Chapter Text
“Attention compound. Attention compound. This is a code red. Every inmate must be in their cell. This is a code red. We're shutting down the units.”
It's heard from the megaphones of every corridor through ‘Wentworth Correctional Center’. Part of the guards were giving directions to guide the prisoners to their respective units, so to shut down everything. Between the pale colored hallways, there could also be heard gossiping about the whole situation:
“I think it was the panic bottom of the showers.”
“An overdose maybe?”
“I think it was H Unit's shower time, yeah?”
“More moving, less talking, ladies.” Interrupted a female guard behind said group of inmates. “It's code red, not vacations.” Added, already exhausted from her turn.
“What is a code red, Miss Miles? If I may ask.” Said someone behind the guard, this one turned her face around and landed her blue eyes down at one of the few new inmates. The blonde guard hadn't have time to notice the new girl around, so she didn't remember her name.
“Someone is heavily hurt.” Simply said and stopped in front of the J-2 unit, noticing how also the unknown inmate had stopped there before entering the space. Miss Miles watched her walking towards the couch, letting herself plopped down before looking back at the guard again. Something about her smile made Miss Miles deeply uncomfortable, she couldn't grasped what was it, it just felt... eerie.
“Aren't you shutting us down, Miss Miles?” Asked the inmate, seeing how the guard just kept blankly staring back at her. At this, the blonde said nothing else and just closed the unit before moving to the next one.
…
Two weeks before the Red Code incident.
Three women were seated in the back of a white van, each of them with their hands handcuffed, finally the journey came to a stop. As an officer opened the door, a bright light caught the women by surprise, almost too bright that it hurt. Even so, the youngest one, smiled at it and looked directly up to the sky, she knew that probably she would be put in a hole more soon then later.
“Better take a short sunbathing now.” Thought the younger woman.
“Westfall, move.” The officer called, as she was the only one left to come off the van. The woman placed her caramel eyes over the man, annoyed by his interruption.
“Surely, sir.” Said with irritation dripping from her tongue but painting a soft smile on her thin lips, one that didn't reach her eyes. The inmate jump off the van, behind the other two women and waited. From what she saw, the two officers that brought them had some paperwork to be checked over before going back, probably something about the transfer from one prison to another. Being Wentworth her second place to rot now.
“Everything alright, gentlemen.” A tall woman came out from the prison with said papers in hand, her pace being confident and her tone of voice commanding.
“The Governor.” Guessed the younger inmate, observing every detail over the woman and how everyone around looked up at her. Not just for her height, as she was the taller between everyone there, but also as an imperious person.
The tall woman sparkled some of her curiosity, even as she was usually surrounded by criminals and very disturbed individuals, less than fewer times had she seen someone so commanding without appearing fake.
“Come along, please.” The man at her side said, bringing back her attention to her reality again. The other two women walked into the building, each one with one guard at their side just as herself. “Now, ladies.” He adventured as all of them stopped in a hallway, just behind the first bars of the prison. The exit to the real world just shut down and secure by the simple swipe of his card. “I am Mr. Jackson. This is what would follow now: Firstly, you'll sit there to verify a few details on your profile file, as all you of are beings transferred, there won't be need to take your pictures. Secondly, you'll go into the Strip Search Room, to verify you're free of any type of contraband. Thirdly, we'll give you your pair of uniforms and few other basic stuff. Just then, you'll be settled into your cells. Alright?” Explained the man, surprisingly using a tender tone of voice. Something that confused the younger inmate, for her he didn't have a face of someone working in correctional. That Mr. Jackson seemed too soft for the current environment, his form and body were tough but his toughness started and ended there.
“Malcom.” The officer in the first cubicle called for the first inmate, the older from the three going in before other guard closed the door behind her.
There was such a dense silence within the corridor, no one really addressing the other as if not wanting to be there. Inmate Westfall peered around, observing the guards and the other prisoner beside herself, the latter silently crying while looking at the floor. Just then, she noticed that the officers felt pity for the woman, and so none of them said anything else or looked directly at neither of the two new inmates. Westfall felt quite surprised at such display of sympathy, she had imagined that Wentworth's staff would be more than crueler than the prison from where she was being transfer; as everyone had cataloged said Correctional as a high secured one. It was something to add to the list of stuff that had sparkled her curiosity until then.
“Brandon.” Called the same staff member as Inmate Malcom left the cubicle and walked into the Strip Search Room. When the door shut behind the woman, Westfall looked up from it and found her caramel eyes landing in a pair of pitch black ones. The tall woman was observing everything from the end of the hallway, standing just beside said room. The younger inmate slightly tilted her head while staring back at the woman, boldly observing her. Noticing her neat uniform and dark hair, nothing out of place; how bright the tip of her shoes shined, as if just cleaned minutes ago; her piercing and intense glare, down directly at herself, her obsidian eyes assessing the new inmate.
“Everything under control.” Westfall though, and an almost imperceptible smirk appeared on her lips.
“Westfall.” Called again the man in the cubicle, the difference now being the reaction and side glances between the guards. She caught it, and shrugged it off at presuming they all had seen the news about her case. “Sit down, please.” She did ask told, and waited for the man to continued. “Let's just check a few things. Previous correctional: Sydney. Full name: Odeliah Westfall. Nationality: Half Australian half German. Convicted for presume First-Degree Murder, possession of an illegal pistol and robbery. Sentence: waiting for trial... But I could say you'll get life, lady.” The man intended to have a punch at the end, nothing that amused Odeliah in the slightest. “Is this information correct?”
“If that's what they all say, I guess it is, sir.” She answered politely even though the annoyance she felt for the little pathetic man was palpable.
“Move along.” He said and she applied, happy to get out of the tiny room that smell of his cheap cologne.
Odeliah went back to the corridor where Mr. Jackson was waiting for her, then he guided her towards the Strip Search Room and where the tall woman stood as a hawk, observing everything. Finally pausing in-front of the older woman, Odeliah could observed how truly dark were the brown of her eyes, deep pools of black... And the inmate smile nice and politely towards her, seeing that the darkness didn't come just from the color but also from within her.
“Come in, miss Westfall.” Said a petit woman after opening the door and moving aside to let the prisoner in. As Odeliah went in, the female officer was closing the door when suddenly a hand stopped it. “Governor?” Asked as confusion painted her face, the tall woman had pushed the door open so to also enter the room, filling up the room not just with her burning presence but also her sweet honeyed perfume.
“Go on, Miss Bennet.” The Governor commanded. Odeliah smiled for herself as hearing her dictatorial and raspy voice again, she could also picture the assertiveness on her glare without the need of turning back and take a look.
“Yes, Governor.” The petite guard, Miss Bennet, complied swiftly and circled the inmate as to face her. “Now you'll undress.” Said while taking off Odeliah's handcuffs.
For a few seconds, the younger inmate kept still in silence while pondering about the whole situation; from what she could gather, The Governor wasn't usually the one to do the Strip Search, neither be present during said procedure. With that, Odeliah came to conclude that maybe the sparkle of curiosity wasn't just one-sided.
“We don't have all day, inmate.” The commanding voice made its presence again, the younger woman also hearing the click-clack of The Governor's heels who stopped in-front of her and watched her closely.
“Of course not, ma'am. I too have places to be.” Odeliah said respectful but still sarcastic enough to test a bit the older woman, simply out of interest.
“The comidian, uhm?” Asked The Governor with an arched eyebrow, glancing up and down the smaller figure before herself, Odeliah smirked and started taking the clothes off.
The transferred inmate was still quite the mystery for The Governor, not just from her too simplified file but also for the gossiping and mixed up news about her case. Apparently, no one could get much tangible information about it; not description of events, no apparent relation between the victim and perpetrator, neither any explanation that made sense of it all. It also caught her curiosity her last name: Westfall, as the current forensic psychiatrist on Wentworth. She still wasn't sure if there was some type of relation there, or it was mere coincidence... But Joan Ferguson didn't believe in coincidences.
“Hair.” Instructed Miss Bennet for the Inmate to clear her mahogany curly mane around, just after being done checking her ears. “Mouth open.” At that, Odeliah side eyed the taller woman before opening up, not moving his stare from her, just waiting. “Tongue and lips.” She did as requested. While moving her tongue up and down, side to side, she then caught it: the most subtle widening of eyes as well of the slight pursed of lips from The Governor. If Odeliah didn't have her mouth wide open, she could had smirked knowingly at her detection.
“Enjoying it, hum?” Thought to herself.
“Turn around.” Now was the taller woman who commanded, eager to take those caramel eyes off herself. The Westfall inmate just kept observing her nonstop, not even trying to be subtle about it and it was... aggravating within herself.
Odeliah didn't complain, still she was a bit surprised from the sudden change on the older woman, she could see her discomfort under her stare.
“Bend over.” Once again, surprise came to Odeliah as The Governor voice sounded less commanding out of the blue, even almost soft and warm.
The end of the procedure just went on silently, Odeliah got dressed with the Correctional's uniform: cyan sweatpants and sweater, then grabbed a basket with her necessities before walking through the door behind Miss Bennett. While she followed the petite woman, she noticed The Governor turning at other corridor and disappearing with the rapid strides of her long legs.
“J-2, this will be your unit, ladies.” Said Miss Bennett, stopping before an opened bars for the three newbies. Odeliah was the first one to enter, passing by the other two and just wanting to rest over a bed or anything similar. “Yours is Cell 27, Westfall.” Clarified the woman, the newbie just entered said cell. The brunette placed the basket over the narrow desk and just plopped herself down into the bed, groaning at the stiff material but still pleased to finally lie down. “I'll instruct for the peer worker to come around. She'll let you know everything you need. You can all settled down in the meanwhile.” Odeliah heard from outside her cell, and as silence took over she just assumed all the guards had left.
Inmate Westfall turned around herself on the bed, laying on her back now and watching the ceiling. So this was her new home... At least it smelled a lot better than the hole she was sent to in Sydney, she scoffed in annoyance at the memory of what had happened to lead towards this. Odeliah had immensely failed in her last job, being behind bars her punishment from the Upper Ups she worked for.
Months prior, she remembered that night, her own ego leading to a huge mistake. Odeliah was ordered to take down one individual: Markus Dolohov, right hand of the leader of an international group of women trafficking. For her it was an easy job, the man had been hiding in Sydney for a few months then and she had been following closely, knowing his hideout, his daily moves and the few people he looked out for. Still, the night of the strike, there was another man in the house; someone unknown to her, she hadn't had information of him, neither had she saw him before that night... And it went all wrong. Believing in her capacities she just went along with the plan, ignoring the warnings from her direct boss at the other side of the line, hearing his orders in her ear but deciding on ignoring them. While the job was killing Dolohov, Odeliah had to get rid of the unknown man too since there couldn't be any witness, it went wrong when said man was also armed without her knowledge. His shooting alerted Dolohov just before she shoot him dead, letting the other escape while she was slightly injured, a bullet on her foot that left her on the floor.
Odeliah had just chance enough to fly the scene and hide in a nearby abandoned place, there she tried to contact her boss and teammates but no one could be reach. After trying one last time to call anyone, she passed out from blood loss. The next time she opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed surrounded by cops, alone and fucked up to the core.
“Anybody there?” A sweet tone of voice entered her cell. Assuming it was the peer worker, Odeliah stood up and walked outside, there it was an orderly blonde woman at the entrance of the unit. “Hi, love! I'm the peer worker.” Greeted her and came closer with an extended hand. “Elizabeth, but everyone call me Liz.”
“Odeliah, a pleasure.” Said politely with a monotone voice and held the offered hand.
“Oh, you're not from around here, are ya? Your accent is pretty stiff.” Commented Liz, eyeing the younger woman up.
“I've lived several years around East Europe, I just came back to Australia this year.” The brunette offered a simple explanation, smiling at the woman. Then changed the subject: “Tell me, Liz, what are the rules around here?”
“Yeah. It's quite simple, love. Firstly, don't borrow others stuff without notice. Second, every morning and every night there would be a headcount, so you must be standing outside your cell. Other thing is, tomorrow morning, you'll be assigned to a workspace. Now, if you reckon to need a favor or something, better asked Bae first, she's what we call Top Dog. She looks over the women.”
“Top dog... Quite childish, if I may say.” Odeliah commented, her melodic and sweet voice covering over the mockery at said rule.
“That's how things work around here, love. Now, did you had lunch? It's still early, I'll guide you to the dining hall, yeah?”
“Surely, thank you, Liz. After you.” She let the blonde woman guide her through the blueish corridors of Wentworth, the peer worker updating her about some other stuff and rules around the place. Odeliah kept silent, listening to the woman and observing her surroundings: every corridor had at least two cameras, one at the beginning and the other at the end; there were also some stationary guards, while others moved around, all of them with walkie-talkie and handcuffs; something that surprised her was the amount of inmates walking freely around, from the prison she was being transferred the prisoners were mostly condoned to their units. She assumed that the advance technology put into the infrastructure let space for a more easygoing place.
“Now, go get your tray and filled it. I'll sit down and wait for you, alright, love?” Explained Liz as both women entered the dining room. The place was half filled, probably most inmates had already had lunch, still there was quite the turmoil and loud chatting in the room.
“Surely.” Odeliah went on, taking the tray and receiving her lunch. It already looked and smelled way better than the food the Sydney's correctional offered.
“At least I won't be having stomach's aches every night here.”
After being ready, she looked around and found Liz sitting with other two inmates. Odeliah wasn't fond of the company, since all she wished for was to be alone and at peace, but she decided on walking over there before creating any misunderstanding. After all, she was a newbie and had to guard her back.
“Sit down, love!” Chirped up Liz. “This is Maxine and Boomer, the three of us are in H-1, down the corridor of your unit.”
“It's a pleasure. I'm Odeliah.” She presented herself after leaving her tray on the table, before sitting down she extended her hand towards Maxine at her side, the latter a bit surprised by the newbie manners but still just took the offered and greeted her. “A pleasure, Boomer.” Repeated now towards the big woman sitting in-front of her, at the other side of the table, also offering her hand and a ‘good girl’ type of smile.
“You a Gov candidate or somethin'?” Joked the inmate.
“Booms!” Maxine scolded in response.
“Sorry, love.” Added Liz with an apologetic smile.
“It's okay, Liz, I usually have the same reaction.” Declared Odeliah, retiring her hand and sitting down.
“It's refreshing to have someone with well manners around here.” Commented the tall woman beside her with her warm voice and nice smile. Before anyone could add anything else, the room went silent in an instant, at this the brunette looked up and back at the entrance: there was The Governor.
The woman scanned the room for a moment before entering the cubicle where the guard was stationed. Just then, partially hidden from most of the people, she glanced back at the new transferred sitting at the Top Dog table, even though Bae Smith wasn't around. After the reception of the transferred women, she had went up to her office with all the new files just to notice how too simplified was Odeliah's file. Too empty to not ring an alarm for Joan, she had immediately called back to the Correctional in Sydney and asked for a whole new file, expecting it to be just an error.
Nonetheless, something within her felt even more cautious than usual, the whole mixed of information and lack of public statements by the police about Odeliah's case left a sour taste on her tongue. As watching over the new inmate she seemed just as any simple thirty-ish woman; no tall, not short or very muscular; pretty enough to call some attention around, but not out of the common; just plain, long curls and quite frizzy mahogany type of hair; but her eyes... Odeliah's caramel glare was the firstly thing that she caught: observing and assessing everyone, as well as depicting no fear, no intimidation... Almost no feelings. Something that didn't added up with her file, since this was her first conviction she should seemed at least worried. But she wasn't, in the slightest. Joan knew she had to keep an eye on that one, more so after noticing the brunette's detailed observation of herself, it made her skin crawled as some type of premonition.
“Hey, Max, who's the new doll?” The call from the inmate resonated in the dining room, two tables far from the Top Dog place. Odeliah knew it was about her, so she just glare back at the big old woman and her crew sitting around her. “Why don't share her around?” Added mockingly, her teammates laughing as she stick out her tongue, playing obscenely with it towards the newbie.
“Enough, Juice.” Warned Maxine, not even addressing the butch old woman with her eyes.
“Don't be lame, looks like she likes what she sees, yeah?” Continued as noticing Odeliah's glance dead settled on herself. “What you say, doll?” At that, the brunette smiled wider and with mockery. She already knew the type of Juice and her crew: those whom enjoyed harassing other women, better for them if it was a newbie without a group to relay on, probably the typical rapist of any prison. Pathetically back up by others. Just a sadistic coward.
“I say I already lost my appetite, harassing hyenas wasn't what I expected on the menu.” Odeliah delivered with a sigh, her smile still on her thin lips as she turned around to her company. “Very pleasant to meet you all. Thank you for the company, I'll see you around.” Said to the three women as she stood up and went to empty her tray before leaving it with the others, there she paused for a moment feeling the intense and obscene eyes from the crew at her back.
“What a crew of pigs…”
Between silence and observation, The Governor and the guard kept still and prepare as to anything that could occurred. The new inmates tended to be the boldest in their first week. Joan look closely at the brunette, her back seemed relax as well as her demeanor while placing down the tray. When Odeliah turned around and direct herself to the door, Joan's eyes were glued on her; as the two staff members watched her passed beside Juice’s table, it didn't surprised The Governor the boldness of Lucy Juice Gambaro as her hand slapped the newbie's ass hard as to everyone to hear. Nonetheless, the next turn of events indeed caught Joan by surprise. Odeliah swiftly take a step back, placing herself behind Gambaro as her left hand grabbed down the old woman from her short hair, forcing her to looked up at her; before Juice could even complain about it, Odeliah had slide from under her sleeve a hidden fork and place it over the old woman’s right eye, so close that Gambaro felt said fork with her eyelashes as she blinked rapidly in terror.
The Governor observed in silence, her eyes wider than usual and out of her stern expression. From the corner of her eyes, she saw the guard moved forward ready to call it to an end, but Joan placed a hand on his shoulder as to stopped the man. She wanted to test the new inmate.
“What about your eye for dessert?” Odeliah whispered just for her and Gambaro to hear. “It might revive my appetite, hum?” Teased with velvety voice, the hand on the woman's hair tightening harshly making her groaned in pain. The brunette let it settled a few extra seconds, watching with pleasure how neither of the inmates in her crew had moved, before letting Gambaro go. “Lucky you, I already have a full stomach.” Added, delicately letting the fork down on the table, beside Gambaro's trembling hand. With nothing more, Odeliah went out, leaving behind an eeriness filling the room.
“This little fucker…” Finally the words came back to Juice as she spat with hatred but with a wavering voice, deciding on following the newbie she stood up and nodded to her crew.
“Gambaro.” The stern warning stopped them, The Governor had came out of the cubicle and placed herself beside the inmate, daring her with her eyes. “This is a warning. Do something stupid and you'll be more than just slotted.” Added the tall woman, looking down at the inmate as if she was a mere cockroach.
“For me? What about the bitch?!”
“She'll get her warning too.” Ferguson ended the discussion with that and left the dining hall, her long legs moving her fast but with grace through the corridors, her destiny: J-2 unit.
“Governor!” She was called from behind, recognizing Miss Bennett's voice, she stopped and turned around. “They just delivered the files you asked for from Sydney. Odeliah Westfall's.” Added and offered said papers.
“Thanks, Vera.” Ferguson took the folder and decided on going straight back to her office.
“Better to assess her from afar for now.” Sentenced in her mind, continuing her way.
Odehlia’s satisfied smile accompany her while walking around the corridors, finding a in-door gym, the infirmary and a while later a Library and she entered. The place was almost empty, it did favored her greatly since she just wanted to rest from everyone and everything. Walking around the isle of books, she started making a list on her mind of the books she would be checking out: specially history, psychology and to re-read some classics. That could get her busy enough while waiting for some word from her direct boss.
“Miss Westfall!” Some woman’s happily voice called her but as she turned around she didn’t see anyone there. A bit confused, Odeliah went back to the reading place of the library, where the desks were placed. Looking around she didn’t found any inmate looking for her, no guard either. She heard her last-name again and glanced to the back of the room, at the last desk, just then noticed that the inmate wasn’t calling her but another woman. As the person turned around, Odeliah’s eyes widened, her shoulders tensed and the subtlest space between her lips appeared as the surprise overcame her… Bridget Westfall was looking straight back at her.
“How in the world…” Even her mind was left out of words as she observed the woman back, assuming she was a Wentworth’s staff since her clothes were an office-like style.
“...Liah?” Bridget finally called, her voice coming out raspy as her throat was suddenly dried out.
Odeliah knew it immediately, having her cousin at Wentworth was nothing but just an easily explosive problem.