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

[youbarium]

"There's nothing I can do about it," he said as an answer, looking at Nasir sideways. "When I was in the Capitol, I thought that maybe I could avoid this, but it's clear now that I can't." A brief expression of irritation crossed Carlos's face: all that work, all those lies, for nothing. He needn't have told them at all. It was really frustrating.

[calledmenasir]

"Then if we survive this have apologies to make." Nasir leaned his head back against the wall as he turned away from Carlos.

Didn't they all have apologies to give the ones they'd wronged? Nasir feared that none of them here would be able to do it.

He looked back at Carlos. "Pray the gods find you deserving of forgiveness, scientist."

[youbarium]

Carlos looked over at Nasir, shamefaced. "I owe you one right now," he admitted. "I said some terrible things to you, and I'm sorry."

[calledmenasir]

That took Nasir by surprise and it showed in the startled look in his eyes and the way his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You would give me your apologies?"

Nasir recognized that he had been more than rude to Carlos though he still felt he deserved it. Yet Carlos didn't seem to have held it against him. He wasn't sure what to make of that, if this was sincerity or some ploy on Carlos's part to ingratiate himself to Nasir.

[youbarium]

"Well...yeah," said Carlos, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "What I said about your world and the Capitol and Night Vale was all really disrespectful, and it obviously upset you, so I'm sorry."

[calledmenasir]

Nasir was silent for a moment, taking his time to study Carlos. He didn't see any deception but he'd learned several hard lessons from the taking of Sinuessa. You couldn't always tell who was a traitor.

"Do not think I will change mind from one apology," he said. "But-- it is appreciated."

[youbarium]

"Fair enough," Carlos said with a shrug, turning away. If Nasir had nothing more to say to him, he'd lose himself in his own thoughts.

[calledmenasir]

Nasir watched Carlos for a moment longer, then turned away as well. Whatever more they had to talk about could not be done here, under threat of death. All that was left to them now was to meet their own fates and hope they would live to speak later.