Interrogation - Short Affair Challenge 15/08/2016

[otherhawk.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know this is a day late but I found some inspiration and that happens so rarely these days I decided to just trust that no one would mind!

Prompt word: guest
Prompt colour: copper
Word count: 741

“We are all at the mercy of technology,” the blond g-man with the funny accent remarked to his compatriot.

Lenny didn't think this was a suitable time for philosophy. He had been snatched off the street by these terrifying spooks and held in this windowless, concrete room for hours, accused of being a spy, an enemy agent and even a thrush, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. He hadn't done anything wrong! Except for all the robberies, that was, but apart from them he was as innocent as the day was long.

“In this case I think it's more a case of being at the mercy of petty criminals,” the other g-man said – the dark-haired one who looked like he had walked out of some fashion plate. He didn't take his eyes off Lenny for a moment.

“I didn't do anything wrong,” Lenny insisted sullenly for the hundred and twelfth time. “I saw a load of old copper wiring under the street and I knew it wasn't supposed to be there. The city didn't even know nothing about it, so I figured it wouldn't matter none if I helped myself. Salvage, that's what it is.”

“Stealing,” the dark-haired man corrected with an affable smile. “That's what it is.”

The blond sat down on the edge of the table and gazed down at Lenny. “Stealing with potentially fatal consequences,” he added darkly.

Fatal...oh, god. Panic seized his throat and he could feel the tears well up. “I'm sorry,” he said breathlessly. “I didn't mean to...don't kill me, please.”

“Oh, stop blubbering,” the blond said disgustedly. “You are not one of the potential fatalities. Yet.” The dark-haired man didn't say anything, or even move, but still the other glanced down at him sharply. “You are not the one who had to spend half the night helping to rewire the exchange. I had plans, Napoleon.”

“You told me you were heading home to sleep,” the man – Napoleon, apparently – said.

The blond nodded. “I had plans to sleep.”

Napoleon looked back at Lenny. “So, after some extensive background checks, we're certain that you're nothing more than an opportunistic thief. But your little theft disrupted our operations throughout the US for several hours, and we take that very seriously.”

He swallowed hard. “Look, I don't know who you guys are, but I'm just trying to make a living.”

“It also interrupted Mr Kuryakin's sleep,” Napoleon went on, as if Lenny had never spoken.

“We take that very seriously as well,” Kuryakin said, deadpan.

“Now I'm sure you appreciate that we can't just let you go, knowing that you've found a weak spot in our security, even if it is one that we intend to fix. So you have two choices here. The easy way is that you sign this letter confessing to a number of crimes we know you committed, and we take a trip downstairs to see a friendly doctor, and you wake up tomorrow and find that you can't remember the last forty-eight hours and you're now a guest of the NYPD - “

“ - yes,” Lenny cut in eagerly. “Yes, I'll take it. I don't want to remember any of this. And I'll sign anything you want.”

The blond coughed and turned his head and said something that sounded like “You should give him that loan application, Napoleon.”

Whatever he said, the other man ignored it, sliding a piece of paper across the table and Lenny barely bothered reading it before he was signing it. He just wanted to get out of here. He wasn't cut out for any of this madness

“There,” he declared. “Done. And now you'll let me out of here, right? Give me to the cops?”

They looked at him for a long moment, faces expressionless. “Well, that's the plan,” Napoleon said. “If you would just like to come with us?”

He wouldn't, but he did, and he found himself led into a different windowless room, with a doctor who gave him an injection and told him to look directly at a swirling light. Just before everything faded away he could hear voices behind him.

“Well, that was easy.”

“Chyort! Napoleon, I have just thought of something.”

“What is it, tovarisch?”

“We should have asked him what he did with the copper before we started to wipe his - “

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Oh I love the good cop/bad cop sort of scenario. This was really well done, with great dialogue and the last line is priceless. Thanks for making me guffaw! :D

[ssclassof56.livejournal.com]

So glad to see your post. I've missed your stories.

Another thoroughly enjoyable piece. Loved the bit about the loan application. :)

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

This is terrific all through. The last line's the cherry on the cake, of course, but what a well baked cake, with great ingredients, it is before.

[pfrye.livejournal.com]

Ooops, too late....LOL

[jkkitty.livejournal.com]

Smiled. The would make a good slapstick routine

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

Our guys can come across as hard-nosed G-men at times but we know they're not. Loved the POV and the last line!

Hope you'll be posting more goodies like this one. You're missed.

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Poor Lenny, he's just the right kind of foil for our guys and their delicious dialogue. I'm so glad your muse made a visit, I hope she's here to stay awhile longer.

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

Love it! The last line was a gem, but my favourite part was

~“It also interrupted Mr Kuryakin's sleep,” Napoleon went on, as if Lenny had never spoken.


“We take that very seriously as well,” Kuryakin said, deadpan."~

(Don't worry about being a day late. It's my challenge and I haven't written anything at all for about a month.)