Disclaimer:  I do not own any of these characters and am just playing around with them.

Animal

“Are you kidding me?”  The doctor cried as she stared disbelievingly at Warden Halloway.

“Do you have a problem with my decision, Doctor Brookes?”  The slight man in his fifties with graying hair asked.

“Your so-called guards have had free reign of this prison for far too long!  They are abusing the inmates and their authority!  If you don’t want a riot on your hands I’d suggest you start cracking down on these goons.  By giving Hendricks a slap on the wrist and a few days off, you’re only condoning his behavior.”  Doctor Brookes said in angered dismay.

“He was out of the restraints, we put him back in them.  John Doe is an animal, he deserved to be treated like one.”  Hendricks smirked from his seat.  The doctor glared at him in a way that made him look away.

“Doe almost died!  If I see one more inmate in the condition John Doe was, I’ll have the police and the human rights folks in here before you put your baton away.”  She snapped at the guard who didn’t look back at her.  “I saw the surveillance footage, Hendricks, it wasn‘t self-defense.”

“He had no remorse for what he did to Howie Willow.  Do you remember him, Doctor Brookes?  The guy who’s nose you had to sew back on while we waited for the paramedics to get here?”  Hendricks shot back at her.  “And a little bird told me that not a week before you said something to Doe in confidence.  Did you make a deal with him?  Did you want him to hurt Willow in exchange for ... a favor?”

Doctor Brookes’ pale complexion turned as red as her short hair.  She glared at Hendricks with her green eyes and her lips trembled in anger.

“What exactly are you accusing me of?”  She snarled.

“I’m saying that you aren’t exactly the pinnacle of piety around here, Miss Brookes.  You can deny it all you want, but I know you’ve been making friends in the population.”  Hendricks said with a sly smile on his face.

“Bullshit!”  She cried and got to her feet.

“Doctor Brookes sit down!”  Halloway said slamming his fist on his desk.  She gazed at him for a moment before she took her seat.

“What do you think these prisoners would do to you if we weren‘t around to keep and eye on you, Miss Brookes?  Maybe you should keep a check on that temper, Doctor, or you’ll end up like your old man.”  Hendricks said coldly.

She turned back to him and squeezed her trembling lips together and then looked back at the warden.

“Warden?”  She said, her voice wavering.  He nodded and she shot up from her seat, nearly knocking it over.

“Prisoners have rights.”  She said.  “And I don’t agree with you Hendricks.  I don’t think John Doe is crazy.  I think he’s smart.  I also think he’s just biding his time here.  He obviously only dropped those cuffs to demonstrate that to you.  When he decides that he wants out of here, I don’t think that any one of you will be able to stop him.”  She spat and then turned on her heel and marched out of the office.

To Be Continued…

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