Chained to the Devil

MAIN VILLA

2:35 PM

I’m in my father’s office. He’s looking me up and down and gives me a crooked smile that doesn’t promise anything good.

I’m standing in front of him, hands in my pockets, my gaze fixed on him as he sits.

I break the silence:

"You asked to see me?"

"That’s right."

"What’s going on?"

"I have a mission that could earn you a lot of money if you manage to complete it properly."

I figured that was the reason”usually, we’re summoned as a group. I find it strange to be alone; he must want me to handle it personally.

It must be a delivery or the retrieval of a new weapon.

It seems important, since he looks concerned despite his fake smile; I doubt it’s just a simple delivery.

I ask for more details:

"What are we talking about?"

"A very high-risk mission, probably one of the most difficult you’ll ever have to do in your life."

He captures my interest. I’m eager to know what this is about and how much I can make from it.

"I’m listening."

"Sit down, my daughter."

It must be serious if he’s using "my daughter." My father always calls me Inara or by my last name, which is different from his. He always makes sure to keep his distance from me.

I sit across from him and lock eyes with his. I brace myself for whatever he’s about to announce”this could seriously shake up my life.

He hands me a sheet of paper on which I see a number with several zeros.

There’s no way to earn that kind of money by doing something easy.

I set the paper down on the desk and look at him carefully:

"You want me to kill a minister?"

"No."

"Then what? I don’t see any mission that could pay that much unless it involves killing someone extremely powerful."

"That money will be yours if you carry out this job with your legendary efficiency."

"Stop beating around the bush and tell me what it is."

"I need you to do an infiltration."

That’s it? That’s why he looks so anxious? He underestimates me way too much. I’ve already done far riskier missions.

"Seriously? And that’s what’s going to earn me that kind of money? Consider it done."

"Don’t celebrate too quickly."

I look at him, puzzled, as he studies me.

"You want me to infiltrate a rival gang, is that it?"

"This isn’t a simple infiltration, and it’s not a gang."

I raise my eyebrows.

I don’t see the point if it’s not a rival organization.

"I don’t understand what you’re trying to say."

"It’s a high-risk infiltration because it’s taking place in a prison. It’s the most notorious prison in France, housing violent and extremely dangerous criminals."

A prison?

"You want me to get myself arrested on purpose to get into a women’s prison?" I say with a crooked smile. "Fine. I’ll take one of your men with me. I just have to threaten him with my gun in front of lots of witnesses, then wait for the cops."

"It’s not a women’s prison."

"What do you mean? What are you saying?"

"It’s a men’s prison."

I burst out laughing, then look at him to try to spot a hint of a joke in his eyes.

But he doesn’t seem to be joking. I get serious again under the dark look he gives me:

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Watch your language when you speak to me. I’m serious”more serious than I’ve ever been."

"You tend to forget, but I’m a woman, and that’s pretty obvious. There’s no way they’ll send me to a men’s prison."

"I know that quite well, considering all the remarks I hear from the other gang members about you. But I have a plan."

What is wrong with him?

"Don’t you get it? I’m a woman! Women and men aren’t put together in prisons!"

"I told you, I have a plan."

"There’s no way. Send one of your men! Leave me out of your bullshit."

Sure, I’m reckless and impulsive, but I’m not suicidal enough to go into a men’s prison.

Men who haven’t seen women in years can quickly become violent and aggressive.

I know how to defend myself, but I’m not invincible.

Imagine they corner me”six of them in a hallway. What would I do? Scream for help?

I know how prisons work. Accidents are quickly forgotten. No one sees or hears anything.

He ignores what I’m saying and keeps trying to convince me:

"I know you’re perfect for this mission. If I send one of my men, it’s suicide. He could be recognized by the police or by other inmates who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. It’s too risky."

Right, because it’s so much less risky for your only daughter, dad.

How can he even consider sending me there? Do I really mean that little to him?

"Aren’t you the one who keeps yelling at all the men in the network to stop acting sexist? I’m giving you the chance to prove your theory that women are just as capable as men."

"Don’t take me for an idiot! You’re sending me into that mess only because you think people will be less suspicious of me than of your men, who all look like criminals and psychopaths! Don’t try to make me believe it’s to help me fit into the gang when you haven’t given a damn for twenty years!"

He smiles and claps his hands, then gives me a dark look:

"You really are your father’s daughter."

"I’m not going to that prison."

"It’s safe. Stop acting like a coward! Who’s going to suspect you? You’ve got the face of an innocent little girl”no one will see through your double game!"

"I said I’m not going. Find someone else to do your dirty work."

I stand up and so does he, walking around his desk to face me. I don’t move.

He grabs me violently by the throat and starts to squeeze tightly.

I try not to show any reaction, even as I struggle to breathe.

"Let me go."

My voice is cold.

"I’m not giving you a choice. You’ll do this mission, whether you like it or not. That’s an order. You know very well I can’t stand disobedience."

He lets go of my throat, and I catch my breath, holding my neck.

I scowl and clench my fists.

All that fake politeness, just to tell me it’s an order.

How could I be naïve enough to think, just once, my opinion would matter?

He walks back behind his desk as I sit down again.

"What do I have to do?"

I have to pull this off.

"See? I knew you’d come around," he says.

He’s enjoying this.

"It’s not like you gave me the option to refuse."

"You’ll pose as a new guard sent to help the prison for just one month, because they’re short-staffed."

I sigh:

"You’ve already sorted out all the paperwork for my cover?"

"Of course. You can keep your identity”you just need to avoid revealing too much about yourself. Everything is credible and solid. Don’t worry."

He’s thought of everything.

"What if one of the inmates is someone I’ve dealt with before?"

I’d rather avoid being stuck in a room with one of my enemies.

"You’ll figure it out."

Always so supportive, dad.

"Why do I have to infiltrate there?"

"One of the inmates is a very powerful gang leader and dangerous criminal. He belongs to an old, influential and well-known crime family."

"How long is he in for?"

"He has one month left. Once he’s out, you can leave the prison."

"What did he do to end up in prison if he’s so important?"

"He’s serving time for assault. But I suspect he arranged to be sent to prison on purpose."

"What kind of psychopath gets himself locked up willingly?"

"The kind who can kill you with his bare hands! So watch your mouth."

Even better.

"I want you to find out what he’s doing there and what his goal is."

"What good does that do you? His gang is way more powerful than ours. We should stay out of things that don’t concern us."

"Just follow orders. My motivations aren’t your business. You’re not allowed to fail. This mission will be crucial for your future."

"I don’t accept other people’s mistakes; I won’t make any. Failure isn’t in my nature."

I wish I knew why I’m risking getting raped or killed just to find out what this guy’s hiding, but I know he won’t tell me.

My father clearly has a personal interest. But he’s way too smart to let me in on it.

"You start tomorrow morning. I’ll send you a message with all the instructions. I got you an apartment right next to the prison. Pack your bags. You’re moving there tonight for the duration of the mission. You’ll have access to all the money you need to succeed."

I nod and get up from the chair.

"Fine."

"That doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for your other responsibilities to the gang”and to me."

"I know."

He nods in approval. I turn to head for the door, and just as I open it, I hear him cough. I turn back around.

"The inmate you’re supposed to watch is named Alexander Graves."

I leave his office without a word.