AN-Thanks for all the encouragement! Hope everyone is having a great holiday season. Enjoy!

Chapter Sixteen-And Into the Fire

"Tracy. Tracy. Tracy!" The young woman looked up with a disinterested glare once she remembered her name was Tracy for today. "Yes Ms. Figueroa?"

"We are discussing the impact of dropping out of school and how your chances of being sent to prison increase. Would you like to participate with everyone else?" Figueroa could barely get the question out between gritted teeth. She had agreed to lead six of these 'scared straight' programs this year at the behest of the Warden and his crusade to 'do good'. This was the fifth day and she couldn't wait to be done with them. To her the girls who attended were universally lost causes destined for a life of orange prison scrubs and this Tracy was one of the worst she had seen. The girl couldn't even bother to look engaged, let alone concerned about her future.

Opening her mouth Tracy was saved from delivering a response by the return of her target, right on time. "Can I go use the restroom Ms. Figueroa? I don't feel so good."

The Assistant Warden started to refuse until she saw the Officer Mendez had returned. "Yes Tracy. The Officer here will escort you."

Tracy was pleased to see Ms. Figueroa had forgotten her and returned to another lecture topic before she was even out of the room. She smiled at the tall Officer with the thick moustache and wiggled her hips as she passed him in the doorway and strolled out into the hall. When she flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked back at him she saw his eyes were glued to her ass. Men are so easy. I do this and then make sure I get my man, the one I deserve. That dark haired bitch and her little blondie girlfriend can go to hell.

They were both crying quietly and tears mingled where their faces were pressed together. Nicky was busy prepping the two laundry baskets, but that would only take a couple of minutes. Two heartbeats, fast and strong, arms clutching, holding so tight that breaths were shallow.

Then it was time. One more kiss.

"I love you Alex Vause."

"I love you Piper, and I will find you."

Piper nodded and bit her lip, refusing to ruin the moment with useless words that could never express the depths of her emotion. She stepped into the cart and settled into the space that had been created to conceal her. Ironic to think that her only role was to stay hidden and silent for the next few hours.

Her mind suddenly returned to the SHU and her weeks of isolation and she felt a wave of panic that almost caused her to rise up and scream, but then she thought of the chance Alex was giving her and the risks her friends were taking to give her a shot at freedom. She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of fresh laundry and imagined Alex's love surrounding her like a soft blanket and it provided the calm she needed. This would work, it had to, and she would wait as long as it took to start a life with her love.

The cart lurched forward and she could hear the wheels squeak as she was pushed like just another stack of clean towels towards her destiny.

Officer Healy was good with paperwork and today was no exception. He had completed his reports for the morning fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. He smiled knowing his reward was heading to the laundry to tease Chapman and Vause for a few extra minutes. He headed down the corridor humming a tune and ignoring the unhappy faces of the inmates he passed.

As he turned the last corner Healy caught a glimpse of Vause, pushing a cart full of towels out the back entrance. He decided to head into the laundry room and talk to Chapman alone until Vause returned, but when he entered the space, Chapman was absent as well. One of Doggett's old crew was in the back and he headed over to her.

"Where is Chapman?"

The woman looked up, fear written on her face. "I don't know. I stay away from her, Mr. Healy."

Healy couldn't help but notice she appeared twenty years older than he knew her age to be. Meth did that. "Where is Vause? I saw her taking a cart outside."

"Probably the towel delivery for the SHU. Morello drives it down the hill once a week."

Healy nodded. "Fine. Get back to work."

Walking back to the entrance Healy was upset that his plans had been disrupted. Vause was taking towels out to put in the van. Chapman was nowhere to be seen. Both women knew Chapman was being sent away tomorrow for good. Suddenly he had a deep feeling of unease. Morello was one of their friends. Rumor was she had even been involved sexually with Nichols for a while.

Sam had never been very athletic. He had been rejected from the police academy for his slow run times and failure on the obstacle course. The prison correctional officer physical exam had not been as strenuous so he had altered his career path. Fifteen years of mostly sitting at his desk and considerable donut intake had not improved his conditioning. But he felt a rare sense of urgency as he sprinted down the hall and burst out the back door.

Vause was closing the van doors and Healy could see the laundry cart secured inside the back through the windows. As he approached Vause strode around and spoke to Morello in the driver's seat. Healy couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. Finally he had his big chance. He would nail Vause along with Chapman for whatever lame escape plan they had hatched and they both could go away forever. Morello would do additional time as an accomplice.

Tracy spent several extra minutes in the bathroom until she heard a thud from the hallway. She had been told the guard would collapse quickly once the drug took effect in his system. She didn't know who had given it to him, but it worked right on time. A quick whistle brought the dyke who had been yelling at her earlier from around a corner.

"Great. You're my help?"

"Shut up and grab his ankles. We need to get him out of the hall now." Big Boo put her hands under Mendez's armpits and pulled him through the bathroom door.

With both women pushing and pulling they succeeding in maneuvering Mendez into the handicapped stall. Big Boo looked at her watch. "It's time."

"We aren't done here. We need to get his pants down." Tracy sneered.

Big Boo shook her head and started to back away. "No way. That is not my deal."

This time Tracy just rolled her eyes. "Fine. This time you grab his ankles and lift up. I'll pull everything down, ok?"

"Hurry." Big Boo hoisted Mendez's legs in the air as Tracy worked his belt off and his pants and boxers down to his ankles. She then slipped a baggie out from her own pants.

"Last step and then I'll start the screaming." Tracy licked her index finger and ran it through the white powder in the baggie before smearing it across the nose and moustache of the unconscious correctional officer.

Big Boo watched with a grin. "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy."

Tracy licked the residue off her own hand before tucking the baggie into Mendez's front pants pocket. "You better get outta here."

Big Boo nodded and turned to go but Tracy stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Hey. That woman who gave me the code phrase. That was Alex Vause?"

Following an affirmative nod Tracy knew she needed to have a conversation with Ms. Vause before she left. "Where would I find her?"

"You don't." Big Boo answered firmly. "I'm sure that is not part of the plan."

"Well its part of my plan. Either you tell me where she is or I don't go through with this and Alex Vause's little plan goes to shit." Tracy started to push past Big Boo to leave the bathroom. The older woman knew that would ruin the distraction which needed to happen right now. "She works in the laundry. I don't know how you'll get there, but that is where Alex will be. So do your thing."

They glared at each other, but Tracy gestured to the door and Big Boo took off. She got as far as the end of the hall when Tracy let loose with a series of screams loud enough to bring every guard in the prison running. Big Boo ducked into an open doorway just as Bennett appeared. Bell was second and as a bonus she had Figueroa with her.

The correctional officers and assistant warden met Tracy as she came screaming out the door, her shirt, bra and pants ripped and hanging off of her as she covered her breasts with her hands in a display of apparent modesty. The screaming turned to hysterical babbling about drugs and assault and when the words attempted rape came out Boo thought Fig was going to faint. She could see the assistant warden's mind whirling around how to deal with a minor in the prison under her protection assaulted by a CO.

Bennett came out of the restroom and spoke quietly to Figueroa who then stepped past the officer into the bathroom. When she came back out her face was a mask of fury. She barked at Bennett to get more officers to take Mendez to the infirmary and then into custody. She seemed surprised when Tracy said something to her as if she had forgotten she was there and wheeled around to face the partially naked scared straight participant.

Again Boo couldn't hear what was being said, but it was time for her to skedaddle anyway as she heard more boots pounding the hallways closer. When she saw Bell begin to escort the young woman away she realized Tracy had gotten exactly what she wanted. Bell was taking her to get some clean clothes to replace her torn ones, from the laundry of course.

Alex was inching away, literally. When Healy had appeared at the van he had been calm and smug. He had politely asked her to step away and for Morello to hand over the keys and step out from the driver's seat. He had then opened the back doors and pulled the heavy laundry cart down onto the ground behind the van.

As Healy began to pull towels out of the cart and throw them on the ground Alex knew she needed to get back inside. She didn't want to be here when Healy got to the bottom of the cart. With each towel she stepped imperceptibly further from the van and closer to the door.

What had begun as a slow, almost teasing game of towel removal by Healy was turning into a frantic dig and fling exercise. He was near the bottom of the cart and Alex was only a few feet from the door. She took the risk of a large step that brought her within reach of the handle just as Healy removed the last towel and looked up, his eyes burning with hate. She wasn't going to make it.

Suddenly Morello appeared between Alex and Healy. She began to wave at the pile of towels on the ground and complain in her best exceedingly loud Brooklyn accent about who was going to clean up the mess and get the delivery to the SHU on time. It looked like Healy was going to ignore her and in fact gave her a little shove to the side, but it gave Alex the few seconds she needed to open the door and step through just as the call came to the radio on Healy's belt for all available CO's to report to the common room immediately by order of Assistant Warden Figueroa.

Alex heard Healy try to argue that he was conducting an important search outside, but Fig's voice crackled "now" and then she hurried down the hall and into the laundry before he could engage her further. The van and the towels strewn across the yard were not her concern at the moment.

The laundry was eerily quiet, especially knowing the chaos that was occurring elsewhere in the facility. Two inmates were folding at the back table but the space was otherwise empty. Alex knew it was the vacancy created by Piper that she was feeling so strongly and it was a feeling she was going to have to get used to, but not until she was sure Piper was away and safe. So far it seemed everything was going mostly according to plan. Healy had been a bit of a wild card, but that was why she had prepared her backup plan and he had fallen for it hook, line and sinker.

Looking at the clock Alex knew Piper wasn't in the clear quite yet, but it wouldn't be long. She allowed herself a deep sigh thinking that all indications were for a clean operation without major difficulty. Then she saw Officer Bell escorting the cartel plant into the laundry with her clothes in tatters and her hands covering her own breasts.

Alex could have kicked herself. She used to know better than to relax for even a minute until the package was delivered. Clearly she was out of practice. What did this girl think she was doing? This was definitely not part of the plan. "Can I help you?"

Tracy slowly dropped her hands to her hips which caused her bare tits to thrust out slightly towards Alex. "Looks like I need some new clothes."

Alex had seen how Tracy had stared her down and then purposefully struck a provocative pose. The young woman seemed to be sending a message to her, but she had no idea what it was, yet. "Come with me, we have some spare shirts and pants back here."

Officer Bell waved Tracy towards Alex and stayed near the door listening to the frantic chatter still coming through the radio. As soon as Tracy thought she was out of the CO's hearing she stopped and faced Alex. "He's my man. Tonight, tomorrow or three years from now when you finally get your fat ass out of here, you can't have him."

Alex was flummoxed. What in the hell was this girl talking about? "You're man?"

Tracy looked at her like she was an idiot. "Yes, my man. Fahri. He is the best thing ever happened to me and you can't have him." She did a little twirl in the aisle waving her hands down her body. "I mean look at me, young, tight, hot. You're old. I can't imagine what he sees in you."

"You did this for him. You came here today and helped us set up Mendez because you are in love with Fahri!" It was more of a statement of realization than a question, but Tracy answered anyway.

"I take care of my man. He's going to make me big in the operation. He says I'm good and smart, that's why he trusted me with this." They had arrived at the back of the room where shelving contained the orange tops and pants given to new inmates. Alex grabbed a set and handed them over.

Tracy slipped them on and gave Alex her best tough girl look. "You still got three years right? So I'm not worried about you. I mean a lot can happen in three years. But the one breakin out today, the blondie? She needs to stay the fuck away from him. Fahri keeps going on about how he's gonna break her in and then deal her to the Saudi's. The only woman he needs is me, not some used prison bitch."

It took a long moment for Tracy's words to settle in Alex's mind. When they did Tracy found herself flat on her back with Alex's forearm across her neck. They were out of sight of Bell and the other inmates and Alex was making sure Tracy had trouble breathing. "What did you say Fahri is going to do to Piper?"

When Tracy didn't answer immediately Alex kneeled on Tracy's outstretched hand on the floor and began to apply pressure. "If you scream I'll break every bone in your hand."

Tracy opened her mouth showing she wanted to talk and Alex backed off the pressure. She knew Alex couldn't do anything about it now. Knowing what the girlfriend was in store for would only be payback for all the times she had to listen to Fahri moon over the great and beautiful Alex Vause. "He's going to break her and then sell her to cover the expense of the operation. He had to pay the Russian guy and the lawyer a lot of money. And you know how those Saudi guys love the skinny blondes. They will pay big bucks."

Alex felt cold terror race through her body. She had heard of the cartel engaging on the fringes of the sex trade, but she had never been involved and didn't know Fahri was in so deep. "Why?"

Alex hadn't realized she asked the question out loud until Tracy answered. "Fahri has a thing for you. He was disrespected that you wouldn't give him the time of day when you worked for him. Figures this will hurt and then he still gets you when you get out cause you weren't supposed to know about what happened to the blondie until he told you and then it's way too late."

Looking down at the foolish girl Alex couldn't even muster any anger. She needed to focus every ounce of her brainpower and concentration on what to do. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day her gaze found the clock on the wall. She had to move quickly if she had any chance.

"Get up, follow through with the plan. Don't worry about Fahri." Alex was already on the move before she finished the intentionally vague sentence. She slipped out the door past Bell and was racing carefully down the mostly deserted hallways, her mind hurrying to keep up.

All she could think about was stopping Piper before she fell under Fahri's control. She had known he was interested in her early on, but she had made it clear she only wanted a professional relationship. Besides she had told him she was a big ole lesbian and had brought dozens of young female mules into the organization using her uniquely seductive approach. The thought that he had harbored unrequited lust for her all this time and was willing to take it out on Piper was terrifying, more so because she knew he was capable of such calculated cruelty if it served his purpose.

Why did the damn kitchen have to be on the other side of the complex? Alex moved as fast as she dared, helped immensely by the CO's all being called to assist with the Mendez situation. Finally she was close. She ran past Nicky pushing the second laundry cart out of the kitchen, now empty, ignoring her calls. She slid around the corner where Mendoza was working with some of her ladies on lunch prep.

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Red standing alone by the loading dock door. If Piper was gone she would stop at nothing to follow her; jump a fence, beat up a guard, whatever it took. If she was shot in the process it would be a fitting end for sending her love into hell on earth.

As she pulled up alongside Red in the doorway she saw the frozen food truck was still there and she almost fell to her knees. Then she saw the driver was just about to close up the back doors in preparation to leave.

"You are not supposed to be here Alex." Red was whispering in her harshest voice. "You needed to say goodbye before, it is too late now."

Alex brushed past her and ran to the truck, jumping into the back just before the man closed the door. Now she was inside the freezing cold dark space and didn't know what to do. The guard at the gate would at least open the back doors and look inside and she had nowhere to hide. Then a small window slid open at the front of the space revealing the face of the driver. "I don't know what you are doing, but there is only room for one. You must get out."

"Where is she?" Alex was not leaving Piper.

"This is bad. You will get us all in trouble." He shook his head, but pointed toward a locker that stood over the left wheel well.

Alex scrambled over to it and opened the door. Seeing nothing inside she felt the bottom panel and her fingers touched a small hook at the far right side. She pulled up revealing a false bottom and a worried face beneath blonde hair.

"Alex! What are you doing here!" Piper squirmed her body and sat up out of the tight space.

Alex waited until Piper was completely out of the hidden compartment and in her arms before answering. "Change of plans I'm afraid."

All the way over to the kitchen Alex had scoured her mind for a way to make this still work and had come up with no good solution. Piper couldn't stay and now she couldn't go. Damn Fahri and his craven soul. "We have no time!" Alex growled in frustration.

Piper could see something had gone wrong. She leaned back enough to smooth Alex's hair into place before kissing her softly. "It's going to be ok. I'll go to trial and give it my best shot. It might work out, you never know. The district attorney might go easy on me."

A series of images flashed through Alex's mind as Piper spoke. Trial, lawyer, district attorney, election. It might work. It would have to, because they were truly out of time. Piper would really never forgive her for this, but it had to be done and she didn't even have time to explain.

Alex stepped back and held Piper's hands out between them. "I love you with my whole heart."

Piper smiled sadly and headed for the back door of the truck. When she opened it Red was standing there on the dock with a deep scowl.

Alex waited until Piper was standing on the loading dock and had turned back to face her wondering why she wasn't getting out of the truck. There was nothing else to say. Alex pulled back her arm, clenched her fist and struck Piper full in the jaw as hard as she could.

As the blonde crumpled to the floor unconscious Alex called out to Red. "Tell everyone she tried to stop me and I hit her. Tell Piper to talk to her lawyer; he will know what to do. Tell her I love her."

Alex closed the truck door and hollered at the driver to get going as she shimmied down into the hidden compartment and closed the trap door. The space was freezing cold but Alex was already warmed with the thoughts of what she would do to Fahri when she faced him. As the truck began to rumble down the hill towards the gate Alex knew exactly what she needed to do. Piper would still get her chance at a life and Fahri would be the first to pay.