Clarence
"Don't you want to know why? Why we built this case. And where it's going,"
Unnamed Investigator
"You shouldn't be so naive- to follow this new religion," Clarence said as he tested the strength of the handcuffs."What religion, the worshipers?" Norman Oakland asked. His voice was amplified by the strange makeup of the mostly aluminum room. His deep voice crackled and boomed in the small room.
"No, call it Newtopian Noise; it's a religion that is chartered by large businesses and made tidy by government and the general routine of things," Clarence contested.
"Oh that," Norman said dismissively. "That religion is the oldest one on the planet. Its alter is death and its alms are blood and sweat of the middle class. But it's your little cult with the World Worshipers that is different."
"It's not mine, it's not theirs," he said. The unanswered question of who's it really was hung in their air. Ignoring it, Norman, still curious said, "That's against the wall, splattered. It means nothing to me except something to clean up. Don't forget who's pulling the stings right now and WHO PUT YOU IN HERE!" Norman said raising his voice towards the end of the brief tirade.
"It just something to clean up for you. But it was never supposed to go like that was it?
"The bosses probably say Sam's Town massacre was your fault. And now you have to clean up your mess. If you thought 'friendly' Jenny wasn't that friendly get ready for the backlash from your own agency," Clarence reasoned.
"You're right," Oakland yielded. "The bosses think it's my fault-"
"And it is," Clarence interrupted.
"But you will be happy to hear," Oakland continued ignoring the comment. "That I am supposed to clean it up. Therefore you, the dead civilians, the dead worshipers, and the dead good guys from the Sam's Town Massacre are all my responsibility. I prayed for you to live, though. Of anyone there that died I hoped you would live."
"I'm touched," Clarence said sarcastically.
"Yea, well. The reason I prayed so hard is because you are the missing link." Oakland stood and looked around at the plain aluminum walls. He pressed his index finger repeatedly against the table and looked up shaking his head as if about to say something. He even opened his mouth but then shut it. He turned and left the room. Clarence didn't know what to believe. But suggesting that he was the missing link could refer to any number of possibilities. He had been a part of so any investigations perhaps he had stumbled on some valuable information that Oakland's investigative bureau wanted. If that was the case Clarence would give him the information but would make Oakland dance for it. He arrested me in front of my children. He has to pay.
Oakland returned with a file and a female investigator. He placed two pictures in front of Dell.
"You don't have enough evidence on me anyway," Clarence said without looking at the photos.
"Clarence, there is a war going on here. We don't need evidence," Oakland said implying the extent he was willing to go. In front of Clarence was a picture of Dell and next to it a picture of recently murdered ex-Ambassador Seamus Grant. Seeing the two faces made Clarence think back to when he met Dell. He could honestly say that he never met Grant but he knew the connection instantly. "I'm not the missing link," Clarence said. Oakland silently threw his hands up.
"I can't-" Oakland began but was interrupted by Clarence.
"A girl is," Clarence said as an image of Nancy Hope Rodriguez Sabotka flash in his mind.
"I can put you in contact with Dell and he can give you the girl. But I'm going to need something from you, Norman," Clarence said.
"Shit," Oakland hissed.
"That's the only way you contact Dell. And if I can set something up with Dell he'll get you to her."
"Don't you want to know why? Why we built this case. And where it's going," the female investigator asked irritated.
"I already know most of that and otherwise I don't care; I just want to go home."
"So what do you want from me?" Oakland asked impatiently. Clarence thought of the leaves out side of his house. He thought of the smell of grass and soil as he lay face down in it. Pressed against the earth he can remember Kaylee shouting in fear. When he allowed himself to remember the guns pointed at him and his daughter he looked up at Oakland.
"Let's just say it's going to be humbling...for you." After that it was mostly negotiating with Oakland's superiors. Oakland first complained and laughed. But administration was eager to close the case and willing to place Oakland under the buss if need be. As Clarence left the small aluminum interrogation room he heard Oakland still arguing with the department heads with flashes of anger mixed with surprised fear.
"You're right," Oakland yielded. "The bosses think it's my fault-"
"And it is," Clarence interrupted.
"But you will be happy to hear," Oakland continued ignoring the comment. "That I am supposed to clean it up. Therefore you, the dead civilians, the dead worshipers, and the dead good guys from the Sam's Town Massacre are all my responsibility. I prayed for you to live, though. Of anyone there that died I hoped you would live."
"I'm touched," Clarence said sarcastically.
"Yea, well. The reason I prayed so hard is because you are the missing link." Oakland stood and looked around at the plain aluminum walls. He pressed his index finger repeatedly against the table and looked up shaking his head as if about to say something. He even opened his mouth but then shut it. He turned and left the room. Clarence didn't know what to believe. But suggesting that he was the missing link could refer to any number of possibilities. He had been a part of so any investigations perhaps he had stumbled on some valuable information that Oakland's investigative bureau wanted. If that was the case Clarence would give him the information but would make Oakland dance for it. He arrested me in front of my children. He has to pay.
Oakland returned with a file and a female investigator. He placed two pictures in front of Dell.
"You don't have enough evidence on me anyway," Clarence said without looking at the photos.
"Clarence, there is a war going on here. We don't need evidence," Oakland said implying the extent he was willing to go. In front of Clarence was a picture of Dell and next to it a picture of recently murdered ex-Ambassador Seamus Grant. Seeing the two faces made Clarence think back to when he met Dell. He could honestly say that he never met Grant but he knew the connection instantly. "I'm not the missing link," Clarence said. Oakland silently threw his hands up.
"I can't-" Oakland began but was interrupted by Clarence.
"A girl is," Clarence said as an image of Nancy Hope Rodriguez Sabotka flash in his mind.
"I can put you in contact with Dell and he can give you the girl. But I'm going to need something from you, Norman," Clarence said.
"Shit," Oakland hissed.
"That's the only way you contact Dell. And if I can set something up with Dell he'll get you to her."
"Don't you want to know why? Why we built this case. And where it's going," the female investigator asked irritated.
"I already know most of that and otherwise I don't care; I just want to go home."
"So what do you want from me?" Oakland asked impatiently. Clarence thought of the leaves out side of his house. He thought of the smell of grass and soil as he lay face down in it. Pressed against the earth he can remember Kaylee shouting in fear. When he allowed himself to remember the guns pointed at him and his daughter he looked up at Oakland.
"Let's just say it's going to be humbling...for you." After that it was mostly negotiating with Oakland's superiors. Oakland first complained and laughed. But administration was eager to close the case and willing to place Oakland under the buss if need be. As Clarence left the small aluminum interrogation room he heard Oakland still arguing with the department heads with flashes of anger mixed with surprised fear.
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