Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 11

During the bus ride to the juvenile detention facility, Taye went over the plan in his head. He still thought it was a good one, though things weren't going exactly how he had hoped. He hadn't expected to get out completely unscathed, but he had hoped to talk to Luna more. To explain himself. But this was still well within the working parameters. Nevertheless, he was kicking himself for failing to give Luna more clues when he was being hauled away by SWAT. But at least he had mentioned the Woods. Ideally, Luna would have found Gaia by now.

The bus stopped, and the guard jumped out, coming to the back door. There was only one other person on the bus with Taye, and he hadn't spoken a word. He was skinny and pimply and stared silently at the floor, which suited Taye just fine.

"Get out," the guard shouted.

The other kid waited for Taye to get up first. Taye shuffled to the back and hopped out the open door with his hands still cuffed together.

"Taye Flanagan," the guard said.

"That's me," said Taye.

The guard looked Taye up and down.

"That's me, sir," said the guard. He waited expectantly.

"Sorry. That's me, sir."

"We gonna have trouble with you, boy?"

"No, sir."

"Better not."

"Caleb Frankel," said the guard.

The other kid didn't say anything. Just kept looking at the floor.

"Hey, boy, you speak when spoken to," the guard yelled. He kicked Caleb in the shin.

"Yes, sir."

"That's better," said the guard. "You better learn quick. This place don't tolerate wiseasses."

Caleb didn't respond. The guard went on, "You two will be roommates."

Taye looked over at Caleb. This was going to be interesting. Taye continued to silently review his master plan as they ushered them into the central facility. The kids were brought one by one into a room with three guards. One of the guards patted Taye down while the other two watched.

Then he and Caleb were escorted into the prison. Taye had never been in trouble before. Never even so much as grounded or sent to detention. He imagined what prison was going to be like. He had done his research. Amazon's recommendation engine had suggested Orange Is the New Black, What Really Happens in Prison, and You Are Going to Prison. Taye had laughed at the simplistic approach those algorithms had used to come up with the books, but he read them anyway. He assumed that juvenile detention would be different than adult prisons, but probably not by much. So far, everything was going as smoothly as could be expected.

The inside of the prison reminded him of his high school. The walls were white, and there were yellow lines painted on the floor. He was told to follow them. Taye looked up at Caleb and saw the kid shivering. Taye had assumed Caleb was a stone-cold delinquent who had been here so many times that it was practically a revolving door for him. But now he realized that this was probably Caleb's first time, too. And he looked more scared than Taye felt.

The cell was completely enclosed. No bars to look out into the hallway. It smelled like putrid sweat. The guards pushed them both inside and told them that lights were going out in five minutes. Taye asked what time it was. The guard said eight fifty-five. It had been a long day, and he was ready to sleep.

"Top or bottom?" Those were the first words Caleb said to him. He took it as a good sign that Caleb was letting him pick.

"Bottom."

Caleb climbed into the top bunk without another word. Taye threw himself on the bottom one. He checked his leg. It was only a flesh wound, but it still hurt. Then, once more, he thought through his plan and all its contingencies from the beginning. Checking for any rough spots or sharp corners.