Eiji woke with a start as the cell doors unlocked with a loud clang. For a second he was back with Golzine and the nightmares of his past flashed before his eyes. He sat up and looked around. He was on the top bunk, curled up with his back against the wall, the toothbrush shiv still in his hand. He looked down and saw Ash leaving the cell.

Eiji climbed down and exited after him. Ash glanced back briefly then turned and walked through a door to a small room at the end of the hallway. Above the doors was a handmade wooden sign but Eiji couldn't read it. Eiji hesitated, unsure of what to do.

He looked around and saw that the other inmates were filing in line for breakfast. The smell of food caught his attention and it lured him down the stairs and he filed into line with the others. He took a tray and waited, glancing around him. The other inmates generally seemed to ignore him, talking among themselves or moving silently through the line, but around some there were excited murmurs and raised eyebrows. Thumbs gestured in his direction. From some he caught pitying looks. A few watched him with a hungry curiosity.

One inmate bumped into Eiji. The man's hand reached out as he walked past and Eiji spun around, startled. The inmate glanced back with a suggestive smile. Eiji turned at the sound of a chuckle. A table behind him was watching the situation. One of them caught his eye and gestured a lewd suggestion. Eiji turned back around quickly.

He got his food and sat down at a table in the back. He glanced up nervously, poking at his food. The table was still watching him. Eiji glanced back down, frowning.

"You don't have to worry about those guys."

Eiji looked up at an inmate sitting at the other end of the table.

"They're just trying to freak you out," the inmate said. "None of them would actually do anything about it. They don't lean that way and they're here short term so they're not that desperate." Eiji tried to mind his own business and just eat his food. The inmate considered him and then moved a couple seats closer. "Look, I know you got it in with Ash but you don't have to be scared of him either. There are others who can protect you."

The inmate reached out and touched Eiji's hand gently. Eiji looked up. The inmate smiled at him sympathetically.

Ash walked back into the cell holding a book. He glanced up and saw Eiji sitting on the top bunk watching the other prisoners darkly. Ash followed his gaze and spotted an inmate watching Eiji. The man's eyes shifted and he moved away when he saw Ash look in his direction.

Ash looked back at Eiji who was glaring down at his lap. Ash sighed, "Come with me."

Ash turned and walked out the cell without waiting to see if Eiji would follow. A few seconds later he heard Eiji's soft footsteps as he followed Ash down the hall. Inmates playing cards and smoking cigarettes in their cells looked up as they passed and Eiji unconsciously moved closer to Ash as he led the way through the prison. They passed through the doors beneath the wooden sign. Eiji gasped softly.

The room was an old storage room that had been converted into a makeshift library. Mismatched shelves made from old crates, metal racks, and other assorted shelving were lined with books. There were a few tables and chairs but the room was entirely deserted. "I convinced the warden to set this up a few years ago," Ash said. Eiji looked up at the books in wonder as Ash led him through towards the back of the library. "Anybody who wants to read is welcome here, but I think I'm one of the only people who ever use it. If you ever want a quiet place besides your cell where you won't be bothered, you're welcome to come here."

Ash led Eiji to a section at the back. The word "Japanese" had been scrawled in pen onto one of the shelves next to the Kanji characters stating the same word. The books were in various states of disrepair but each one had Japanese characters on the binding. Eiji rushed to them, his fingers trailing over the covers, searching through the books.

Ash smiled and turned to leave.

"Thank you."

Ash paused. Eiji was watching him, a book clutched in his arms.

Ash nodded and left. He paused at the doorway and glanced back. Eiji was already tucked into a book, sitting against the wall, surrounded by the books and shelves that were his new safe haven. Ash's eyes softened.

They had been in the prison two days. Eiji spent nearly all his time at Ash's library, soaking up words like paper soaks up ink. He rarely left the safe space and when he did, it was never unless Ash was by his side. The other inmates whistled and chuckled, but no one messed with him.

Eiji looked up as a shadow blocked the door. His eyes widened. Garvey smiled hungrily from the doorway.

"Did you learn how to read since I was last here?" Ash said, putting a book back on the shelf. Ash turned and stared at Garvey cooly. "If you would like to sharpen that dull witt of yours, I think I have a few children's books lying around somewhere."

Garvey snarled and left. Ash glared after him. He glanced down as Eiji appeared at his side.

"You shouldn't push them," he said quietly.

Ash shrugged. "I'm not worried about the Snakes. We came to an understanding a long time ago. We growl and snarl at each other, but it's all for show. They know not to mess with me and I don't mess with them."

A prison guard walked up to the door and nodded at Ash. Ash nodded and then turned his attention back to Eiji. "Come on, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

The doors opened and the guards allowed Eiji and Ash to pass through into the visiting room. The metal tables and benches were bolted to the ground as if they were worried someone would steal them. Or throw them. A large, one-way window spanned across one of the walls and Eiji felt the hair rising on the back of his neck as he felt invisible eyes watching him. The room was empty except for a pudgy, balding man with a round, cheery face sitting at one of the tables. Jenkins got up when he saw them. He grabbed Eiji's hand and shook it in a hearty handshake.

"So you're the mystery kid!" Jenkins said. "I am Jenkins. It's very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"His name is Jenkins," Ash translated. "He's a detective. He'll help prove you're innocent and get you out of here."

Eiji nodded, timidly returning the hearty smile Jenkins gave him. Jenkins sat back down.

"Don't you worry, kid, I'm pretty damn good at what I do, so don't worry about your case. I'll get you out, scott-free. Okay, first off, what's your name? Otherwise I have to keep calling you 'kid'."

Eiji followed Ash's lead and sat down at the table. Ash translated. "He wants to know your name."

Eiji looked from Jenkins to Ash and shook his head, keeping silent.

Jenkins laughed and shrugged. "Okay, 'kid' it is. Now, I've been working on you boys' cases. It's a pretty clean shot, seeing how there's no one pressing charges. In fact, by all rights you shouldn't even be here. It's a bogus charge if you ask me, but I know the State Lawyer and he's real forgiving about this sort of thing. But just in case, I want to make sure I have all my bases covered. Have you ever been convicted of a crime?"

"He wants to know if you've been convicted for a crime before," Ash said.

Eiji shook his head. Jenkins nodded and jotted that down on his yellow notepad. "Did you damage anything in the events leading up to your arrest?"

"Can you name any of the men in Golzine's gang?" Ash asked.

Eiji faltered slightly but shook his head.

Ash looked at Jenkins. "He broke a window belonging to one of my warehouses. I will not be pressing charges."

Jenkins nodded and noted that down. Eiji glanced at Ash trying to follow along.

"Do you have any information as to the identity of your assailants?" Jenkins asked.

"Do you have any traceable connections to Golzine or his gang? Any way he could track you down? Someone he could use against you?"

Eiji swallowed but shook his head. Jenkins nodded and continued taking his notes. Eiji glanced at Ash and saw him watching him closely. Eiji looked away, trying to shift his attention back to Jenkins. Jenkins was busy in his notes and had missed the silent interaction.

"Are you a registered citizen of the United States?" Jenkins asked. Ash translated.

Eiji shook his head, unsure. "I don't know."

"He doesn't know," Ash said.

"Alright," Jenkins said. "Most likely he's undocumented but I'll check the citizenship records just in case. Last name?"

"I don't know," Eiji said after Ash had translated.

"Date of birth?" Jenkins asked.

Eiji stared at him blankly, as if trying to pull up data he hadn't realized was missing. "I don't know." Ash glanced at him.

Jenkins didn't seem disturbed. "No worries. I'll just run your prints and see what I find." He flipped through his notes and then looked up, smiling. "Alright. I think that's all I need."

Ash looked at Eiji. "You can go now."

Eiji nodded quietly and stood. He left, the guard patting him down on the way out. Ash watched him for a moment before turning back to Jenkins. Jenkins watched Eiji go and then looked back at Ash.

"You sure that kid's the key to bringing down Golzine?" Jenkins asked.

Ash shook his head. "Griff thought so. And the kid knows something. He's holding back."

Jenkins looked at him doubtfully and shrugged. "Alright, well I'll pull my normal strings. Should take a few days but then-"

Ash wasn't listening. He was lost in his own thoughts. "Jenkins," Ash interrupted. "I want you to find out everything you can about that kid. I mean everything."

"Okay, sure. What am I looking for?"

"I don't know. Things just aren't adding up. Just see what you can find."

Jenkins shrugged and nodded. "Sure thing. Anything else you need?"

Ash shook his head. "Just go as quickly as you can."

"Why? You in a hurry to get out?"

"I am this time. I don't want him in here any longer than he has to be."