INVISIBLE PRISON (INVISIBLE RECRUITS) Read Free

inmates meant a death sentence.
    “No, sir,” I managed between split lips. “Just a misunderstanding.”
    I thought I’d managed a plausible recovery but from the warden’s expression I’d failed.
    But he didn’t say anything, just shifted his attention to the other two in the room. Both of whom I’d missed, which told me how badly I’d been beaten. Only the naïve ignored the biggest predators in a small, enclosed space, and I had no doubt these two were top of the food chain.
    One, a whipcord lean man, stood against the far wall, a strategic position that allowed him to guard his back and launch into an effective offense if needed. I doubted he needed to often as he gav e off that mess-with-me-and-you-die vibe that action heroes and mercenaries have down pat.
    But he wasn’t the biggest bad ass present. No, it was the diminutive Amerasian woman seated in one of the two faux-leather visitor’s chairs that had me bracing myself.
    I wasn’t sure why. She seemed fully human, but I could be wrong. She held herself still, an elegant tilt to her coiffed black hair, groomed to the nth degree, compact and assured. She looked like a strong wind could topple her and might have been anywhere from mid-thirties to early fifties and holding well. So why did I want to call Big Mad Martha for back up?
    “This is Alexis Noziak?” she asked, as if she held reservations. I had no doubt this woman had my social security number, knew my legal file in and out and could probably share my bra size if questioned.
    “Alex,” I said, moving forward, an involuntary shift to protect Martin from association with me. Which was just dumb as Martin was the one with the club, mace, and full force of the law behind her.
    The seated woman smiled. “Alex, then, a pleasure to meet you.”
    Said the spider to the fly.
    I glanced at the standing man who watched me with dark, dangerous eyes. No ally there. Then shot t he warden a what-the-hell glance. He answered with a slight shrug of his shoulders I bet he didn’t know he gave.
    He spoke to the two civilians though. “I’ll leave you three to your business.”
    Captain abandoning the ship.
    He moved from behind the desk toward the door, sweeping Martin before him in an action so quick I expected a breeze as the door clicked shut behind him.
    “Won’t you please take a seat,” the woman murmured, sweeping one elegant hand toward the chair opposite her.
    “No, thanks. I’ll stand.”
    I might not be able to move quickly or fight off an attack, but I was still alert enough to tell that all of us knew this wasn’t a social call.
    “Don’t be an idiot,” Mercenary Guy snarled. “You’re safe.”
    Yeah, like I was going to believe him.
    I shook my head, cringing at the movement. “I’ll stand all the same.”
    I could have sworn his lips twitched upwards, but sweat, or blood, dripped into my eye and I was too focused on wiping it away to be sure.
    “The warden informs us you’ve been an exemplary prisoner,” the woman said, easing into business.
    I didn’t reply. Exemplary in prison meant you kept your nose clean, didn’t cause problems for the higher-ups and avoided, as much as possible, fist fights with the other prisoners. I’d blotted my copybook on that score today.
    Instead of speaking I glared at the petite woman, willing her to get to the point so I could stagger off to my bunk.
    “Forgive me,” she said, taking me by surprise as she stood. “I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Ling Mai.”
    She extended a hand that had me flinching. I don’t know what I expected, weapon, threat, something, anything except a manicured hand that gave a decent handshake when I finally met her halfway.
    “And this is my colleague, M.T. Stone.” She nodded toward the man who didn’t bother with a handshake or any other social pleasantries.
    He reminded me of my oldest brother Van, ex-Special Forces, now working some other hush-hush job for some government agency. Right from the