Warden

'Shut up and sign this.'

'Sir, I didn't do anything wrong.'

The police officer stood up from his seat and went near to Jim. He looked fiercely into Jim's eyes. 

'You better sign it, Son. Or there will be consequence that you wouldn't even imagine.' warned that officer.

'Officer Mike, I don't deal drugs. This is a mistake.'

'No. The mistake is yours. Sign this confession.' A guy from Jim's hostel died due to an overdose from a party gone horribly wrong. 

After an hour of intimidation, Jim reluctantly signed the confession. Officer Mike put Jim behind bars after allowing him one phone call.

The police station was buzzing with the arguments between police and criminals. Jim was tensed and waiting for his bail to arrive. Jim called his friends. They were the only family that Jim had. 

'Sir, where do I have apply for bail of Jim?' asked Jack, one of Jim's best friend.

Luckily, officer Mike was there.

Surprisingly, he assisted with the papers, and Jim was released instantly.

'Are you allright?' asked Barry, Jim's friend. Jim, Jack and Barry were more like a family. They were orphans in the same orphanage. They grew together and were fortunate to reach college. Otherwise, very few from that orphanage crossed teen years. Drugs were the reason for their demise.

'When did you start peddling drugs, Jim?' asked Barry.

'I needed some extra cash, and this opportunity presented. If not for that officer Mike, I would have 50K. Damn that officer,' said Jim.

Barry and Jack were clueless about what Mike was talking about, but they know that the Mike they knew would never even touch the drugs. Selling those drugs would never be a thought that would enter the mind of Jim. 

Jim, the brain among three, was the reason that the three were in college. Jack was the muscle while Barry was the funny guy. No one dared to touch them in an orphanage or even in the college.

After a death due to a drug overdose in the hostel, Jim changed. The other two didn't know the motive force behind Jim that motivated him to peddle drugs. On their way to the police station, Barry and Jack could not believe that a cop had arrested Jim for drug peddling. Whatever the reason, both of them decided to bail Jim. They did so, and now they were heading out to their hostel.

'You go hostel. I will meet you there. I have to meet someone and apprise them of this situation.'

'No, Jim. Let us go to the hostel and short this out.' suggested Jack

'Sorry, Jack. I have to meet this guy.' pleased Mike

'Okay, but come directly to hostel, and you have to explain us, all of this.'

Jim went to meet a drug supplier of the area. Jim phoned that drug supplier to hook him up with some coke. 

'And who are you and who gave you this number?' asked that supplier.

'I am a student at Mac Hostel. I got a number from a common friend.'

'And where are you right now?' asked that supplier.

'Standing near the gate of your workshop.'

'Stay where you are.' ordered that supplier. 

It was almost dark, and no one was around as it was an isolated factory compound unused for decades. Jim was feeling tensed.

Suddenly, a silhouette appeared from behind Mike. That person hit Mike with a baseball bat. Mike was knocked unconscious. Two other shadows approached the fallen Mike, and three of them dragged Mike into that abandoned factory.

After half hour, Jim regained consciousness.

'Look, our drug dealer is awake. Let's give him some thing to remember.' saying that one of the goons of that supplier punched Jim in the nose. The punch was so severe that Jim was only one punch away from a nasal fracture. The goons tied Jim to a chair. Otherwise, he would have defended himself. 

'Did you like it?' asked the other goon.

'Wait, I am not here to fight with you. I have build a network, and my supplier is running short. So, I am here looking for a solid supplier who can hook me up for a long time.'

'So, you have a network. How come I haven't heard about you?' asked the supplier who was sitting under the shadows exactly opposite to Jim.

'That's how good I am. If not for that stupid Junky and careless supplier, I would have been in the shadows forever, just like you.'

'What do you mean?'

'I was busted in the morning from hostel due a junky overdosed. It was a disaster. The clues pointed to me, and cops busted me with 2 Kilos.'

'So, after going bust, you somehow came to know about this location. How beleiveable?' said the supplier.

'I received a tip from the jail.'

'Don't act smart. Search for any wire on him and you search the parameter for any cops.' ordered the supplier to his goons.

There was no mic and no cop.

'Believe me.'

'Believing in someone is the luxury in this line of work that I can not afford.'

'Sir, I called our guy at the station. His story adds up.' whispered one of the goons into the ears of their boss.

'Okay, we will start with 1K. Payment upfront. No credits only cash. If all goes well, you can collect 50K tomorrow. Pure Coke. You can dilute and sell.'

'Okay. Here are your benjamins. Count them.' said Jim.

One of the goons counted the dirty green money and gave a thumbs up to his boss.  

The supplier felt at ease and decided to come out of the shadow.

'Jim, remember this face, if you are thinking of double crossing me.' said the supplier.

'Sir, You?' Jim was surprised to see his hostel warden as the supplier.

'I am onto you, and if you decided something otherwise, I am watching you.'

'Okay, sir.'

The warden made himself busy counting the benjamins. 

Jim started walking back to his hostel as the meeting was nearly over, and now the cops, especially officer Mike, had to finish what he started.

'Sir, the supplier is our warden.'

'Are your sure, Jim.' asked Mike.

'Yes, and he called someone in the station by the name Cillian. Is there any cop by that name at your station.'

'One of the goons called him to confirm my story of the arrest, and the display of his phone showed the name Cillian. He confirmed my story with all details.'

'Unfortunately, we have a guy by that name. We will take care of that. Anything you want to add?'

'Yes, they fell for benjamins, and you will find the ink marks on the hands of the supplier.'

'Thank you, Jim for your help. There are no records of you involved in this bust but stay assure that there will be no menance of drugs in your hostel.'

'Thank you sir. Make sure you catch that supplier or send him away for long as he knows my identity.'

'Definitely, don't worry, my son. Do one thing first. Go to the DEA, just like you went right after I released you. They will debrief you and record your statement. This way, the DEA will make sure that you are not troubled while the case is going on in court.'

'Okay, sir.'

'And, you haven't shared any details of your arrest with anyone other than your two friends, right?'

'Yes, sir. And I am sure they will not share it with anyone.'

'That's good. Okay, I will message you after a successful bust. The bee-drone has captured the video of the exchange. That would be proof enough for a heavy sentence. We knew who was supplying the drug, but without proof we were not able to touch the supplier. Thank you for helping the department.'

'I could not tolerate drugs in my hostel, so I decided to act.'

'In the morning, I was hesitant to send you unprepared in the field, but you did well, Jim. Now, study without any worry.'

The call ended, and Jim reached the hostel.

He explained it all to his friends, and they were relieved.

Jim's phone chimed. Mike send an emoji of Thumbs-up with the text: 'Cillian arrested along with the warden. Thank you for your service. DEA is eager to recruit you for future.'

Jim smiled and deleted the msg.

He Knew what would he do in his life.