The steel door to the dark confinement room hissed open. Ethan, who was already sitting and resting, looked up. Two burly guards stood there. They looked visibly angry, their faces grim, but they simply stated the order.
"The Warden wants to see you. Move it, Blake."
They unshackled him from the wall and led him out, replacing the old chains with lighter escort restraints. As they walked through the sterile corridors, other inmates peered through the small windows in their cell doors. Some watched him with a flicker of raw respect—the man who had successfully instigated a riot on his first day. Others watched him with deep hatred, knowing his actions would mean weeks of increased lockdown and suffering for everyone else.
Ethan walked with his head held high toward the administration block. Fear was not an issue; he felt profoundly secure in his situation. The moment he saw that the commanding officer was a woman, he knew his fate was sealed—and guaranteed.
