Here is the News
Characters: Alex Rowe and President Maurice Wilsborough
Content: Alex, as we all know, turned himself in. They have a little conversation.
Setting: A dark room somewhere on government property.
Time: After he turns himself in
Warnings: PLOT! If you want to know wtf is going on with the politics of Reial you probably don't want to miss this!
Alex was no longer certain whether the room he was held in was above ground, or some kind of dungeon. He wasn't even sure whether it was night or day. It was probably still night, he didn't think he had been in here for that long, but in this lightless room, it was impossible to tell. There wasn't even enough light for his eyes to adjust to.
The chains that he bore on his arms and legs kept him from moving out of the uncomfortable wooden chair they had sat him in. His interrogators had left (by his reckoning) at least a half hour ago, apparently frustrated by his steadfast refusal to say anything other than that he was involved in the bombings, and would not tell his story to anyone other than President Wilsborough himself.
He did not know how much longer he would be kept here like this, but he was in no particular hurry. The government wanted information on the bombers too much. Sooner or later, they would give in, so long as he did not.
Wilsborough was a busy man. A very, very busy man. It came with governing a country. Well, partially governing. There was still that Parliament to deal with, but far be it for him to criticize Ivona's political system. It was better than Vohemar's, at any rate. If those rats even had a government anymore.
He had learned recently that his already busy schedule was about to get busier. He rubbed his temples as he walked down that cold hallway to the holding rooms.
What the hell could this be about? It was something about the bombings, he knew that, but those stupid guards hadn't been able to get anything else out of the guy. Damn it, why did they have protocols about excessive torture, again? He could 'kindly request' that the Parliament revise those laws, but that would take far too long and would probably come back as a negative. There were ways to get around that, of course, but he wasn't about to do anything strenuous for this punk.
It was probably some kind of prank anyway. He knew who was behind this and he intended to get them. All of them.
He finally reached the room, giving a nod to his guards. One of them opened the door, and he walked in, the guard behind him.
"Let's get this over with. Who are you and what do you know? Hurry it up."
Alex squinted at the sudden invasion of light into his dark room, which momentarily blinded him. So, this was Wilsborough? He looked rounder than his publicity photos.
"My name is Alex Rowe," he said, straightening his back and sitting up. "And I'm the one who planted the bombs."
Huh. Now that's a name he recognized. So this was the infamous Alex Rowe, huh? The man looked scragglier than he'd imagined.
He raised an eyebrow at his comment. "Is that so?" If all the reports Wilsborough had heard about Rowe were true, then the man was, to put it lightly, crazy. It would seem that that was the truth. Only an idiot would admit to such a horrible crime.
He didn't buy it.
"I can see that you're skeptical. Let me try to prove it: The three bombs were located in the upper chamber of the clock tower, the central conference chamber, and directly in front of the President's seat in the House, weren't they?"
If Alex was lying, there was no way he could have known that.
Wilsborough's raised eyebrow now twitched. As far as he could remember that was indeed accurate. Damn.
"Where did you get that information?"
"I know it because I planted the bombs myself. Are you ready to listen to me?"
Hopefully Wilsborough wouldn't be THAT incredibly obstinate.
Wilsborough paused a long while before relying. "...fine." He'd hear the man out for the moment. That didn't mean he had to accept a word of it. "I'll listen."
Another nod to his guard, who pulled over a chair. Wilsborough took a seat with a sigh, preparing for whatever ridiculous tirade Rowe was going to tell him.
Well, now we were getting somewhere. Alex leaned back as best he could, causing the chains to clink quietly. "I received information a few weeks prior to the bombing, indicating that some members of the parliament were involved in dealings with the terrorist organization Denouement. My contacts provided me with listening devices to place in those three rooms, in order to gather evidence proving it. So I broke in and did so. What I did not know is that Denouement had intercepted my contacts; the 'listening devices' were bombs."
It took great willpower for Wilsborough not to roll his eyes. Here we go. He really should have known this was coming. This was also in the reports, the root of his craziness: Denouement. That so-called secret terrorist group with links to some of the highest ranking officials and business owners.
Bullshit.
He really, really should have known it would come to this. "So you're saying that this is Denouement's doing."
Alex nodded. "I was the tool. They were the ones who directed me. I do not think that this removes my culpability."
"So, what? You're trying to turn yourself in?" How incredibly stupid could this man be--oh right, secret terrorist plots. He had to keep that in mind.
"Yes. I can't let the Maestro get what she wanted out of the attacks."
Wilsborough had to ponder that one. He pondered it long and hard. Finally, he came to a decision.
With a groan he got up from his chair. "Thanks, but we're not interested."
Alex started. He couldn't...how could he not be...this was impossible! "What do you mean, you're 'not interested'?" he demanded. "This is the answer you're looking for! How can you just turn me away?"
The guard flinched when Alex started yelling. Wilsborough could see he was about to move and held a hand up, staying him. He knew Rowe wasn't going anywhere. "See now, that's where we disagree. This isn't the answer I'm looking for."
Alex glared up at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
That was the cue. "Leave us," Wilsborough said with a wave to the guard. The guard promptly left, opening the door to brighten the room for a brief moment before casting it into darkness once more.
"I mean what I said. We're not interested in your conspiracy-theory story."
"You have a man in custody claiming to be the bomber, and you don't believe him?" Alex said, his mind boggling. "Even if you weren't sure, the political gains alone!"
Wilsborough scratched his head. "What "political gains?" What do we have to gain from putting a nutcase like you in jail?"
This was the new President? Was he completely incompetent? God help Ivona.
"Do you think it wouldn't help your popularity to be seen as the man who captured the Parliament bomber?"
"Of course it would! Of course. And that's exactly what I intend to do." Wilsborough sat back down in his chair. This really was going to take a while to get through to the man. "Problem is, you and I have different culprits in mind."
"There is only one culprit," Alex said through gritted teeth. The man couldn't possibly mean what Alex thought he meant, could he?
"Correction. There is only one true culprit," Wilsborough, a grin starting to spread across his features, "but there are other culprits, and I've got my eyes on one in particular."
Blast it, he did. This was impossible! "You're with THEM aren't you? God dammit..."
"Whoa, hold on a minute." Wilsborough held up his hands. "Who's this 'them' you're talking about? It was--what was it... Denouement, right? Sorry to disappoint, but no. I pledge my loyalty to Ivona and Ivona alone." ...Yeah, something like that.
"Then why!?" Alex demanded, straining at his chains. He was seeing red now, and if he wasn't restrained, Wilsborough would probably have regretted sending the guard away.
"I've got my own agenda," Wilsborough responded, not in the least bit afraid of Rowe's futile thrashing. "And you don't fit that agenda. Joseph Falls and the Badlands, however, fit that agenda juuuuust right."
He drew out the syllable on 'just,' making sure Alex knew just how important Falls was. Pinning it on Falls meant they had a reason to invade, and make sure especially that that Ivonian military post didn't fall into Fall's hands.
"You bastard," Alex said, fixing him with a steely glare. "This won't end here. I'll tell everyone what you're doing, you'll be finished!"
"Heh, the same way you've proved the existence of an underground terrorist group, right? Don't even try it." Wilsborough stood up and moved to stand directly in front of Alex. "Unless you want to lose any credibility you still have left."
Alex fell back in his seat, defeated. Blast it all, the man was right. "And what are you going to do with me now?" he demanded. "Take me out back and shoot me, Vohemaro-style?"
Wilsborough gave him a wave of his hand and turned away. "Nah, you're not worth it. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna let you go." He turned his head, looking back at Alex. "And you're gonna keep quiet about your involvement in this."
"And if I don't?" Alex asked.
"Did you miss what I said before?" Wilsborough stared him down a moment before continuing. "I can destroy any shred of credibility you have left. I can defame your ship. I can destroy any livelihood you have left. Let me assure you, Mr. Rowe, I can make things very, very difficult for you.
"But it doesn't have to be that way. What you have to do is simple: nothing. Say nothing, do nothing. Doesn't that work out for both of us? I'm letting you go, scot free."
"Fine," Alex spit out. "But this isn't over between us, Wilsborough. I'll keep your silence, but there will be a reckoning."
"Right, right," Wilsborough said, brushing it off. Like he hadn't heard that one before. He moved to the door now and gave it a knock. One of the guards opened it, letting the light into the room once more. Wilsborough's shadow fell across Alex as he spoke one last time. "See you next time, Rowe. Remember our agreement, for your own good." He whispered something to the guard, who nodded and moved over to Alex, starting to untie his ropes. By that time, Wilsborough was gone.
Content: Alex, as we all know, turned himself in. They have a little conversation.
Setting: A dark room somewhere on government property.
Time: After he turns himself in
Warnings: PLOT! If you want to know wtf is going on with the politics of Reial you probably don't want to miss this!
Alex was no longer certain whether the room he was held in was above ground, or some kind of dungeon. He wasn't even sure whether it was night or day. It was probably still night, he didn't think he had been in here for that long, but in this lightless room, it was impossible to tell. There wasn't even enough light for his eyes to adjust to.
The chains that he bore on his arms and legs kept him from moving out of the uncomfortable wooden chair they had sat him in. His interrogators had left (by his reckoning) at least a half hour ago, apparently frustrated by his steadfast refusal to say anything other than that he was involved in the bombings, and would not tell his story to anyone other than President Wilsborough himself.
He did not know how much longer he would be kept here like this, but he was in no particular hurry. The government wanted information on the bombers too much. Sooner or later, they would give in, so long as he did not.
Wilsborough was a busy man. A very, very busy man. It came with governing a country. Well, partially governing. There was still that Parliament to deal with, but far be it for him to criticize Ivona's political system. It was better than Vohemar's, at any rate. If those rats even had a government anymore.
He had learned recently that his already busy schedule was about to get busier. He rubbed his temples as he walked down that cold hallway to the holding rooms.
What the hell could this be about? It was something about the bombings, he knew that, but those stupid guards hadn't been able to get anything else out of the guy. Damn it, why did they have protocols about excessive torture, again? He could 'kindly request' that the Parliament revise those laws, but that would take far too long and would probably come back as a negative. There were ways to get around that, of course, but he wasn't about to do anything strenuous for this punk.
It was probably some kind of prank anyway. He knew who was behind this and he intended to get them. All of them.
He finally reached the room, giving a nod to his guards. One of them opened the door, and he walked in, the guard behind him.
"Let's get this over with. Who are you and what do you know? Hurry it up."
Alex squinted at the sudden invasion of light into his dark room, which momentarily blinded him. So, this was Wilsborough? He looked rounder than his publicity photos.
"My name is Alex Rowe," he said, straightening his back and sitting up. "And I'm the one who planted the bombs."
Huh. Now that's a name he recognized. So this was the infamous Alex Rowe, huh? The man looked scragglier than he'd imagined.
He raised an eyebrow at his comment. "Is that so?" If all the reports Wilsborough had heard about Rowe were true, then the man was, to put it lightly, crazy. It would seem that that was the truth. Only an idiot would admit to such a horrible crime.
He didn't buy it.
"I can see that you're skeptical. Let me try to prove it: The three bombs were located in the upper chamber of the clock tower, the central conference chamber, and directly in front of the President's seat in the House, weren't they?"
If Alex was lying, there was no way he could have known that.
Wilsborough's raised eyebrow now twitched. As far as he could remember that was indeed accurate. Damn.
"Where did you get that information?"
"I know it because I planted the bombs myself. Are you ready to listen to me?"
Hopefully Wilsborough wouldn't be THAT incredibly obstinate.
Wilsborough paused a long while before relying. "...fine." He'd hear the man out for the moment. That didn't mean he had to accept a word of it. "I'll listen."
Another nod to his guard, who pulled over a chair. Wilsborough took a seat with a sigh, preparing for whatever ridiculous tirade Rowe was going to tell him.
Well, now we were getting somewhere. Alex leaned back as best he could, causing the chains to clink quietly. "I received information a few weeks prior to the bombing, indicating that some members of the parliament were involved in dealings with the terrorist organization Denouement. My contacts provided me with listening devices to place in those three rooms, in order to gather evidence proving it. So I broke in and did so. What I did not know is that Denouement had intercepted my contacts; the 'listening devices' were bombs."
It took great willpower for Wilsborough not to roll his eyes. Here we go. He really should have known this was coming. This was also in the reports, the root of his craziness: Denouement. That so-called secret terrorist group with links to some of the highest ranking officials and business owners.
Bullshit.
He really, really should have known it would come to this. "So you're saying that this is Denouement's doing."
Alex nodded. "I was the tool. They were the ones who directed me. I do not think that this removes my culpability."
"So, what? You're trying to turn yourself in?" How incredibly stupid could this man be--oh right, secret terrorist plots. He had to keep that in mind.
"Yes. I can't let the Maestro get what she wanted out of the attacks."
Wilsborough had to ponder that one. He pondered it long and hard. Finally, he came to a decision.
With a groan he got up from his chair. "Thanks, but we're not interested."
Alex started. He couldn't...how could he not be...this was impossible! "What do you mean, you're 'not interested'?" he demanded. "This is the answer you're looking for! How can you just turn me away?"
The guard flinched when Alex started yelling. Wilsborough could see he was about to move and held a hand up, staying him. He knew Rowe wasn't going anywhere. "See now, that's where we disagree. This isn't the answer I'm looking for."
Alex glared up at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
That was the cue. "Leave us," Wilsborough said with a wave to the guard. The guard promptly left, opening the door to brighten the room for a brief moment before casting it into darkness once more.
"I mean what I said. We're not interested in your conspiracy-theory story."
"You have a man in custody claiming to be the bomber, and you don't believe him?" Alex said, his mind boggling. "Even if you weren't sure, the political gains alone!"
Wilsborough scratched his head. "What "political gains?" What do we have to gain from putting a nutcase like you in jail?"
This was the new President? Was he completely incompetent? God help Ivona.
"Do you think it wouldn't help your popularity to be seen as the man who captured the Parliament bomber?"
"Of course it would! Of course. And that's exactly what I intend to do." Wilsborough sat back down in his chair. This really was going to take a while to get through to the man. "Problem is, you and I have different culprits in mind."
"There is only one culprit," Alex said through gritted teeth. The man couldn't possibly mean what Alex thought he meant, could he?
"Correction. There is only one true culprit," Wilsborough, a grin starting to spread across his features, "but there are other culprits, and I've got my eyes on one in particular."
Blast it, he did. This was impossible! "You're with THEM aren't you? God dammit..."
"Whoa, hold on a minute." Wilsborough held up his hands. "Who's this 'them' you're talking about? It was--what was it... Denouement, right? Sorry to disappoint, but no. I pledge my loyalty to Ivona and Ivona alone." ...Yeah, something like that.
"Then why!?" Alex demanded, straining at his chains. He was seeing red now, and if he wasn't restrained, Wilsborough would probably have regretted sending the guard away.
"I've got my own agenda," Wilsborough responded, not in the least bit afraid of Rowe's futile thrashing. "And you don't fit that agenda. Joseph Falls and the Badlands, however, fit that agenda juuuuust right."
He drew out the syllable on 'just,' making sure Alex knew just how important Falls was. Pinning it on Falls meant they had a reason to invade, and make sure especially that that Ivonian military post didn't fall into Fall's hands.
"You bastard," Alex said, fixing him with a steely glare. "This won't end here. I'll tell everyone what you're doing, you'll be finished!"
"Heh, the same way you've proved the existence of an underground terrorist group, right? Don't even try it." Wilsborough stood up and moved to stand directly in front of Alex. "Unless you want to lose any credibility you still have left."
Alex fell back in his seat, defeated. Blast it all, the man was right. "And what are you going to do with me now?" he demanded. "Take me out back and shoot me, Vohemaro-style?"
Wilsborough gave him a wave of his hand and turned away. "Nah, you're not worth it. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna let you go." He turned his head, looking back at Alex. "And you're gonna keep quiet about your involvement in this."
"And if I don't?" Alex asked.
"Did you miss what I said before?" Wilsborough stared him down a moment before continuing. "I can destroy any shred of credibility you have left. I can defame your ship. I can destroy any livelihood you have left. Let me assure you, Mr. Rowe, I can make things very, very difficult for you.
"But it doesn't have to be that way. What you have to do is simple: nothing. Say nothing, do nothing. Doesn't that work out for both of us? I'm letting you go, scot free."
"Fine," Alex spit out. "But this isn't over between us, Wilsborough. I'll keep your silence, but there will be a reckoning."
"Right, right," Wilsborough said, brushing it off. Like he hadn't heard that one before. He moved to the door now and gave it a knock. One of the guards opened it, letting the light into the room once more. Wilsborough's shadow fell across Alex as he spoke one last time. "See you next time, Rowe. Remember our agreement, for your own good." He whispered something to the guard, who nodded and moved over to Alex, starting to untie his ropes. By that time, Wilsborough was gone.