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

[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.