."

"Come again."
"Their prison sentence would be terminated."

"Right."

"So who was it?"

"Cloak and Sleeg."

Zimmer scoffed at my answer. "Yeah, right. Seriously, Cal, tell me who evacuated the compound, truthfully now." Zimmer went down onto one knee so that I didn't feel too intimidated by him.

"I'm telling you the truth, Zimmer."
He gave me a look.

"Aren't there security cameras in the prison compound?" I asked.

"Yes," Zimmer replied simply.

"Then why don't you guys look at the security footage?"

"Good idea."

"Zimmer, where are you?!" came a voice from the front. Zimmer shot up.

"Right here, sir," replied Zimmer, as he saluted the important looking Triceraton. I heard Cloak chuckle. Zimmer shot him a look.

"What were you doing?" asked the important looking Triceraton.

"I was just talking to one of the inmates, sir."

"Find anything out?"

"She suggested that we look at the security footage, sir."

The important looking Triceraton stroked his chin and smiled.

"Good idea," he said, "Return these inmates to their cells and then rendezvous with me in the prison compound control room." The important looking Triceraton spun on his heels and walked off towards a smaller version of a transport shuttle while the guards saluted him and started to march us back to our cells.

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After being returned to our cells, we waited for the results of the security footage. Cloak and Sleeg looked a bit worried about the whole thing.

"Why did you mention the security footage?" asked Cloak; he was a bit miffed to say the least.

"Yes; our prison sentence is long enough as it is," added Sleeg.

"Relax guys, nothing bad is going to happen to you," I said, reassuringly.

They both just gave me a look.

"How do you know?" asked Cloak.

"I had a word about that with Zimmer before I suggested looking at the security footage and I assure you that what's coming to you ain't bad," I replied.

Cloak sighed. "I guess being with you longer isn't going to be too bad," he smiled.

"Yeah, we've grown to like you. Some more than others," added Sleeg, as he gave Cloak a look. Cloak returned his look with a glare.

"Ignore him," I said.

"Right," replied Cloak.

Just then a guard came to our cell and opened the door.

"Cloak, Sleeg," he said.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"You're free to go." The guard stepped aside to allow them to exit the cell.

Cloak and Sleeg just looked at him stunned.

"What are you two waiting for?" asked the guard.

"I think you need to remove their laser cuffs and tattoos, sir," I interjected.

"Oh, right; thanks." The guard pulled out his key card and pushed some buttons to make Cloak and Sleeg's laser cuffs and tattoos fall off.

"But why are you releasing us?" asked Cloak.

"You two are the ones who evacuated your fellow prisoners and the reward for doing so is releasing you. Now get going will you?" asked the guard, as he moved farther out of the way to allow Sleeg and Cloak to walk out.

"What about her?" asked Cloak, as he looked back at me.

"Don't worry about me, Cloak, I'll be fine," I said with a smile. When they didn't start walking I started to push them out of the cell. Cloak dug his heels in.

"I'm not leaving without you!" he stated, as he stopped himself from being pushed out of the cell.

"This is a first," said the guard, "a refusal to being let go. Now I've seen everything."

"He's just being stubborn," I explained. "Now, Cloak, please go." I tried to push him out of the door, but to no avail.

"Who's going to protect you from Rynokk when he gets out of solitary?" asked Cloak, as he turned and faced me.

"I can take care of myself, Cloak. Now go!" I said.

He just folded his arms and remained rooted to the spot.

"Can I escort him out?" I asked.

Cloak scoffed. "If I don't want to leave I don't leave," he said.

"That's what you think. Guard, could you reactivate his laser cuffs please?" The poor guard didn't know what to do in this situation so he just reactivated the laser cuffs on Cloak. Cloak's wrists sprang together when the cuffs were activated. I took off my belt and threaded the loose end back through the buckle.

"Don't you need that to hold up your pants?" asked Cloak, when he noticed what I was doing.

"No, they stay on with or without the belt," I replied, as I made a loop with my belt.

"What are you going to do with that?" I put the loop onto his muzzle and tightened it behind his nose horn.

"Hey!" exclaimed Cloak, as he tried to pull his head out of the loop.

"Come on you," I said, as I started to lead him out of the cell like a horse.

"Let me go!"

"No."
"Fine, then I'll just do this." Cloak pulled his head up and started to back up.

"Oh no you don't." I jerked my belt down which brought his head back to its normal position.

"Maybe I should escort them out," said the guard.

"Good idea, but please return my belt to me when you've escorted them out," I said, as I handed the end of my belt to the guard. Cloak started to struggle again, but his attempts to free himself were in vain because the guard was slightly stronger than he was and it looked like the guard knew how to control Cloak's head with the belt. I walked back to my cell and waited for my belt to be returned to me.

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I didn't have to wait long; within ten minutes Zimmer walked into my cell with my belt in his hand.

"Hi," he said, as he smiled at me.

"Hi," I replied, a bit dejectedly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Zimmer sat down next to me on my bunk.

"I guess I just miss having Sleeg and Cloak around to talk to."

Zimmer just smiled and rubbed his head against mine.

"Don't worry about it. You've still got me." He started to put his arms around me in a bit of a hug.

"I suppose so." Zimmer pulled his head away from mine so that he could see me.

"I heard that Cloak kicked up quite a fuss when he was told that he could leave; what was that all about?"

"He didn't want to leave me here."

"Oh, but how does the belt come into this then?" Zimmer held my belt up.

"I used it as a makeshift headcollar to lead Cloak out with." I took my belt back from Zimmer.

"Obviously it worked; he's out now."

"You're happy that he's gone; aren't you?"
"To be honest with you; yes, I'm glad that he's gone."

I just nodded and looked away.

"I better get going before one of the guys finds me in here with you," said Zimmer, as he let go of me and stood up.

"Right," I replied.

"I'll see you 'round right?"

"You bet."

Zimmer nodded, walked out of my cell, closed the door and walked away. I was officially alone from that moment and I wasn't liking it. The only thing that made me feel a bit better was knowing that Sleeg and Cloak were out of prison. I put my belt back on and started to clean up the cell to pass the time.

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After an hour or so of tidying up, my cell door opened. I walked up to it and looked out; apparently we were being shipped back to our old compound. I followed the other inmates onto the transport shuttle and tried to find a seat far away from Rynokk.

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Once back at the old compound, the other inmates were sent back to their original cells, but I was placed in a solitary cell that was close to the control room. Being in a new cell wasn't too bad and, to keep me busy, I was given a bucket of soapy water and a scrubbing brush to clean my cell with. Trust me they did me a favour there; the cell walls were covered in green who knows what, but after I had cleaned it up I discovered that the walls were actually grey and not green as I previously thought. The head guard who checked in on me several times a day was impressed with my work or so I heard from Zimmer; he also came to visit me at least once a day. Zimmer and I started to become friends, but he wasn't the close and dear friend I had made in Cloak. There were days when I really pined for Cloak and, on very rare occasions, Sleeg, but I tried not to show it, especially when Zimmer came to see me.