Chapter 1

In one of the most peaceful and serene coffee shops in Chicago, a man named Lewis was wiping the junks on his table. A black apron hung loosely on his waist, his flannel shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his face carried the smiles of joy as this was winter season and because of the icy air, many customers will drop by today to grab a hot coffee.

He whistled his favorite song as he cleaned the table with a fresh tablecloth. Lewis has no employees in his cafe, as of the reason that he could manage the shop alone. It was a small classical cafe with about six tables, some artistic paintings hung on the gypsum board. He placed them there to attract customers, so they won't get bored when drinking in his cafe, instead there is something to entertain their wandering eyes.

The open sign was faced outside so he was officially opened. Sirens blared across the alley, and halted in front of Lewis's cafe. Lewis peered up seeing the white police car.

“Oh! It's the bacon!” he said with a joyful heart. This would be the first time the constabulary would be drinking from his cafe, he was happy as Larry.

Little did poor Lewis know that he was about to meet a sticky end.

Another car skidded on the sidewalk, this time Lewis recognised the car to be his uncle's four-wheel drive. He wondered what celebration was about to occur? Since it was his uncle, he shoved through the shelves to see if his uncle's favorite flavor was available.

The first policeman pushed the swing door, and they barged in with Lewis's uncle.

“You are highly welcome to King Lewis Café,” Lewis acknowledged them with a cheery heart while he was facing the shelves and checking what was available.

The head officer with them commanded,

“Lewis Baker, put your hands behind your head!”

Lewis stilled, and the whole world stilled with him. Slowly, he swerved around and the first gaze he met was that of his uncle's burning one.

“What is happening?” he questioned, his mouth agape in shock.

The head officer pulled out a license from his pocket and extended his hand to Lewis's view.

“We have an order to scour this shop for a stolen billion dollar necklace,” the police officer said in one breath.

Lewis sighed before giving them a breathy laugh.

“Calm down, relax, take a breath,” he said to himself in order to control his sanity from slipping.

“Do you know whose shop you are in, eh?” he turned to Mr. Campbell, “Uncle, tell them some-”

Mr. Campbell raised a palm in the mid air, Lewis stopped talking and was met with his uncle's cold stare.

“One prayer will save you, one Lewis,” he sprouted his index finger in motion of ‘one’ as he said that. His voice was cold and dead, that made Lewis's heart pound.

His lips were set in a thin line as anger creased his face before he commanded, “Officers! Search this cafe thoroughly, ravage and uproot everything standing in your way.”

Lewis was pushed back to the counter as the officers took different paths in destroying his shop.

“Uncle Camp, I know nothing of this necklace. This shop was refurnished a week ago, withdraw your orders,” Lewis might look fearless but inside his heart was shattering into pieces as the officers shot down his caffeine products, containers with milk and sugar powder spilled on the floor making a whole mess.

His eyes were almost teary and wide opened as he gave his uncle another pleading stare to withdraw his orders, but Mr. Campbell totally ignored him. Lewis gulped painfully.

“They say, families are your closest enemy. I must have understood that with a pinch of salt.” he strutted up and down with his shoes clicking on the floor boards, here and there, he looked at the watch on his wrist.

Meanwhile, Lewis stood there helplessly, he couldn't do anything but watch his hard work over the years being crushed to remnants.

Soon after, a police officer came out running.

“Sir, I found the necklace!”

Campbell took the necklace and heaved a sigh of relief while examining it for any damages. Lewis was just confused, he was left utterly speechless as they gaped at the polished ruby teardrop pendant with a diamond stone at the top.

****"

The head officer walked closer to Lewis with a handcuff in his hand.

He said, “Lewis Baker, you are under arrest for stealing a billion dollar worth pendant.”

“You have the right to remain silent because anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,” he stated and took Lewis's wrists.

Running the handcuff around his wrist and clasping it tightly.

“What are you doing? Uncle, I didn't put this necklace there, believe me I know nothing about this, in fact, I am just seeing this necklace for the first time in my life.”

It was as if Lewis was pleading to deaf ears.

Campbell drew closer and smacked him hard on the cheek, leaving Lewis with a busted lip.

“Bloody Mary! Who knew that I had a magpie with me all these years,” he lamented.

“This is not right, I have nothing to do with that necklace!” Lewis yelled in anger as his nose flared and he bared his teeth that were coated with blood from his busted lip.

Mr. Campbell quirked a brow, “Tell that to your creator while in prison.”

“Take this loser away,” he commanded.

Lewis couldn't fight for his rights as he was dragged away to the patrol car. Using their batons and threatening him with glocks, they forced him into the car and closed it up. From the window, Lewis stared at his cafe as the life in it was forcefully dragged away, what matters the most to him in this world, a place that brought him real life happiness and peace of mind. Then he gave his uncle a last blank stare, knowing that he will never forget this day before the car swept away.

“Good lockup journey, nephew.”

********

*******

~Chicago prison~

A police car rolled in a house of detention district, restricted to human movement and was only enveloped in wide bushes with a clear road in the middle. The car stopped in front of a big black gate, the walls were very high and had sharp chunks of iron metal attached to them. There stood a high gun tower. When the gate slid up, a man in a police uniform appeared, tattoos designed the skin on his face making him look rugged and dangerous.

What was more dangerous was the predator's creepy smile on his face as, and from inside the car, Lewis swallowed a lungful of air while staring at the man.

The car passed through the gate, when it drove past the gateman, Lewis had a clearer view noticing that one of the tattoos on his face was that of a skull with intersecting bones. The gothic gateman spat at the trunk of the car as they swept away.

As they drove in, the atmosphere slowly began to change, dread slithered into Lewis's mind. On each side of the wide road, inmates were smiling and waving at them. It was not just an ordinary smile, there were smudges of charcoal on their faces, and their teeth were any color but far from white.

It happened in a very slow motion as the inmates started clawing and scratching at the car, blocking their view. From Lewis's side, something dropped on the window and he turned to see a broken egg yoke sliding down the out part of the window. There were many of them and worst that their voices were muffled, closely inaudible.

A face crammed at the car's window and the inmate bared his dirty yellow teeth at Lewis while clawing with his long fingers. Lewis's heart thudded loudly to his hearing and he drew back a little.

Soon, a loud gunshot fired in the air, and inmates started running for their lives, dispersing into different directions, not anywhere close or outside the big Chicago prison walls.

The car was parked, while Lewis's hands were still handcuffed and the Chief executive officer showed up in a classic charcoal gray suit. Following behind him were two police officers carrying assault rifles.

“Welcome to Chicago prison, Mister Lewis Baker,” the CEO extended his hand for a hand shake, however, Lewis saw that as a form of mockery because the CEO clearly saw that his hands were handcuffed.

“You were arrested for stealing your Uncle's pendant that went missing on the 15th of October and was found in your café, with the height of your crime in addition to your charges, you will stay locked up for a longer period of time,” The CEO stated, unfazed by Lewis's innocent expression.

Lewis heaved a sigh of tiredness, “You know this is all wrong, I was accused of all this and I have never set my eyes on that Goddamn necklace except today!” Lewis was sweating profusely even though the temperature was not high, the situation left him sweaty.

CEO smiled and caressed the clipboard in his hand.

The truth is that the Bakers were widely known for their massive wealth and involvement with political affairs. While the masses saw them as the rich hardworking lucky men, only the constabularies know what occurs underneath this mask of deception.

What they didn't know was that, among the three Baker's blood, Lewis Baker was the only different one. Not only was he inclined to peace, he saw that his little café shop kept him busy and distracted from the turmoil.

But that doesn't matter, as long as his bloodline is Baker.

“What I know is that the necklace was found in your shop at exactly 11:00am this morning and this will be inputted in your record, your criminal record, Mister Baker, ” he dragged the last sentence with loathe for him.

Lewis pursed his lips, “When will I get my own lawyer? This bullshit will end, and I promise that when it ends,” he glanced at each of them, “Everyone of you will pay for the damage.”

“For now, there won't be any attorney appointed for you until the force changes their mind. I am afraid to say there will be less immunity assigned to you.”

“What does that mean?”

The CEO stated moving and Lewis was dragged behind by the officers

“Means that when others are receiving visitors, you won't be allowed to meet anyone. During free passes or gala nights you will be excluded from these.”

Lewis scoffed, “Really? What criminal undergoes all these charges?”

“You don't know?” CEO spared him a glance over the shoulder, “Your uncle wrote ‘May God have mercy upon your soul’ in the box for punishment.”

He continued, “Since we do not hear God speak but we feel it in our souls and the constabulary has no feeling, you know like the heart was ripped out and that saying ‘turn off your emotions’ is part of our motto.”

He pushed the door to his office open, while Lewis's heart was thudding so loudly.

“I will say you prepare yourself for the long run as we await the heavens scream ‘enough’ Mister Baker,” he said and started pouring himself a glass of Martini.

“Or rather, King Lewis,” he gave him a threaty smile and raised his glass, “Would you like a gin?”

Meanwhile, Lewis was fuming and was trying to control the anger boiling in his blood. The pain that he was betrayed by someone and accused by his own uncle was overbearing.

CEO was on his seat enjoying his drink while thinking of all the harm he would cause Lewis. Partially his eyes were on the other Baker, Lewis's brother, Taylor Baker.

But whatever, a Baker is a Baker.

And this one will suffer all the consequences for their poor reputation and corrupt practices in politics over the years.

The door opened again and a man in fine polished shoes walked in, his shoes clicking on the floor, making his presence known.

“Oh, thank heaven you are here, Warden Lee. Here is King Lewis, our newest inmate, you will take him to the commissary for a pair of uniform, see that he is treated to a nice meal as a day of grace,” CEO said to the man whose name makes inmates pee in their pants.

“Tomorrow I will hand over a list of his daily duties,” he completed.

“Yes, sergeant major,” Warden Lee was putting on a white shirt with two pockets at the breast sides, and a black tie knotted tightly against it, matching his black trouser. That was his day-to-day look as a warden.

“This way, please,” Warden Lee made way for Lewis as if deep down he can't wait for Lewis to break a rule so he will use his baton to beat daylight out of him.

Before Lewis started to leave, his eyes had turned to red, the hurt in his heart was evident. It was all happening like a film, last he was in his café and next he was far away from home, in another place he never thought he would be.

“And King Lewis, my name is CEO Connor, welcome to Chicago prison, home for penalizing” CEO Connor said.

And the door was shut after them.