Chapter 1: Katie
My alarm clock blares as it wakes me out of a dead sleep. I groan and roll over and look at the clock as it reads seven in the morning. Why did I decide to wake up this early again? Oh, right, so I could go and work out before starting my shifts, duh. I groan and stretch my body out on the mattress as I rub the sleep from my eyes. I sigh and stand up to get ready for my mundane day before I go in for my first shift at the prison.
Since I graduated from nursing school about two weeks ago, I have been getting up at seven o’clock every morning and going for a thirty minute run. Once I get done with that, I get a quick bite to eat and I head to the gym to either do my MMA class or to do a regular weight workout. Last on the to-do list before I go into work is to come home, get a shower, do some of my chores, and then pack my lunch in my clear, plastic backpack. I sigh as I slide my analog watch on my wrist before I head out the door with my homemade lunch and my clear plastic water bottle that I can get through security.
I drive out to the middle of nowhere where the prison is located. It is the largest maximum security prison in the whole state and houses convicts of all varieties from small crimes like possession of controlled substances all the way to death row. I feel my heart rate increase as I roll to a stop at the main gate. I see the drug dogs on standby as I roll down my window and put the car in park.
“Hello, ma’am. We need you to put the car in park, take your foot off of the break, and unlock all of your doors. Are you afraid of dogs?” The officer looks down at me as I do as he says.
I shake my head politely. “No, sir. I actually love animals.”
He nods his head and the dog proceeds to do his quick search of my vehicle. When the search is complete, he moves the dog out of the way and hits the top of my car twice. “You are good to go, ma’am have a nice day and be safe.”
I nod my head as I pull forward. “Yes, sir,” I say to him with a polite smile as I pull past the main towers of prison. I look up and see the two guards standing there with their semi-automatic guns poised and ready to fire. I pass the heavy duty fence with barbed wire curled around the top and drive slowly up the driveway to the employee parking lot. I feel a slight panic coming on as I notice some of the inmates are out in the yard and they stop to look at my car as I pass by the chain linked fence. I shake my head slowly as I remember what my brother told me going into this position.
They are going to find out everything about you, Katie. Your first name, your date of birth, and so much more. They will know what car you drive within the first week of you being there. They will know how old you are within the first month. It won’t take them too long to figure out that we are brother and sister, but we can slow the process by ignoring each other entirely for as long as possible.
I sigh and shake my head as I pull into the parking spot and turn off my car. I turn my phone on silent and place it in the glove box along with my wallet and my pepper spray. No weapons, no cellphones, and no unnecessary items are allowed in the prison at any time. All of these items are considered contraband and can be used as evidence against you in the court of law. Mostly what will happen is they will confiscate it and they won’t give it back to you, but they can pursue legal action if they wish.
I double check my bag before I head in to make sure I have everything I am going to need. Once I go in, I can not leave until I am ready to end my shift. I sigh as I rest my head into the pack of the seat and shake my head slowly. Am I cut out for this? I mean, I gave up going to the Naval Academy to be a nurse. My father had pulled strings with the Secretary of the Navy to make it happen and I gave it up to go to Nursing School. I shake my head and roll my shoulders back.
“Come on, Katie,” I say to myself. “We can do this.”
I quickly get out of my car and grab my backpack. I throw it over my shoulder and lock my car to head inside. As I turn to go inside, a guy on the back of a motorcycle speeds past me into the parking lot and sprays dust all over me. I sputter and cough against the dust as it settles back to the earth and I find the guy who was on the motorcycle. I rush towards him and shake my head as I cross the parking lot to stand in front of him.
“Excuse me,” I say as I put my hands on my hips. He doesn’t respond to me. I growl in frustration as I tap him on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” I repeat myself.
The guy shuts off his bike and turns to look at me. “Yes...?”
“You almost hit me, sir. That isn’t polite and it isn’t okay.” I fold my arms across my chest as the guy sits up taller on his seat. I watch as he takes his helmet off of his head and I see the arrogant smirk of none other than Nick Olsen.
I groan as I shake my head and lower it to the ground. This f*****g guy.
“Awe, Katie Bug, did you really want to come and see me before your first shift?” He gives me an arrogant smirk that I wish I could wipe off his face with my fist.
I snap my eyes up to his as I stare daggers into his eyes. “Don’t call me that, Olsen. We go by last names here and you know that.”
Nick being the arrogant bastard that he is, swings his leg over his bike and places his bike helmet on the seat. He unzips his leather riding jacket and shows off his work shirt underneath. The man is actually really good looking. Tall at about six foot and three inches, dark brown hair that is kept in a high and tight military style haircut, rippling muscles through his whole body that have tattoos showcased on his perfectly tan flesh. His green eyes glint with humor as he shakes his head.
“Katie, Katie, Katie,” he starts to chastise me. “When are you going to learn that I am always in charge?”
I c**k my head to the side and look at him confused. “What are you talking about Nick? I’m a nurse and you are an officer. You aren’t in charge of anything let alone me.”
He chuckles and moves closer to my ear. “Oh yeah? Do you not understand what this rank on my chest means?”
I look down at his chest and see an emblem of two lines on his chest. I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Why should I even care? You are always going to be the same old Nick who has bullied me since we were kids and just so happens to be best friends with my older brother. Your rank here means nothing to me and I just want you to leave me alone and stay away from me. Got it?”
He gives me another arrogant smirk and rolls his eyes as he puts his hands up in defeat. “Got it… I will stay away from you unless my job puts me near you. Even though we don’t like each other, we do have to work together, so play nice and I won’t walk you out of my prison.”
Wait a second… I snap my eyes open and I feel the blood drain from my face. “What do you mean by my prison? You don’t own this place, the state does.”
He chuckles and I see the evil glint in his eyes as he steps closer to me. He bends down so he can whisper in my ear and I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge as he does so. “Just remember that while we are inside of this prison, I am not Nick. I am Lieutenant Olsen and I expect you to respect that title and my position. I have the right to walk you out at any point in time for any reason and you will lose your job if I do that. So, play nice Katie Bug and I won’t have to result to extreme measures to get you to behave.”
I gasp as I pull away from him. I watch his smirking face and I feel my cheeks heat up with rage. How dare he? How dare this useless man say this s**t to me. I growl in frustration before I turn around and stomp into the building. As I do so, I pass my older brother and shove his shoulder as I pass.
“Out of the way, jackass,” I say as I head straight inside of the prison to start my in house orientation.
