Hack.A.I. (The Hack. series Book 1), page 3
Chad lay unconscious on the floor, his leg ninety degrees in the wrong direction and blood dripping sideways down his face onto the floor.
“What the fuck. Useless bastards! Ey, got some moves you, haven’t ya, pal? But you got to get past me now, mate. Few people do that.” Dochlan said, as he took his jumpsuit jumper off and laid it on the machines and took something out of his pocket. The blade, Nate guessed.
Nate could feel his chest thumping.
“Well done, Nate. There was a sixty-two percent likelihood of failing to reenact my instructions.”
“I wish you hadn’t told me that. What now?”
“There are two officers approaching from different directions. ETA three minutes. You could wait for them to get to you. But I must warn you, prisoners caught fighting get put into solitary confinement for up to a week. And we would have to put the escape on hold.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Eyy, you are fucking nuts, mate, talking to yourself all the time.” Dochlan interrupted, still standing in the way of the only exit.
“Working,” SQAI replied. “Approach Mr Dochlan slowly. Presenting your palms as if he is the police about to arrest you.”
Nate followed the instructions carefully. And slowly walked towards Jamie with both palms visible.
“Just in front of you, there is an empty laundry trolley. Between you and Mr Dochlan. When you get close enough, I want you to shove it as hard as you can into him, forcing him to stop it. On the machine to the right of you, there is laundry powder. Pick it up with your right hand and throw it at him so the powder explodes over him. Temporarily blinding him.”
Nate had gotten within eight feet and the large four feet high, six by four cotton basket wheeled trolley, was just in front of him. He shoved it as hard as he could.
“Two minutes until the officers arrive.” SQAI stated in his ear.
Jamie stopped it just before it crashed into his stomach. Nate threw the powder upwards, so it got right in Jamie’s face. He stumbled backwards, cleaning the powder out of his eyes and spitting it out.
“Now, charge at him and swing the outside of your left arm to knock the weapon out of his hand. In the same motion, loop your arm over his forearm and underneath his elbow so that your hand is against his armpit. And lock it completely within yours. Drive the space between your index finger and thumb of your right hand into his throat.”
Nate lunged at him and locked his arm in and punched him in his windpipe.
“Ninety seconds.”
Jamie spluttered and coughed. Trying to catch his breath.
“Squeeze your left arm to expose the crease of Mr Dochlan’s elbow and punch as hard as you can upwards underneath his elbow.” SQAI interjected.
Nate followed the instruction and heaved when Jamie’s radius bone of his forearm cracked and broke through the skin in front of him. Spurting blood all over Nate’s face.
“One minute.”
Amid Jamie’s muted scoffing screams, Nate heard a clatter as the metal hit the floor behind him. The blade.
“Release the grip on his arm, drop underneath it and punch him in his rib and drive your knee into his chin.”
A few seconds later, Jamie was laying in a pool of blood on the floor. Unconscious.
“Ten. Nine. Eight…”
Nate heard the footsteps approaching.
five
Nate closed the door slowly to not seem too conspicuous. He pressed his ear against the door and perceived the officer's footsteps come to a halt right outside. He heard him grunt and then release wind.
“That’s better!” The guard said.
He listened to the guard’s footsteps sauntering away again.
Nate waited until the footsteps were clear before peering outside the door.
He picked up an outfit from the non-collected pile. It was slightly too big for him, but not covered in blood at least. Nate changed quickly and stared at the glass of a washing machine door, where there was a heavy blood splatter. Then he felt for the blood on his face and charged over to the tap in the corner.
Nate scrubbed the blood from his face and hands and checked in the mirror for more.
When he thought he was completely clean of blood, he opened the door, peered out quickly to check if no one was around, and finally stepped out and closed the door behind him.
The large officer, Terry Morgan, was waiting atop the corridor staircase and watched Nate leave the laundry room and followed Nate’s entire apprehensive walk back to his cell.
He went to check out the laundry room and found the three men on the floor. He hit the buzzer and guards came running to the trigger’s location.
“A quick summary. Based on the head injuries sustained by Mr Sullivan, he will be in hospital for two to three weeks. Superficial swelling and cuts will last six to eight weeks.” SQAI said in his ear.
“Mr Lornan’s knee injury will leave him incapacitated for three to six months and his head injuries and any concussion sustained will last two to three weeks.”
“Jesus,” Nate replied. Adrenaline still coursing through him.
“Mr Dochlan’s broken arm will take six to eight months’ recovery after the operation. His windpipe would’ve recovered by now and the broken jaw sustained two to six weeks.”
“Okay thanks SQAI, I don’t need any more summaries.” Nate said, cringing at the thought of their injuries. “Holy shit! I can’t believe I did that. Not bad for a scrawny teenager, eh?”
“Congratulations, Nate. You successfully defended yourself.” SQAI replied.
“That was my first ever fight. Well, as an adult, anyway. And I won. I kicked ass. All that training on the dummy actually worked.”
“Yes, it did.”
“This test run is going pretty well, SQAI.”
“Agreed. It has been successful.”
Nate’s head popped up like a meerkat when the buzzer rang out. And he waited for someone, anyone, to come to his cell, but no one did.
It’s a prison, he thought. The prisoners do not talk to the officers. Even if they did, they would just have the shit kicked into them.
Half an hour had passed, and the buzzer had stopped. They had likely taken all the men to the hospital wing. And the prison returned to a normal state once more.
Nate didn’t leave his cell and read the book recommended to him. All the while glancing at the door every so often. He prayed the message would find its way to the whistleblower, but he could never be sure until he reached his cell that night, hoping the person was there waiting.
An officer had left a pen and paper in Nate’s cell.
Presumably for most people to inform their family about their first night's experience.
SQAI recommended he write the note instead.
“He may react defensively.”
The note contained who Nate was, instructions and the plan to escape.
Don’t let me down, old timer, Nate thought.
People would wander past Nate’s cell all the time, naturally, being on the ground floor. But he felt a presence gathering outside.
He wondered if it was a few officers planning to raid the cell.
Nate tucked the note into a fold of his book and continued to read.
“SQAI?”
“Working.”
The middle-aged Scotsman Nate had met at breakfast walked into his room. Kramer.
“Well, I’ve caught wind of a little rumour about you.”
SQAI confirmed his aggression score as low.
“Yeah, and what’s that?”
“That you took out Jamie Dochlan and his bum boys.”
Nate continued to read as he spoke.
"I wouldn't trust everything you're told."
"Normally I wouldn't, but I just came from the infirmary and observed the damage you inflicted."
Nate pursed his lips and nodded once.
“Good on you, kid. Didn’t look like you had it in you. Although it’s got everyone here thinking you are a spook or something.”
“I’m not. But I have been training, preparing myself to come in here.”
“Clever boy. Or perhaps foolish. I can’t quite tell yet, because now you got the Dochlans after yous.”
Nate glanced up from his book.
“I’d say most definitely foolish.” Nate replied. “Can I ask you something? Since you are well-informed about a lot of the happenings in here.”
“I’m not so sure about that, but go ahead.”
“Does whoever works laundry usually return after lunch?”
Kramer furrowed his eyebrows and visually searched his mind with his eyes.
“Uh, no, not normally. It usually gets left until the next day. Why?”
“No reason. Curiosity.” Nate returned to his book.
“What are you all looking at?” Terry Morgan hollered to the crowd gathered outside Nate’s cell.
“Is it true?” Another man shouted back at him.
“We are investigating what happened and if anything else occurs before our investigation concludes, we will throw those responsible in solitary for three months. Do you understand?”
Terry Morgan didn’t wait for them to answer and walked into Nate’s cell.
He almost filled the entire doorway. Only two slivers of light could squeeze past him from the well-lit block. It reminded Nate of a solar eclipse.
“Catch you later, kid. And good luck.”
Kramer squeezed past Morgan, who didn’t make it easier for him by not moving.
Above Morgan’s head was a list of all the data that had been harvested for him. His personal information, browsing history, location data, his communication data, his net worth, and many more.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened this afternoon?”
“I’m not sure what you are talking about. Sir,” Nate replied, still not taking his eyes off his book.
“DON’T make me out to be daft, son. I saw you leaving the laundry room.” Officer Morgan stole the book out of Nate’s hand and slammed it on his desk.
Nate looked at the book, the note’s corner peeking out of the bottom.
He changed his gaze to Morgan. Hoping he wouldn’t notice.
SQAI brought up an in-depth personal file.
Terry Morgan. Two kids. Divorced. Member of several English Defence League groups on Facebook.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Well…” Nate got to his feet and stared back into his eyes. “You fed me to the wolves, it seems.”
Morgan’s broad shoulders dipped a little.
“What are you talking about?”
“You told me to go back to work when nobody else had to or did. And then three people magically appeared, threatening my life and there was no officer in sight for twenty minutes. Suspicious, to say the least.”
Nate could observe Morgan's face becoming more and more angry.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he retorted through gritted teeth.
“Let me guess, you originally sent them down to the yard to greet me, but I had already left. And that’s why you were so angry.”
“Whatever you are accusing me of, boy, it will not end well for you.”
“That’s why you came to see me alone, wasn’t it? So that you wouldn’t be a suspect for setting me up. And that’s why you will do nothing now.”
Morgan gave a knowing smile.
“Or perhaps your superiors would be interested in being informed about all your affiliations with the EDL.”
“How could you possibly be aware of that?” Morgan’s brows furrowed.
“It doesn’t matter. But what it means is that you are going to walk out of here and not bother me again.”
Morgan smirked sarcastically and nodded slowly. “Okay. See you around. Kid.”
six
Nate stayed in his cell, ignoring the dinner announcement. Aware of his imminent freedom, he planned to find food.
A succulent maccies maybe. He salivated, thinking about it.
Remaining in his cell also meant it would be safer from any Dochlan 'affiliates' seeking retaliation. He needed nothing impeding the escape. Especially this close to the time.
Nate wanted to keep his head down but some people only understand violence. He knew that coming in.
Harlem turned up to collect the note. Using a question about the book he recommended as cover.
But nobody else bothered him for the rest of the evening, and another siren rang out and closed the cell doors for the night.
The screaming and jeering began again after lights out.
“SQAI, wake me up ten minutes before the staff change over.”
“Of course, Nate.”
He napped before the staff rotation.
“NATE!”
Nate jumped up and glanced around the cell to see he was alone.
“SQAI, god damn! What did I say about waking me up like that?”
She played an audio recording of the exact sentence he had said.
“No, I know what I said. I just…” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter.”
“The staff changeover is about to begin.”
“What’s the time?”
“Nine twenty post meridiem.”
“Just say PM it’s fine.”
“No problem, Nate.”
“It’s go time.”
Nate readied himself, got to his feet, and grabbed the book. He was enjoying it. It’s not the worst crime he would commit today. That’s for sure.
“Okay, SQAI. I need you to get into their CCTV system. Is that patch I created still there?”
“Yes, opening up now.”
On each of Nate’s lenses, four different screens are displayed, showing the current footage of eight different cameras.
A main corridor that Nate had walked down the day before. Another of the main exit where there were several officers already leaving. The car park where several cars pulled up, full of incoming staff, and Nate’s block, which was devoid of anyone.
He watched the guards leaving the prison, heading for their cars.
“SQAI, I need you to monitor all incoming staff’s whereabouts and if they are walking along my exit route.”
“Working.”
“Okay. I hope this guy has got the note.” Nate took a deep breath.
The mixture of smells from the cell hit his nose, including the sterile bleach staining the floors. And the damp smell from the well-worn excrement coloured bedding he had given to him on arrival.
“We have thirty minutes, starting now. Ring the siren to drown out the sound of my door opening.”
The siren rang and then the humming buzz; the locks clunked as they unlocked and it screeched open. Nate waited and watched the cameras. Wishing that he would be the only person hearing it open.
The sirens rang out randomly all the time. They were the perfect cover. Sometimes the ‘screws’ would ring them just to mess with the sleeping inmates.
It went unnoticed, and all the guards continued to leave. All in a hurry to get home.
SQAI positioned the camera displays at the corner of Nate's glasses and showcased them in rotation to prevent blocking Nate’s vision. Flicking from one camera to another every few seconds.
Nate waited the fifteen seconds it took for his door to open.
“SQAI, put up the smoke screen on the cameras, following along with my movements. ”
“Smokescreen enabled. Your heart rate has increased, Nate. May I suggest some breathing exercises?”
“I’ll be okay. Let’s just get this done.”
Nate peeked out of his cell door, searching the block with his own eyes. It was empty.
He stepped out, and that was it. He was an escaped convict. Albeit, for a crime that he didn’t commit. Under a name that isn’t his. But still. Something to add to his CV.
Taking no chances, he crouched and hugged the walls to the main entrance, bypassing cameras. He needed to be sure no one would see him out in the open.
The warm summer nights had well and truly gone, but the rich, beautiful night sky was visible in all its glory tonight. The full moon provided enough light through the skylight to fill the block with that white haze.
Slowly he got to the main block entrance, unnoticed.
“So far, so good. SQAI, can you open it?”
The heavy metal door creaked open.
Nate snuck out into the corridor and waited for the all clear.
“Are the two men still in the office?”
SQAI displayed the one camera trained on the office across the entire display of his glasses.
“Yes. As you can see, they both have their things gathered, ready to leave, but are deep in conversation. If the door opened now, it would alert them.”
“Okay, let’s just wait for them to finish. They can’t have much to talk about at this time of night.”
Two minutes had gone by and the men continued to chat.
“SQAI, we are losing too much time here. I need you to get them moving.”
“Creating distraction.”
Within a second, the man’s phone began buzzing.
“Uh oh. My wife texted me to get home. Since she got pregnant she’s become a little aggressive.” He said to his colleague, with a smile on his face.
“That’s not good.” The colleague laughed. “Sorry for keeping you chatting, mate. You best get home to your wife before she rips your balls off.”
At long last, the two guards stood and exited the office, making their way up to the third door.
Nate was about to ask for SQAI to open the door when he saw them pause at the top of the hallway.
“Do you think I should lock the office?” The expecting dad said to his colleague.
“Nah, Dave won’t be long. And you don’t want to give your missus anything else to be pissed about. Believe me.”
“Good point.”
They both chuckled and continued up to the third door, scanning their passes. The door opened, and they left.
