The Plan

By J.R. Bouchard

Jason McDowell sits against the door of his ten-by-ten two-man cell, peering out the window, awaiting his release time from prison. While in hopes to return to a normal life, he finds himself right back to the life he lived, which led him to face ten years in prison for a crime that was to be an easy and profiting job for his boss and himself. However, his curiosity gets the better of him as he returns to Pinellas County from Jacksonville to find his old boss knows what he was told on why Jason did not spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Jason now has to rekindle his relationship with his boss in order to figure out who created the setup that led him to spend his golden years behind bars. While trying to find his rat, he encounters more friendships with new types of citizens that appear to be true friends. Will Jason find out who pulled the rug out from under him without losing his life, or will he get his revenge on the rat?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481703048

J.R. Bouchard

J.R. went through school writing fiction stories and winning Rhode Island’s young authors award. After leaving school he focused on building a life while still writing for fun. After watching many different genres of movies and shows he came up with the idea of Variant.

Book preview

Chapter 1: What Came To Pass

Hurricane storm clouds ripped through the mid-night breeze, streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico, covering the morning sky like a heavy blanket. Lightning scattered throughout the overcast. Seconds later, thunder boomed in the distance. That indicated the storm was only a few miles away from reaching the city. The citizens of Jacksonville knew they were in for a disastrous storm. It had been several months since a single rain drop had fallen. The storm appeared without notice. The city was unprepared.

As the storm covered the prison estate, a fury of lightning bolts connected with the generator, temporarily shutting down the power. It took around five minutes before the backup generator kicked in. The inmates began to yell and scream like a bunch of wild gorillas, behind their domesticated cages. However, one prisoner kept silent while packing his belongings into his pillowcase.

After serving ten years in the state penitentiary for a job he was to walk away from, it was finally time to say goodbye to his cold, dark, damp prison cell. His release date was April 15, 2010. He had spent his last ten birthdays behind bars. On this day, he was going to be a free man once again. However, the weather was not on his side. The sun usually shine’s, while flocks of birds chirp in the sunlight. That was normal for this time of year, in Florida. This year was different. This year’s weather was stranger than normal.

The over cast of clouds had covered all of the recreation yards field’s, and the basketball courts. Are we going to see any sign of sunshine today? asked the Warden to his moral advisor. I have no idea sir, his advisor replied looking down at his blackberry torch, mobile phone, and the weather did not indicate any bad forecasting. Your prisoners are to take advantage of the recreation yards today. Guess we have to change plans, right.

The Warden looked to his advisor than chuckled, Like I give a hoot about these convicts. Keep them locked down for the whole day for all I care. Tell them it was an attempted escape’. I do not care tell them something so they will not start rioting. They will never know the difference. Both the Warden, and his advisor laughed, as the Warden turned to his office window still laughing while holding a Cuban cigar between his fingers, gazing at the clouds rolling in at a rapid speed. Both of them could care less what happens to the prisoners. If an atomic bomb were to explode, they would only care about their staff. The prisoners were of minimal concern to them.

However, this day was special to one prisoner. He was itching to be set free after serving his sentence. He did not own them another second of his time. He was ready to leave the gray painted walls of his cell that sheltered him for the past ten years. Five am was to be his release time. It was right after the morning chow, but due to the supposed ‘attempted escape’, his time was pushed back three hours.

The small window in the back to the cell showed a large cluster of clouds casting over the basketball court that he was only able to see. After a few moments, rain began to fall, and fast. While small puddles began to form on the concrete. Damn, I was hoping this day was going to be sunny when I walk out these doors, he said stuffing the last of his belongings into a pillow case, Gart, get down off the top bunk if you want the bottom one. You never know what kind of person they will put in here next. You may need this bunk, he said waiting by the cell door, hoping they would slide open as he stared out.

However, the door remained closed.

You never told me what you were in for, said the old redneck bunkmate, hunching over his pillow waiting for an answer.

If I told you… . you would have just laughed at me, he said picking up his pillowcase filled with all the letters, and paper work he gathered throughout the years, Guess I could tell you now. It was almost ten years ago on this day. Thirteen days till my eighteenth birthday. They tried me as an adult, he began. The house was empty, as it was supposed to be by the instructions. The safe was on the second floor, in the master bedroom. All I had to do was enter the room, and look for the large mirror.

Behind the mirror was a safe, around five feet tall, by three feet wide. The combination was simple. The first three numbers to the house, the first two numbers to the section of the neighborhood, and the last number was the age of the infant son of the owner. The only hard part was figuring that out.

There were no pictures of the son, but there were tons of pictures of the owners. Therefore, it was difficult to determine the age of the child. Nonetheless I began to try and decipher the code without knowing the age of the boy he continued as he peered out of the cell door window into the day room.

I then turned the dial two hundred thirty notches left, then seventy notches right. Then came the more difficult part of his task, guessing the exact age of the owner of the safes, son. Right as I began to turn the dial, I notice out of the corner of my eye a figure in the shadows entering the master bedroom. I had no time to react. I stood with my back against the wall, as the figure turned on the light. There I was standing face to face with a large Hawaiian man staring into my eyes, as if I was a fly on the wall. As he began to turn to shut the door, I quickly grabbed a hold of his shoulders and kneed him in the spinal column of his back, bringing him to his knees. Then held, his mouth shut until the breath of his lungs escaped from his throat. I had knocked him out without killing him. So I drug his lifeless body into the walk-in closet, covering him with a few thick wool blankets. As I turned from the body, I quickly caught a glimpse of a picture. It was of a young boy, around five years old, playing with a small puppy. It had to be the owner’s child. Therefore, I ran to the safe and entered my last set of numbers, which was zero five. Then pulled the lever to the door as it slowly released its clasp, and the door opened. Inside was a large sum of cash, a few passports, and military issued firearms. However, the diamond I came to collect was not inside the safe. When I grabbed the handle of a nine-millimeter handgun that was on the second shelf, I found a secret compartment

"The compartment door was attached to the handle of the pistol. Therefore, as I pulled the handle closer the trap door slide open. My eyes grew large at the site of the large diamond that shined off the inside light of the safe. I had never seen a sight in all my heists. This was the cream of the crop. I was to retire before twenty-one. So I thought.

Without any hesitation, I grabbed the diamond and the nine-millimeter pistol, and some cash than rushed out the bedroom into a small hallway. To my left were a few more rooms, and to my right was a banister that looked down onto the living room. I could see a small group of people both male, and female getting ready for a small get together."

As I knelt down the steps scaling the stairs wall covering my existence, I noticed the banister swept left heading toward a large double door. There were casualties waiting below. I needed a way out without any trouble, so I walked back up stairs and down the hallway.

After walking down the short hall I was set on a split from the second floor to the first floor by way of an air passage structure. It was a risky maneuver but I had nothing else to lose, besides exposing my presence. I quickly hopped on top of the banister placing my left leg against the wall, followed by my right.

"Lowering my body down the air passage was the hardest part. I was not to be in eyes range, but I had to run as soon as I lowered myself down. I noticed a large kitchen unoccupied by the people within the house. However, time was of the essence. Therefore, I quickly and quietly dropped down as if I were a ninja stealthily moving within shadows as I heading toward the sliding glass doors on the opposite side off the room. As I entered the back yard, my eyes set on a magnificent pool, with a hardwood deck. Nevertheless, I was not alone. There were Federal Agents waiting around the poolside for me to exit the kitchen doors. Right then I knew it was a set up.

Therefore, I quickly turned back into the house. However, as I stepped back into the kitchen, a few of the males that were in the living room, greeted me with hostel demeanors written across the surface of their faces. They all were wielding police issued nine-millimeters."

I quickly jumped behind a pool table that was to the left of the door. It was a good cover until the bullets began to fly into the wood, exposing most of my vital organs. Remembering the nine-millimeter I had recovered from the safe, I extracted it from the back of my pants and began to return fire.

A few bullets ripped into the chest of one of the men as the other ducked below the kitchens bar. Right than I had time to run from the pool table to one of the columns toward the living room were the party was being held.

As I used the column for cover, more bullets continued to be shot into the dry wall. Luckily for me, the insulation caught most of the bullets from exiting through, giving me more of an advantage to use it for a little while longer. Just as the bullets stopped abruptly, I was able to slightly look out from the wall and return fire at the man using the bar for cover. A few bullets hit his shooting arm and also one in his leg giving me the chance to run.

But what I thought was just a small party was actually a covert operation to throw me off. A few of the females were also undercover agents waiting for me to enter the living room. I had nowhere to go. I was confused between my decisions. So I had to take the living room path.

As I entered guns were drawn waiting for me. Therefore, I took aim at the female agents and disabled them before they could get off any shots. It was like an old western film when the bar would explode into gunfire.

After disabling the female agents I had to take a chance running out of the front door. However, as I ran out of the door an arm was stuck out in front of me blocking my path. The arm in front my throat, slammed into my jugular, sending my body to the ground, breathless.

Finally got yo’ rump said an African American undercover detective. He was dressed in street clothes. He had a white hooded sweatshirt that had an Ecko emblem across the front. His blue jeans pants were brand new made by G-Unit Clothing, and he wore black Nike Michael Jordan Style trainer’s tennis shoes. He was around five foot eleven. His ears pierced with large diamond earrings. His eyes were cover by black Movado sunglasses. The only reason he knew it was a Detective was the fact his badge was hanging around his neck on a gold Gucci necklace, now put your hands behind yo’ back, sucka’!

I was caught. There was nowhere to run or hide. So I placed my hands behind my back and let him place the cuff’s on. However, when he lifted me up to my feet he stood me in front of him, so I had one chance to escape by swinging my head back into the bridge of his nose. He released the grasp he had on my hands. The plan worked perfectly. I was off and running until I reached the end of the lawn. Right than an unmarked police vehicle road up and hit me on the right side of my body, sending me through the air a few feet before landing on the road. The officer quickly exited his vehicle and shot me with his taser gun

They transported me in a helicopter to the nearest hospital. It took a few weeks after they did surgery on my broken bones to recover. After that, the hospital released me into the waiting arms of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office custody. The courts held me in county jail for three months until they sentence me to prison for ten years on charges of armed robbery to an occupied dwelling, and resisting arrest with violence. They dropped the attempted murder on a police officer because the officer did not announce themselves as F.B.I agents before opening fire, so I beat that by claiming self-defense. Unfortunately I did not have a concealed weapons permit due to the fact I was underage, so the courts charged me with possession of a firearm. This offence made it my fifth felony as a minor.

They wanted to give me twenty five years, but because I was only seventeen with an outstanding lawyer, the state knew they could not prosecute me to the fullest of the law. Therefore, the state offered a ten-year sentence in a medical facility. They labeled me unfit to be with the general population. They were hoping I would not claim temporary insanity, and get away with everything. Therefore, that is what they offered me, and my lawyer low-balled me into taking their offer and pleading out to the charges. He just wanted his money. Now I know I should have claimed temporary insanity, went through their motions of their doctors and had it all thrown out. The courts would have sent me to a physic ward till I was twenty one.

Gart looked at him and chuckled, You know what kid. You should be a damn writer with that story. You would have got life for all that.

The intercom boomed throughout the pod, McDowell, roll it up. Finally he thought. Could this announcement have ever come sooner than now? He questioned. At least he got his call.

When the door to his cell opened, McDowell was waiting with his mattress over his left shoulder and his pillowcase in his right hand. With a grin from ear to ear, he exited the cell and walked toward the guard station that was at the entrance to the pod. It took a few minutes before the guard acknowledged him at the window. When he looked up his face showed anger and frustration, McDowell, Jason? he asked.

Jason shook his head yes as he passed his prisoner identification badge through the small slit of the window like a bank teller behind bulletproof glass, What took so long C.O? he asked looking behind the guard at the docket of prisoners showing what cells, and pods they were housed in. The guard answered his question with a grunt, Don’t worry about it McDowell. Walk to the doors and place your mattress on the floor to the left and wait till you hear the buzzer, then walk through the doors, and wait for the officer on the other side to direct you where to go next instructed the guard sliding his identification badge back to him.

Jason followed his demand walking to the door throwing his mattress down next to the pod doors. Before Jason exited through the doors he turned back around toward the other inmates that were closed in their cells and screamed, Take care of your selves, suckers. I am out of this hole.

The buzzer sounded as he pushed the door open and walked through. The officer in the hall was waiting for him holding a pair of handcuffs about to put them around his wrist, C.O, do you really have to do that? I am not going to do anything to be put back in those cells for another ten years.

The Correctional Officer chuckled while proceeding to place the pair of handcuffs around his wrists, I have to follow protocol. Now shut up and follow my lead. As they walked down the long corridor, Jason’s eyes wandered around the white walls as he walked. He noticed the other pods that held more violent criminals separated from the minimum population. All the murderers, cannibals, and a few child molesters that were in this prison were here. Most of them snitched on by the local community.

After turning down one corridor after another, they finally reached the property release center for the prison. Jason took out his paper work, placed his bed sheets into the proper receptacle, and walked up to the window that another guard was waiting at, Here’s what was transferred from the county jail here. All of your clothing was shipped to your last known address or thrown out if they were returned back to them. So you might have to get a new wardrobe, sorry. However, since there was no clothing in property, the prison is giving you some clothes people donated to us. There is a pair of white, gray, and black army camouflage fatigues, and a pair of white and black Riddel sneakers, and a black tank top. Please take these and change out of your prison issued uniform and return back to this window when you are finished" said the guard behind the window pointing to the change out sign on the far left wall of the release center.

Therefore, Jason quickly changed out of his uniform and returned to the window placing the clothes where the guard could slide them through. Now please sign this release form saying everything was returned to you and walk through the door you came from. Another officer will be waiting to take you to the last section of the release center. Please do not let us see you again in the future. Follow all laws and abide by them, thank you.

The guard finished his disclaimer and pushed a button under the counter as he pointed to the exit door. With no time to waste, Jason walked through the door following another guard again. They walked a few more feet to yet another door and waited for another buzzer to sound before opening the door.

As they entered, the officer walked ahead to another window with another guard behind it. He then slides a manila file through another small slot. A.T.W, here’s his file. See you around Charlie. Both officers nodded as the transport officer turned back through the door they entered. Ok Mr. McDowell said the guard, please step up to the white wall with your face toward me, and your back against the wall. Look into the camera and smile if you want. Jason followed his demand and had is picture taken for his release.

The guard returned his Prison identification badge back to him, Give this to the officer at that door, said the guard pointing to Jason’s left, and he will escort you out. The guard slid him his release paperwork to the guard behind the door. Again, he did as instructed. After ten years in state custody Jason took, order’s better now than when he first arrived at Lake Butler Correctional Medical Facility, in Jacksonville. The first month after his transfer from Pinellas County Jail Jason was in three fights. All of them caused because of other inmates trying to walk over him. They would steal his commissary. Turn the television to what they wanted to watch even though Jason was watching it first, and even going as far as trying to take his food at chow time. A few weeks of putting up with the abuse, he finally stood up and fought the biggest guy that was trying to push him over. The man he was fighting had many other prisoners on his side.

However, after watching the beating Jason was delivering onto the man they stepped back and let them fight. After the fight, Jason picked the guy up and then let him drop onto his back and walked away. He gained more respect from other inmates. His name spread around the prison like wild fire. He was untouchable. Still he had enemies but none that would attack him unless they had a group together. Most men feared him and most gangs wanted him. Therefore, Jason did his time alone. That was the only way to get out alive. On this day, he looked back at his time in prison. He remembers how desperately he wanted to get out. This was his day to walk the long haul to freedom.

After another long walk down more corridors that took another fifteen minutes, Jason was almost free. As he exited the doors, the sunrays blinded his vision. He did not have any sunglasses to shield his eyes. His inch long spiked black hair glistened in the sunlight. The black tank top he wore showed off his muscular structure, as the camouflage pants gave him a military look. However, topping off his whole outfit was his white and black Riddel sneakers, lastly was a walk between two large fences to the release gates. It was like out of a movie. He exited the gates in front of the prison. Instead of people waiting for him like in the movies, no one was waiting to give him a ride home. He was completely alone in the world.

The prison gave him a hundred dollars that he had earned while working his last twenty-four months on the prison library staff. This was his only way to get back to Pinellas County. He had a long walk ahead of him until reaching downtown Jacksonville. Luckily, the rain had stopped, and the sun was shining. Therefore, he began his walk to the greyhound bus station in downtown. He took a deep breath of fresh air and began to follow the road signs onto interstate four. The highway he was to walk, heading south to central Florida.

Two hours had passed since he had walked out of the prison gates. He felt as free as a bird. The world though felt strange to him now that he was out of the prison walls. He enjoyed the smell of the fresh air, and the sun on his back. It was beating on him so hard it was creating the start of what were a few minor sunburns across his shoulders even though he had been in the recreation yard constantly for the past twelve months. Even though Jason was in the sun a lot when was a teenager, skateboarding around town with his childhood friend Damien, this much exposure to the sun was the most he had in a long time.

They were inseparable between the ages of 13 through 16. Before Damien decided to leave Largo, and live with his father Philip, in Brandon. The separation killed Jason inside. He felt alone in the world with the loss of his best friend. His grades in school reflected his loss of ambition for life, school, and prospering in it. Jason went from getting A’s in art, which was his favorite, and best subject to D’s, and then F’s as the months past. With his despair, Jason had slowly started heading down the wrong path in life. Prison was his last stop before waking up from his bad choices.

The highway signs indicated he was still ten miles away from downtown Jacksonville. After three hours into his journey, Jason felt like he had been walking for an eternity. He continued his hike down the two-lane highway, startled by numerous honks of passing cars. Hoping that one of them would stop and offer him a ride. Then he thought of how dangerous that would be. If the situation went south, he was with no protection. He would be a sitting duck. He could end up back in prison on a murder charges.

His thoughts went back to his journey home as he continued along the highways grass area hoping to reach the inner city before he passed out from heat exhaustion. As he kept walking his mind contemplated on what happened the day he of his arrest. Nevertheless, there were questions that needed revealing. Was he set up? Who set him up? In addition, why did his so-called loyal boss not try to bail him out while in county jail or even visit him?

After three years of loyal service the least his boss could have done was sent a letter, he thought as a black 1969 Dodge Charger pulled up alongside of him breaking his train of thought. Hey said the voice of women as the passenger side window began to roll down. The tint was too dark to see through as the women continued to speak, I noticed you walking down this side of the road. Do you know how dangerous it is? Who cares? Jason dryly replied, I don’t have anything to live for if I do get hit. Well that’s not a good attitude or way of thinking. Do you need a ride? she asked, as the window was completely open. She quickly pressed the unlock button on her driver’s door panel, I can drive you as far as the beginning of downtown. You would have to find your way around after that. I am heading toward there anyway.

Jason remembers what he was just thinking and how convenient this was, I am really sorry you stopped but I have to decline your offer. I may have nothing to live for but I would not want to die at the hands of a women. Sorry The women began to laugh hysterically, I am not going to hurt you, and I am just trying to help. The bible say’s treat those how you would like to be treated. Therefore, I thought if I were walking down a dangerous road, I would like a ride as well. I tried. Have a good day she finished saying as she began to roll up her window.

As she began to drive away, Jason quickly weighed out his options. Keep walking and maybe pass out by this road from exhaustion and possibly get run over, or take the help by a beautiful woman wanting to give him a ride. Ok, ok I accept he pleaded as he began to run alongside of her now moving vehicle.

As she slowed down Jason was able to open the door and hop in. Thank you Jason began to say as he closed the door and put on his safety belt, I really do appreciate this. I had been walking for a few hours now and need to get to the bus station before they close for the day. I don’t know what I would have done in that situation. Why are you heading to the bus station? she asked not taking her eyes off the road. I’m from Pinellas County. I finally rose up enough money to get back he replied looking around the inside noticing the Louie Vutton interior.

That sucks, she commented softly, so where do you live around down there? Jason continued to look at the interior as he hesitated to answer her question, Around the Bellaire area. Why, do you know about Pinellas County? Yeah, I’m from there, she said slowly turning to him than back to the road. Behind her black and pink Dolce & Gabbana, sunglasses Jason noticed her bluish green eyes. Looking into them quickly captivated him, Where do you live around in Largo? I have never seen you around.

Elle chuckled, I lived in Kings Manor, West Gate, Monterey Lakes, and Coral way. Really Jason replied surprised, I lived in Coral way, but hung out a lot in Kings Manor. I had family that lived in that trailer park, and many friends in West Gate. Who did you hang out with? Nobody really, she replied still focusing on the road, and at Jason, I just went to school, and went home to studied.

What school did you go to? Jason asked while he wondered how he never met her, I went to Pinellas Park High. I went to Pinellas Park High, but I just graduated about three ago. That’s why, he realized, You must be what, twenty one? How did you know? she asked. She never told him her age. Well, Jason began to explain, If you graduated three years ago, that would make you eighteen. People usually graduate around that age. So three years later would be twenty one, right?

Smart thinking, replied Elle giggling more, a lot of people still ask how old I am even after explaining that. You’re smarter than the average bear. You have nice hair, he blurted out, as he looked out the window with embarrassment clearly written across his face. He could feel his blood pressure rising.

In the visor mirror, he noticed his cheeks were bright red. That was slick, she replied taking her gaze of the road to look at his face, are you blushing? She quickly asked noticing he was not looking at her anymore. Why you ask? he answered still not looking in her direction. Cause before you asked that question you couldn’t stop staring at me and now you can’t even look at me?

He had to clear his face before turning back to her, but could not. See, you can’t even look at me, She giggled as she reached for his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes, You were blushing. How cute He jerked his head away from her hand and went back to looking out the window, You can’t prove it I don’t need to. Your actions tell it all, Hun she finished and continued driving.

Was it obvious he liked what he saw? Even though he was locked up in prison around men twenty four hours a day seven days a week for ten years she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. There were female correctional officers, so not seeing other females was not the case. This woman was the epiphany of what a beautiful woman was. She had long blond hair pulled into a ponytail, exposing her pierced ears that had two holes for earrings. Her lowest holes holstered two silver hoops. She also had a fair complexion, not to light but not too tan as well. Just the way he liked his women. She was a skinny one hundred twenty pounds; no taller than five feet by the way her seat was so close to the steering wheel. I am sorry, but how could I like someone when I do not know their name? he slyly asked, slightly turning his head in her direction.

As she began to look his way her face showed she was unsure of why he was talking as if he was from the medieval times, Wow, where did that come from, and why are you talking like that? Jason became flustered again, Sorry, sometimes I like to play around. It will not happen again, believe me. So, what’s your name? he asked looking back out of the window. I’m Elle, she said slightly turning toward him but not taking her eyes off the road, Elle LaCamp. What’s yours? Jason he replied dryly.

With his reply, Elle knew she had struck a nerve. The rest of the ride was a bit awkward. Elle tried to show some attention to him but Jason was to hurt by her question. He watched the exit signs pass as they drove closer to the entrance of downtown Jacksonville. His anticipation built inside. He needed to get back to Pinellas County before he changed his mind to stay and get to know her. Even though their conversation was not a perfect one he liked her beauty, so he tried to calm himself down.

However, it was no use. He was too hurt. Why do people have to be rude when someone is just trying to be funny? This was going to be a question that has no answer. He would just have to ignore what happen and leave before either his feeling to wanting to get to know her comes out or the tension of the conversation rose to a higher, more escalated level.

When they reached the outskirts of town, she pulled over and let him exit the vehicle. Without even a thank you, Jason opened the door to the Charger stepping out, than closed it, as she sped off in an instant. Leaving dark black tire marks on the ground behind her.

The sound of her spinning tires on the pavement shook Jason’s nerves, causing his body to jump and turned around abruptly to see her car shoot of like a rocket ship into the atmosphere. He was wondering why he acted so mean to her after how nice she was to him. He then realized it was a mistake to treat her like that. In the back of his mind he was hoping to never see her again, but also hoping he would. He also wondered what would happen if they did meet again. Could Elle have been the girl who gets away?

Chapter 2: A bump in the road

Without any thought of Elle, and her feelings Jason walked to the closest gas station that he was near and entered the front doors. A blast of cold air from the air conditioner froze the sweat from his brow. He began to look around the store as he walked in. He noticed the cashier giving him an awkward stare as he walked down the aisle toward the back of the store heading to the restrooms. The cashier was a young woman around her early to late twenty’s. She had dark black hair with a few strips of purple highlights throughout her head. Under her cashier smock, she wore a long black thermal shirt with holes, letting her thumbs pass through. Her brown eyes watched Jason behind her small thin glasses.

Down the aisles were different assortments of candy, potato chips, and power bars. His stomach began to rumble, remembering how long it has been since he last had any food. Not wanting to risk spending the money for his bus ticket home, he knew he had to take some food without anyone noticing. Therefore, in a blink of an eye he snatched a bag of potato chips into his hand and hid them under his shirt where no one could see. He continued toward the restrooms. Before he reached the men’s room, he was face to face with the refrigerator items. Pepsi products behind one glass door, also milk behind another, and Coca-Cola products behind another.

His mouth instantly watered at the site of a one-liter bottle of Pepsi. Jason craved the taste so, as he began to reach for the door he felt the cashier still looking in his direction. He had to be fast, and sly he thought as he opened the door to the Pepsi refrigerator. Knowing the cashier was still watching him. Jason began to look around the variety of soda’s acting as if he did not know which one to choose. He knelt down onto his knee out of site of the cashier, and secretly concealed the one liter bottle of Pepsi under his pant leg. When he finally finished making sure the bottle of soda was fit snuggly into his sock, Jason stuffed his pant leg into his shoe than rose back to his full stance. He then turned around to face the cashier, Ma’am, do you have any Colt 45’s quarts in stock? he asked knowing there was none on any of the shelves in the refrigerator.

The young cashier shook her head no making sure she did not break the lock she had on him, They are illegal in this area, Sir. While rubbing his head in confusion, trying to make it seem as real as possible Jason replied back to the cashier with yet another stupid question, Are the restrooms over there? The cashier then shook her head yes while having to break her gaze to help another customer check out. Wow, that suck’s. In Largo there still on the shelves he stated making his was toward the men’s room’s knowing this was the most opportune time to take advantage of the situation. He could not take the chance of getting caught shoplifting after just been released from prison. What a story that it would be in central booking he thought as he opened the door to the restroom.

He quickly did a quick surveillance of the bathroom looking for any security cameras before extracting the potato chips from under his shirt, and bottle of Pepsi from under his pant leg. When he tried to open the bag of potato chips, his stomach growled profusely. After not eating since five am and walking for the past three hours, Jason could not wait to taste the flavor of sour cream and onion touching his taste buds.

With the first chip he took into his fingers he then placed it into his mouth. The chip hit his tongue like an atom bomb throwing his taste buds into a wild frenzy. His saliva filled the inside of his jaw leaving Jason in awe. He was in a heaven state of mind when the flavor of the potato chip flew down his throat. Within seconds, the bag of chips was empty. He had shoved all the chips into his mouth so fast they did not have a chance to hit his stomach before remembering about the one liter of Pepsi he still had to drink.

Prisons in Florida or any for that matter do not give their inmates any caffeine only water, or juice that usually kept the male inmates from getting erect after so long of consuming the beverage. So again the feelings from when he was eating the potato chips were now replaced with the taste of the cold Pepsi flowing down through his trachea, and into his stomach. His taste buds were given yet another piece of heaven.

Once he was done, savoring the flavor of his bounty Jason threw the evidence in the trash. Hiding the empty bottle with the potato chip wrapper inside under what was already in the wastebasket, and then walked out but not before flushing the toilet giving the illusion of him actually using the bathroom. He also shut off the light behind him before closing the door. Although the cashier was still watching him as he exited the restroom. Her eyes burned the back of his skull like a hot cattle prod melting into the side of a bull’s torso.

As he walked back through the store, he did not remove his sight from the young girl. It was a standoff to see who would look away first. He used this trick in prison. Trying to find out who was the dominant person in the situation. The young cashier did not turn her gaze either. But when he reached the counter Jason threw the whole connection yet another direction, I’m looking for a pair of sunglasses kind of like the ones behind you. Behind the cashier was a white, grate like contraption holstering different assortments of accessories. Like hats, T-shirts, due rags the African American men wore, and a wide variety of sunglass eyewear. All of the sunglasses were imitations like Gucci, Chanel, Movado, and Dolce & Gabbana.

What you looking for? she replied. Her northern accent was not what he expected. She looked like the usual Florida Gothic girl from the suburbs, dark, evil, and somewhat demented. The piercing, tattoo’s and all the black clothing helped the judgment he made upon her. Now he knew she was just another messed up child trapped in a woman’s body.

Something to match every piece of clothing I have, and what I’ll be wearing in the future stated Jason as the cashier began to turn looking at what she had in stock. There was a display of filtered cigars right in front of the cash register within his reach. His plan was coming together. Right as the cashier turned to look for the pair of sunglasses fitting his precise description, Jason threw his plan into action. Within seconds, he reached around the display case grabbing two packs of the filtered cigars, and raced out of the gas station doors almost hitting a customer walking in.

He ran through the parking lot without looking back. It was too risky trying to see if anyone was following him. He kept his eyes forward while reaching the end of the parking lot connecting to the street. Even though he reached the street, he still did not look back. Going back to prison was not an option. He had to find the greyhound bus station before it was too late.

Nevertheless, his curiosity had finally taken the best of him. He turned slightly around as he was running trying to see if anyone was chasing him. No one was. No one cared, or maybe the cashier was on the phone with the local police calling in the robbery.

When he turned back around to look where he was running, he was about to cut in front of the back parking lot of a restaurant. As a black 1969, Dodge Charger was exiting at the same time. In a blink of an eye, they had collided. The vehicle had it Jason sending him to fall face first onto the hood, temporarily throwing his eyesight out of focus.

When he slid of the hood and hit the ground, he fell onto his side, and then rolled onto his back. By this time, passing cars had stopped to see if he was ok, while others stopped to see if anyone needed ambulance assistance. Jason rose to his feet with the Dodge to his right peering into the driver side of the windshield. The driver’s head tilted back. All that he seen was the top of a very skinny female chin until it began to lower exposing who had just almost run him over.

It was the face of a very angry Elle slamming her hands without stopping, onto the top of her steering wheel then stopping abruptly to peer back into the eyes of Jason. The engine began to roar as she threw the driving shifter into drive, beginning to rotate her wheels without moving. She was about to peel her tires just like when she took off after dropping him at the street corner when they reached the entrance of downtown.

Before deciding to let off the brake pedal Elle continued to shoot Jason an evil, yet devious glare letting him know she would not hesitate to run him over fully, if he did not clear out of her way. The rumble from the engine grew louder as she consistently pumped the gas pedal now, hesitating to release the brake. She wanted him out of her way but was not ready to face time in prison for vehicular manslaughter. She was too young, and beautiful to cut her life short because of a criminal act. She had no desire to look at Jason any longer.

Right as Elle was about to throw the rulebook out of the window, Jason took a step back clearing her path so she could drive out of the parking lot, and into traffic, away from the situation at hand. With Elle now out of his way he could continue to flee from the vicinity quickly hoping to wither from public view.

He ran as fast as he could to the front of the restaurant and hurried into the front foyer closing the doors behind him, before any of the local public walking around noticed. After he closed the front doors, Jason untied the lace ribbon that held the drapes open, shutting them instantly, blocking the view through the glass, so no one could see in.

Seconds later he was noticed peeking out from behind the drapes by one of the hostesses that walked up behind him, and tapped him on his shoulder, May I help you sir? asked the woman right as Jason slightly began to turn around. The woman’s face clearly appeared that she did not like the way he was acting within the restaurant. He stopped peering suspiciously out of the window, standing straight up looking into the eyes of the woman, Um, yes ma’am, do you know where I could find… . his sentence ran cold. He could not think of a clever question to ask the woman, so he said the first thing that popped onto his lips, do you have clam chowder by any chance? The woman’s face transformed from confusion to shock in an instant by Jason peculiar question.

As she turned to retrieve the daily lunch special menu, he took that opportunity to dash out of the restaurant doors, and down the main street. If he was going to find the way to the greyhound station, he was going to need to speak to someone who did not look at him in a suspicious demeanor.

His main rule has always been to not let anyone know where he was or what he was doing. That was the mistake he made the night of his arrest ten years ago. Three people knew everything he was doing. Vincent, his boss, Vincent’s boss Ernesto, and the cabbie that drove him to the street the house was on the night of his arrest.

He vowed to never make that mistake again. If he did anything from now on there was only one person that was going to know what he was doing, and that was himself. He had concluded that he know needed to know. Who set him up, and how he was it set up? His main goal was to get back to Pinellas County, get to Largo, and hope Vincent did not vanish like dust in the wind.

When he was finally tired from sprinting away from the restaurant Jason came to a slow jog catching his breath. As he began walking forward down the main street of downtown he noticed an old gray haired African American man, his face as dirty as a pig’s water hole, wearing dirty ripped clothes sitting down on the sidewalk with his back against the wall of an abandoned building. As Jason walked closer toward the direction of the homeless looking man, he began to rise to his feet not letting his eyes off Jason. The closer Jason got to the man; he could see the anticipation written across his face. He tried as hard as he could not look directly into the eyes of the old man as he past.

Sir, can you help an old veteran out please? the old man asked walking toward Jason. He held a cup in his hand, extended in front of him. He could not just walk past the man knowing he could help him. Jason had been in that position in his life a few times as well, and felt obligated to offer a helping hand.

I can, if you can help me at the same time, said Jason stopping in front of the old man, see I need to find the greyhound bus station before dark, and I am new to this area. Do you happen to know where it is? The old man’s face lit up like a Christmas tree in New York’s Time Square, Yes, I know where it is mister. You are not far from it. Just follow me. Instructed the old man walking to the part of the building he was sitting. He grabbed his bedroll, blankets, and plastic bag filled with aluminum cans.

Alright now, giggled the old man