Chapter 121 - Interrogation

Blake strode into camp with a corpse in each hand. The bodies dragged across the pavement and left dark stains behind. Laborers and their constructor paused their work to gawk at the sight, but he ignored them. Just a step behind, their eighteen prisoners marched, single file, past the ring of fires, toward the park restroom.

Jennifer, now awake, stood outside his destination and sipped coffee from a mug. Her eyes went wide when she saw him steadily grow near, a body in each hand. When he almost reached the door to the utility closet, she found her voice.

“You killed them?”

Blake shook his head and dropped the limp arm to the ground so he could open the door. “No, it was friendly fire. One died instantly, and the other couldn’t be saved.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but just before she spoke, paused. Finally, she gave a slight shake to her head and turned away in frustration. Jennifer strode over to the closest fire and sat in a camp chair before it to warm her hands.

What’s wrong with her?

Blake shrugged and tossed a corpse through the now open door. The body entered the red swirling portal and disappeared. A moment later, the second disappeared. Once the remains were gone, he pushed the half-broken door closed and turned to address his guards.

“Hold up a moment while I clear out the men’s side.”

The bathroom was relatively small. It contained two stalls, two urinals, and one sink, with enough floor space for eight people to sleep. There were two windows, covered in metal grats.

If they’ll keep out bears, they’ll keep in humans.

Luckily, everyone was now awake, and he only had to drag the sleeping bags and pillows outside the room. A few moments later, the makeshift cell was empty and he exited.

“Okay, everyone inside,” he ordered in a loud voice. “You’ll stay there until we decide what to do with you.”

They were marched through the open door until the lead prisoner spied his new cell.  At the sight, he complained, “You expect us to sleep in this? There ain’t enough room.”

“Keep moving,” Blake ordered the man without sympathy while he stood beside the open door. When he saw one of the leaders shuffle past, head down, he reached out and grasped his shoulder. “Not you, I’ve got some questions that need to be answered.”

Blake dragged the frightened man to the side and let the others file past. Finally, when the last prisoner was within their new cell, he closed the door and turned to Jeremy. “Can you and Jimmy make sure no one escapes while I question this guy?”

“Sure,” the black man replied.

“Thanks,” Blake replied and dragged the leader off to the nearest campfire, where he quickly deposited his prisoner onto the ground. “Sit, and don’t move,” he ordered.

Beside Jennifer, there was only a single empty chair, and he quickly claimed it. After he was comfortable, he addressed his captive. “What’s your name?”

While he waited for a response, he quickly used Analyze on him. However, the obstinate man refused to answer.

Blake rolled his eyes. “What, you think I’m going to look you up in a database or something? I need something to call you.”

After a moment, he replied, “I’m Joe.”

Blake sighed. “No, you’re not. Your name is John Roscoe. I only asked you your name to see how truthful you are. It turns out, you’re a lying piece of shit. Now, that’s your one pass, if you lie to me again, I’m going to hold your hand over that fire until it bubbles, you got me?”

John’s eyes widened, and he scooted away from the flames.

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Jennifer shift toward him, so he quickly sent her a message while he kept an eye on John.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: I need you to read his mind and tell me if he’s lying. But, I don’t want him to know you can do that. It’s best if we keep that a secret.

Jennifer Taylor: Are you really going to torture him if he lies?

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: If I have to.

Jennifer Taylor: But I can read his mind! You don’t have to!

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: How long does your spell last?

Blake continued to stare directly into the man’s eyes as he silently conversed. The longer he remained silent, the more frightened his prisoner grew. While he waited for her response, he began to cast Flame Shield. His hands moved in complex gestures while his eyes remained focused on the man across from him who swallowed nervously.

Jennifer Taylor: About thirty seconds.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Okay, and how often can you use it?

Jennifer Taylor: I don’t know, I’ve only used it a couple of times. Never one after another.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: The answer is two to three times within about ten minutes before you’re bleeding out your eyes and ears. It’s different for everyone, but I’d be surprised if you can stay conscious past three uses back to back.

Jennifer Taylor: How can I make it so I can use it more often?

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Raise your affinity to psi or try to evolve the spell.

Jennifer Taylor: So nothing I can do right now.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: No. That’s why I need to detect this one’s lies and punish him for it. If he knows he can’t lie to us, he’ll tell the others, and you won’t have to hurt yourself in an attempt to seek out the truth.

Jennifer sighed and sipped from her mug.

Jennifer Taylor: I suppose you’ve done this before.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Only once. Most of the time, I just killed my enemies. Much quicker and easier.

Jennifer shot him a glare.

He ignored his truth reader and finally spoke. “My name is Blake Summers. You might remember me from my speech on Invasion day.” After a brief nod of acknowledgement, he continued, “Now, tell me why you showed up in the middle of the night, and remember, don’t lie to me. I’ll know.”

Let’s see if he believes me.

The man’s voice wavered, “Please believe me, we were just here to scout out where you kept your base. All we wanted to do was find out where you set up and make sure you were friendly.”

Without looking away from John, he sent Jennifer a message. 

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Is any of that true?

John continued to babble about how innocent they were and how it was all a misunderstanding. However, he ignored the man’s pleas. All he cared about was the fact that Jennifer had yet to reply. Her silence could only mean one thing.

It’s a lie.

Blake reached forward through the flames, faster than the prisoner could react. He grasped John’s wrist tightly and began to slowly pull it toward him. Jennifer gasped in surprise and then gripped his knee between her fingers tightly.

Jennifer Taylor: You don’t have to do this!

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: You know I do. He lied.

By the time Blake sent the message, both their hands were bathed in flames. John screamed and struggled to escape, but could do nothing against Blake’s overwhelming strength. Meanwhile, Blake stared silently into the man’s wide eyes and never once glanced away. 

Smoke began to rise from the exposed flesh, and the smell of burnt hair assaulted his nose. Shrieks echoed through the trees, and all labor stopped as everyone within camp watched the grisly sight. Finally, after the skin began to slough, he relaxed his grip on the man.

“I told you what would happen if you lied,” Blake said evenly over the man’s whimpers. “If you do so again, your left hand is next, then your forearms, feet, legs… you get the idea. But,” the pitch of his voice rose, as if to offer hope. “If you are truthful with the rest of your answers, I will heal you.” He leaned forward. “Do you understand?”

The man quickly and eagerly bobbed his head up and down as he cradled his injured hand.

Baron Blake Summers, Scion of Humanity, Ambassador to the Architect: Are you going to tell me what actually happened, or is this all going to be for nothing? I need him to think I already knew the answer or he may try and lie once again.

After a brief moment, where he thought Jennifer would resist or even flee the scene, he received a response.

Jennifer Taylor: You're a bastard, but you were right. They’re here to steal our trucks and anything else they could find. He also had no problem killing us to get what he wanted. He and Ross, the other leader, were sent out by his faction leader, Jacob. They’re all part of the Black Diamonds faction.

They already have a faction? That’s surprising.

It had only been a week since Invasion day. In his original timeline, factions did not begin to form for months, which led to the death of billions. Now, however, they had his guide to assist them, and it only made sense that things would be accelerated.

Still, that shows quite a bit of organization. Far more than you’d expect from thugs.

Once John’s whimpers died down, Blake stated evenly, “You and Ross were sent here by Jacob to steal our trucks.” When the man’s eyes widened in surprise, Blake nodded. “Yes, I already knew the answer. I was testing you, and I will continue to test you. Don’t lie to me again,” he warned.

“I won’t. I swear!” John professed.

Blake nodded and then posed a series of questions. “How many people are in your faction? How many have guns? Where is your faction hall located? Are there any other groups or factions in Prescott, or is yours the only one? How many people have you killed?”

After each query, the man eagerly told him everything he knew. Blake did not even need Jennifer to inform him that he now told the truth, the desperation in his eyes confirmed everything for him.

Finally, when Blake could think of nothing else to ask the man, he leaned forward and grasped the man’s hand. John cried out, “Please! I told you everything! I didn’t lie! I swear!”

Blake cast Regeneration on the man and released his hand. “I know, that’s why I healed you as promised. Your burns should be mostly gone within five minutes. Now stand up, you’re going to join your friends.”

John stood and stared intently at his hand, as if he did not believe him. Blake grabbed the frozen man by the shoulder and half dragged him to the men’s restroom. 

As he left the campfire, he heard Jennifer mutter, “I don’t think he deserved to be healed.”

Both Jeremy and Jimmy gave him a look of disappointment, but he ignored their disapproval and shoved his prisoner into his cell.

When the door slammed shut, Jeremy’s lip curled in derision. “What, you aren’t going to grab another?”

Blake shook his head. “There’s no need.”

“What do you plan on doing with them, then?” the spy demanded. “You can’t just keep them locked up in there forever.”

“I don’t plan to,” Blake agreed. “But, we might need more answers later.”

“What happens later?” Jimmy asked.

“We attack their faction and take it.”

During John’s interrogation, the Architect had offered him a new directive. The task lined up nicely with his own plans, and he would gladly accept a reward for doing what he planned to do anyway.

Conquer the neighboring faction, Black Diamonds.

“I thought you weren’t going to attack other people,” Jeremy growled.

“I have no intention of starting fights, but I will end them. You heard him, they’re thugs who kill to get what they want. They already sent out people to attack us first, do you really want them as neighbors?”

Jeremy grimaced and shook his head.

“Neither do I, which is why we’re going to take care of the problem before it gets worse.”

“What happens to the prisoners after that?” Jeremy asked quietly so their captives could not hear.

Death.

Rather than give his real answer, Blake shrugged. “We’ll figure that out later.” 

They weren’t yet ready to do what was necessary. He needed everyone to see for themselves how the Black Diamonds operated. Especially how they treated captured women. Once they witnessed the heinous crimes, Blake would be unlikely to receive any pushback.

“We aren’t going to attack them now, are we?” Jimmy asked.

Blake shook his head and yawned. 

“No. I’m going to get some sleep. But, we leave after breakfast.”

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