Everything Stays: In the Future

Interrogations

The door opens and Stark glances back up to see Damson, Cinder and Beryl all walk in. Beryl closes the door and presses some buttons from a console. Another door opens and Hazel, and Lavenza walk into the room. Two screens turn on and Councilman Adrian Greene and Ms. Gabrielle Helios appear. His eyes widen a bit as he sees the last two.

Stark: How?

Greene: Easy. And it was a clear choice for either.

Stark: I'll-

Helios: (chuckles) What? Have us arrested? Public perception says otherwise. And would they really believe that a hero of the people would harm the sheep?

Stark goes silent, glaring ahead. Cinder walks forward and slaps Stark across the face. Her eye widens and lights up and fire slowly begins to burn Stark's skin. Stark yells in pain a bit as Cinder smirks to herself as more fire spreads.

Damson: Sweetie.

Cinder: Quiet! Let me enjoy this!

Cinder smiles widen as more fire and pain encompasses his body. A hand grabs Cinder's wrist. She looks up and sees Hazel standing there, anger on his face. She stops and reels back a bit.

Cinder: You need to learn to have fun.

Hazel: And you need to learn when it is right or not to torture people.

Helios: Hazel, Hazel. Naughty children should be punished accordingly.

Hazel: You hold your tongue. The last thing we need is-

Lavenza: Hazel. Stand down. But I do agree. The last thing we need is him to be dead. We cannot afford the Guardian coming in full force against us. Now then...let's see how smart the boy is.

Lavenza walked over and lowered himself down to meet Stark at eye level.

Lavenza: You don't know anything do you?

Stark: Not when it comes to your plans, no. So, you wanna explain those to me?

Lavenza: Not directly. But I will note, it is a pleasure to have you here.

Stark: Oh, that's nice to know. Hey, if that's the case, can I get some food or maybe some water? Hey, how about some sleep instead? Ive been here for what, three days now? The least you could do is-

Cinder slapped Stark across the face to shut him up.

Beryl: Dont give her all the fun. He still needs to pay for what he did to my operation.

Lavenza: I said ENOUGH! (He turns back to Stark) Clearly he knows very little about us...yet he truly does a plan for every encounter.

Stark: That's one way of looking at things, yeah.

Lavenza glares down at Stark. He turns around and gestures for the others to follow him out. They all agree and walk outside with him.

Beryl: Well?

Lavenza: He knows nothing. He knows of nothing.

Damson: Then we kill him and get it over with.

Cinder: Or...we use him to our advantage.

Lavenza: It is a hostage situation, Damson. You never kill the hostage, you use the hostage until you have everything of value you desire for. Then you smite the bastard.

Lavenza goes back to the door.

Beryl: Now what do you intend to do?

Lavenza: Talk to him. See if there really is anything of use in that brain of his. Prepare to move out. We move to our Vacuo holdout. Beryl, see to it that your people increase operations in Vale and Atlas. A spike in crime would do wonders for the legislature. As for me, I might as well tell him the plan.