It had nearly been a week. Every day Lee passed his cell he turned away to the empty one across from Dustin's. When he slept he could only see the happiest times of his life, his life when he was younger and not around his parents, his family, their disapproving gazes and their sighs of discontent. Any time he could get away, any time he could sit with his longtime friend, was a vacation he wished would never end. Lee spent his days above the prison, in the compound, answering questions about the prisoners and the tactics he used to get information from them. In the evenings he went below, sitting at his desk and dreading when he was called upon to force answers where they otherwise would remain silent.

He kept track of food and water stocks and logs, making sure the guards weren't mistreating the prisoners where they weren't allowed to. He was forced to pass by Dustin's cell every day because of its location, however, but tried not to look in on him. It was hard enough depriving him of food and water so desperately already. He could only imagine how hard it was for Dustin---trapped where there were no clocks, no windows, no indication of time. Starved and dehydrated.

He stared at the black screen of his computer for a while, wondering about the implications. What if he switched sides? He could destroy his files, crash the computers, set Dustin free on the premise of taking him along to fight on the other side. Perhaps even get on the front lines if necessary. But he couldn't do that. He stepped out of his office, walking slowly down the hall and turning left. His heavily-booted feet were quiet as they came to a stop outside the cell and he crossed his arms lightly. Lee didn't want to speak. He felt as if he would let it all out, and maybe Dustin resented him for not really saying goodbye before he left. Maybe he didn't even remember his old friend.