I've left behind this little fact

[bestmachine]

WHO: Cavil, Lassiter, and Shawn (?)
WHERE: The interrogation room at the super prison
WHEN: Midday, January 20th
WARNINGS: Not sure! Will add as needed.
SUMMARY: Cavil is interrogated about his crimes.
FORMAT: Starting with paragraph. Feel free to do whichever!

Comments

[bestmachine]

"Brother Cavil," he corrected. Even in this situation, he had the ability to make his voice sound light. Nonchalant, almost. It was his aim. "That's a title in my universe for people with particularly strong ties with the gods."

He punctuated the word 'gods' with a casual, downward prod at the table. He was always gesturing. Even with the handcuffs, he was gesturing.

"Are you a religious man, Detective...?" He tilted his head just slightly, eyes narrowed, as though routing around in his memory. He wasn't. "I'm sorry. I don't believe I've caught your name."

[bestmachine]

Nine months ago, the answer would have been a laughing, no, I'm not from your world, but by now, Cavil knew a passing amount of Earth history. "Yes," he said, although the hesitation in his voice indicated that it was only a vague 'yes.' He furrowed his brow. "Something about triggering a racial apocalypse. Creating a cult of personality through murder. Truly, a despicable individual."

For a machine who loved irony, this sailed right over his head.

"Then again," he said, "the gods have been known to act despicably, and we are made in their image, so they say." He gave a slight smile. A private joke. "I can't speak of his 'psychotic delusions of granduer.' I can assure you, at least, that I know what I am."

[bestmachine]

For the first time since Lassiter arrived, Cavil's expression darkened. No matter how unconcerned he sounded, no matter how much he could pretend to be on top, these people, these humans, had him under their control. And that, in Cavil's eyes, was even more maddening than the waiting. He didn't drop his gaze.

"Perfectly clear," he said.

[bestmachine]

The way his eyes widened for the quickest moment made it obvious he wasn't expecting the question. He had no idea that the police were anywhere near pinning him to the accident. Then again, by now, he was certain that the guards had seen the long burn scar that ran down his right arm and that, he figured, was enough.

And then, suddenly, it hit him. The encryption. They recognized his encryption. This was how they found him, and this was how they would ruin him.

"Very well, in fact." He hid the anxiety easily enough, but his voice had lost some of its previous arrogance. "That was the day of the accident. One of the accidents. There are so many here."

[bestmachine]

Cavil listened to Lassiter speak, recognizing before he even said it that yes, he was going to be accused, and as he listened, he began to form a plan. A persuasion. When it came time for him to speak, his voice was perfectly calm and even. He knew what to say.

"Awfully popular area, those blocks. A number of restaurants. Good places to have chats. Yes, I sent that message." He turned over his right palm, so that the burns were even more obvious, trailing up his wrist. "I was in the area when the truck exploded. I had hoped to come to an arrangement, you see, with Kyosuke Kiryu, and I knew he wouldn't come if he recognized I was calling. But he never arrived." He leaned forward onto his arms. "You can't be guilty of something you never did."

[bestmachine]

Cavil could guess from how Lassiter swallowed his frustration that the message was probably their only evidence. He lowered his eyes and chuckled at this, the sound of it almost jovial.

"Okay, well," he said. "Ignoring the fallacy in believing I somehow caused a number of asinine structural and procedural errors at a company I have nothing to do with, if I had caused the accident, why let myself get caught the blaze? I sent the message to Kiryu a full thirty minutes before the crash. I could have escaped easily."

He paused for effect.

"Besides," he continued, smile fading with the memory, "should you ask Kiryu, you'll find that I've tried to bury the hatchet on a number of occasions. It was only Saitou that wouldn't rest until I was in jail or dismembered or both."