It had already been a long day... and then they apprehended him, and now here they all were, together again for the very first time.
Secure Interrogation Interview Room 000, rumored generally by most FedNationState Staffers to not actually exist, is in fact: a dimly light, ultra-minimalist monstrosity of high-tech PolyThink NanoMetalic Armi-Light Security Glass, StoneSet Super-Reinforced Hempcrete, and an obscene number of hidden Gun Turrets that no one ever really gave much thought to.
He sat there as cool as a cat eating a cucumber.
Not many had ever actually sat where he was sitting now- a brand spanking new, factory fresh, design prototype "Dark Site Interrogation Interview Room" with impenetrable mirrored two-way viewing room glass on both the north and south walls from floor to ceiling that created an infuriatingly hypnotic infinity hallway of duplicate images that were designed to drive a sitting subject batty. The infinity hallway of mirrors reflected an infinity of two chairs facing each other in the dead center of the room, one of which is occupied by a humanoid figure, the other chair slightly askew as if the person sitting there last had stood and exited the room abruptly.
There is a prolonged moment of silence. The apprehended subject, sitting in the chair quietly chaffing against the restraints pinning his hands behind his back.
Faintly, from behind the thick and impenetrable mirrored two-way glass, a low rumble of heated discussion between all those currently in attendance in the darkened observation room. Someone, of booming and resounding voice, suddenly tore off on an incredulous rant, heated and quite loud enough that the subject sitting resolutely in the uncomfortable interrogation interview chair unconsciously and intuitively tilted his head and leaned forward ever so slightly as if to strain to hear more closely.
Abruptly, the intercom flared to life with a shill spike of feedback and static... then a pause as the kerflustered General Supreme of the Latino-American Multinational Guard's Covert Services Agency caught his breath after running out of expletives at the end of his rant.
[slow heavy breathing, a pause, and then a grunt... ]
Generalissimo Supremo [Over the Interrogation Interview Room Intercom System, in colloquial Spanish] : "Who the bloody devil are you? What in all damnation are you?"
Sitting, stoic, motionless, seemingly unbothered by all the recent chaos and commotion, the apprehended subject cleared his throat and stated his name, chosen form, and given function in a firm, clear, confident voice that emanated from where one would typically expect a person's mouth to be, typically. The glossy polished chrome finish of his alien featureless face shield eerily reflected back at the world the infinity hallway of mirrors within which his own mirrored chrome dome face was reflected back at him.
The important men in the hidden security observation room starred at the unnerving reflections of infinite reflections on the strange creature's reflective "face". No one mustered the initiative to utter a word.
You could cut the incredulity in the air with a knife.
The apprehended subject's featureless chrome dome helmet-like facade was the least of the unearthing aspects about the subject being interrogated. There was, additionally, his curios ability to transcend space-time limitations, such as the sci-fi futuristic wrist restraints that the local armed authority figures had quite victoriously placed on his person upon apprehending him under false charges. He quite casually slipped out of his impossible-to-escape restraints to adjust his purple, glowing, luxuriously silky silk necktie.
"I said," clearing his throat again and speaking a little louder, "That I am..." making the final minute adjustments to the neck tie's knot, "The Incorrigible MrZeppo."
"Anti-Hero of my own cyberpunk sci-fi dystopian political thriller action adventure book series." He continued.
Casually, the interview interrogation subject slipped his hands back into the "impossible-to-get-out-of" wrist restraints and squared off his shoulders as he faced true north at the impenetrable mirrored two-way bullet prof security glass, directly into the eyes of the man inside the General's Suit.
No one said anything.
Titling his featureless silvery chrome face in a cocky fashion, the being then asked the one question that no one in the hidden observation room expected to hear next...
The Incorrigible Mr Zeppo: "Y'all mind much if I light up a spliff in here?"
YOU ARE READING
zero hour
Action"Set in an experimental sci-fi comic book action adventure literary world-building project universe of multi-book series nested within other book series, 'The Zeppoverse' may be a bit disorienting to navigate at first... but you kind get used to it...
