Anderson County Penitentiary;

This place reminds me of a well-guarded apartment complex. The outside of the building is surrounding by gates and isolated fields decorated with scattered solar panels. The solar panels supply this building with electricity for all the rooms. While its interior has shiny tile linoleum floor, white hot bright ceiling lights reflect off the tile flooring and inmates are housed behind heavy metal doors. If the outside of the building with its gates are the literal walls keeping people in, the layout of the interior is labyrinth like. Confusing to traverse unless you have extensive knowledge to navigate it.

The three story building is starfish like in its design and while the penitentiary is to look as homely as possible. Metal bars surround the railing, looking down into a common area, stopping anyone from jumping down below. Giving the impression of a birdcage surrounding the reformatory blocks.

“Before Anderson County Penitentiary remodeled,” Bryan states as if he is leading a public tour. Gesturing to yet another metal door leading down a hall with a glass walkway, “There were legislation passed to make prisons more accommodating. Excuse me, in the Celestial Crest they would call them Reformatories. Here we call them prisons. Unfortunately, the Civilian Law binds us to an Oath. So the inmates get private rooms the size of studios, and they expect them to have privacy, thus the doors. They even have two extensive libraries here. These people are treated better than they deserve, honestly. The Western Wing is the woman’s ward and the Northern Wing is the men’s ward. We also have a juvenile center here as well.”

“I am not here for a tour,” I tell him.

The metal door unlocks, swinging open with the swipe of his lament ID. Is he stalling? Why is he talking this much and giving us so much of the runaround?

“Oh, but I was enjoying the tour,” Wolf remarks.

All the walkways here are made of glass. It’s intentional by design. To see across each hall into the next.

“As you can see, no one goes unnoticed,” he says, waving to a guard on the other side.

“I am only here to investigate Zoey’s cell,”

“So you’ve said,” Bryan says.

Wolf slightly frowns.

As far as I can tell, we’ve taken a big detour. If each tentacle of this starfish is connected to central points; Then why did we go through the Juvenile Center, to the Men’s Ward, to the Woman’s Ward? I might not the know entire layout of this building, though none of this feels right. Byran slides his lament card once again to open the next door.

“This is the Woman’s Ward,” Bryan states, “Zoey’s cell is on the other side of this hall. Each hall is a triangular shape, having cells on either side of the triangle.”

“I’ll need access to that room’s security as well,” I say.

“Of course,” Bryan pauses, gesturing toward the railing, “Inmates have ample time outside of their cells.” Several women are gathered sitting at tables, reading books or playing a game of cards.

“Why are you stalling?” I finally ask.

Bryan furrows his brows.

“We rarely get Order of the Exalted Agents in the Pearl Isle,” Bryan responds, “I hoped you could put in a good word about the penitentiary. The Sect of Cosmos, even the Anti-Ora have criticized our work here. Even you folk from the Celestial Crest. But crime needs deliberate punishment and I don’t see results from the Reformatories. If the Reformatories worked, we wouldn’t see crime at all.”

Bryan attempts to give me a charming smile. He wants me to like him. I try my best to hear points from all sides of the aisle, though I have mixed feelings about the Sect of Cosmos and Anti-Ora. Mainly because - either way, this is the major argument for those against the Reformatories. It is the fallacy I think of our limited scope as people with limited knowledge.

“That would be ideal, wouldn't it,” I state, “If Reformation worked a hundred percent of the time. However, the way we, the Order and the Civilian Security and Protection Service, see it. Is crime is born from something within the state of the system.”

Bryan scowls, “Fine. You caught me. I am stalling.”

“Dratz, here I was looking forward to seeing the library and the cafeteria,” Wolf says lowly under breathe.

“Please, Bryan, I’d like to be directed to Zoey’s cell,”

“Very well,” Bryan sounds bitter.

He guides us without a word down the last hall, snaking around to the other side down some steps to the second floor of the woman’s ward. It’s clear I have a struck a nerve. Bryan seems quieter now. The charm he displayed earlier has faded. It’s clear it had all been superficial. He doesn’t trust me, but I don’t trust him either.

Stopping. Glancing over to Wolf. Wolf glances at me. She smiles.

“Excuse us,” I state to Bryan, “We need to discuss something privately.”

Bryan raises a brow.

“You were so eager to get to Zoey’s cell,”

“And you wasted my time, so I can waste some of yours,” I say.

Wolf laughs. Then clears her throat. Bryan glares darkly. “Very well. Make it quick.”

“We’ll take as long as we need,” Wolf responds.

Nodding my head and doubling back down the hall, out of earshot, and eyesight of Bryan. Wolf smiles at me.

“What a charming man,” she states.

“I’ll be honest and state that I think I hurt some of his pride. I probably shouldn’t have challenged his viewpoints on the Reformatory centers, but I am not against clearly stating where I stand.”

“I think it was just the right amount of shutdown, honestly,”

“Unfortunately, we cannot get into Zoey’s cell without an ID card,”

“And we don’t trust him enough to take us to Zoey’s cell, I take it,”

“That’s correct,”

Wolf tilts her head from side to side, her neck popping loudly. She rolls her broad shoulders forward with a delighted smirk on her face. “I can get that ID card.”

“Legally-

-Right, I knew that. I was totally kidding,”

Was she? I look at her. She gives me a big grin. “Well, go do that thing you do as an Order member. Seize the mindset of the Herald you were always meant to be. I got your back if things need my expertise.”

Right. I guess that clears up where we stand then. Heading back down the hall, where Bryan waits for us. His foot tapping impatiently, he shoots a look up at us.

“Director Bryan Ironwood, you are aware of my position. As an Order member, I supersede your authority, while I respect it. I’d like to carry this on my own, and request that I am permitted to use a key-card. Yours preferably, since you’re here and I am here and rather not take up any more of either of our time,”

“You want to use my key-card!” Bryan exclaims. “How dare you come in here the way you do, making demands of me?! Are you even an Order member? You look like you just graduated from Expanded Edu-

-A right hook lands a blow to the side of his face. Bryan doubles back into the wall. Wolf is shaking her hand, “You think his bones are reinforced with asshole-

-legally Wolf-

-he raised his voice and got too close. I was in my legal right-

-Is he-

-stunned.” she takes the ID card off his belt, and waves, “Come on before he gets back up.” Which he is already doing so, attempting to say something though it comes out as verbal snarling.

She hit him. I am not sure it was worth doing, but I am not complaining either. I will have to explain why we hit a Director of notoriety, however I am not sure he raised his voice at me to be a good enough reason. Quickly rushing down the hall in a fast power walking stride, looking for Zoey’s cell - it’s easy to find when there is lingering hazard tape on the door. Wolf slides the ID card to open the door.

“How excitin-

-I will end both of your careers!” Bryan yells down the hall.

I am not sure how he can do that. There’s really now only one place to go, inside Zoey’s room.

“Drop the key-card, outside,” I tell her.

“What, are we intentionally-

-Wolf,”

“Fine, fine, I’ve always wanted to plan a prison escape,”

She drops the card out into the hallway while we take refuge in Zoey’s room. It is clear to me that there is a shift. The penitentiary itself felt sleepy and dreamlike, as if its intent was to quell the “criminal mind” of its inmates. But Zoey’s room. There’s something here.