“I guess that’s true. Do you have a game plan you’d suggest?” she asked curiously, moving to unload glasses from the nearby drying rack. She glanced back over at Jack, wondering what his story was. 

“Make yourself somebody in this thing. Don’t let people overlook you. People are watching because they wanna see these D-list celebrities make fools of themselves, but your job is to make them start tuning in to see what you’re up to instead.” Jack rested his arms on the bar, watching her with a critical stare. “So how’re you gonna make that happen?” 

June tried not to spit out her shot as Jack compared the show to a chess tournament. He was so intense about the whole thing but she didn’t actually want to offend him so she tried to keep a straight face. 

“What kind of opportunities? It’s not like I’m learning a skill. From where I sit the best I can is probably bag some rich fucker and take him for all he’s worth.” she shrugged.

Jack shrugged, reaching for the drink that she’d made. “Is that so bad? Best case scenario, you might actually like that rich fucker.” He couldn’t imagine anyone having any possible higher expectation of this debacle, feeling that only people who had nothing to lose would sign up for this. Then again, the same could be said of his own career maybe.

June nodded, leaning over to scoop some ice out of the nearby bin and into a glass.

“I thought this was supposed to be a candid show, ya know, with real connections and shit.” she said as she poured the brown liquor into the glass, glancing up at Jack with a playful grin. “Really though I’m just planning on having fun and see if any of these city slickers can keep up.” she added, pouring herself a shot before sliding the whiskey towards Jack. 

“You wouldn’t go to a chess tournament without a game plan. Just because it’s unscripted doesn’t negate that it’s a competition.” Jack responded with a straight face, his gaze fixed on her every move as he searched for anything usable. 

“You don’t want to work here forever, right? This show could give you access to real opportunities, June.”

June was slightly excited to see Jack again, as they had met briefly when she’d met with the show-runners and signed her paperwork. She wondered if this meant she’d be getting a contestant in the bar soon as well. 

“Nope we just switched over. You want something to drink?” she asked, thinking he seemed like he might need something to take the edge off of what sounded like a bad day already. 

Jack stalled for a moment, unable to remember the last time that he’d even had a drink. It wasn’t really in line with his ideals, but Bailey was already pushing him towards some kind of edge. 

“Yeah, just a whiskey on the rocks. I needed to talk to you anyway.” He moved to take a seat on one of the barstools. “You got a game plan yet?” He asked, giving her a chance before he just told her what to do.

“Oh, you know,” Wyatt answered vaguely when Jack addressed the bag. “Money, vibrators. Stuff.” He was usually a better liar than this, but he also didn’t care a whole lot. He was gratified when the other jumped into action, having known that Bailey would be the ultimate bait. 

“The seaport. We have—“ Wyatt checked his watch (reacquired from Officer Williams, courtesy of Mac). “Twenty-two hours before my associate leaves.” He would’ve said ‘cousin,’ but Jack didn’t have his shoes on yet and the man was only trustworthy as long as he believed Wyatt had Bailey. “But luckily for you, you won’t have to cut your workout early.” He gestured to the duffle.

Jack was intensely unhappy with Wyatt for instigating this entire thing, but he was even more annoyed with Bailey for being stupid enough to let himself be brought into it. 

He finished pulling on his clothes and stepped over to the bag, knowing better than to argue with Wyatt. The only person that Wyatt couldn’t seem to get his way with was Ash, which probably explained the two’s mutual obsession with the other. “But where are you guys planning to go?” He demanded, reaching down to pick up the bag and frowning at the awkward weight of it. “This had better not be a body in here.” He warned, though in reality he didn’t know what he was going to do about it if it was.

Wyatt grinned when Jack didn’t deny that Bailey was his boyfriend, just as amused as he would’ve been in high school. “For a six-pack and a carton of Marlboros, where do you think?” He didn’t have any misgivings about divulging the escape to Jack, who was as hopelessly devoted to Bailey as Wyatt was to Ash. For one, neither of them were ever in danger of getting sent to Belmont, and yet here they both were, trying to play knight in shining armor to damsels who weren’t so much in distress as they were distressing.

“I hope you have your snow boots on you because we’re already running behind.” Not that Bunny would leave without him, but he’d rather not push their timetable more than necessary. His shoulders were straining and he gingerly lowered the duffle bag to the floor, features visibly constricting in a grimace when the contents shifted. Actually, their chief concern should probably be the fact that Wyatt hadn’t been able to find any drugs stronger than Nyquil, and Ash was bound to go for the jugular once he woke. 

Jack frowned, hurriedly pulling on his clothes but watching suspiciously as Wyatt put the bag down on the floor. “Do I want to ask what’s in there?” He already knew the answer to that, dreading the answer. “Where the hell are you guys even planning to go?”

Jack was always surprised to find that there were always detainees milling around the library. No matter the time of day, if the library was open it seemed that there were always at least serveral people in there. Maybe he’d just underestimated how many bookworms there were left in the world, but he suspected there had to be some other explanation based on the general gravity of Belmont’s population.

On this particular day the librarian had called out sick, and Jack had been volunteered to take over for him. He’d seen Tommie come in awhile ago but she’d disappeared among the bookshelves, piquing his curiosity after some time. 

He wandered down the aisles until he caught sight of her with a book in hand, his footsteps slowing as he approached. “You need help looking for anything? I’m not an expert, but I can at least offer a second pair of eyes.” He offered.

“Jacking off to your reflection isn’t a job,” Mac admonished, making no move to get out of the other’s way. “Although it could be. I’ve been telling you for years that you need a webcam. That’s easy money.” She kicked the other’s gym bag and watched it skid across the tiled floor as she regarded Jack with interest. “I’m surprised to find you here. Didn’t think you’d climb down from your pedestal so easily. What’s it like being a mere mortal now?”

Jack was unsurprised to find that Mac hadn’t become any less annoying in the time that he’d gone without seeing her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shook his head, walking to retrieve his bag that she’d kicked across the floor. “I take it Belmont doesn’t drug test their staff.”

“I mean…Marissa’s been here for years, still has some innocence. You might luck out.” she offered. “Mia.” Personal training…that sounded interesting and…not at all what she’d expected from Belmont. “I may have to check out your work sometime.  Coaching, personal training, sounds fishy but interesting.” 

Jack had met Marissa briefly, and she did seem to the best of the lot. Then again, the likes of Ash and Mac had set an easy bar to clear for Belmont staff. 

“Fishy?” He asked, genuinely unsure what she meant by that in regards to the service he was offering. “You should definitely come. Come before class, or after. I’m planning my schedule around the classroom schedules.”

So Belmont had suckered someone else into the hellhole to work for them. If she cared enough, she’d give them points for keeping up the charade. . If she ever got her power back, she’d have to remember to leave this poor soul off her hit-list of nightmare conjuring. 

“Mm, still have your sense of humor. Hang onto it. They might try and rip it away.” She advised, though with a hint of…something kind in the smirky smile that crossed her lips 

Jack laughed again, though it was semi-apologetic this time. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be held inside of this place. His position, as barely more than a volunteer, couldn’t begin to understand what it was like on the other side. 

“As you said, I’m new. I’m sure they’re letting me off easy right now.” He paused, realizing that he hadn’t introduced himself. “I’m Jack.” He nodded in the direction of the rec center. “Gonna be doing some volunteering coaching and/or personal training.”

“You’re going to find that a lot of people are very far from okay in this place. It’s better to assume they’re not okay and then make your choice on whether or not you approach.” 

She gave him a once over. He seemed…new. Fresh. She’d definitely hadn’t seen in his face in the years she’d been here. Had Belmont suckered someone else into the hellhole. 

“You’re new.” she mused. 

Jack laughed quietly under his breath. “I’m not scared of a bad mood.” He assured her, comfortable in taking his chances like this. After all, growing up with Bailey for a best friend really deadened you to the absence of a cheery personality.

He nodded as she said he was new. “Yep. Just thought to myself one day, what better place to spend the winter than Alaska?” 

“I’d use it to stay at my physical prime, obviously. No idea what Leland thought he was doing. Surely that can’t have been his brightest era…”

Fuck Mac - At least I already know what that shame feels like.

Marry Marissa - I don’t know her that well, but she’s hot and seems unlikely to make me regret it on purpose. 

Kill Leland - Probably should have killed Mac.