He stepped forward and held out his hand. Captain shook it and got to his feet.

“How long you in here for?” Captain asked.

For the first time since knowing him, Rory heard excitement in Captain’s voice. He even smiled, a proper smile that lifted his dulled eyes.

“I’ve got eighteen months left.” Zeke said. “Want to get some water?”

Captain nodded. “Sure.”

Rory smiled at Sebastian. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

He sat down in the seat Captain had been in, then grimaced, and shifted to the one beside it. “Sweaty. How are you today?”

Rory raised his shoulders. “Other than being bored, I can’t complain.”

“Bored? I can help you with that…”

“I’m not playing cards with you.”

Sebastian snorted. “Fine. How about chess?”

“Chess?”

“That’s what I said. You any good at chess?”

Rory shook his head. “No.”

“Neither am I…”

He waved Einstein and Damon over. Einstein had a chess board in his hands, and he placed it on the table and chuckled.

“Here we go…” he mumbled.

“I’m supposed to believe you’re awful at chess?” Rory muttered.

Damon laughed. “He is, really awful.”

Einstein sighed. “I tried to teach him, but he’s hopeless.”

“I’m not buying it.” Rory muttered.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “You’re bored, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So let’s have a few games.”

Rory sighed through his nose. “Fine.”

They played chess. Rory played badly, but Sebastian played even worse. It was three games to Rory when Einstein cleared his throat to get Rory’s attention.

“This is the perfect way to win back your phone cards.”

Rory lifted his eyebrow. “Yeah?”

Damon nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, you’re wiping the floor with him.”

“I haven’t got anything to gamble with.”

Sebastian pursed his lips. “I’ll tell you what, you win, you get six phone cards, I win … and I get a back rub.”

Rory leaned back in his chair. “You want a backrub?”

“Hell, yes.”

Einstein shook his head. “Don’t worry, boy, no chance of that, he’s awful at chess.”

“Yeah?”

Damon smiled. “You’ve got this.”

Sebastian stuck his hand out across the table. “Deal?”

“Deal,” Rory said, shaking on it.

As soon as they’d shook, Damon burst out laughing, and Einstein muttered ‘stupid’ under his breath.

Sebastian looked at his friends. “As I said, nothing going on in this one.”

“What?” Rory said.

Damon gave Rory a pitying look. “He’s the best chess player in here. No one will play him anymore.”

Sebastian winked. “I think you knew it, you just wanna touch me up.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You can start on my shoulders, maybe my thighs, too.” His eyes glinted, and he gave Rory a confident smile. “I’m already looking forward to it…”

Damon hastily set up the board, and Sebastian gestured for Rory to take the first move. He moved his pawn, and the game began.