Prelude

My name is Suckerpunch. I've been incarcerated in the Northern California Republic Correctional Facility for almost a year now. That's about to change. A handful of us convicts have a plan set in motion to bust this tin can wide open. Depending on how things play out, by the end of the day, I'll either be a free man, or a dead one.

It's another scorching hot day under a cloudless sky in the Mojave Desert. At the moment, I'm blindfolded with my hands tied behind me with my back almost right against the steel fence. I'm out in the prison yard. I know there are the standard dozen soldiers lined up before me, about twenty paces away. Behind them, the entire convict population is assembled in the yard to watch. Warden Nathan is off to my left, well beyond the range of fire so as to get the best view possible. He probably has that trademark shit eating grin on his face he gets when he thinks he's pulled one over on somebody. Chief of Security, Colonel Lilith Phoenix is at his side, as usual. She's watching in a disconnected sort of way, as if it's just another day at the office.

An officer sticks a cigarette in my mouth and courteously lights it for me as my last request. I can hear the gravel crunching beneath his feet as he rushes away. The entire prison yard is eerie quiet. Even the wind has stopped for this occasion.

"Ready!" I hear an officer shout. Guns lock and load as the firing squad prepares to carry out my execution.

My whole body tenses up, but I manage one huge inhale of nicotine and spit out the smoke. I feel the first seed of doubt begin to dig into my conscience. The other cons should be in their positions by now, ready to set the plan into action "Aim!"

It's the longest moment of my life. This isn't part of the plan. This was meant to be a diversion, not an actual execution. After all the planning and all the precautions this is how it ends?

"Fire!" the officer shouts. This is definitely not part of the plan.