He struggled to his feet, gritted his teeth, and growled through the pain. Sebastian looked as if he was about to help him, then thought better of it and laid back down. Rory pulled himself onto the top bunk. He knew he wouldn’t be getting any sleep, too guilty over Captain’s predicament.

****

Rory glanced up from his table and frowned at the guard advancing on Sebastian. He spoke into his ear, then Sebastian stood up and excused himself. Rory narrowed his eyes and studied the guard and Sebastian’s exchange. Then he recoiled when he saw the guard handing over something, and he quickly stashing it in his pocket.

Sebastian didn’t just have the inmates under his control, but some of the guards, too. He looked over, and Rory averted his gaze. He knew he hadn’t been quick enough when he saw Sebastian approaching from the corner of his eye.

Sebastian moved around the table and sat down opposite Rory. He lifted his eyebrow, but Rory didn’t say anything. Sebastian sighed, then reached into his pocket.

“You look bored.”

“I am,” Rory mumbled.

Sebastian placed a pack of cards on the table. “I’m here to solve your boredom.”

“Cards.”

“Very observant.”

Rory narrowed his eyes. “You wanna play cards?”

Sebastian nodded, then emptied the cards into his palm. He shuffled them hypnotically fast, then dealt Rory a hand.

“How about it?”

Rory peeked at his cards. “I guess.”

“Great…”

They played cards, and their game got the attention of Sebastian’s closest friends. A middle-aged man with a scarred face called Damon, and an older guy with glasses and wisps of hair around the side of his head. Rory had heard Sebastian refer to him as Einstein.

“I gotta say, you’re not bad, Rory,” Sebastian mumbled, “but why don’t we play for real stakes.”

“Like what?”

Sebastian huffed, then removed a wad of phone cards from his pockets. “I came by these today…”

He gave Rory another challenging look, but he didn’t rise to it.

“Ten phone cards, how many have you got?”

“Two…”

“Okay, if you win, you get my ten phone cards, if I win, I get your two.”

“Why would I want ten?”

Sebastian shrugged. “You could trade them for favors, or sweets, or maybe it’s not about the cards, maybe it’s about trying to beat me.”

“Oh, go on, kid,” Einstein muttered. “Wipe that smirk off his face.”

Damon nodded along. “You’ve got this.”

Rory shrugged. “Fine.”

Sebastian shuffled in a fast blur, then dealt the cards out. Rory peeked at his and nodded to himself. Damon squeezed his shoulders. “You’ve got this Rory, boy.”

Any confidence shriveled and died when he saw Sebastian’s cards. He cracked his knuckles, then held out his hand for Rory’s phone cards.

Rory slapped them down on his palm. Sebastian stared at him, then moved his gaze to Damon, then Einstein.