Rogues

Episode 37 | Laughter

The creaking of the barred door of her cell let Valerie know that she was no longer alone. She groaned, glancing up at her new company and instantly shying away when she saw who it was.

Copia dropped to one knee in front of her, reaching out to brush her hair out of her face. "Ready to answer some more of our questions?" His eyes drifted to the floor beside her and he sighed. "Was the meal we gave you not to your liking?"

She'd vomitted again that morning, still for no clear reason. She didn't feel ill, atleast not enough to make her vomit two days in a row. She shook her head slowly, trying to avoid meeting the Papa's gaze.

He hummed, withdrawing his hand and standing from the floor. He turned to the ghouls he'd brought along with him, a fire ghoul and an air ghoulette, signalling for them to help take her to the interrogation room.

The two ghouls marched over, lifting her from the floor from either side and escorting her out of her cell. She whimpered quietly, wishing it had been bismuth who'd come to see her instead of them.

They sat her down in an old metal chair, chaining her wrists to a desk in front of her. The door was shut and locked behind them, the two ghouls moving to stand behind her and Copia stepping into view on the other side of the desk. "Three of my ghoul, along with a ghoul from the Council and one of the...rogues...left almoust a week ago to try to find a lead on where their friend had been taken. They have not returned or reported back since then. Do you know what might have happened to them?"

Valerie stayed silent. His tone had made it seem like he thought she was responsible somehow, or atleast the cult she'd been a part of were.

Copia sighed, gesturing to her casually. It had clearly been a signal for one of his ghouls because a claw suddenly split the skin of her cheek, shivers wracking through her as she remembered how ruthless their interrogation methods had been the day before.

"How could I know where they are? I've been stuck in that cell since I arrived." She mumbled, struggling to keep back the anger in her voice. Why was she being punished for not knowing something that she couldn't possibly have known?

Her other cheek suffered a sudden similar injury and she sobbed. "I don't know where they are, okay? The cult might be involved, they might not. But I'm not a member of that cult anymore. Whatever they're doing, it's not my fault."

She could feel Copia's scrutinous gaze on her and she sobbed again. "I want to help. I didn't know what the cult had been doing and, if I had, I never would have joined. But I don't know any more than you all do so why am I being interrogated?"

The room was silent for a moment and Valerie shuddered, waiting for either a sharp pain from one of the ghouls or another question from Copia.

But neither ever came.

She glanced up at the Papa hesitantly, more than surprised to see the pity in his expression.

"I know you want to help, my dear. But, out of everyone here, you know the most about Santos and his cult, so we have to start with you before questioning anyone else."

"But I've already told you everything." She pleaded. "And I would have told you even without all this." She tried to gesture to the chains and the ghouls behind her. "I want to help, I really do. But I can't tell if you believe me. I can't tell if you still think of me as just another one of Santos' slaves."

She could hear one of the ghouls behind her growling at the mention of the cult leader but she couldn't tell which. Copia sighed, reacher down to hold her face in his hands gently. "You are not a slave, Valerie. Not anymore. But you were once so you're our best shot. I'm sorry."