Beth

 

Roberto's scream of anger and grief echoed off the walls of the gym. Seconds later, it was joined by a chorus of prisoners' voices yelling and swearing all at once—a sound like the ocean, like waves crashing against the shore.

 

Waves of panic rippled through Beth as the first few prisoners started attacking each other over the fight's outcome. She'd barely had time to process how suddenly Manolo had keeled over and died, and now she found herself in the middle of a hurricane of violence. No matter which way she turned, it seemed like she was inches away from a wall of enraged convicts ready to destroy anything in their path.

 

They're going to riot, her mind yammered as she pulled her baton from her belt. They're going to take over this gym and take the guards hostage, and there'll be nothing to stop all those inmates from raping me, oh God, oh please, not this, not this, get me out of here...

 

As if on cue, she felt a hand on her ass and whirled around, raising her baton. She was just in time to see the face of a Sinner named Hooper leering at her lasciviously before Hank grabbed him from behind, choking him out.

 

“Thank you,” Beth said breathlessly.

 

“Get the fuck out of here,” Hank urged her through gritted teeth. “Now.”

 

Beth turned to run, but her path was blocked by a pair of inmates grappling with each other. One was Hank's cellmate Ram, and the other was a gaunt Sinner whose name Beth didn't know. The Sinner slammed Ram's head against the floor with a sickening crunch, and Ram's body went limp.

 

An alarm started to honk loudly, and the doors of the gym opened. Armored members of the Emergency Response Team flooded in, using their plexiglass shields to push the prisoners apart into groups. Most of the inmates immediately put their hands on their heads when they saw the guards in riot gear coming toward them. A handful of them didn't, and seconds later, they were facedown on the floor with heavy boots pressed against their necks and backs as batons pummeled their kidneys.

 

“Lockdown!” Butler hollered. “Go back to your cells at once. This is your one and only warning. Anyone not in their cells in five minutes will be spending the next month in the infirmary or the hole.”

 

The ERT guards hustled the groups of prisoners to their respective cell blocks. Beth saw that Hank was holding his sides in pain, and his face was starting to bruise and swell. After the punishment he'd taken during the fight, subduing Hooper had probably taken the last of his strength.

 

Beth walked over to Butler. “Hall is in bad shape. I'll take him to the infirmary.”

 

Butler's lip curled into a snarl of contempt. “I'll take him to the infirmary, along with Ram. You take these prisoners back to block G and lock them in good and tight.”

 

The convicts started to file out of the gym. Just like that, the maelstrom had blown over as quickly as it had started. As Beth led her prisoners out, she glanced over her shoulder and saw ERT members hovering over Manolo's body.

 

What had happened? Beth hadn't watched a lot of boxing matches, and she was extremely relieved that Hank hadn't been crippled or killed—but even she could see that something strange had taken place, based on how rapidly Manolo had crashed and burned after the first two rounds.

 

She led the prisoners to their cells, locking them in. When she got to Foley's cell, she realized he was still wearing a dress, and she felt a pang of concern for him as she locked him in with the three Sinners. Given the gang members' pent-up aggression after the aborted riot, she could only imagine how they'd take it out on Foley once they were alone. Still, there was nothing she could do about it.

 

When she got to Bull's cell, he said, “Leave mine unlocked. And when Hank comes back from the infirmary, make sure his is unlocked, too.”

 

“Butler said to make sure everyone was locked in,” Beth replied uncertainly. “He didn't say anything about making exceptions.”

 

Bull rolled his eyes. “Butler takes orders from me, and you take orders from Butler. Ergo, you take orders from me, and I say leave the cells unlocked. Now are you going to do what you're fucking told, or do I have to remind you that I've got people on the outside who know where you live?”

 

Beth sighed and left the cell unlocked. Bull pulled his white curtain over the door.

 

After that, there wasn't much for Beth to do except pace around the cell block, worrying about Hank. He could have internal injuries, or one of his broken ribs could have punctured an organ. And still, he hadn't hesitated to come to her aid when she was in danger.

 

She desperately wanted to go to the infirmary and check on him, but she knew she couldn't risk it. Even though there were other guards to watch over G block, she'd seen the look of suspicion on Butler's face when she offered to take Hank to the prison doctor. He already knew she was affiliated with the Warriors. But if he suspected that she was particularly involved with Hank, that could make for bigger problems for both of them.

 

Her footsteps echoed against the concrete walls and floors. Every minute seemed to last an hour. She could still taste the adrenaline at the back of her throat from the panic in the gym.

 

Finally, a short, squat female guard named Welker led Hank back to his own cell. She had thinning brown hair, bad teeth, and a nose that resembled a pig's snout. She was one of the COs who worked for the White Knights, and in the locker room, Beth had noticed several neo-Nazi tattoos on Welker's arms and body.

 

Hank was still shirtless, with medical tape around his ribs. Most of his face was purple from the punches he'd taken. Welker pulled his cell door shut, but left it unlocked before walking away.

 

Beth looked around to make sure no one was watching. Then she crept over to Hank's cell, sliding the door open and leaning in.

 

“How are you holding up?”

 

Hank was lying on his cot with his arms at his sides. One of his eyes was swollen shut. The other was simply closed.

 

“I've had worse,” he said. It sounded like he was trying to move his face as little as possible when he talked. “You shouldn't be in here. Someone's going to wonder why you are.”

 

“I couldn't help it. I had to make sure you were okay.”

 

Hank's eye opened, and he glared at her. “You need to stop trying to look out for me and start looking out for yourself instead.”

 

Beth knew Hank was trying to protect her, but his words still stung. She hated how he kept pushing her away and saying it was for her own good, as though she was still some kid who needed to be told what was best for her.

 

“Thank you for saving me,” she said quietly.

 

“You already thanked me,” he answered flatly. “But I won't always be there to save you, especially if Butler and the other guards decide you're a problem. Now get the fuck out of my cell before you get us both in trouble.” He closed his eye again.

 

Beth opened her mouth to say more, but she didn't want to upset him. There was plenty to say, but for now, it was enough to know that he hadn't been injured too badly.

 

She left the cell, closed the door behind her, and resumed her pacing through the cell block.