~ Within Her Eyes ~
by Harlequin
Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle, etc. belong to Universal and Renaissance Pictures. This is written for fun and no copyright infringement was intended. (although this is Uber. *grin*)
Violence: You have to ask? Of course there is violence, it's a given.
Subtext: Yes, two women fall in love and live happily ever after. Nothing graphic though, but consider yourself warned.
Special Thanks: Ah and now I come to thanking the people who helped me get my muse in gear. My dear friend Renee, aka NeNe. Without her wonderful support and amazing help this story never would have gotten started. Also to Heather, her opinions and suggestions kicked things into high gear. Thanks bunches girls your past and continued support in my writing endeavors is much appreciated!
And finally: If you would like to comment or send constructive, I stress the word constructive, criticism I can be emailed at tklein@iname.com. Now please enjoy.
Xena = Amos Duncan
Gabby = Emma Riordan
Callisto = Desdemona Tempest
Ephiny = Fairfax Baily
Herc = Fergus Haley
Iolas = Wyatt Chase
Perdicus = George Nolan
Lyceus = Aaron Duncan
Lilla = Adena Riordan-Sheridan
Cyrene = Thirza Duncan
Toris = Vance Duncan
Ares = Keith Gunnar
Solari = Sara
Eponine = Emily
Prologue
The near, or not so near, future.
Gray. Everything surrounding this building is gray, the frigid sea water, the cloudless sky, even the wire topped walls are gray. These gray walls are towering and forbidding, it is as if they say 'Just try and get over me.' This is New Alcatraz Prison for female offenders. Remodeled and rebuilt a mear 9 years ago. Only the worst of the worst offenders are sent to this hell hole that is run by the most ruthless warden to ever live. Warden Desdemona Tempest is known to be heartless and runs HER prison with a iron fist that rivals any dictators. They say that the tragic murder of her family right before her innocent eyes pushed her over the edge and turned her into the worst kind of monster, the kind that can disguise what it truly is.
She is an imposing figure only in the fact that her cruel brown eyes can burn you to your very core, for she is of average height and perhaps too thin. With a head of wild blond, almost white, hair that she refuses to wear in a regulation style the "warrior warden" is the epidimy of the word punishment. She is always defying regulation and dressing as she sees fit. But no official has ever been able to touch her because she runs the prison so damn well and has the high connections one needs to get everything they want in this cruel world.
Little did young Desdemona's parents know just how fitting her name would become. For her name means 'misery,' something she has brought to the lives of all of her prisoners. Inmates who do not follow her harsh rules often suffer horrible beatings, overextended time locked in solitary confinement, or even the possibility of being murdered by the warden's 'favorites.' But of course none of this can be proven. Desdemona's connections high up are in the justice department because her father worked for them.
The public does not mind that inmates are treated so horribly. With quickly rising crime rates and an explosion in the number of violent crimes being committed the public believes that the prisoners are getting just what they deserve for being criminals.
With the abolishment of capital punishment and the enactment of the one strike and your out law most of the prisoners sent here are 'lifers.' Murders, terrorist, thieves, even corporate criminals reside within the walls of the world's only inescapable prison. No one has ever been paroled from New Alcatraz, the only way out is death, weather you were sentenced to die here or not. And it is said even if one were to make it out alive that their soul will forever be dead from the time spent rotting in 'Hell.'
Chapter 1
Inmate number 54983 was in her cell immersed in reading. With barely a shimmer of light in the darkened cell, it made her pale blue eyes seem more tiresome looking than normal. She almost had to laugh at the idea of saving a few pennies by turning off all the lights at this time of the day. The prison was a money machine, and could run off itself with the help of the city of San Francisco. Though the inmate didn't mind, she would rather face poor eye sight then yard time "fun." Going into the yard would be to dangerous for her, for the wardens favorites have it in for her today. That was made crystal clear at breakfast through threats and endless taunts that made eating in peace impossible. Amos Duncan, or 'electric blue' as the other inmates have nicknamed her due to the remarkable color of her eyes, spends many hours reading. This is the only way her mind can escape the horrors that befall her here in New Alcatraz. So here she sits, on her rickety bunk, squinting at the print, reading the newest novel by her favorite author that she was able to find in the prison's library.
Amos is tall, six foot even, and carries herself with a grace that most women her height never master. She is catlike and does the unexpected often, making her a constant mystery to her fellow inmates. Her face is stunning in a classic beauty way, but that beauty is made even more striking by her high angular cheek bones and strong chin. This is the face of a murderer. This face hardly ever shows emotion, a defense mechanism Amos learned long ago. But when an expression does crack it's way onto the stoic facade it is a site to behold, her face comes alive no matter the emotion, and the true Amos will shine through. So, it is understandable that the facade rarely ever cracks. For one to be a good killer one cannot have their true self written all over their face.
Amos is eight years into a life sentence that was imposed after her trial for murder. The trial itself was speedy and cut and dry for Amos simply pleaded guilty and accepted her sentence. Convicted on 37 counts of first degree murder she is resigned to live out the rest of her life at the mercy of warden Tempest. No matter how remorseful she truly is with 37 murders under her belt the officials had no choice but to give her a life sentence.
Amos looks up as she hears the distinct sound of heels on concrete coming toward her cell, she would know those footsteps anywhere, they belong to the one and only Desdemona Tempest. A woman who has an enormous amount hatred for Amos Duncan.
The warden stops in front of Amos' cell, hands on hips her right toe never stops tapping. She is, as usual, defying regulations by wearing a striking, and well tailored blood red business suit with matching heels. "Well, well, well what do we have here, looks like our little book worm is at it again." The warden cooed sweetly. "Damn those fools who passed the literacy laws!"
Amos simply ignored her and went back to her squinting at her book as if no one was standing at her cell door. She was expecting this, the warden always took a special delight in disturbing her. Desdemona has a special place in her 'heart' for Amos, being that it was Amos who killed her family.
Somehow this fact 'escaped' every official involved in deciding where Amos would serve out her sentence. It was put down in written law, soon after a ground breaking case where a jail cop severely beat his wife's rapist, that no accused offender be made to suffer at the hands of the victim's family or friends.
In the same sickly sweet voice Desdemona kept addressing Amos while running her manicured nails back and forth across the bars, picking up speed with each word spoken. "Amos dear, it is yard time, why are you still in your musty old cell? Not afraid of being beat senseless once again are we?" This last sentence said with a suggestive lear in her voice.
An almost deafening silence filled the corridor as Amos continued to ignore the warden. Only a dripping facet in the next cell over broke the silence. Soon the sound started to grate on the warden's nerves and a scream of rage soared from her throat, the veins in her neck standing out in effort, as she instructed her men. "Guards, take her worthless hide out into the yard," a childlike quality filled her voice, "it's time she play nice with all the other little inmates."
Two very large guards entered Amos' cell. The smaller of the two, if you could call six foot five, the wardens minimum height requirement small, stayed at the door as protocall dictates while the second guard, known as big bubba because of his seven foot frame, hoisted Amos to her feet by the collar of her prison issue white tank top.
All of the warden's guards were intimidating figures. All of them were required to live on the island and lived by Desdemona's rules. Every guard was a hulking form of pure muscle thanks to an exercise and dietary program especially designed by the warden. After all these guards needed to be imposing in order to keep all the rowdy and troublemaking inmates in line. Every guard was also issued a steel billy club and a 9mm glock. The guns were technically prohibited, but what warden Tempest wanted warden Tempest got, so the guns stayed. The guards uniforms were simple, military style fatigues in dark blue with combat boots and the number of the cell block they were responsible for embroidered on the sleeves.
Amos was dressed in the normal prison garb of drab blue cotton pants with a draw string at the waistband and a white shirt of any sort, but was missing her shoes. "Warden, may I be allowed to put shoes on before entering the yard?"
Desdemona perked up from frantically examining her nails when she realized that she was being spoken to. She exageratedly looked around finally letting her cold gaze fall upon Amos "Oh goodie, she can still speak. Hmmm, may you put on your shoes? Sorry dear, I'm not in a very generous mood so I'll have to say no. Guards, take her to the yard, NOW!, it's such a pretty day for a blood bath."
The guards quickly escorted Amos down the isle of cell block 01, so designated because it is where all the convicted murders were kept. In a system derived by Desdemona herself every prisoner was given a tattoo on their right forearm with their offense number placed first, then the number of counts of the offense and finally their prison ID number. Amos' tattoo was 01/37/54983. The tattoos are permanent, bold black ink, and many officials have complained over the years that the size is just too big. The numbers stretch from two inches above the writs to two inches below the elbow. This system had such success here at New Alcatraz since it's reopening that the system was quickly implemented at every other prison in the country.
With that order stated the warden headed for her favorite spot in one of the prison towers overlooking the entire yard to settle in and watch the 'show' that was about to begin.
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Finally having traversed the dank halls and stairs of cell block 01 Amos and her escort made it to the yard. The yard was perhaps the biggest mistake of the redesigning of this prison. Its design has been the cause of a lot of the problems with beatings this prison has had. Not that the warden really cares if the inmates are beating each other senseless, she actually quite enjoys and encourages it.
The yard is simply a large square of open grass that is surrounded by all the different cell blocks. The 10 foot walls cannot be scaled and even if an inmate would try they would then have 15 feet of razor sharp wire to deal with and would be shot down immediately by one of the well trained military snipers posted at the corner watch towers around the entire prison. At the north end of the yard sit two basketball courts made of the hardest crack resistant concrete. Just off to the right of the courts is something most people never expect to see in a brand new, state of the art prison, something reminiscent of the old Alcatraz, an area with free weights and exercise equipment. Both of these areas were in constant use over the four hours a day that the different blocks cycle through their yard time. On the south end however stands what the inmates refer to as the Warrior Warden's torture chamber. Along the south wall are four old style sweat huts where rule breakers were locked for days on end with no food and very little light. In between each of these stand a whipping pole that inmates are strapped and beat by guards for being unruly and causing trouble. And finally is the wardens favorite 'toy.' Four stakes planted in concrete that an inmate is chained to spread eagle and left or beaten by the warden herself.
Yard time today was not a pleasant affair because it had rained all night making the ground muddy and it was still drizzling. It seemed as if the bay area fog had floated over the walls and settled in the prison yard. All of the inmates are trying to avoid the muddy ground by converging on the basketball court, but it is becoming impossible as the game that is going on escalates. Soon most of the convicts are shuffling around in the muddy grass ripping it up more and more causing deep mud puddles to form. Every time someone takes a step a squish is heard. Some of the less mentally stable inmates are having a grand old time playing with the earthworms that have come up for a nice tasty drink of rain water. It is just plain miserable out today. The drizzle is constantly changing in intensity depending upon which way the strong breeze is whipping through the yard. The inmates' thin clothing is no protection at all from this nasty cold front that blew in and many are well on their way to having a very bad cold.
All eyes turned to the cell block 01 door as it ominously creeks open and Amos is forcefully pushed through. There was so much momentum in the shove that she ended up on her hands and knees a mud puddle that had formed just outside the door.
Not wanting to lose face in front of her fellow inmates she quickly got to her feet and headed for 'her' corner of the free weights area to attempt to clean some of the mud off of herself. With each step more mud and water seeped between her unprotected toes. Making her leave her shoes in her cell was the wardens way to humiliate her today.
She took a seat in a shadowed corner to begin the count down to pain and torture. While sitting there Amos tilted her face skyward letting the soft drizzle sting her face, plastering her raven hair to her forehead and taking her thoughts to memories of more pleasant times. Amos had not thought of her brothers in a long time.
| Amos was twelve, her younger brother Aaron was seven, and older brother Vance was sixteen. They had spent the day at the bay fishing and having a grand old time. These were happy times. The family business was doing good and dad was due home form sea any day now. They were on their way home when it started to rain, no, make that pour. Vance and Amos with their longer strides took off leaving Aaron far behind them. He soon lost sight of his brother and beloved sister and began to cry right there in the middle of the street. Amos soon noticed that they had lost their younger sibling in their mad dash to get home and started back for him. When she saw him standing there crying with terror in his eyes her heart melted. Amos truly loved her younger brother, he had been her shadow since the day he was born. She quickly ran up to him and enveloped him in a hug and began apologizing for leaving him behind like that. Aaron clung to his sister with the abandon that comes with pure innocence. To complete her apology Amos gave her brother a piggyback ride the rest of the way home... |
Amos' reminiscing was brought to an abrupt end and the wistful smile faded from her lips when she sensed the presence of someone quite large in stature standing just off to her right. She opened her eyes and starred right into the face of her main nemesis, excluding the warden, Kalinda Doyle.
Kalinda was also serving a life sentence for murder, but only one count. She was know throughout the prison as the warden's favorite, favorite. A huge woman standing 6'6", and solid muscle to go with it, she was the main inmate to not make mad at you. Every week she sports a different hair cut, and this week she had simply had the barber shave off her dark brown locks. Her stone gray eyes are emotionless unless she has been given an okay from the warden to beat you up, then they fill with pure childlike glee. Her facial features seem to be stuck in a self-righteous smirk that becomes very intimidating when she smiles. If the warden couldn't get away with beating the stuffing out of you herself, she would find a way to let Kalinda do it.
Kalinda and her 'gang' took a special pleasure in picking on Amos because she was the biggest threat to their reputations. With her 37 counts of first degree murder she had the most gruesome offense and the biggest reputation. To beat Amos down in front of the entire prison population made a big statement for Amos was known to everyone as the most cold hearted, ruthless, and violent murderer since 'Jack the Ripper.' No one knew of the great guilt and remorse Amos held so close to her heart.
It would take the entire gang, which consisted of 14 women all together, to beat her too. But she was always approached and egged into a fight at least once a week, often times more. Almost always the warden would preapprove the fights with the gang, telling them that no punishment would be given out as long as Amos was not killed. Today was no different.
Kalinda walked up to Amos and set the toe of her shoe over Amos' exposed toes. "Hey there honey, where's your shoes? Didn't your mother teach ya nothing. When it's rainy and muddy ya should be wearin' shoes.
Amos attempted to pull her vulnerable toes from under Kalinda's shoe but Kalinda was having none of that and placed her full weight down on her one foot. Amos grimaced internally but never let anything show on her face. "You have no right to talk about my mother and whether or not she taught me anything."
"Oh, is that so, well I think I can, and I also think that your mother did one shitty job raising you, you violent heartless killing machine!" Kalinda continued to apply more and more pressure onto Amos' toes, if she added too much more weight they would soon break.
Amos' temper was short as always and thanks to being humiliated by being thrown out here into a mud puddle shoeless it was even shorter than normal. Amos quickly stood pushing Kalinda back with a feral growl. "NOT today Kalinda, not today! If you insist upon rough housing find someone else today or it will get very ugly very fast."
Kalinda held up her hands in mock surrender while giving two of her girls a look that said 'when she turns her back get her.' Because these women were so dedicated to getting on the wardens good side they would do anything Kalinda asked, even if it meant attacking Amos from behind, which had proven in previous fights to be a very dangerous thing to even think about.
Amos eyed Kalinda for nearly a minuet before turning around to find a new area of the yard to continue her self-berating. As she turned the two inmates Kalinda had signaled quickly rushed Amos one bringing a double fist down on the back of her neck while the other jabbed her hard in the kiddies. This was the biggest mistake that these two had ever made.
Amos instinctively felt the blows before they came but there was no way she could avoid them and they sent her to her knees. The two women stepped back not knowing what to expect next from this dangerous woman. They never should have hesitated. An animalistic growl began to emanate from Amos' throat and as she stood and turned the growl transformed into a full fledged roar as she charged the women. One was dead instantly as her neck snapped before she even knew what was happening, the last thing she saw were enraged electric blue eyes. Her partner wasn't so lucky. As Amos' was snapping the other woman's neck her partner caught Amos foot right in her face instantly breaking her jaw with a sickening crack that echoed thorough the whole yard.
A small circle formed around Amos, her attackers and Kalinda's gang. Rowdy cheers and chanting began to break out and the guards did nothing, and would continue to do nothing till word from the warden came down to them to break up the fight. And currently the warden was in her favorite perch with a look of pure pleasure spread across her features. She knew the gang was going to really lay hard into Amos now that she had snapped the neck of one of their ranks.
After breaking her jaw Amos turned fully to her other attacker and sent a forceful fist into her stomach then with her forward momentum Amos slammed her knee into the woman's face breaking her nose and rendering her unconscious.
While all this was going on the rest of Kalinda's gang was surrounding Amos, many of them had picked up weights and curl bars from the free weights area of the yard and were prepared to charge 'electric blue.'
Amos turned a small circle taking in where all of her attackers were and what they had armed themselves with, this was not going to be a very fair fight. Amos was also having trouble focusing because there was a weight forming on her chest as she mentally added another causality to her list. Unfortunately before this particular inmate had joined the warden's favorites she had tried to befriend Amos and talked to her often during meals, when Amos had not responded to any attempts at friendship she had fallen in with Kalinda and her group. Amos knew all about this woman's husband and three kids on the outside. What an awful surprise they were going to get next visit thanks to Amos.
The final person Amos came to in her slow circling was Kalinda. She had a feral expression on her face and Amos knew she wanted to tear her apart for having killed one of her gang members. The group was closing in slowly. The first woman to reach Amos hit her across the back hard with a curl bar. As Amos stumbled forward another inmate rammed a 20 pound weight into her stomach causing Amos to fall to her knees.
On her knees Amos promptly knocked both women to the ground with her hands, standing partially and kneeing the one in front of her in the stomach. She jerked the curl bar from the back goon's hands and promptly with amazing almost super human force rammed it straight through an oncoming attackers stomach splattering herself with blood. The startled inmate wrapped her hands around the bar and stumbled backwards as her lifeblood flowed not just out the hole made in her stomach but also one in her back where the bar had made it all the way through. Before she was able to get the rest of the way to her feet though there were four more inmates around her with various crude weapons. The all came down upon her at the same time knocking her completely to the ground and continued to beat Amos as she in vainly tried to roll away from there attacks. With mud and blood in her eyes Amos was practically defenseless.
By now Amos was bleeding profusely from her nose and mouth and had a nasty three inch gash above her left eye. She also did an internal injury check guessing that she was probably sporting two broken and three severely cracked ribs.
Each time she rolled a different direction or brought her hands and arms to cover vital areas a new blow would be administered and a new white hot pain would shoot through her body. She could barely breath and her eyes were closed tightly so she could't see that there were now ten women from the gang mercilessly beating on her with weights, curl bars, and bench press bars as Kalinda stood back with a grin on her face watching. Amos finally found a weak spot in the women surrounding her and took full advantage of it springing to her feet and sending two women literally flying with well placed roundhouse kicks. Amos was only able to get off those two kicks before she was surrounded once again and slammed back to the ground.
Kalinda finally stepped in and took one swift whack at Amos' stomach with her foot hearing a satisfying crack as another rib was snapped. "All right enough, let me play with her one on one a little." Kalinda stood over Amos, digging her heel down into Amos' unprotected toes as she slowly pulled out a handmade knife. A gleeful smile stretched across her wide face. Amos, breathing heavily tried to find her strength for round two. She knew there would be a round two, there was always a round two, and with having killed two of Kalinda's goons Amos knew she had to get back up on her feet.
Just as Amos got her feet under herself again a sharp pain of ice cut through her stomach. Her reflexes went towards the wound that was melting onto her white shirt. Looking up she saw Kalinda's smile smirked fuller as she moved her knife to make for another swipe. This second swipe buried the small blade to the hilt into Amos' hip. Flashes of hot pain filled Amos' lungs and a stabbing pain was now shooting down her leg, as she pulled the knife out distractedly flinging it away while looking around for the guards. This fight was taking longer then the others. In fact by now they would have been out here to break it up, she knew that the warden was in a very pleasurable mood to allow this to keep going like this. Filled with anger she snapped her head up and charged Kalinda full force. Kalinda, shocked by this furry filled attack, fell to the ground hard with a strong thud that thundered throughout the yard. Amos licked her lips and felt the flow of her blood trickle down her chin slowly. Her stance was faltering as she tried to catch her breath, something her broken ribs were making impossible.
Kalinda though wasn't even breathing hard let alone bearing flesh wounds and broken ribs like Amos was. Jumping to her feet Kalinda threw a quick powerful kick into Amos' already beaten abdominal. More flashes of stabbing hot pain hint her followed by a stinging cold as she fell face first into the muddy ground. Shaking her head Amos tried to get up but her strength was gone. The only thing left to do was to lay there and take it, something Amos' nature hated with a passion. Who knows though, maybe they would end her pain with one swift kick. Then the Warrior Warden can put them through hellish torture as punishment for killing her favorite pet. It was a wonderful fantasy Amos thought to herself.
"What, the little warrior princess can't get up?" Kalinda grabbed Amos' ink black hair that was covered in blood and mud. "Maybe its time to clean her royalness up." Still clutching Amos' hair Kalinda dragged her over towards the water barrels that were collecting rain water from the building gutters and started to drown her face in the water. She got her dunked twice before the guards came charging into the yard with billy clubs drawn.
Kalinda growled in frustration as a very big guard drug her away from Amos. She stopped all struggling when the warden walked up and winked at her. This clearly meant that Amos' torment was far from over. Amos fell from the barrel face down onto the ground, her pained weezing echoing in everyone's ears.
Still looking at Kalinda the warden started issuing orders to her loyal guards. "Everyone is to be taken back to there cells and we are going to be in total lock down for the rest of the night and all day tomorrow." Groans rose from all around her, but she silenced them with a piercing scream and continued on. "And now as for dear Miss Duncan here, she has killed two fellow inmates in a brawl, punishment must be given out." A cheer rose up from the surrounding inmates. "Who started the brawl?"
Kalinda spoke up eagerly. "She did mam, saw it with my own two eyes, she just attacked poor Alice snapping her neck, then she went after Brenda there." Brenda was being supported by two guards her hands pressed against her aching nose and stomach. There was no doubt in her mind now that the rumors that Amos had committed ten of her murders with her bare hands were true.
Amos just laid on the ground groaning trying to regain complete focus to her eyes, she knew there was no use in giving her version of the events, the warden would punish her and only her anyway.
"Very well, everyone back to your cells while I deal with our little troublemaker. The warden quickly whispered in Kalinda's ear, "Good work my dear, you are getting better and better at beating her without killing her." Kalinda smiled and quickly made her way back to the door to cell block 01 and to her cell very satisfied with her work and looking forward to the special dinner that Desdemona would no doubt send to her and her gang.
Desdemona knelt down next to Amos careful not to get any mud or blood on her expensive suit. "Guard, get the doctor, need to get her all nice and patched up for punishment." The guard chuckled and took off to get the prison's resident doctor.
"Well Amos dear, wasn't that just about the most fun you've ever had in the yard? I know I enjoyed it immensely." Amos just closed her eyes and let all the pain her body was experiencing wash over her blocking out the verbal jabs from the warden.
Desdemona noticed this and smacked Amos hard across her cheek leaving a scratch where her ring came into contact with the skin. "YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME KILLER!" The insane rage was coming through loud and clear now. "YOU KILLED MY FAMILY, 34 OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE, AND IN YOUR EIGHT YEARS HERE, TOO MANY OTHER INMATES TO COUNT SO YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME!"
Amos finally found her voice and cracked her eyes open and looked the warden straight in the eye and painfully whispered two words, the words that had become her personal mantra and what she would say to anyone who would listen. "I'm sorry."
The warden was about to lay into her again until she noticed the presence of the doctor. Dr. Elmer Wilson didn't particularly like his job but it made him a lot of money, even by doctors standards so he put up with having to live on the island prison for the majority of the year. He had also come to see that some of these inmates were not as bad as most people thought, they were just very troubled individuals, especially Amos Duncan. Dr. Wilson, or 'Doc' as he had been nicknamed thanks to sporting the name Elmer and Bugs Bunny always called Elmer Fudd doc, always seemed to be treating Amos for some reason or another. He had gotten to know her quite well and knew of the immense, crippling guilt and remorse that she carried in her heart. Doc knew he was her only friend here, he was the only person she ever talked to and it broke his heart to see that her gentle soul had somehow been corrupted to push her into committing all the horrible acts that he knew she had done. He had even witnessed what her violence was capable of, since he treated all the inmates he got many casualties and wounded sent special delivery from Amos.
Doc knelt down next to the warden and a shocked and equally sad look overtook his face. "Warden, what happened to her? This looks very bad."
"There was a brawl again today. She brought it upon herself doctor, she started the brawl. Please get the cuts cleaned and stitched and check her over, there is punishment that needs to be given out."
"Warden! you can't expect her to be able to suffer through anything else today, she needs to heal." Doc felt a trembling hand cover his and he looked down into Amos' pained blue eyes and saw the slight shake of her head 'no.' She was asking him to please not fight for her now, just to do his job.
"Doctor you will do as I say or I will find myself a new prison physician. When you are done have the guards bring her back out here." With that Doc sighed and helped Amos to her feet and led her gingerly to his exam room.
Doc seated Amos on an exam table and started collecting the supplies her would need to fix her up. He heard a cough and her weak voice began to speak to him. "Doc, don't you ever talk back to the warden like that when it concerns me. She will fire you and you need to keep this job, your family depends upon the money you make." Amos knew full well that Doc was supporting not only his family of a wife and two kids in college, but also his parents and in-laws.
"Amos, I have watched you suffer at warden Tempest's hands for the last eight years, I don't know how you take it, but at least now I know why." Doc came over to Amos pushed her to a lying position and started cleaning and stitching her up, not bothering with numbing agents, he knew Amos would have none of that.
Amos looked up into Doc's eyes confused. "What do you mean now you know why?"
"I heard what she was yelling at you when I entered the yard. It's not right Amos, it's against the law that you're here if you killed her family. I need to tell the officials."
Amos' voice was pained but still very strong. "You will do no such thing! She has the officials wrapped around her manicured little finger thanks to the fact that her father worked for the justice department, there is no getting out of here for me." Amos laid back and closed her eyes, her mouth twitching as each stitch was inserted and pulled tight.
"Amos, you don't know this but since you've been in here there have been two new editions to the inspection panel, they'll be coming for annual inspection in two days, if I tell them who you are in relation to the warden they'll have to transfer you, hell they may even let you off. You've suffered enough Hon...let me do this for you."
"I don't want you losing your job over me. I deserve to be here...."
"DON'T!, don't you say that, I know you Amos Duncan, and you may have been very troubled in your past, but that's just the point, it is pasted. I've known you for eight years, and although you have sent many wounded and dead my way I know it was in self defense Electric Blue. I see the guilt in your eyes, you beat yourself up inside your own mind so much over your crimes that you don't need to be in prison. If I can get you out maybe you can get some real help Amos. You are a very gentle soul whether you believe it or not, I see it in your eyes every time I have to patch you up."
Amos could do nothing but lay there, a solitary tear escaping from her tightly closed blue eyes.
"Now just hang on a sec, I'm going to get you a vitamin shot since I have a feeling that bitch of a warden is not going to be feeding you anytime soon. If she's going to insist upon 'punishing' you you'll need your strength.
"Thanks Doc. Please don't take any risks talking to the officials on my account. I don't deserve the kindness you have shown me over the years."
Doc gave up on trying to get Amos to see herself in a better light for today and gave her a hefty dose of vitamins and minerals. "I'll do as I see fit Amos, now up you go and don't make things any worse for yourself tonight by mouthing off, you hear."
Amos sat up and smiled a genuine smile at the only friend she had within these walls and limped to the door where two hefty guards were waiting for her.
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Amos was lead back into the yard where it had once again started pouring down rain. Desdemona was standing over at her 'torture chamber' under an umbrella inspecting her nails. At the creek of the door she looked up and an almost giddy grin crossed her face as Amos was lead to her.
"Boys, you know what to do." The warden watched with glee as the two guards placed a set of handcuffs on each of Amos' wrists and ankles. She was then chained down spread eagle on the steaks in the ground. After this was done the guards were dismissed, Amos would not be released anytime soon.
"Lovely weather we're having Amos, wouldn't you agree? It's just perfect weather for your punishment." A savage kick was delivered to Amos' already abused midsection. "That stupid doctor has no idea how truly evil you are does he." A heel delivered to Amos' temple broke a few of the doctor's impeccable stitches and the cut began seeping blood once again.
Amos grimaced as the pain began lancing through her body anew. She was barely able to cough out any words. "Does hurting me make the pain and bitterness inside you lessen any?"
At these words a chilling rage overtook the warden and she started screaming like a possessed soul. She began raining down savage blow after savage blow onto Amos finally knocking her unconscious. Finally realizing that Amos was no longer conscious and able to feel the pain fully she calmed down and strode away to seek refuge in her office. She hated that the one sentence the battered woman was able to utter rang so true. All the way back to her office she was muttering to herself, an action that had most of the guards and inmates thinking that the presence of this one prisoner had truly pushed the warden over the edge of sanity. Little did they know her sanity was lost nearly 10 years ago on a foggy morning in her very own home as she looked in to harsh electric blue eyes as the owner of those eyes slashed her father's throat. "Amos, Amos, Amos someday, someday very soon, when your pain equals mine, I will have peace!"
It rained all night long drenching Amos and surrounding her with a pool of frigid muddy water. Her body's shivering woke her not long before dawn. At first she was startled that she could not move her arms or legs but slowly the events that took place less than 24 hours earlier came rushing back into her mind. She groaned with each breath, her cracked and broken ribs making breathing an extremely painful experience. These beatings were increasing in frequency as well as intensity as the 10 year anniversary of the murder of Desdemona's family approached. Amos wondered if she would live through that day.
Being that the prison was in full lock down Amos had the whole yard to herself. Which meant a full day to do nothing but relive every killing and awful crime she had committed over and over in her mind. Today was not going to be a good day.
________________________________________________________________________
The next day Amos was drug back to her cell and unceremoniously thrown onto her cot. Doc was not allowed to treat her in his exam room because the warden had a growing distrust of him, being that he actually got along with Amos.
Doc carefully dressed Amos in clean dry clothes, checked her stitches and re-wrapped her ribs. Then he addressed the warden who was impatiently watching from outside the cell. "Warden, she is severely dehydrated and needs a good meal."
"Yes doctor I know that, and frankly I really don't care, but don't worry your little head, she'll be fed......eventually." As always the warden was dressed in a striking suit standing there examining her nails. "Now take your leave and don't try anything stupid doctor, like trying to get food to her before I say it is all right."
When Amos had been brought back to her cell she was conscious but the effort that it took walking all the way from the yard to the cell block caused her to pass out upon reaching her cot. Desdemona was very pleased with this weeks torture, this was the worst condition she had ever seen Amos in and although it never took the pain away, it sure gave her an awful lot of pleasure to see her main nemesis this way. In fact she had gotten so involved in her 'punishment' of Amos it had completely slipped her mind that the prison officials would be showing up today for their yearly inspection.
Doc on the other hand had been eagerly awaiting this day. He was at the front gate when the guards ushered in the officials. He quickly detailed everything he knew about Amos' relation to the warden. To say that the officials were displeased was a huge understatement, by the time they had been showed into the wardens office they were seething.
Mr. Adler, the senior official of the two that came for the inspection, upon hearing Amos' story was ready to fire Desdemona Tempest right then and their but that would never happen, she would always have control of this prison due to her high connections. Adler hated warden Tempest, he did not agree with how she ran her prison, but every attempt he made to get her removed from the facility had failed. So now he would do something that he knew would drive Ms. Tempest crazy, he'd take away her favorite torture victim. Inmate number 54983, Amos Duncan.
With Adler was his new assistant, and highly skilled parole officer, and the individual who would ultimately end up responsible for Amos, Fairfax Baily. Fairly new to the workings of prison inspection Fairfax was eager to learn and shocked to hear of the relationship between warden and inmate. A deep, unexplainable need to help this inmate filled her soon after hearing about her.
Fairfax Baily seemed unsuited for work in the penal system. She is of average height with naturally cruelly blond hair that nicely frames her face. Her kind face and manner, though, have a way of putting the inmates and the ex-cons she works with as a parole officer at ease. She loves her work and specializes in female inmates so it was inevitable that Mr. Adler would eventually ask her to come on the inspection committee in addition to her parole work.
As soon as warden Tempest entered her office and greeted the two officials she knew something was wrong. Something was terribly terribly wrong and she had the feeling this was not going to be a good day.
Adler spoke up first and got right to the heart of what was causing all the tension in the office. "Warden Tempest, please explain to me why Amos Duncan is in your facility. She is the individual who murdered your family is she not? It is illegal for her to be in this correctional facility."
Desdemona coughed as the coffee she was sipping went down the wrong pipe as she listened to Adler. This was not supposed to happen, no one was supposed to find out about her being here, especially not Adler. "What!? I.....I was told that her crimes demanded she be put in the highest security prison in the nation, that being here, regardless of who I am."
Fairfax now spoke up her disgust for this woman coming through in her voice. "No warden Tempest, no such provisions were ever set during any legal proceedings dealing with Miss Duncan. She should never have been sent here. She has just lived through seven and a half years of violation of her rights set forth by the 'family and friends law' enacted three years before she even came here."
"She will be leaving with us when this inspection is over and brought before a judge to determine a new course of action in her case." Adler stated this as he was leaving her office to begin his inspection.
"NO! YOU CANNOT DO THAT! She is mine I tell you, mine to deal with!"
Fairfax put a hand on Desdemona's shoulder feeling the rage surging through her. "Yes warden we can do it and we will. Make sure she is as at the front gate in shackles waiting for us when we are done."
Other than the incident concerning Amos, New Alcatraz got a glowing inspection form Adler and Fairfax. They were met at the front gate by a very dejected warden as well as the facilities doctor and two guards holding up a prisoner in full ankle and wrist shackles.
"Is all this really necessary?" Fairfax asked taking in all the chains on the inmate.
"It's regulation for capital offenders you know that, especially ones as violent as 54983 here to be in full shackles." Desdemona practically spit these words out all the while glaring at the doctor and two officials. Amos was still pretty out of it and only knew that for some reason she was at the front gate fully chained.
Adler looked her up and down noticing how the guards were having to support her. "What happened to this inmate, she can't even stand on her own?"
Here the doctor spoke up before Desdemona could put her two cents in. "There was a major brawl in the yard three days before you and Ms. Baily arrived sir, Amos here was at the center of the attack, in fact she was the center of the attack. She has three broken and four crack ribs as well as the cut you see on her left temple and a slash across her midsection, two more slashes across her back, and a sever puncture in her hip made by a homemade knife one of the attacking inmates had."
"What about all the bruises, surely they weren't made simply by fists?" Fairfax was confused as to why there were so many deep bruises covering all of Amos' exposed skin.
"Ah, well you see the attacking inmates used parts of the provided exercise equipment as weapons against Amos." Desdemona said this with obvious delight in her voice, realizing to late that this was probably a bad idea. She was pleasantly surprised when neither official had any comment. They must have know that the okay for the weight area came directly to her from her father's best friend at the justice department.
"Very well, warden you have received a rating of 'good' this year, I cannot, in good conscious, give you an 'excellent' as you have received in the past due to the fact that it was never brought to our attention that you had an inmate here illegally." Adler stepped over to Amos and took over supporting her. "We will be leaving now, expect a full report on this incident to be filed with the justice department and the US penal association."
With that Adler and Fairfax gently started to lead Amos through the font gates and away from hell. "Wait...." Amos was finally able to whisper when she realized that she was being taken from this place, that what she thought was never possible was really happening.
Doc came up to Amos as she turned and motioned him over. She hugged him as best as she could being in full shackles and whispered in his ear. "Thank you Doc....I will never be able to repay you for this..."
"Hush Amos sure you will, you can repay me by getting the professional help that you need to get your life on the track it always should have been on." Doc proceeded to crush Amos as gingerly as he could in a bear hug. "I'll look you up when I'm in town on my monthly leaves form the prison. Goodbye Amos, and good luck."
With that accomplished Amos was lead out the front gates of New Alcatraz, the first inmate to ever leave her walls without being dead. She couldn't help the small crocked smile that came to her face. Even if she was being taken to just another prison, anything would be better than another day in New Alcatraz under the iron fist of Desdemona Tempest. She sincerely hoped that she could put it all behind her, but had a deep gnawing feeling that Desdemona would not let her go that easily.
________________________________________________________________________
Three days after walking out the front gates of New Alcatraz Amos found herself standing in a courtroom as a judge, the DA, and Fairfax Baily as her fate was once again decided by the nation's criminal justice system.
Fairfax was speaking on Amos' behalf. "Your Honor, as you can see by the files I have spent the last three days collecting Miss Duncan has suffered a great mis-service by being sentenced to New Alcatraz under Warden Desdemona Tempest. It is my opinion as a qualified parole officer and inmate/ex-con counselor that Miss Duncan should be released fully wit me as her P.O. No one who has undergone the torture that she has been subjected to for the last eight years should be put back into a prison. I've reviewed her, mysteriously incomplete psych profile and believe that with intense counseling Amos would be fine released back into society."
Now the DA spoke up the hostility and disbelief at Fairfax's words evident. "Your Honor, how can anyone honestly believe that an individual with a past as violent as Amos Duncan's could be 'just fine' free in normal society?"
As each side argued the judge was becoming more and more perplexed. "That is a good point counselor but you are not qualified to make judgments such as that and Ms. Baily is. But, Ms. Baily do not get your hopes up. I'm calling a recess for half and hour while I consider everything I have heard here today." The gavel was slammed down and a bailiff proceeded to take Amos, once again in full shackles but now dressed in khakis and a deep blue silk blouse, back to her holding cell to await the judges decision.
Amos was beginning to hate the fact that this was even happening, hearing two people argue over the fate of the rest of her life was grating on her nerves, and this damn holding cell had no cot or chair causing the guard to leave the uncomfortable shackles on. Amos slid down the wall to sit on the floor and just think. Wondering where she would be sent if Fairfax's argument for full release wasn't acceptable. Wondering where she would even go if she was let loose into society. Scared that if she was freed she'd go back to the killing that seemed to come so naturally to her. Eventually her thoughts wondered to her mother and older brother. They had pretty much disowned her after Aaron was killed and she started on her spree of violence and murder. What would they have to say about her release. Neither one of them had visited her even once since her imprisonment, sure the restaurant was doing great and that took up a lot of their time, but did it take up so much that they couldn't visit even for Christmas, the one day the inmates in her cell block were let out for more than an hour during the day. She turned all of this over and over in her mind finally letting out a frustrated yell that brought the guard running.
Amos finally noticed the startled guard standing there. "Oh...sorry, just thinking."
"Okay, it's a free country, think all ya want, but it's time for your ruling.'
Amos struggled to her feet and shuffled over to the door. "It may be a free country for you bub, but I ain't been free for the last eight years, and I'm starting to think that was a good thing."
Everyone stood as the judge entered from his chambers, you could have cut the tension in the room with a butter knife. Along with Amos, Fairfax, and the DA the room was full of the general public and officials form the justice and penal departments. The news that the murderer know simply as "The Monster" in the media was out of New Alcatraz and being considered for full release had traveled quickly in the three days that Amos had spent in criminal medical facility just off the Alcatraz dock. Most every individual in the room believed that releasing her back into society was a bad idea. Amos herself even wondered if it was a good idea, but for some reason Fairfax Baily felt compelled to have her released.
The judge seated himself and motioned for everyone except for Amos to sit also. "Miss Duncan, were are here today to, in essence, decide your fate. You have been done a great disservice by being put into the um......care...of Desdemona Tempest at the New Alcatraz correctional facility. The DA has presented and excellent case against releasing you fully and has even found a suitable maximum security facility that you could be transferred to. You know your crimes better than any of us here, they were cold blooded, violent, and heinous murders. But no individual, no matter how heinous their crimes should have been subjected to the punishment, no...torture, of one of their victims family members. Sitting here today, listening to the compelling case Ms. Baily has put forth for you and looking into your eyes I am compelled to approve full, yet conditional release."
As the judge made this statement a collective cry of outrage came up from the peanut gallery. It took the judge five full minutes of gavel banging and yelling to get the room quiet again. "Anymore outbursts like that and I will clear this courtroom, whether you are from the general public or the justice department. Now...my conditions of release. Ms. Baily, since you have taken such an interest in Miss Duncan's case and are also a qualified parole officer and inmate/ex-con counselor I am charging you with responsibility for making sure my conditions of her release are kept.
Fairfax looked from the judge to Amos a few times before responding. "Yes your Honor."
"Now due to the rarity of cases like this I am going to set down new rules for you to follow as far as parole goes Miss Duncan. Instead of the normal once every month check in, you will be required to report to Ms. Baily twice every month at which time you will also undergo counseling that she deems to be productive for you. Also, you are not permitted to leave the San Francisco area for the rest of you life. This is the only way I was able to justify my instinct to let you go Miss Duncan. Do you understand these terms?"
Amos did not know whether to smile or plead to be locked back up, so she did the only thing that came to her mind, she agreed. "Yes your Honor, I understand."
With that a gavel hitting wood reverberated throughout the courtroom, but the only thing Amos heard were the keys unlocking the shackles she had spent the last four hours in. All at once relief and dread filled Amos' soul and only Fairfax taking her by the arm and leading her from the room snapped her free of her immense worries and fleeting joy.
Five minutes later Amos was downstairs in processing having a state ID and new social security card issued to her. Along with that Amos was ushered into what looked like a medical exam room.
Amos looked around curiously wondering what on earth this room was for. "Um...what is this place for?"
"Amos, as a released convicted criminal offender you have to be implanted with an electronic location chip. It's the newest technology that the penal association has been playing around with over the last four years. It is exactly what it sounds like it is, a chip inserted just under the skin of your neck that transmits your whereabouts to any and all law enforcement offices as long as they have your code in their computers, and I'm guessing that the justice department is going to make sure yours is entered everywhere in the nation. Oh, and Amos, don't ever think about trying to remove the chip because if you do it will send an electrical charge strong enough to knock you out through your body and alerts the authorities."
"Hmm, very ingenious of them." Amos resigned herself to this, not really minding that the law would be able to find her whenever they wanted to.
Finally after half an hour in processing Amos was standing on the front steps of the court house once again a 'free' citizen. Fairfax was standing next to her wondering what the just released convict was going to do now. "Um...Amos, where will you go now, I know you don't have any money and in case you were wondering......I..I bought those close for you for court today. Would you allow me to take you somewhere, do you have some relatives you can stay with?"
"No Ms. Baily, I don't think I'm quite up to dealing with my mother and brother yet. No, but since you're offering I would really appreciate some cab fair."
"Please call me Fairfax, and I'd be glad to lend you cab fair." Fairfax quickly rooted through her briefcase finally finding enough cash for cab fair just about anywhere in the bay area. "Don't forget, you have to check in with me a week from today, and I expect you to have a job by then Amos, there are excellent resources provided for ex-cons at any public library for job hunting."
"Oh I won't forget. I unfortunately have one great memory." With that Amos headed down the street wanting to just walk for a while before hailing a cab. She had some amazingly hard decisions to make in the next few hours and a nice long walk would be the perfect way to think things out.
________________________________________________________________________
After about two hours worth of aimless wandering Amos found herself walking through a park, she recognized it from her childhood, but the name had long ago been changed. Dusk was nearing and the 'bad element' was slowly, but surely making themselves known. Amos was soon noticing, what used to be called in her day, scouting parties for local gangs out and about looking for prospective victims.
Well, she figured it was about time that she be getting someplace to stay before these punk kids decided that she would make a good mugging or rape victim. Amos was just at the exit for the park when terrified screams for help reached her ears. These cries brought back many, many bad memories of the screams of Amos' victims. This and some unexplainable feeling in her gut compelled her to go to the aid of the person frantically calling for assistance.
Amos took off running toward the screams and came screeching around a corner to a site that made her blood boil. Five gang members were standing around a woman getting ready to rob, beat, and rape her. The fear on the golden haired woman's face was clear and it startled Amos when the woman's bright emerald eyes locked with her electric blue in a clear plead for help.
Amos didn't even think twice about jumping in. "Hey boys, why don't you pick on someone who's ready to fight back, unless you're afraid of having you asses kicked by little old me." Amos quickly advanced on the five thugs noting that four of them had switchblades. The largest of the five seemed to be the ring leader and he motioned the other four back while he took care of this pest.
"Okay bitch, prepare to die." The thug made a big show of flipping his blade around and then charged Amos full steam. Amos quickly sidestepped his charge grabbing his knife hand and jerked the knife free as she sent the thug flying head over heals landing him on his back with a bone crunching thump. Amos then quickly knocked him out with a quick heel to the temple with her brand new penny loafers.
Two of the other four thugs charged, and Amos, not wanting to kill anyone on her first day as a 'free' woman discarded thug #1's switchblade. One 'boy' attacked her from each side, Amos quickly back flipped out of their way and they collided with each other and sank to the ground unconscious. "Idiots."
While all this was taking place, the young blond woman stood there transfixed by this dark beauty who was un-selfishly risking great bodily harm to save her from a horrible robbery and rape. She stared in wonder as this amazing woman took down her final two attackers with cat like grace using swift kicks and punches, taking them down and making them stay down. Finally all five gang members lay unconscious on the ground, Amos walked around them gathered up their switchblades and proceeded to throw them in the closest trash can.
"Excuse me Miss. are you all right, they didn't hurt you did they?" Amos walked up to this beautiful young blond and tapped her on the shoulder. Umm...Miss..."
She finally she snapped out of her daze and looked up at Amos totally taken in by her magnificence. As she looked her in the eyes there was a sense of familiarity washed through her. "Oh my....yes, um I mean no, they didn't hurt me, thanks to you that is. Thank you, oh God thank you so much...oh goodness, I'm feeling a little shaky here." Amos could clearly see the petite woman starting to shake as light shock at what just happened set in.
"Okay, okay, hang on Miss..." Amos quickly stepped to her side and gingerly walked the shaking woman over to a nearby bench and sat her down. "There you go. Just breath deeply and let yourself calm down a bit." Amos absently started rubbing the young woman's back in an attempt to calm her down.
"Oh God, thank you so much, um...."
"Amos, Amos Duncan, and there is no thanks necessary. I was just doing what comes naturally to me." Amos chuckled to herself a little at her own inside joke. Yes, beating the shit out of people sure did seem to come naturally to her. Amos finally realized where her hand was and quickly and awkwardly removed her hand from the woman's back.
"Well I disagree you deserve my undying gratitude, oh where are my manners. My name's Emma, Emma Riordan."
Now it was Amos' turn to be shocked. "You're the Emma Riordan, the author Emma Riordan? I've read every one of your books, they were a great comfort to me while I was in pri.....I...um, well, while I was going through a very bad period in my life."
"Oh...well, I'm glad to hear that." Emma was truly happy to hear that her books were well received by the public, but it made her feel even better to know they had helped someone in some way. "My I'm feeling quite a bit better now. I, um...well I guess I better be off home now. Um....would you, I mean, would you mind walking with me? I mean if that's not to much to ask? Oh what am I thinking of course it's too much to ask, you just beat up five thugs, and you hardly know me..."
"No...it's not to much too ask at all, I don't mind walking you home Miss Riordan." Amos had no idea why she was being this nice to this woman. Under normal circumstances Amos would have just saved her and went on her way regardless of who she was. But for some reason Amos felt compelled to help and protect Emma.
"Oh, well thank you again, and please call me Emma."
"Only if you call me Amos."
"Deal, so shall we?" Emma stood from her perch and started walking, just now noticing how tall Amos was, she had to be at least six feet if not taller. Emma felt very small beside her in her five foot four frame. She found herself being more and more drawn to watching her, dare she say, savior as they walked toward the exit of the park. Her movements were so graceful and cat like, and she had the most striking coloring that Emma had ever seen. Olive skin with wonderful raven hair, and the most out of place yet strikingly gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen. They almost seemed to have little bolts of lightning shooting through them as they strolled under each of the lights along the park's main pathway. Emma knew that she'd gotten to the point of starring at Amos when she heard a nervous clearing of the throat coming from her walking companion.
"So...where do you live Miss...I mean Emma?" Amos had felt the young woman's eyes on her ever since they had started walking up the path and wondered just what this woman saw when she looked at her. Did she have any idea that she was walking beside one of the nations most notorious murderers? Was she trying to place her face from a long ago seen news clip? Amos was becoming more and more nervous and her instinct to bolt was doing it's darndest to kick in and have itself noticed.
"Oh, um...I live South of Market. In fact I just moved there last month. It's a wonderful area. There are great restaurants and night clubs, not that I'm much of a clubbing person myself. Do you know the area Amos, have you lived here in San Francisco long?"
"As a matter of fact I grew up here, but I've been away for quite a while. It's interesting, my mother and brother run a restaurant South of Market." To Amos this was a sign, dropping Emma at her place would put her in the exact area that she would need to be to see her mother and brother for the first time in over eight years.
________________________________________________________________________
They reached Emma's apartment building fifteen minutes later and it was now completely dark out, the only illumination coming from the street lamps.
"Um, Amos, would you like to come up for some coffee or tea, it's the least I can do as thanks. You pretty much saved my life tonight." Emma was standing at the door to her building shuffling her feet feeling like a giddy teenager as she asked this magnificent woman up for coffee.
"Sure...I'd like that." Amos couldn't believe her ears, was that her voice that just agreed to having coffee? Why did she feel so drawn to this young woman after having spent a mere fifteen minutes walking her home? This shouldn't be happening, Amos had no plans to make any friends upon being released, her friends only ever got hurt or killed for associating with her, some had even died at her hands. Her main promise to herself upon release was that she would go it alone, as it should be for someone as violent as her. But, no, here she was agreeing to have coffee with the beautiful little blond author she had just "saved."
They climbed two flights of stairs to Emma's floor and entered her apartment. Amos was immediately awestruck by the sheer size of the studio apartment. It was one large room with three areas separated by furniture. One area was set of as a living room with a couch, chairs, coffee table, and TV, it took up most of the room. All of the furniture was very modern, Emma obviously shopped at the most trendy places. There was a full kitchen with a state of the art electric stove, a small microwave, capachino machine, coffee maker, a huge stainless steel refrigerator complete with through the door water and ice, and the color scheme of the kitchen was simple black and gray but quite stunning. The third downstairs area was were Emma worked. There was a massive ebony desk with not one but two computer's sitting on it. Behind the desk sat a plush black leather office chair. Just to the right of the door was a set of stairs that led to a loft area that Amos guessed served as Emma's bedroom and where the bathroom was located. The bedroom area was very simple. A bed, in the same ebony wood as the desk, sat in the middle of the loft with two matching nightstands on either side, one sporting a digital alarm clock, the other holding a stunning crystal lamp. To the right of the bed was a door leading to Emma's bathroom, the one area of her apartment that could be considered a disaster area. Standing against the wall left of the bed was a dresser that matched the nightstands and bed. On top of the dresser was a collection of pictures in polished silver frames. The pictures were of Emma's family and friends, along with pictures that her sister had taken at her first contract signing for her first best-selling novel. Also, since the studio was one big room, there were various antique endtables scattered throughout that all had state of the art halogen lamps placed on them. These lamps created the soft, enchanting glow that filled then entire dwelling.
The apartment was decorated floor to ceiling in bright earthtones, and had brightly polished hardwood floors. The walls were all painted a rich burgundy and liquid navy blue with stunning art hanging at various intervals. The art that covered the walls was everything from Van Gouge prints, to an original Monte, and some of the most striking ancient Greek and Egyptian sculpture that Amos had ever seen. The main wall of the apartment faced the street and was almost all solid three pained glass. The view, even though it was only a second floor studio, was stunning. The building across the way was a mixture of Ancient Greek and Post-Modern architecture that was easily inspiring for the imaginative author. Also from the angle that the building sat you could see much of the skyline from this second floor, and it created an almost magical show of lights. This apartment screamed young, rich, and cultured.
As Amos stood there awestruck and feeling very out of place Emma began bustling around her kitchen getting her coffee maker up and running. Soon Amos noticed a soft rumbling noise and a light pressure winding it's way around her ankles. She looked down to see an enormous soft yellow cat purring and winding around her legs.
Emma noticed a bewildered look on Amos' face which confused her till she looked down and saw her cat shamelessly bugging Amos for attention. "ARGO! really, must you so shamelessly beg for affection, don't I love you enough?" Emma walked over to Amos and reached down to scoop up her beloved cat. "You know, that's amazing normally she hates everyone who walks through my door. Amos, this is Argo, my big fat fuzball. Come on, come over here and have a seat while the coffee gets going."
Soon Amos was seated in one of Emma's soft forest green overstuffed chairs sipping hazelnut coffee while Emma was sitting across from her on the matching couch her feet propped up on the glass and oak coffee table with Argo content in her lap. "So tell me, how long have you been away form San Francisco? I grew up here too, my parents live over in Nob Hill."
"Oh, um...I've been away for just under eight years. It's not something I really enjoy talking about." Nob hill, Amos thought to herself, yep definitely rich, old money at that.
"I'm sorry, forget I brought it up." They sat there in an uneasy silence until Amos finally spoke up and asked the question that had been bugging her ever since she had beat up the five thugs in the park. She had this growing feeling of protection for this small talented author.
"Emma, if you don't mind my asking, just what were you doing in that park at such a late hour. It's not exactly one of the safer areas to be, even in the daylight for that matter."
"Oh I was doing some research for my next book. I know, I know, it's not safe for me to be out all by myself but I've been having trouble getting just the right feel for certain scenes in this novel and let me tell ya, I know exactly what I'm going to write now. But don't worry, I won't be taking off into any park anytime soon all by myself at any hour." Emma blushed as she realized she was babbling and had answered Amos' question a long time ago. "Oh I'm sorry, I do have this awful tendency to babble."
"That's okay, well...." Amos looked up at the clock taking note of the late hour. "I'd best be getting on my way, thank you for the coffee." Amos stood and headed for the door hoping to get away before Emma tried to thank her again.
"Okay, yeah, I guess it is getting pretty late. I really feel like I should do something more to thank you." Emma got up and shooed Argo away and walked to the door where Amos' had her fist tightly squeezing the doorknob.
"No, you don't need to do anything else, coffee, and a promise that you'll stay out of that park are thanks enough."
"Oh that's a promise, but really, can I have your phone number or address or something, I'd really like to, say take you to dinner or something, I at least owe you that much."
"I don't have an address or phone number yet. Like I told you I just got back into town." And with that Amos made a quick exit out of Emma's apartment leaving the author standing in her doorway with her mouth open a sentence ready to jump out, but she couldn't even form the words before Amos was at the stairs flying down them.
At the sound of Argo meowing Emma snapped her mouth shut and closed and locked her door. "Well Argo, that sure was one interesting woman. My God she is beautiful, no that doesn't even come close, she's so much more than beautiful. She's like one of those amazon women I've been reading about. Did you see her eyes, and I thought you had pretty eyes." Emma continued to babble on and on to her captive kitty audience receiving little burps and meows in response to her ravings. Emma couldn't explain the deep need that had developed in her to get to know this woman.
Now Emma started her old practice of talking to herself. "Really Em, get a grip, you hardly know this woman. Sure she saved your life tonight but geeze, she probably thinks you're some kind of weirdo for trying to get her phone number and address out of her." Emma climbed the stairs to her loft Argo hot on her heels all ready to climb into a nice warm bed. "Argo, why do I feel so drawn to this total stranger." Her only answer was the starting of Argo's purr motor as she plopped down on her bed to attempt to get some sleep.
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Amos exited the author's building her heart pounding her need to bolt and get away from feelings she didn't understand finally taking over. She quickly took in her surroundings and started the three block walk to her mother's restaurant. Seeing her mother and brother was, no doubt, going to be the hardest thing she has ever had to so Amos used the three block walk to regain her focus and lock the emotions that had started to slip through in the presence of the cute little author away.
Five minutes later Amos reached the front entrance to The Amphipolis Gardens authentic Greek dining. This restaurant had been in the family since before Amos was born and it had always been thought that she and her brothers would eventually take over running the place, but that went to hell in a handbasket the day her little brother was killed.
Amos entered the establishment that she knew so well. She noticed that very little had changed. They'd redone the marble floors and there was some new artwork about, but other than that it was just as she remembered. The open air porch was brightly lit and buzzing with patrons and the spacious two tier dining room was filled to capacity with dozens of customers waiting for a table to open. As Amos was looking around her eyes finally landed upon the two people she came here in search of. Her brother, looking more handsome than she ever remembered in a very well tailored Armani suit was making his rounds at the tables checking to make sure everyone was happy with their meals. Vance had the exact same coloring as Amos right down to the striking eyes, but where her hair was long and flowing his was cut to a clean, almost military buzz. He was a good three inches shorter than Amos but carried himself with confidence. Finally Amos' eyes landed on her mother. She was behind the bar chatting with customers and having them try her newest creations. She looked so alive and vibrant compared to the last time Amos had seen her, which was in a filled to capacity court room as Amos was sentenced to life in prison. The disappointment Amos had seen on her mother's face still haunted her dreams, but there was no trace of that in her features as she chatted and joked with the patrons. Her mother was very short, barley making five foot three, but you could clearly see where Amos got her good looks and coloring from, and if possibly Thirza Duncan's eyes were even bluer than her only daughters.
Amos slowly made her way up to the podium that Vance would eventually get back to to see about seating the next set of guests. Finally he turned in her directions and their eyes locked as an unreadable look came over his face. He quickly excused himself from the conversation he was having and made his way to where Amos was standing.
"Amos? Is that you, what...how...oh my God!" Vance was quickly losing his grip on coherent speech. He could not believe his eyes. How on earth was his sister standing there before him, she was supposed to be locked away in New Alcatraz. He did the only thing he could think to do. "Follow me." Quickly Vance started leading the way to one of the back rooms they used to use to do homework and study in as kids.
Once in the room with the door closed Vance turned on his sister and started shouting. "What in the hell are you doing here, how did you get out, you're supposed to be in prison with no chance for parole. I want an explanation and I want it now!"
Amos was expecting this, she knew she would get hostility from her brother. They used to be so close, not as close as she was to Aaron, but none the less close. When she had started with her spree of violence Vance was very confused and resentful that Amos would throw away their relationship in favor of violence and murder.
"Vance, please calm down, I figured I owed you and mom and explanation before it popped up somewhere in the news that I was out. The new officials found out that it was me that killed the warden's family. When they found out I was taken from New Alcatraz and put before a judge again. Somehow the person arguing for me put forth a good enough argument to get me conditionally released back into society. If I'd of had it my way I'd still be in a Max security facility, but I'm not, they released me, the idiots." Amos fell into one of the old rickety chairs and placed her head in her hands the days events finally catching up with her.
Vance was beside himself. "How could they do this, you belong in prison, you know that as much as I do, don't you Amos, I can see it written all over your face."
"Yes...I believe I do, but I'm out and I'm going to have to deal with it, and so are you and mother. Don't worry they didn't just cut me free and clear. I have to report to a parole officer and receive counseling, not to mention this lovely little locator chip that's itching like crazy."
"Amos, why did you come here. Why torture mother like this?"
"I'm not doing this to torture her, but I need to at least see her, just like I needed to come and see you. Vance....I...I know you've both disowned me and I understand, but you're still my family. I can't explain it there's just some feeling inside me that pushed me to come here and see you both."
Vance was pacing back and forth in front of her. "Amos, I can't say that I will ever be able to get over the things you've done, but you are still my sister, I never disowned you. But please, try and make your peace with mother and leave."
"Thank you Vance." Amos rose and left the room leaving Vance standing there still slightly in shock. Amos made her way out to the bar and took a seat at the end and just watched her mother for a few minutes. She looked so healthy and happy, Amos hated to make any waves in her happiness but she felt that she had to do this.
Thirza Duncan was joyfully tending bar when she felt as if she was being watched. She looked up from the glass she was cleaning and scanned the patrons that were seated at the bar. When she reached the end she stared right into eyes that mirrored hers own. The glass slowly slipped from her hands as she looked, unbelieving, into the eyes of her only daughter, a daughter that she never thought she would see again. The shattering sound of the glass echoed throughout the entire establishment bringing some conversations to a halt and causing others to lessen in volume, but soon the normal restaurant noise resumed as Thirza made her way down to the end of the bar to see if she was experiencing a delusion or if this was really her Amos sitting at the end of the bar.
"Amos...is that you?" Her voice was strained and Amos could barely hear it over all of the conversation and kitchen noise.
"Yes mother, it's me...I've been released and I've come here to try and make peace with you and Vance."
Thirza was close enough to Amos now that she reached out and took Amos' hands in her own and started squeezing them. Her voice was a harsh whisper now as she tried to fight off the shock of seeing her daughter. "How?"
"They found out mother, the new officials found out that I shouldn't have been sent to New Alcatraz and they saw fit to release me for eight years of 'dis-service' of my civil rights as a criminal offender." Amos was now looking down at their joined hands as she fought and barely succeeded at holding back a torrent of tears the disgust at what she was saying was clear. "They never should have, I know...but it's happened, so I've come to see you."
"I'm glad you came Amos...but....I...I cannot deal with this right now. I need you to leave Amos, don't ask why or how, just do it." Thirza released her daughters hands turning away quickly oh her heels attending back to the bar as before. Amos, lowering her head in understanding, leaves with fallen tears of the pain she felt emerce from her mother.
Amos was mad at herself for foolishly believing that Vance or her mother would want to have anything to do with her. She was a monster and they knew it better than anyone. She quickly hailed a cab and set off for Tenderloin to see her old friend Sal to find herself a place to live and see about getting, for the first time in her life, a legitimate job.
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Emma awoke in a cold sweat the last tendrils of an amazing dream fleeing from the edges of her brain. She rolled over getting a protest yelp from Argo and looked at her alarm clock. It mockingly displayed 12am at her, and Em stared at it in the hopes that it would amazingly roll back to that fleeting half hour she had spent with the enigmatic Amos Duncan.
Em knew that getting back to sleep was a near impossibility so she resigned herself to getting up to do some work on her latest novel. She quickly donned a fluffy flannel shirt and made her way down to her desk flipping on her two supped up PC's complete with flat screen monitors. Emma's attention was drawn to her feet as Argo set to purring and twirling for attention. "Oh all right Argo, you can come up here but you better not go prancing across my keyboards again."
After about ten minutes of just sitting there reading over and over the last paragraph that she had typed Em let out a frustrated sigh as she continued to stroke Argo's silky fur. No matter how hard she tried she could not get the image of Amos out of her mind. It didn't matter whether her eyes were open or closed she kept seeing those striking electric blue eyes, high angular cheek bones, flowing ebony hair....she could go on and on.
She finally gave up with working on her novel and pushed back from the computers with a defeated sight. Closing her eyes all Em could see was her dark haired savior gracefully striding toward her, arms open as if to take her into a wonderfully safe and loving embrace. "Oh Argo, I think I'm becoming obsessed with a total stranger." Em opened the bottom drawer of her desk and took out a small, beat up three ring note book and opened it to an empty page. This was, as her sister called it, Emma's little collection. It was filled with thoughts and poems that the author had composed over the years. She cleared a spot on her desk setting the notebook down and just began writing. The poem just seemed to flow from her brain right out of the exquisite old fountain pen Em's grandmother had given her.
Electric blue eyes
Where did you come from
Electric blue eyes
Who sent you
Electric blue eyes
Always be near me
Electric blue eyes
I need you
If you should go
You should know I love you
If you should go
You should know I'm here
Always be near me
Guardian angel
Always be near me
There's no fear.
Upon finishing the poem Emma looked at her words wondering why they had flowed so effortlessly from her mind. She was amazed that simply spending a half an hour with this woman she barely knew could produce such a powerful poem from her. She had never written anything with so much ease of emotion before tonight. One line in particular started nagging at Emma, 'you should know I love you.' Why had she written this? She'd know this woman for less than an hour, how could she be professing something as powerful as love for her even if it was just in a poem? Em quickly shut the book and put it away. She scooped up Argo and headed back for her bed. All of this was really getting to her and all she really wanted to do right now was snuggle down with her fluffy overfed cat and sleep, but as soon as her head hit the pillow and she was asleep visions of her dark haired, blue eyed savior and protector filled her dreams.
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Amos' cab dropped her in the middle of a block on the outskirts of Tenderloin. She knew this area well, all to well, but it was the best place for her to start keeping her promise to Doc. She quickly made her way down the street stopping when she reached her goal, Sal's Pawn Shop, owned and operated by her dear old friend Sal Jala.
She made her way up the chipped concrete steps and tried the door. It was locked, as would be expected for this hour, but if Amos knew Sal he'd still be around counting up his profits for the day. She quickly and expertly picked the lock on his door and snuk in the musty smelling shop pausing to let her eyes adjust to the light. Her ears soon pick up on the sound of a man gleefully counting in the back room. Amos made her way there and snuk in making absolutely no sound whatsoever.
Sal was sitting at a large oak desk going through his till and marking in his log book his profits for the day. Sal was a naturally jovial fellow, with short gray hair and a beard that was still black. He was slightly over weight and stood a mear 5'6". Amos knew Sal because over her years as a murderer Sal had, not very willingly, provided Amos with weapons and provisions she needed to allude the police. Somehow through it all they had become friends. He was the only person who had ever taken the time to visit her in the eight years she spent on New Alcatraz, but after she became more and more closed off he quit going.
Amos was now standing right behind Sal her shadow casting down over his log book. "Whoever you are just stay there and don't move, I've got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it." The shake in Sal's voice was clear and a small smile formed on Amos' face as she listened to his false bravado fall horribly short of being believable.
"Come now Sal, you wouldn't shoot and old friend now would ya?"
Sal spun in his chair and looked right up into a pair of blue eyes that he though he would never ever see again. And as he looked into them he knew they weren't the same eyes. These were not the eyes of "The Monster" who he sold weapons to all those years ago, these were the eyes of his friend Amos "Electric Blue" Duncan. The woman who he became very close to over the duration of her trial. Sal was the one person outside the walls of New Alcatraz who knew how remorseful Amos truly was.
"AMOS, is that you, is that really you?" The pudgy man jumped out of his chair and proceeded to crush Amos in a huge bear hug.
Amos sucked in a pained breath, her ribs were still healing and this hug was not helping them along any. "Sal....Sal please, I have broken ribs, and yes it is really me." Amos couldn't help the smile that came to her face as Sal pulled back and held her at arms length to get a look at her.
"Oh wow, you're out, I didn't think they would ever let you out Amos. Believe it or not I've missed seeing you."
"Yeah Sal, they have stupidly let me out. Come on sit down and I'll give ya the whole story." Amos and Sal sat down and she told him of everything that had lead her to be here at his shop at this time of night, even recounting her little adventure with one petite blond author.
"Well, my oh my, that's quite a story there Electric Blue. So why have you shown up on my doorstep at this hour?" Sal already had an idea of what she was going to ask but he had to be sure.
"I need a cheap place to live and I need you to use your connections to get me a legitimate job, and close your mouth yes I said legitimate job."
"No problem, I have some connections down at Cal Trans there are always some construction openings, I'm sure I can get you right in. And as far as a place to stay, you're welcome to the apartment above the shop here."
"Thanks Sal, now if you'll excuse me, I'm really tired and would like to retire to my new 'home.'
With that Sal lead Amos around the shop to a set of rusty stairs that lead to an old one room apartment above his shop. Sal didn't use the place he lived over in Pacific Heights, his shop, as well as many other sales ventures such as his car lot over in the financial district making him enough to allow him a nice living.
"Goodnight Amos, sleep well, it's great to see you."
"Thanks Sal, but you know I never sleep well." With that Amos clapped Sal on the back and entered her new apartment. It was one room that had an old leather couch and two easy chairs in the middle of the room, a small kitchen with a table and two chairs, an old gas stove and a clanking fridge. Over in the far corner by one of the two windows sat a small twin bed. The floor was covered with worn yellow carpet and the walls had a surprisingly fresh coat of beige paint. The walls were bare and only two table lamps sitting on a nightstand and an endtable lit the whole apartment. Well...at least Sal kept the place livable since it was almost always on the market for rent.
Before she had left her mother's restaurant Vance had pulled her aside and handed her a suitcase that he had been storing that had all of her clothes and her few worldly possessions. She was touched that he had kept it and hoped that maybe she and her brother could have some semblance of a sibling relationship again.
Amos didn't feel like doing much of anything but sleeping so she stripped out of the clothes that Fairfax had bought her for court and stripped back the covers of the bed pleased that no roaches went scurrying. She slipped in the bed and hoped and prayed for a dreamless sleep, but for once her dreams were not filled with memories of blood and gore but with the voice and vision gorgeous emerald eyed author.
Additional Disclaimer: Emma's poem - "Electric Blue Eyes" By The Cranberries. No
copyright infringement intended.
Chapter 2
The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive