A man leaning over the back counter spun around and looked up, startled. His pale-yellow afro and pink-tinged skin indicated he likely was a person with albinism. Julian leaned his head to the side, peering at the letters stitched on the white lab coat. Physician’s Assistant.
The PA dropped the tablet he’d been typing on to the counter and turned toward Julian. “What happened here?”
“Webber at it again,” the head of security said. “Make sure this one survives. Don’t want thePalmchat Gazettewriting about a pattern of inmate deaths at Tiverton. Got it?”
Concern creased the PA’s face as he took a pair of scissors and cut Julian’s shirt open. “What did he use? Do you have it?”
“Metal shiv, pretty ordinary. It’s probably still out in the yard—”
“Find it now!” The PA screamed, then turned toward a phone on the wall. Pressing the buttons, he tapped his fingers impatiently then barked into the phone, “I need a water ambulance to transport a stabbed patient to Felipe Memorial with possible poisoning.”
“Poisoning?” Julian said, raising slightly from the cot. He glanced at the guards, who looked just as confused.
“Wait a minute,” the head of security said, holding up a hand. “Montgomery’s just stabbed—”
“Webber poisoned that last inmate you so crudely referenced earlier. I found aconite on the glass shard he used to stab the guy, which is why he died. I’m not letting that happen again. This inmate will be treated at a suitable facility in case poison was on that shiv.”
“You sure that’s really necessary? He doesn’t look like he’s been poisoned,” the head of security said.
The PA glanced at Julian. “I’m not taking a chance. The stab wound could mask the symptoms of poisoning. I’m telling you, that is exactly what happened last time. I will not let another man die on my watch because I didn’t recognize what was happening until it was too late. He needs to be transferred now!”
“Fine,” the head of security said, shaking his head. “But the warden won’t like this.”
The guards huddled with the head of security for several minutes as he gave final instructions that Julian couldn’t quite hear. He clenched his jaw against the white-hot pain blazing through the wound in his side. He’d definitely need stitches, but he didn’t think the shiv had been laced with any kind of poison and definitely not aconite. He’d be in worse shape right now from that fast-acting poison if it had been on the shiv. But Julian wasn’t going to argue with the PA’s precautions. In fact, he quite liked the idea of being transferred to a hospital in St. Felipe. The move could work to his advantage.
Julian shifted slightly, forcing his body to shake and spasm to support the PA’s fears that he’d been poisoned. The PA rushed over to the gurney and wiped at the sweat rolling down Julian’s face. He never thought of himself as an actor, but he needed to play the part to make sure he was transferred to the hospital in St. Felipe. Once on the water ambulance, he’d gauge whether it would be easier to take out the guards on the boat or wait until he was at the hospital to escape. Either way, he had no plans of returning to Tiverton until after he’d proven his innocence.
“Ambulance is here!” one of the guards yelled.
Pounding steps grew closer. Julian glanced behind him as two EMTs emerged and entered the infirmary.
The PA rushed toward them. “I didn’t stitch up the wound. Made that mistake last time. Need him to be checked for poisons first and then, if clear, they can stitch him up at Felipe Memorial. A doctor needs to be involved in this case, so get him there as fast as you can.”
“What kind of poison are we checking for?” the EMT asked.
“Last time it was aconite, but hell if I know this time,” The PA said, then lowered his voice. “These inmates can get their hands on all kinds of weapons, and the guards couldn't care less if they kill each other. I just can’t have another inmate die on my watch. My nerves can’t handle that.”
“We’ll take it from here,” the EMT responded. The two EMTs placed a white sheet over his exposed abdomen, then wheeled the stretcher out of the room.
Escorted by the guards, Julian moaned and writhed as they exited the side door of the prison that led to the boat dock. The pain was intense, but nothing compared to some of his injuries when he was a SEAL. But the guards and the EMTs didn’t need to know that. Julian wanted them to believe that he was weak and knocking on death’s door. A cool sea breeze swirled in the air. Birds squawked and circled overhead, as a large white cloud moved across to block the sun.
A whizz zipped through the air.
The guard walking on his left stopped suddenly. His hand flew to his neck as he looked around dazed before falling to the ground. Two more whizzes and the other guard tumbled forward, his assault rifle releasing a spray of bullets.
The EMT at the front of the gurney screamed. He spun around slowly. Bullets from the guard’s gun had ripped through his torso, leaving the EMT’s scrubs stained dark red.
Rocking against the cot, Julian jerked at the handcuffs that kept him immobile and toppled it onto the side. He fell hard, banging his shoulder. Pain exploded through his arm as his head snapped back against the cot. One of the fallen guards was a few feet from him. He didn’t see any blood or wound, but the guy was definitely unconscious from whatever had shot him.
The prison was under some kind of attack.
But by who and why?
The second EMT scrambled forward toward the water ambulance. Three armed, masked forms emerged from the boat. One of them raised a weapon and shot the man in the chest. The EMT stumbled from the blow, then fell to the ground. The three figures stalked forward, stepping over the man’s body toward Julian.
Jerking his wrists against the handcuffs, Julian tried in vain to free himself from the stretcher. Three masked forms converged around him. Julian grew still. His hands were bound, but he could make a surprise attack with his legs if they came closer. It could be the only chance he’d get to stop them from putting a bullet in him, too.
One of the masked attackers squatted in front of him. The subtle curves of the body and the breasts bulging within the skintight top were definitively female. He gazed up into her piercing green eyes through the rectangle opening of the mask. The only part of her face that was uncovered.
