Suspects' Holding Cell

[etcircenses]

The vans drive for what seems like an hour before they come to a stop, and Peacekeepers blindfold and forcefully drag even the most cooperative suspects into a building.

The suspects are all held in one cell, a large, metal room with a thick door and a single ledge that serves as a bench. Bright fluorescent lights beam from overhead. There are no windows and no clocks, no sign of where they might be.

The Peacekeepers take off the blindfolds, though without much care for whether they come off all the way or chafe or stay slung around the suspects' necks. The suspects' hands are left cuffed behind their backs, and even the most ingenious of them won't be able to pick the lock on their restraints, but they're otherwise left to roam freely through the space.

Suspects are removed, one at a time, at unpredictable intervals, by Peacekeepers armed with tasers. Some take three hours to return, while others are back within only a minute. Each of them comes back having been clearly roughed up and pressed for information that they may or may not hold; some are bleeding or sporting the beginnings of black eyes.

They'll be sleeping here tonight.

Comments

OTA

[amoral_savior]

He couldn't stop kicking himself. Of all the nights to return to the tower, Topher had to choose tonight. Since agreeing to work for Penny, Topher had taken to sleeping in his fancy Capitol lab, partially because he missed being in his own lab and partially because he simply didn't trust the scientists in the Capitol to keep their noses out of his business. Last night he had decided to sleep in a real bed and maybe see if he could find Tony or Carlos to run a few thoughts by. Topher looked over at Carlos who was in the same situation he was; this was not how he wanted to talk to the man.

When the Peacekeepers arrive, Topher is tired and confused. He had no reason to be on their radar, in fact he should be their very new best friend. This wasn't right. This wasn't right on so many levels.

Re: OTA

[vissernone]

Eva's gone for a long time, and when they return her she has a black eye for her trouble. For the most part she doesn't talk to the other suspects, deciding instead to keep to herself and stare at the wall, sucking the inside of her cheek and occasionally muttering to herself as if she were playing chess in her head. Eventually she rises and comes over next to Topher, asking in a way that suggests it's non-negotiable that the suspect beside him move so she can take the seat.

"They'll come for you soon, dear."

[amoral_savior]

There's no hiding the pure fear and confusion over being in the cell. He wasn't one of those people who hung around shady bars and asked questions about Capitol secrets (except, maybe, that one time, but he is a scientist), there was no reason he could think that he'd be accused of whatever they were accusing him of.

When Eva approached him, he made room for her right away even as the other prisoner moved away. She was the only person he really knew here, the only person he trusted enough to talk to. "Why? I'm not-" He glanced around the room in an effort to make it clear how much he wasn't like those around them. "I've done the Citizen thing! I work for-" Damn. This was the downside of secrets. "I haven't done anything."

[vissernone]

"I know you haven't." She isn't looking for him to give her an alibi or explain his innocence; the more he says now, the more likely he'll give someone, anyone, something to use later. She's well-aware that they're being monitored in here.

She can't take his hand when hers are behind his back, but she hopes he can see her urge to give him that comfort, to brush his bangs out of his face.

"I'm going to handle it for you. I know how these sort of things work. Just don't say anything."