A tremor of panic rippled through the prison yard. An inmate, his face pale and etched with worry, rushed towards Karim. "Brother," he gasped, "the Boss... he's planning to kill Arun. He's trying to get a knife."
Karim's expression hardened. "Calm down," he said, his voice low and steady. "And don't breathe a word of this to Arun."
Meanwhile, the Boss was holding another inmate aloft by his shirt, his face contorted with rage. "You find me a knife," he snarled, "or you'll find yourself wishing you were never born." He dropped the terrified man to the ground with a thud.
"Boss," Jacky said, his voice cautious, "Karim has informants in our crew. We need to find them."
"I know," the Boss growled. "We'll deal with them soon enough."
In the relative calm of the prison kitchen, Karim and Arun sat at a battered wooden table, eating their meager meal. Suddenly, the Boss stormed in, his face a thundercloud. He grabbed a plate piled high with steaming food and hurled it at Arun.
"What the hell are you doing, you imbecile?" Karim roared, leaping to his feet.
Arun cried out, the scalding food burning his skin. He shivered, the pain and shock bringing tears to his eyes.
The voice, ever opportunistic, seized the moment. I was enjoying the show, it hissed, but your idiotic friend had to interfere. Now, I'm giving you two choices. Choice one: beat Karim senseless. Choice two: get beaten to death by the Boss. It paused, relishing Arun's fear. Oh, and I suggest you pick choice one. I'll even help you out a bit. I'll control your body just long enough to slap the Boss. Then I'll leave you to deal with the consequences.
Arun, his mind reeling, felt a surge of desperation. "Fine!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "Choice one!" He lunged at Karim, his fist connecting with his stomach, then his face.
The Boss, momentarily stunned, watched in disbelief. "Yeah, baby!" he yelled, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Arun, what are you doing?" Karim gasped, staggering back. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I'm sorry, brother," Arun mumbled, his voice thick with despair. "But you know I..."
Before he could finish, Karim recovered from the initial shock. He grabbed Arun by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. "Snap out of it!" he yelled, then knocked Arun to the ground with a blow to the head.
The Boss, sensing an opportunity, stepped forward. "Well, well, well," he sneered. "Looks like you two are having a little party. Mind if I join in?"
The other inmates, sensing a brawl, began to chant, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The Boss swung a fist at Karim's head, but Karim blocked it with ease. Just then, Arun scrambled to his feet, grabbed a plate, and smashed it over Karim's head. Karim stumbled, his head hitting the edge of the table with a sickening thud. He collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
The voice within Arun pulsed with approval. Good job, kid, it whispered.
Arun stared at Karim's prone form, his heart pounding in his chest. He had just attacked the one person who had shown him kindness in this brutal place. What was he becoming?
The Boss, meanwhile, was livid. He charged at Arun, his face contorted with rage. "You're dead!" he roared.