Along the northern edge of the Bronx, where the Hudson River curves past the city's outer suburbs, a sprawling private prison stretched across hundreds of acres of land. Tall fences layered with razor wire cut through the cold river wind, while guard towers rose at precise intervals along the perimeter. From a distance it looked less like a correctional facility and more like a heavily fortified military base.
"Congressman Kelly, this way please."
A tall young man led the visiting officials down a secured observation corridor. His posture was relaxed, his tone confident, and the faint smile on his face never seemed to fade. The man's name was Ethan Voss, and despite his youth he was the founder and owner of this enormous private prison complex.
"What you're seeing now is the serious offender ward," Ethan explained as they walked. "It currently houses nine hundred and eighty inmates. Every one of them has been convicted of violent crimes—murder, rape, armed assault, or aggravated shootings."
He gestured toward a sealed security door at the end of the corridor while continuing smoothly.
"This entire block is completely isolated from the rest of the prison. We've implemented five separate security protocols here, each designed to prevent breaches from either side."
Ethan Voss was young, tall, and strikingly handsome. No one present quite understood why someone like him would pour an enormous fortune into constructing and operating a private prison, but the results were undeniably impressive.
Walking beside him were several high-ranking officials, including Congressman Kelly and the New York State Attorney General. The group followed Ethan through the facility as he delivered his presentation with polished confidence.
"Congressman Kelly, Attorney General Berry," Ethan continued, "Nahaide Prison has been operating for three years now. We currently house more than six thousand inmates, and during that time there hasn't been a single major incident."
He stopped briefly beside a large security window overlooking another massive wing of the complex.
"Three days ago, we completed construction of our new prison sector. Combined with the existing infrastructure, our total capacity now exceeds twenty thousand inmates."
Ethan turned toward the officials and spoke with quiet certainty.
"From every possible perspective, Nahaide Prison is fully prepared."
Attorney General John Berry, whose hair had already turned gray, nodded with clear satisfaction. The inspection had gone extremely well so far, and everything he had seen reinforced his expectations.
Berry was one of the key supporters of Mayor George's administration. The mayor had pushed several large projects during his term to demonstrate measurable progress, and Nahaide Prison was among the most significant.
So far, everything about the project had proceeded smoothly.
Still, Berry cast a quick glance toward Congressman Kelly beside him. His expression held a trace of curiosity. It was somewhat unexpected to run into a federal congressman at a place like this.
Berry knew Ethan Voss fairly well. The young man was already famous in New York's business circles, a rising tycoon whose investments spanned several industries. Even so, Berry hadn't anticipated that Ethan's connections extended far enough to invite a sitting congressman to personally inspect the prison.
After the formal tour concluded, the group dispersed for a short break.
Inside the warden's office, Attorney General Berry stood beside Ethan while holding a glass of expensive red wine. The two men faced an enormous blueprint mounted on the wall that displayed the full layout of Nahaide Prison.
"Mr. Voss," Berry said after taking a sip, "shouldn't you be entertaining Congressman Kelly right now?"
"The warden is showing him around," Ethan replied calmly. "The congressman and I do have a few potential collaborations to discuss, but unfortunately I can't reveal the details yet. Some of it involves matters that haven't been made public."
Berry nodded without hesitation.
"Of course. I understand."
Ethan turned slightly and gestured toward the prison blueprint.
"Attorney General Berry, let's continue where we left off earlier."
"You've already seen the city government's projected budget for next year. If the Department of Justice transferred all of its inmates to Nahaide Prison, New York City would save tens of millions of dollars annually just from the direct costs of housing prisoners."
He tapped the blueprint with one finger while continuing his explanation.
"And that's only the obvious expenses. When you add salaries for correctional officers, maintenance costs for aging facilities, and infrastructure upkeep, the numbers grow much larger."
Ethan looked directly at Berry.
"If the city government fully outsources prison operations to us, the total savings would exceed forty million dollars per year."
His voice remained steady, but it carried a persuasive weight.
"That would become a significant achievement for Mayor George's administration. I also happen to know quite a few people in the media who would be delighted to report on it."
Ethan smiled slightly.
"Just imagine the headlines."
"Under the leadership of Mayor George, New York's crime rate has dropped dramatically. The prison population is shrinking, and outdated facilities are finally being retired."
"The aging Rikers Island complex has become an unnecessary burden on the city. Closing it would be both logical and justified."
He spread his hands lightly.
"And Nahaide Prison is fully capable of absorbing every inmate transferred from there."
Berry burst into laughter.
"Mr. Voss, that's an excellent argument. I'm sure the mayor and the Department of Justice will work together to push this proposal forward."
His face had grown slightly flushed. Whether the color came from the wine or from excitement about the plan itself was difficult to say.
Berry understood the situation perfectly well. Closing Rikers Island would highlight the Justice Department's accomplishments over the past several years.
At the same time, the land freed by that closure would allow the expansion of LaGuardia Airport.
According to the city's development plan, LaGuardia was intended to surpass JFK Airport and become the most advanced aviation hub in New York—possibly even in the world.
For the municipal government, the project combined economic benefits, political prestige, and enormous financial interests.
It was a perfect win-win scenario.
Watching Berry's enthusiastic reaction, Ethan already knew exactly what was going through the man's mind.
Those broader political gains didn't concern him very much.
From Ethan's perspective, he was simply another beneficiary of the arrangement.
The only people who might suffer real losses were the correctional officers working at Rikers Island, many of whom would inevitably lose their jobs once the facility closed.
And of course, the prisoners themselves might soon discover that incarceration was becoming an increasingly expensive experience.
After all, private prisons had to generate profits.
Berry took another sip of the wine before suddenly pausing.
"Hmm? This is an exceptional vintage."
He swirled the glass thoughtfully.
"I'm picking up aromas of plum, black cherry, and blackcurrant. The finish carries hints of green leaves, sweet pepper, and oak spice."
Berry raised his eyebrows.
"What kind of wine is this? I don't think I've tasted it before."
Ethan chuckled.
"You have good taste. It's a new wine produced at my vineyard in Bordeaux."
He leaned casually against the desk.
"It hasn't been officially released yet, but the flavor profile already suggests it will become a top-tier vintage."
Ethan lifted his glass slightly.
"If you enjoy it, feel free to take a few bottles with you. You can help me test the final product."
Berry smiled.
"Well, in that case I might even offer some professional suggestions."
"That would be my honor."
Ethan laughed quietly and leaned closer, draping an arm casually around Berry's shoulder.
"I'm hosting a private gathering tonight at eight o'clock. Why not stay and relax for a while?"
Berry hesitated.
"This… might not be appropriate. What if—"
"Don't worry," Ethan interrupted with a reassuring grin. "It's all on private property. No outsiders."
His voice lowered slightly.
"You can even brush up on some foreign languages while you're there. French, German, Russian, Italian—we have instructors for everything."
He winked.
"If one language isn't enough, you're welcome to study several."
Berry's eyes immediately brightened, and he nodded repeatedly.
After escorting the attorney general out of the office, Ethan quickly headed toward another section of the prison to meet Congressman Kelly.
The congressman greeted him with a hearty laugh.
"Mr. Voss is quite the busy man."
"Please forgive me," Ethan replied with an apologetic smile. His expression looked entirely sincere.
Kelly waved dismissively.
"It's nothing. I arrived without much notice today anyway."
Then the congressman's face grew more serious.
"That matter we discussed earlier…"
"We're ready."
Ethan gestured for the warden to continue escorting the other visitors before leading Kelly toward a restricted section behind the guard work area.
They walked through a narrow security passage that ended beside an unremarkable small building.
Ethan approached the door without hesitation. After completing multiple authentication checks—including fingerprint scanning, iris verification, and voice recognition—the door finally unlocked.
Inside was a long corridor sloping downward into the earth.
As they walked, Ethan began explaining.
"Congressman Kelly, this structure sits very close to the Hudson River. The corridor we're walking through slopes downward toward the riverbed. The location we're heading to is built directly beneath the river itself."
He tapped the wall lightly.
"Don't let the plain appearance fool you. The entire passage is equipped with infrared detection, vibration monitoring, and thermal sensors."
Ethan continued calmly.
"There are seven alloy security gates along this corridor. Behind the walls on both sides, at least thirty fully armed guards remain on standby at all times."
"All of it exists for one purpose."
"To guarantee absolute security."
Soon the corridor ended in a circular chamber.
At the center of the room stood a raised platform surrounded by monitoring equipment. Five heavily armed guards sat in front of surveillance screens, constantly watching security feeds.
Six elevators were arranged in a ring around the outer wall.
When Ethan and Kelly entered, one of the guards immediately stood up. The man wore gold epaulettes on his uniform. He snapped to attention, delivered a sharp salute, and then returned silently to his station.
Ethan gestured for him to continue working.
"Congressman Kelly, the personnel stationed here are different from the rest of the prison. Every one of them is a recently retired soldier, and most have combat experience in the Middle East or Africa."
He pointed toward the guards monitoring the elevators.
"The people in this room are all former special forces operators. They oversee the six elevators, and only individuals who pass every security certification are allowed to use them."
Ethan stepped toward one of the elevators.
"This way, Congressman."
He pressed the access panel and entered. The elevator immediately began descending without any visible controls.
The ride lasted long enough that it was impossible to estimate how deep they had traveled.
When the doors finally opened, an enormous steel door stood directly ahead. It resembled the entrance to a massive bank vault.
Ethan unlocked the door with several precise movements.
Beyond it stretched a long corridor disappearing into the distance.
"Congressman Kelly, each side contains eighteen cells," Ethan explained as they walked inside. "Thirty-six cells in total."
He continued calmly.
"There are six identical sectors like this. Altogether the underground prison contains two hundred and sixteen cells."
His voice echoed faintly through the hallway.
"The entire structure is located hundreds of meters underground. Outside the facility walls are several meters of reinforced concrete and steel plating. Beyond that lies natural granite bedrock."
Ethan pointed upward.
"Above the rock layers and soil is the Hudson River itself."
He paused before adding another detail.
"Each cell can be customized according to specific requirements. We can install super-alloy reinforcement, high-temperature resistant materials, extreme cold environments, or electromagnetic containment systems."
He smiled faintly.
"In short, we can accommodate any special containment condition you might need."
Ethan gestured back toward the elevator behind them.
"No one can break their way out of this prison. The only path in or out is the passage we control."
Congressman Kelly listened carefully to the explanation while glancing around the massive underground corridor.
Finally, he nodded several times in clear approval.
He was extremely satisfied with what he had seen.
In his opinion, escaping from a place like this would be completely impossible—even for those strange fellows.