OZ - Starring Cody Ch. 3
By Dan

Cody woke up with a start. He blinked twice, trying to see exactly where he was. Prison. He'd almost forgotten. "Man...", Cody sighed. "I forgot I'm still stuck in this dump." He looked around to his other inmates. The new group weren't as rowdy as Robb, Jase, and Torry. One of the new guys went by the name of Dale, and the other was none other than Balrog, who just got locked up in the prison recently for having ties to Shadaloo. Both of them were still asleep, so Cody decided to finally watch what he wanted to. He turned on the t.v. and flipped through the channels, finally stopping on a hockey game. "Rangers vs. Islanders? Yuck." Cody turned off the set, and banged the bars, which was the signal for the guard. The guard walked up, and leaned on the bars.

"Yeah, whaddya' want, Cody?"

"Lemme' go lift some weights, bro."

"I ain't your bro, but fine. There's some guys in there that might want a piece of you, so I'll come with you to keep the peace." Cody waved him off. "I don't need a babysitter." The guard opened the cell, and Cody was set free. Cody learned not to arouse the guards wrath, and they'd let him off easy...all except Eddy E, of course. Cody walked down the long corridor. He looked up and down each cell. He saw one where a guy was getting beat down by three others. "You say you're a Crip? You get f-ed up, then!", cody heard one say as they continued beating the man down. Cody knew better not to get involved, so he walked on. "*Besides, the guard'll stop it.*"

As he made more twists and double-backs, he finally made it to the weight room. He knocked, and was let inside by the door guard. "State your name, inmate."

"Cody."

"Cody what?"

"That's it...Cody." The guard became visibly annoyed at Cody.

"Okay, joker. I'll ask you one more time, then I'm gonna..." Cody thought fast. "Okay, okay. Cody....um, Grasso." The guard let him by. Cody unzipped the top par of his prison suit, letting the long sleeves dangle below his waist. Underneath he had a white tank-top that was tight-fitting to his muscular torso. Cody looked around. "*I hope that weirdo Claude isn't in here, I might have to much of myself showing for that guy's enjoyment.*" Cody shrugged it off. He watched the other inmates as they grunted and groaned as they lifted barbells, and traded punches in the boxing ring. Cody saw an empty weighlifting bench, and hurried over to it. As he laid on his back, he noticed that this was too much for him to lift, that is, if no one spotted him first. "325 pounds, eh?", Cody said to himself. "Yo! Can someone spot me?" Cody was spurned as he heard various no's, yeah right's and f--- off's. Suddenly a person tapped him on the shoulder. "I'll spot you."

Cody turned around and gasped. It was Hugo! Hugo's huge frame loomed over Cody's. Hugo was a huge man, with huge muscles and long, somewhat dreadlocked hair. In Cody's Final Fight days, Hugo wore a pink leopard-print tanktop with matching pink pants. Cody knew Hugo was here, but he had never seen him...until now. Hugo looked impatient. "Well? You gonna' lift this thang, or are you not? I'm a busy man, y'know." Cody gulped only slightly. "Yeah, sure." Cody laid back down on the bench, and Hugo helped him with the weights. "So", Hugo said, "Where you been since the last time you thrashed us, kid?"

"Prison", Cody said with a grunt. Hugo eyed Cody. "Where's Guy and Mike Haggar? They here too?"

"No, they're livin-whew, the good life. You know -grunt, outside of this trash heap?" Cody ended his lifting at fifteen reps. As he wiped off his face with his shirt, Hugo motioned for him to come over to him. Cody eyed him, then reluctantly moved to the massive Hugo. "Listen, Cody. I'd still break you in two, but now, I need your help. I'm willing to let a bygones be a bygones", Hugo said, obviousy making a mistake in his speech. Cody eyed him. What could he need help with? A fight? Nahhh... Cody was snapped back into reality by Hugo's booming voice, which was now a whisper. "Listen. Are ya' listenin'?"

"Yeah...."

"...."

"I'm listenin'! Go on."

"I got a plan. It involves myself, Birdie, Balrog, and ultimatedly, you.", Hugo said with another mistake in his speech. "Well, I'm all ears. What is it?", Cody said.

"I'm bustin' out of here.", Hugo said with a somewhat toothy grin. "And I want your help."

"Me?", Cody asked, dumbfounded. "*My most dangerous enemy is asking ME for help?*", Cody thought in disbelief. But what really wierded him out is that he was actually thinking about going through with it, and helping Hugo. After all, it would mean his freedom, and it would make him a criminal for real...

"What's your decision, mate? Tell me now, for it be a one-time offer.", Hugo said. Before Cody could answer yes (or no), a guard came up to both of them. "The warden wants to see you, Cody...NOW. Come with me..." Cody gulped, and walked away without telling Hugo his final answer.

When he got to the office where the warden was, the guard opened the door. The warden was there. He was a tall man, about 6'5, with a strong frame and graying hair that hung a little in front of his eyes. Cody also noticed his bushy moustache and cowboy hat, so he made up in his mind that this guy, for certain, was a redneck.

"Now, Cody", the warden said in a Texan accent, "I hear tell you been making bad with the fellow inmates 'round here, true?"

"Yes, but..."

"I reckon you think you're a tough s.o.b., ain't ya'?"

"*This guy sounds like Judge Mills Lane*", Cody thought with a chuckle. Oops...

"I don't suppose you find this situation funny, Mr. Cody?"

"Oh, no. No sir..."

"The name is Ferguson. Sid Ferguson. Warden Ferguson, sir, to you, young buck."

"Yes sir." The warden got up from his leather chair and walked over to where Cody and the guard (who hadn't said a word yet). "You, wait outside. I want to talk to this gent in private.", the warden said.

"Got it. Yes sir, Warden Ferguson, sir.", the guard said, leaving the office. The warden then closed the door. "Now, I have something to tell you. I've heard from various sources that you are trying to break out of this place. Now, I don't need rumours like that spreading and causing shakeups in my prison, so I want to know. Are you trying to escape?" Cody shook his head no.

"It has crossed your mind once or twice I bet, hasn't it?", Warden Ferguson said. Cody nodded his head. He KNEW not to say something smart to the big man in charge. "It's good that you tell the truth, boy. But unfortunately, it'll cost you."

"Huh? What...do you mean?"

"You were up for probation, correct?"

"Yes...?"

"Not anymore. I knew you were thinking about bustin' out of here, so when your probation approval sheet came, I ripped clean to pieces." That was it. Once again, Cody snapped. With an animalistic wail, he lunged at the Warden, strangling him about his neck. "You f-ing b*st*rd! I'll kill you!" Suddenly seven guards barrelled their way in and proceded to try to beat Cody off of the choked-out warden. "You scumbag! I'll beat the dog-shhh outta' you!", Cody yelled with tears in his eyes. He screamed as something electrical was thrust into his side. One officer had shocked him with a tazer, and now he was spastically jerking on the floor. "Oh-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhh....", was all that could escape Cody's mouth as he felt the current run through him as he blacked out. Three guards carried Cody back to the cell. "No medical treatment, sir?", a guard asked the warden, who was adjusting his shirt accordingly. "No."

"But the stun-gun could have permenent damage-"

"I don't care.", the warden replied nonchalantly. The guard shrugged, and motioned for the other four guards to follow suit and leave.

"Hmph. It's a shame he attacked me", the warden said, adjusting his tie.

"He had someone here to see him..."

....Jessica looked at her watch. She had been in the visitor's area for at least two hours. A guard finally came over to her.

"Where's Cody? Mr. Ferguson said he'd bring him down personally."

"Change in plans, miss. Your boyfriend got into trouble. He can't have any visitors today...sorry."

"Oh.", Jessica said, crestfallen. The guard offered Jessica an escort to her vehicle, seeing that it was now getting dark outside. "Don't worry, I can handle it.", she said. As she walked to her vehicle, the wind picked up speed. "*A storm. Great*", Jessica thought. She got into her Mazda Miata, and with one look back at the prison with a slight tear in her eye, turned the key in the ignition.

"I'll see you again, Cody. Just you wait. I hope you haven't thought I've forgotten you. After all, how could I forget the man I've loved since I was 12?

PS: Guy told me you missed me. Well, I miss you even MORE...

Love always,

Jessica."

Cody finished reading the letter. His decision was final. He had to see Guy and Haggar, he had to see Jessica. He only knew one way to do so...

"I'm breakin' out of here..."