The Captain & Ice Raven

Chapter 16 - Interrogations, Threats and Declarations

IN AN INTERRIGATION ROOM IN THE LONDON BASE

Zola is escorted into a cell, the soldier passing the man his glasses as his once clean appearance is now dishevled. Walking further into the room and glancing around, the man looks to a faucet of dripping water, noticing the faint smear of a blood stain on the wall. The only door creaks open, Colonel Phillps walking in holding a tray and a piece of folded paper. "Sit down," Phillps tells the man, placing the items onto the table. Phillps slides over the tray, Zola sits down looking at the food on it.

"What is this?" Zola asks, glancing between the food and Phillps.

"Steak," Phillps tells the man, sitting down across from him.

"What is in it?" Zola asks, leaning back in his seat.

"Cow," the american states. Noticing the look of distain, the Colnoel sighs, "doctor, do you realize how difficult it is to get a hold of a prime cut like that out here?"

"I don't eat meat," Zola informs the man across from him. The two hold eye contact for a few moments, both of the aware of the seriousness in the air.

"Why not?"

"It disagrees with me."

"How about cyanide," Phillps asks, pulling the tray towards him. "Does theat give you the rumbly tummy too? Every Hydra agent that we've tried taking alive," Phillps cuts the steak, glanicng up at Zola, "has crushed a little pill before we can stop them. But not you." Taking a bite of the steak, Phillps washes it down with some milk. Setting the glass down, he continues speaking, "so here is my brilliant theory. You want to live. Surprisingly."

"You're trying to intimidate me, Colonel. And why is it surprising that I want to live?" Zola states.

"Last I saw, there is one angry woman just outside that door. And with the damage she did to your train, I thought you'd want to be dead rather than face her," Phillps states, pointing the knife to the door. Zola tenses at the mans statement, looking to the door nervously. Phillps chuckles, gaining Zola's attention once more, "if I wanted to intimidate you, I wouldn't be here. That woman would be here instead. And anyway, I bought you dinner," Phillps gestures to the food. Skiding the paper over to Zola, Phillps continues to eat.

"Given the valuable information that he has provided, and in exchange for his full co-operation. Doctor Zola is being remanded to Switzerland," Zola reads the paper, glancng up to Phillps.

"I sent that message to Washington this morning," Phillps informs the man, "of course there is one person who is entirely against this plan. But we've made a deal. Anywho, the message of course was encoded. You guys haven't broken those codes, have you? That will be awkward, and grants the wish of the person who wishes you dead."

Zola nervously glances to the Colonel, trying to decipher who the person could be. Chuckling to hide his nerves Zola speaks up, "Schmidt will know this is a lie. And who is this person you speak of?"

"Who do you think," Phillps asks the man retorically, "it's either her or him who will kill you, Doc. You're a liabitity to Schmidt and the object of the Ice Raven's hate. You know more about Schmidt than anyone. And the last guy you cost us was Cpatain Rogers and Specialist Ice Raven's closet friend. How well do you think those two are gonna protect you given what has happened within the past 24 hours. It's you or Schmidt. It's just the hand you've been dealt."

"Schmidt believes he walks in the footsteps of the gods," Zola informs Phillps the man nodding in agreement. "Only the world itself will satisfy him."

"You do realize that's nuts, don't you," Phillps comments.