Drabble: Object of Study - Riley & Ethan (PG-13)

[estepheia]

For ludditerobot who requested "Riley, Ethan, and the rules of engagement for interrogations."


Object of Study

Four days after processing the old sorcerer, Riley reports to the debriefing room. It's overcrowded: four guards, one pathologist, and Special Agent Ellis from HQ.

When the prisoner is led in, Riley realizes why the room is overheated.

"Why is he naked?" he blurts out.

"Questioning my methods, Finn?" Ellis grins. "These… magicians can use almost anything for their tricks, even build some whacky flying machine from a piece of wire and some thread."

The hood is removed. Rayne looks ashen, with blood-shot eyes. Sways. Signs of sleep deprivation. "But he's human," Riley ventures uneasily.

"That's what we're here to determine."

* * *

I had to boil this down from about 250 words. Apparently I lost the ability to do short stuff. Writing drabbles definitely teaches the difference between waffling on because you can, and sparse, lean writing. Thanks for the prompt, ludditerobot. :-)

Comments

[ludditerobot.livejournal.com]

Very welcome. I agree on drabbles. I rarely do 'em anymore, in part because I can't get my head around them, but yeah, it forces you to get to the point quickly.

And that's good and wonderful stuff. Thank you!

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

In my head, the Initiative are a creepy bunch: scientists who are only interested if something can be done, instead of if it should be done, politicians accustomed to lie to their own people (kind of an X-files vibe), and soldiers who do not reason why.

Of course, were I to continue this story, Riley would be increasingly uncomfortable with the way Rayne is treated, more angst, some dialogue-heavy interrogation scenes. Then Ethan's transfer to Nevada. Don't know what would happen then... *shrug* I stopped myself from thinking further. ;-)

I'm glad you like your prize. :-)

[spikes_heart.livejournal.com]

Well done. The Initiative always frightened me. Sort of 'give them enough rope and funding and eventually they'll begin to work over their own grandmothers' kinda thing.

Poor Ethan. Bastard, yes... but still.

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dear. Yeah, the Initiative is frightening and creepy. I like Riley, he's a decent enough guy, who ended up in a rather ruthless organization. Not enough fics explore his disenchantment with the Initiative...

Glad you liked this.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Oh, my!

This is good.

(Directed here by ludditerobot)

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :-)
It's nice of him to pimp this.

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Ouchy.

Good stuff.

Gina

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

thank you. :-)

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

Mmm, wow. I don't know if you are aware that my love for Ethan it's completely your fault. Whenever I think about him and the initiative my blood freezes. This drabble is perfect, and Riley is so canon it's painful... though that maybe because of Ethan... poor evil sorcerer...

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm happy to have lured you into the land of Ethan-loving. LOL.

The Initiative fascinates me. I will undoubtedly return to it and write more stories that deal with it directly and indirectly.