Interview Room One

"What d'you think, Sarge?"

He checks his watch.

"Let him stew a bit longer."

I look into Interview Room 1 at Xel'thkar tapping his long, spindly fingers on the table. They're a little bulbous at the ends. He doesn't look like he's stewing, but it's hard to tell.

"Says he wants legal counsel, Sarge."

"We'll get him someone."

"Says he wants... you know. One like him."

Sarge scowls. "He can bloody whistle," he says.

The lawyer is a blonde, angular woman wearing a grey suit and a tight pony tail. She has a tasteful amount of makeup and a mouth like an anus. Her hand reaches out to shake the alien's, and I see the twitch towards her pencil skirt before she stills it, as if she were going to wipe her palm on the fabric. The tight smile on her face freezes.

Sarge starts the recording, and reels off the usual spiel: the date, time, who is present. He leans forward, his eyes intent. "Mister Xel'thkar, we'd like you to confirm your whereabouts last night, from 10p.m."

The lawyer motions with a hand. "You don't have to answer that."

"Oh, I think he does," Sarge counters, turning his gaze on the alien opposite him. "We have evidence that places you at the scene, Mister Xel'thkar."

Xel'thkar shifts in his seat. He glances at the lawyer, but she sits stony-still with that face like a slapped arse. There's a nagging feeling in my gut. I try to squash it, because the suspect is supposed to be uncomfortable, that's the point, that's how we get the confession.

The hunch sits like a toad, large and obvious once you've seen it. I don't think he did it.

"...isn't the 1970s, anymore," Sarge was saying. "You people can't just go abducting folks."

There's a flicker on Xel'thkar's face, a subtle shift in how he's sitting. As if the goo inside his skin has turned to stone.

Sarge is exchanging chummy grins with the lawyer. They're up to something. It's a set-up. But he's a superior officer, and if I say anything they'll all say it's my own bias talking.

Guys who look like us get screwed over every time.

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Word count (excluding note): 366

Submitted on 19th February at 23:35

Quick Author's Note

Pay no attention to the writer behind the curtain: I used a prompt from my February list for this one: a police procedural, where either the suspect or the MC is a (very obvious) extra terrestrial.

A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes a 50 day streak. The big five-oh! You can find all of them in my Index post, which I do my best to update once or twice a week at least. It's also pinned to the top of my profile.

If you'd like to read another, here's my recommendation: this is a nice simple one that one got a positive response.

If you're joining me on this "story every day" madne adventure, please leave a link to yours in the comments! Whether you're on a creative bent like me, or if you have your own self-imposed criteria, I'd love to see what you come up with for today.

Thank you

As always, thank you so much for reading! I do my best to reciprocate all reads. Please do leave a comment and I'll pop over and read one of your as soon as! If you enjoyed this story, the best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another 😁

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