"That's Cardinal," Tank continued her explanation. "She runs the gang called the Red Suns. They control most of the contraband trade in here, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, whatever you want. She's got multiple guards on her payroll and connections outside the prison."
"And over there," Blade added, nodding subtly toward another section of the cafeteria. "Asian woman with the dragon tattoo on her neck? That's Lei. She runs the Eastern Dragons. They handle protection rackets and gambling operations. If you owe them money, you either pay up or you disappear permanently."
"And that massive bitch sitting at the table near the kitchen entrance?" Razor said. "That's Mama Bear. Don't let the name fool you into thinking she's soft. She runs the underground fighting pits. You met one of her best fighters last night. The one who broke your face and ribs."
Shuyin's working eye found Mama Bear across the cafeteria.
She was absolutely enormous, easily six feet tall and built like a tank, all muscle and intimidation. Her face was covered in scars, her hands huge and deadly-looking.
As Shuyin watched, Mama Bear looked directly at her and smiled slowly. It was not a friendly expression in any way.
"They're all watching you carefully," Tank said seriously, "Word spreads incredibly fast in here. Everyone knows by now that a rich girl got thrown in the pit and somehow survived. That makes you interesting to them."
"Or a liability," Blade added grimly. "Someone paid serious money to put you in that ring. Someone with real power. Now you're still alive, and that someone's definitely going to be pissed off."
Shuyin forced down another spoonful of the gray paste, her stomach protesting. "So what do I do?"
"You survive," Tank said simply. "One day at a time. One meal at a time. You keep your head down, your mouth shut, and you stay close to us whenever possible."
"Why?" The question escaped before Shuyin could stop it. "Why are you really helping me? It can't just be self-preservation."
The three women exchanged meaningful glances with each other.
Finally, Tank spoke. "You're right. It ain't just that." She leaned back, her scarred arms crossed. "Truth is, we've all been where you are right now. Maybe not exactly, none of us had rich families throwing us away like garbage, but we've all been the fresh meat at some point. The target. The one everyone wanted to break."
"Someone helped me when I first got here years ago," Blade said quietly, her voice carrying real emotion. "An older woman named Grace. She taught me how to survive in this place. How to fight. How to think strategically." She paused, her expression pained. "She died three years ago. Got stabbed in the showers over a pack of cigarettes. I think about her every single day."
"I had nobody to help me," Razor said, her voice bitter with old pain. "Nobody helped me when I arrived. I learned everything the hard way, beatings, rape, and nearly died twice. I survived, but barely. Sometimes I think I'd be better off if I hadn't." She met Shuyin's eye directly. "I don't want to watch that happen to someone else if I can possibly stop it."
Tank nodded slowly in agreement. "And me? I just hate bullies. Always have. Someone powerful enough to rig your trial, throw you in here, and put you in the fighting pit your first night? That's a bully using their power. And I don't like bullies."
Shuyin felt something crack inside her chest, not ribs this time, but something emotional and deeply buried. These women, these convicted criminals, had more genuine honor than her entire family had ever shown.
"Thank you," she whispered sincerely. "Really. Thank you."
"Don't get soft on us now," Tank said, but her voice lacked its usual harsh edge. "You still gotta pull your own weight. This ain't charity we're running."
"I will," Shuyin promised firmly. "Whatever I need to do, I'll do it."
"Good. Because..."
Tank cut herself off suddenly, her eyes fixing on something behind Shuyin.
"Fuck," Razor heavily breathed.
Shuyin turned carefully, protecting her ribs, and felt her blood run cold.
Mama Bear was approaching their table with deliberate purpose. Behind her walked three of her fighters, including the massive woman who'd beaten Shuyin bloody in the pit.
They moved through the cafeteria like sharks cutting through water, other inmates quickly clearing out of their path.
The noise level in the cafeteria dropped dramatically. Everyone was watching now.
Mama Bear stopped directly at their table, looming over them like a mountain. Up close, she was even more intimidating, her face a detailed map of old scars, her eyes cold and calculating.
"Tank," she said, her voice surprisingly soft. "We need to have a talk."
"So talk," Tank replied, deliberately not standing. A subtle power move.
Mama Bear's eyes flicked to Shuyin, studying her battered face with the detached interest of a scientist examining a specimen. "Is this your new pet project?"