He tried not to think of the incident with the phone. “I’m notnotbeing careful.”
He hoped he’d get another smile for that, but he got one better. Eli gave his hair a thorough ruffling. “Come on. We’ve got a date with the warden.”
He caught Eli’s hand, meaning to keep it in his hair, but stopped while it was still in the air. “Cruces?”
“Alvarez just told me. I think it was supposed to be a private invitation, but he must know I can’t go anywhere without my seeing-eye puppy. Think we’re in trouble?”
Yes. Very much so. “Of course not. They’re going to give you a medal. Didn’t you hear?”
Eli took his arm as if they were going for a pleasant stroll—and maybe they were. “A medal! How exciting. What’s it for?”
“Best prison ass.”
“Why? Did you decline the honor?”
He knew why Eli said it, but he flushed to the ears anyway.
“No, no,” Eli protested. “Move your hand. Don’t hide it.”
He was still pink by the time they got to the Warden’s office. He knew he was, because Eli was comparing him to a camellia blossom.
“Close the door,” said the Warden from behind her desk.
He left it open a sliver, thought about it, and then closed it properly as she’d asked. He had no idea what to make of the expression on her face, and it had him more than a little tense. They stared at each other from across the desk while the clock ticked away the seconds from up on the wall. Finally, when Eli opened his mouth to break the silence, the warden broke it forhim.
“I’ll just come out and say it. Dr. Thompson, you’re being released. You’ll be a free man as of eight o'clock tomorrow morning.”
Samuel grabbed for the nearest chair, but his legs were steady enough. Tomorrow. It was impossible. He’d only just gotten off the phone with his father. Jethro was a force of nature, but could he really have worked through it all so quickly?
Eli was less affected. Actually, he hardly seemed surprised. “No, thank you.”
Samuel wasn’t sure he’d heard right. Or rather, maybe Eli didn’t understand what the warden had said. Maybe the warden thought so too, because she said, “I don’t think you understand.”
But Eli did understand. Or at least, he had certainly come to some sort of conclusion, because his jaw was set, and his eyes were nothing like they’d been out in the hall with all the light in them. “Actually, I think it’s you who doesn’t understand. You see, I’m not leaving this prison without Samuel, and you’re smart enough to have figured that out already. So let’s cut the bullshit and start the negotiations properly.”
Maybe he needed the support of the chair after all. “What…?”
Eli turned to him and some of the hardness in his face receded. He offered up a hand. “It’s alright, puppy.”
He made a grab for the hand, and if there was any comfort to be had in that room it was right there in that warm and dry palm. It did nothing about his confusion though. “What are you saying? What negotiations?”
The hand closed firmly around his and pulled a little, a question. Samuel let himself be drawn close. Eli was looking at him with those devastatingly dark eyes and radiating assurance. “I know you’ll think it ridiculous, an ancient invalid like me, but I think the higher ups, whoever they are, see me as a threat.”
“A threat?” His mind immediately went to the last movie night when he’d watched Eli's eyes grow wet not once, but three separate times during a ninety-minute film. “You?”
The warden’s snort drew their eyes. “Don’t sound so surprised. With every two-bit villain in this place—and more than a few of the heavy hitters—taking a sudden interest in justice after ignoring it all their lives. No, the sooner you’re out of here, the better, or I’ll have a full-scale riot on my hands the next time the commissary runs out of your favorite snack.”
He was beginning to see. It was because of Bee and what he’d done. They’d forgotten how big he was. How strong he was. But they were awake now. And they’d learned the wrong lesson. “Snacks? Really? Are you seriously comparing The Android to—”
“It isn’t going to end with The Android. The doctor’s little fan club has made that abundantly clear. So you’re out. The release forms are already signed, and I don’t see where you think negotiations come into it. Our personnel are more than capable of escorting you from the building no matter how eager you are to linger.”
He looked at her and for the first time noticed how thin she was and how tightly the skin was drawn over her body. It gave her such a severe impression, and he’d mistaken that for competence. And shewascompetent. She knew how to run a tight prison, that was for certain. But he’d thought there was more there. More to her than that.
Eli made a sound halfway between a snort and a chuckle. “Oh, escorting. Yes, I’ve encountered that special brand of your welcome already. I don’t doubt you’ll evict me, but I'm surprised you want to. You see, however much of a problem you think I am now, I really can’t emphasize enough just howmuchworse of a problem I’m going to become once I'm outside. Worse for you, of course. I’ll be having too much fun making your life a living hell to feel much anxiety. Because if you think I’ve stirred things up so far, well, just wait until you see things once I’vegotten access to the press. My husband always did say I had a face for television.” Eli’s smile stretched into something terrible as he braced his hands on the desk and leaned forward. “I’ll bring every brick of this prison down if I have to, and honestly? I don’t think you’re going to be a tough nut to crack. I’m afraid the remarkable talents of this prison’s personnel have quite a few skeletons in their closets. More than enough to get you fired, if not blacklisted altogether. In fact, Ms. Cruces, you might find your future employability isn’t all that much higher than the esteemed clients of your institution after I get done with you.”
Samuel could only gape. His mind was slipping all over Eli’s words, unable to find purchase anywhere. The warden didn’t look to be in much better shape, but she found her voice.
“Am I supposed to be afraid of you?”
