CHAPTER 36

A voice called out over the speakers on the maintenance console. The sound startled Rancid causing him to turn around without thinking. “What’s that?” Rancid asked.

“Fuck I don’t know,” Isaac replied. “Somebody’s trying to call us.”

“Wait a second,” Rancid said. He put up his hand to silence everyone so he could listen to the voice. It sounded like two officials talking to each other. The quality of the sound was poor and hard to make out, but Rancid was sure they weren’t talking to them. He took off towards the console followed by Isaac, Bohdan and Cara.

At the console, Rancid sat down and looked at the monitors. He heard more voices talking about securing the back wall, and something about moving some officers to a different location. “It’s the fucking police,” Rancid said. “For some reason, they are broadcasting on the prison communication system.”

“Should we try to talk to them?” Isaac asked. “What do you want to say?”

“Maybe we can negotiate a release.”

“A release? To where? We’r