Chapter 11

The day had dragged on, one tedious task after another. Between checking the general cells and handling minor disputes, my thoughts kept drifting back to Luigi. I'd told myself I wouldn't give him any more attention than necessary today not after everything.

But when my rounds brought me near Unit 7, I found myself pausing at his door. I didn't announce myself, didn't knock or call his name. Instead, I just looked inside.

He was seated at the small desk in his cell, his back slightly hunched as he concentrated on something in front of him. Letters. A neat stack sat beside him, along with an open one in his hand. He didn't notice me watching.

For a moment, I felt a strange pang in my chest. He looked... calm, almost normal, like any other man reading mail from people who cared about him. It was easy to forget where we were, who we were.

I stepped back, shaking off the thought. Keep it professional, I reminded myself. It's better that way. Without a word, I continued down the hall, trying not to think about how peaceful he'd seemed or how rare that expression was on his face.

As I walked into the break room for a much-needed coffee, I noticed a few familiar faces agents I had worked with before, gathered in small groups, talking amongst themselves. But Roberts, as always, stood at the center, his presence commanding attention.

I grabbed a cup of coffee and tried to remain unnoticed, but it wasn't long before one of the agents glanced in my direction.

"Well, well, if it isn't the rookie," one of them remarked, smirking as if to confirm their unspoken assumption.

I ignored the comment and focused on making my coffee, hoping they'd lose interest and let me be. After all, I had been here for not even a week, and the last thing I needed was to get tangled up in their usual teasing.

But just as I was about to head out, one of the other agents chimed in, "You know, you're kinda quiet for a new face. Don't talk much to anyone, do you?" He chuckled, as if it were some sort of mystery why I didn't engage. "Only Daniels, huh?"

I forced a smile, unwilling to show irritation. "I'm just here to do my job," I said flatly.

Roberts, overhearing the exchange, glanced over at me with a sharp eye. He was the one in charge here, the one who had welcomed me on my first day, but we had barely spoken since then.

His presence made the room suddenly feel heavier. "The rookie doesn't waste time with small talk," he said with a small, knowing smirk. "But you know, Vega, if you want to survive here, you'll need to learn how to speak up every once in a while."

I stiffened slightly, not enjoying the tone he was using, but I kept my cool.

Before I could reply, Roberts flicked his gaze toward the hallway, where the usual hustle and bustle of the prison could be heard through the walls. "Speaking of 'doing your job,' make sure you're keeping an eye on Mangione," he added casually, his voice carrying a subtle, almost disdainful note. "I don't know how much longer he's going to keep playing innocent, but he's planning something"

I resisted the urge to question what he meant by that, my mind still lingering on the bruises I'd seen on Luigi's face earlier that day. It was hard not to suspect Roberts had been the one to lay his hands on him, but I couldn't prove anything so I kept quiet. The thought of confronting him made my stomach churn.

Roberts leaned against the counter, looking around the room with a disapproving look. "Honestly," he muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear, "All These people in the cells, they think they're humans. They're all the same. Trash. A bunch of criminals, whining about their rights. It's all just a game to them."

I felt a flicker of frustration rise in me, but I pushed it down, not wanting to get into it with him. I had seen how he acted towards the inmates  while passing and doing my rounds and it didn't sit right with me. His disregard for their humanity was obvious, but I kept my thoughts to myself for now.

"Understood," I replied flatly, trying to sound calm.

Roberts didn't seem to care much about my response. With a nod, he turned to the others and continued his conversation, leaving me to wonder whether there was something more to his comments.

It was 5 PM when I came to take Luigi for his free hour. I walked down the hallway towards his cell, the sound of my boots echoing on the concrete floor.

When I reached the door, I unlocked it without a word. Luigi stood up slowly, and as our eyes met for a split second, there was something unspoken between us. He didn't say anything, and neither did I. The silence was palpable as we moved down the corridor in the same direction.

"Let's go," I said, keeping my voice firm, as if trying to distance myself from the thoughts that had been creeping into my mind all day. I didn't want to deal with him not after everything that had happened, especially the moment we shared in the infirmary.

Luigi followed without protest, his heavy footsteps matching mine. As we approached the showers, I couldn't help but feel the tension between us growing stronger. His presence, so close behind me, felt suffocating, like a force I couldn't escape.

We reached the door to the showers. I stopped, unlocking it, and waited for him to step inside. For a moment, there was silence again, but this time, it wasn't just awkward it was charged, like something was hanging in the air between us.

Luigi looked over his shoulder at me, his expression unreadable. "I guess... I can't apologize for everything," he said, his voice low. It was a strange thing for him to say, like he was admitting something to himself but couldn't fully say it to me.

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I stood there, eyes locked on his. I didn't want to get involved in this. I didn't want to force anything. But something in the way he said it made my heart race a little faster, and I cursed myself for letting him get under my skin like this.

"Don't bother," I finally replied, my voice clipped. "I'm not here for that."

"No," he said, his voice softer now. "I mean it. Talking to someone, even if it's just for a few minutes, it helps. Even if it's just you."

The weight of his words hung in the air between us, pulling me back. I didn't know how to respond. Part of me wanted to tell him that I wasn't his savior, that I didn't want to be the one he relied on. But I couldn't bring myself to say it.

Instead, I just sighed, frustrated. "I'm not here to fix you, I just wanted to help."

We stood there in silence for a moment, the tension building like a storm. Then, I moved towards him, reaching for the cuffs. He didn't make a move, but his eyes were still on me, that unsettling intensity in his gaze.

I removed one cuff and I looked up at him, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, time seemed to slow.

"Why do you make this complicated?" I said quietly.

He stared at me, his expression unreadable, and for a long second, we just stood there.

As I removed the second handcuff from his wrist, I broke eye contact. The space between us was minimal, the silence around us heavy, and for a moment, it felt as if time had stopped. I didn't want to look at him.

The sound of the radio pulls me back into the reality of the situation. Daniels' voice crackles through

"Officer Vega," Daniels calls again, his tone firmer now.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and grab the radio. " yes officer " I say, my words coming out a bit more clipped than usual.

" after your shift pass by my office" I nod, more to myself than her. "yes" I say through the radio.

I glance at Luigi and I take a small step back,  "Hurry up," my voice firm but distant. "We're wasting your time."

There's a pause, and then he asks firmly, "Do you really think that?"

I don't respond, not immediately. My eyes stay fixed on the floor for a second, when I decide to look at him, I capture a small apologetic smile

as I turn to leave the room "Just hurry up," I mutter as I step outside, trying to keep my composure.

As the door closes behind me, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I feel conflicted, the tension of everything creeping back.