Interstellar Legend

021 Interrogation

"That's about the gist of it."

At the New Darwin Police Station, Clarice finally breathed a sigh of relief after recounting the events to a female police officer.

The policewoman regarded Clarice with a skeptical look. "So, if I understood you correctly, you're saying a starship captain was being pursued, sought refuge in your room right after you finished showering?"

"Yes, but that's not the point. I'm not accusing anyone of sexual harassment."

"Then you saw a cloaked figure downstairs, and you believed they were tracking the captain," the policewoman continued nonchalantly.

"It's not just my belief; they did catch up to us later."

"In other words, several cloaked figures arrived, but you and the captain fled before any contact. So, essentially, those people never really got to you, right?" the policewoman asked.

Clarice hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes."

Then she exclaimed, "But they were after us! My friend was injured, and he couldn't reach many people. They were hunting him down! I swear, it's all true!"

The policewoman shrugged, "I'm not doubting your honesty, but even if everything you said is true, there's no evidence those people attacked you. Maybe it was all in your imagination?"

"How dare you dismiss everything I've been through with just an imagination! Or do you need to see my body lying by the roadside before you realize, 'Oh my God, I've seen this victim before, and everything she said yesterday was true'?" Clarice retorted angrily.

The policewoman shrugged casually, "If something like that really happened, your body would surely be disposed of secretly, not lying on the roadside."

Clarice's expression changed drastically.

The policewoman chuckled, "Don't worry, I was just kidding. Let me contact the Saint Juan Mountain Sanatorium to check on their end."

With that, she picked up the phone from the desk and dialed.

Clarice visibly relaxed as she waited. She had heard the sound of the cloaked figures blasting the door during their escape. With the policewoman's call, the truth would soon be revealed.

Feeling much lighter, Clarice leaned back in her chair, lost in thought.

Perhaps she recalled the amusing moments with Reno, or she sensed the thrill behind this perilous encounter. It might have been the thought that one day, when she grew old, reminiscing about this event could be a tale for a lifetime. A hint of a smile appeared on Clarice's face.

Unbeknownst to her, the policewoman making the call was now looking at her with a hint of surprise.

After a moment, she hung up the phone and said, "Your name is Clarice Austen?"

"Yes."

The policewoman shook her head, "I received a response from the Sanatorium. There's no one named Clarice Austen there."

Clarice stood up abruptly, "That's impossible! They're lying. I was there just an hour ago."

"The reply came from the director of the sanatorium," the policewoman replied.

Clarice's heart sank. "No, no, this can't be..." She grabbed the policewoman's hand, saying, "I really was there."

"Hey, hey, calm down." The policewoman pulled her hand away gently and spoke soothingly, "Maybe there's been some mistake. Let's take it slowly, have a cup of coffee to clear our heads, and then we can figure out what's going on."