Reflection In A Cracked Mirror
Reflection In A Cracked Mirror
Author: steelesimz
Artist: miss_peg
Link to art: http://asilentspace.livejournal.com/12195.html
Word Count: 3123
Rating: PG
Summary: Jane has time to think while in prison. Season 4 finale spoilers.
Notes: This is written for the amazing artwork that miss_peg came up with for the reverse mentalist_bb.
Reflection In A Cracked Mirror
“In you go.” The officer said firmly as the cell door opened in front of him. Jane gave him a nod and walked in just before the guard gave the order to close the door, leaving him alone with his cell-mate.
“So what are you in for?” The stranger asked gruffly from the bottom bunk.
“The usual.” Jane stated as he studied the young man in front of him.
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” The man replied as he sat up and held out a hand to Jane, “Drake.”
“Patrick,” he stated as he shook Drake's hand. “So what are you in for?”
“I got caught robbing a pawn shop.” Drake responded before laying back down on the bed.
Jane took a deep breath of air before walking over to the top bunk and pulling himself on to the bed. He stared at the ceiling above him and wondered if it was all worth it in the long run. He hadn't told anyone of his plan and they hadn't come to get him yet, despite how many calls and texts he had on his phone from Lisbon. Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes and hoped that his plan would start sooner rather than later because he wasn't sure how much longer he could pull off his stunt.
“So there's a rumor going through here that you are a cop.” Drake stated as he walked back into the cell after breakfast.
“Not a cop.” Jane replied as he splashed some water onto his face.
“But you worked for them.” he pried as he took a seat on his bed.
“Used to.”
“So that still makes you one.” Drake said annoyed.
“I also used to be a conman.” Jane pointed out.
“Really?”
“What can I say, Drake? I'm a man of many faces and talents.” he gave Drake a quick smile.
“So what sort of cons did you pull?” Drake asked as he motioned Jane to join him.
“All types.” he shrugged as he sat next to Drake.
“Were you good at them?” Drake asked excitedly. Jane dropped his head a little before speaking to him again.
“I was good but...”
“But?”
“Sometimes being too good at something can get you into trouble,” he replied quietly.
“Which is why you ended up in Vegas.” Drake stated gleefully.
“Partly.” Jane replied distantly. Drake raised an eyebrow at his answer.
“I paid the ultimate price by being a conman.” Jane began to say. “And if I could change the past I would have done it by now.”
Jane got up from the bed and pulled himself to the top bunk. He turned to his side and faced the wall in hopes that Drake would leave him alone. For the past few months he had been alone with his demons of the past. He had kept his eyes out for Red John or any of his minions, but without his connection to the CBI he wasn't able to distract himself with a case. Closing his eyes again, he slightly wished that he had something to let him sleep.
Jane pushed the little bits of eggs around his tray. He liked eggs but these prison eggs gave a new meaning to the word crap. He glanced quickly at the clock on the wall wondering if Lisbon or anyone else had heard that he had been arrested. If they had then they would have already posted his bail, unless they were hoping that he had learned his lesson about disappearing. Or worse, they didn't care that he was actually in jail.
“I've asked about you.” Drake stated as he sat down next to Jane. Jane dropped his fork on the tray and looked at him.
“And?”
“You pissed off a serial killer by the name of Red John.” he stated without hesitation.
“Yes I did.” he replied as he grabbed his tray and headed toward the trash cans.
“He went after your family.” Drake followed right behind him. His voice caused a few inmates to turn their heads and listen in on the conversation.
“Yes.” he replied sadly as he dumped the remains of his breakfast in the trash can and stacked the tray with all the others.
“Man, I've done some bad shit in my lifetime but nothing like that.”
“Well then, that makes you smarter than me.” Jane said softly.
“So what happened?” Drake asked as he followed Jane out of the kitchen area.
“What?”
“I mean how did you piss him off so much that he killed your family?” Drake asked enthusiastically.
“It's a long story.” he replied hoping Drake would leave him alone.
“It's not like we're goin' anywhere. Unless you're like the rest of these blowhards, all talk just to be a big shot.” Drake stated as they entered the cell. He had a point at least.
“I was more into making money and didn't care about what happened. The police had come to me in hopes that I would be able to shed some light on the case. During one of my promotions for my talents I went on TV and they asked about Red John. I said a bunch of crap that wasn't true in order to make myself look good. In the end Red John made me pay the ultimate price for those lies I had told.” Jane explained as he sat down on Drake's bed.
“So that is when you were working for the police.” Drake confirmed as he sat next to Jane.
“The first time.” he replied as he looked at the wall across from him.
“You worked with them more than once?” Drake asked, surprised. Jane nodded his head.
“After Red John killed my family I vowed revenge and joined the CBI in hopes of finding him.” he explained.
“CBI?”
“California Bureau of Investigation.”
“Are they like the FBI?” Drake asked confused.
“Yeah.”
“So how did you get arrested if you work for them?”
“I don't work for them anymore.” he replied disheartened.
“Get fired did ya?” Drake let a smirk fall across his face.
“Yes.” Jane whispered so quietly that Drake had barely heard him.
“Hell, if I was you man, I would have stayed with them. It would have saved you from getting locked in this place.” Drake told him as he got to his feet. “Come on, we have some free time in the recreational yard.”
“I think I'll just stay here.” Jane told him as he got up to his feet.
“Suit yourself but some sun would do you good man.” he told him as he walked out.
Jane stared at the small mirror that was in the room. He looked much older than he actually was and the dark rings under his good eye were just as dark as those around the black eye. He was not only physically tired, but also emotionally. Vegas was not a healthy place for him to be. He had already conned several people that he shouldn't have. A smile slightly played on his lips as he could just hear Lisbon telling him not to mess with mafia hit men.
“You're supposed to be in the recreational yard,” the guards voice pulled Jane out of his revelry.
“Is it really a requirement to go out there?” Jane asked.
“No, you can always go to the infirmary.” the guard stated firmly. Jane raised his eyebrows and nodded in understanding,
“You know I think it is a nice day for a stroll outside.” Jane replied as he made his way out of the cell.
Jane stopped at the doorway that led to the recreational yard and allowed the sun to hit his face. The warmth made him feel more human than he had felt in a while. He looked around for a place that was the closest to deserted of inmates and guards. Jane made his way to the far back of the recreational yard and laid down on the little dry grass that was there. He closed his eyes and let the heat from the sun warm up his body.
“I thought you were going to stay inside.” Drake’s voice drifted to him.
“Yeah the guard didn't agree with my choice.” Jane replied to him.
“They never do.” Drake stated as he sat down next to him. Jane opened his eyes and looked over at him thinking this kid seemed like he didn't belong here.
“So you rob a store?” Jane asked as he sat up.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Not important, man.” Drake stated as he fiddled with a piece of dead grass.
“You know you can do better than being in a place like this.” Jane said, encouragingly.
“You're one to talk.” Drake snorted. “You had a good job and you threw it all away.”
“Yes, I did.” Jane dropped his head as he spoke.
“So why'd you do it?”
“Because sometimes you just need to make a change.” Jane replied to his question.
“Is it worth it?”
“Yes.” Jane stated but his voice didn't even sound like his own.
“You know visitor's day is coming up tomorrow.” Drake stated as he dropped the grass.
“No, I didn't know that.” Jane stated without any care.
“Got anyone coming to see you?”
“I highly doubt it.”
“Really?”
“I burned a lot of bridges when I got fired. So I don't think anyone will come and see me tomorrow or pay for my bail.” Jane explained with sadness in his voice.
“Not even friends?”
“I'm not even sure that I can call them my friends anymore.” Jane started to say. Drake gave a nod for Jane to continue. “There are things I've done in the past that have put their lives in danger. I think I have now come to the point that I have asked too much of them.”
“Well, if they're your friends, then they would stand by you no matter how hard things got.” Drake stated with a smile,
“Drake, some things can't be fixed in this world.”
“Yeah.” Drake said dejected.
Jane placed a hand on his shoulder and tapped him. “When you get out of here you are going to apply to a good job and make a better life for yourself and those you care about. You will never go back to your old life because you are a better person.” Jane finished and tapped him again to pull him out of the trance.
“What was that?”
“Oh, that was nothing.” Jane said with a smile as he laid back down on the grass.
Jane heard the dry grass crackle as Drake got up and departed. At least he would now get some solitude with his thoughts as his only distraction. He wondered about the team and how they were doing with solving cases without him, if any. He thought about Lisbon's pleas to let her help him before he left the Bureau, and how she had tried to get in contact with him until she finally realized that it was useless.
He knew that Red John was watching his every moment, just waiting to see how far he could slip into the darkness that he was creating. It was just a matter of time before Red John came out of hiding to offer Jane a chance at a new life. When that time came, then he would go and tell Lisbon the truth and clear his conscience. Until then he had to keep acting like he was falling.
“Time to head in.” the guard's voice caused Jane to jump.
“What?” Jane asked confused as he didn't see anyone else moving.
“Your bail has been posted.” the guard told him. Jane nodded and got to his feet and followed him out of the recreational yard.
After changing back into his regular clothes, Jane was led out of room toward the main entrance of the prison. He was led to the main office where another guard dropped a yellow envelope on the desk and placed a clipboard in front of him to sign.
“Sign that.” the guard stated firmly.
“Uhh, why am I being released? I didn't raise bail.” Jane asked as he signed the clipboard.
“Somebody raised it for you.” the guard replied uncaring.
“Who was it?”
“I don't have that information,” the guard replied.
“Teresa Lisbon is my guess.” Jane began to say with a smile “Huh?” “Lisbon?”
“I don't have that information,” the guard repeated.
“Okay you don't have that information.” Jane stated as he told the guard that he could keep the now empty envelope.
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The bright sunlight hit his eyes as he exited the prison and made his way to the street. A small part of him actually had hoped that he was corrected and that Lisbon would be waiting for him. But there was no one around.
“There is a bus stop down the block.” the guard huffed as he slammed the gate closed leaving Jane alone.
Jane looked around at the area surrounding the prison. It was a completely deserted place. It was actually a small downgrade from the motel he was currently staying at. Pulling off his jacket he slipped it over his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets as he started his walk toward the bus stop.
He was certain now that Red John had been watching him, seeing that Jane had given up on his life and had gone so far down the rabbit hole that his only hope for survival would be to get a new life. He was more than certain that Red John would now be sending someone to pull him from the darkness. It was just a matter of time.
After making to the bus stop he studied the route display posted next to the bench. He would need to take three different buses in order to get back to his motel room. Sitting down next to an old gentleman, he waited for the bus. The old man studied him for a moment before getting up and sitting down a little further away from Jane.
“Did you just get out of prison?” The old man asked accusingly,
“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Jane answered.
The man mumbled something under his breath as the bus approached. Jane didn't even bother to ask what he had said as he watched the older gentleman get on the bus as quickly as possible. Jane sighed and got to his feet. Pulling out some cash he handed it to the driver and then took a seat near the front of the bus.
Jane had placed his jacket back on as he got on to the final bus. Unlike the last two, this one was crowded. Some chattered to each other about everyday life and a few had asked Jane if he was new in town. Just passing through had been the response he had given each of them.
The sound of people talking all around him made him long for his old life back at the CBI. Memories of the occasions with the entire team as they had closed case pizza, or the days he spent on his couch just listening to them discuss different parts of the case, suddenly playing on his mind. He would even admit that he actually missed laying on Lisbon's office couch. Spending those long nights in which he would keep her company as she filled out paper work that he more than likely had caused.
He shook his head trying to get the memories to disappear. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past at a time like this. The bus came to his stop and Jane made his way off. He walked to his car and ran a hand over it, grateful that it hadn't gotten stolen while he had been in jail. He made his way up the stairs to his motel room.
Opening the door to his room he threw the key card on the table and pulled his cellphone out of his jacket pocket. There were no new calls. He dropped it on the table before making his way to his small collection of liquor bottles. He picked up one and studied it for a second before twisting off the cap and taking a huge drink.
Sitting down on the bed he took one last gulp of the clear liquid and allowed it to burn his throat. Closing his eyes he welcome the pain and waited for the numbness that would soon follow. He threw the bottle onto the floor before lying down on the bed. He was mentally exhausted as he allowed the liquor to help him drift off to what he was sure would be a non-peaceful sleep.
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A knock on the door jarred him from his sleep. Looking around quickly, he gathered his surroundings as he forced his body to stand up. Looking through the peephole on the door he saw the women that had come to him the night he got arrested. Quickly he tried to smooth down any new wrinkles in his suit before opening the door to greet her.
The two of them exchanged small talk before she told him that she had brought him some chicken soup. He allowed her in as the wheels in his mind began to make the connections about her,
“How did you get this address?” Jane asked her out right.
“The bail bondsman.” she responded.
He put his best surprised face on as he talked to her for a few moments about why she would do that. All the while his mind was shouting that this was the moment he had been waiting for and that this Lorelei was his connection to Red John. A slight smile tugged on his lips as he talked to her but it wasn't for her. Rather it was for at that moment a certain line he had told Drake had popped into his head. He, Patrick Jane was definitely a man of many faces.