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<br/>
<span style="font-family:Petit Formal Script"><span style="font-size: 26px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:crimson">Anthony Deschenes</span></span></span>​</div><br/><span style="font-family:Cairo">"Undercover” was what the office called it. It really wasn’t that, though. A better description would’ve been “observation duty” because there was no specific individual he was meant to keep an eye on and there was no disguise involved by all technicalities. In fact, Tony could go so far as to call it a week off of work if he wanted to because of how easy the assignment really was. His superiors wouldn’t have approved of that, though, and neither did they like to admit that the job was easy for him due to his particular talents. It was easier for them to pretend he was just like they were and it was easier for him as well to be around them when it wasn’t on their minds.<br/>
<br/>
They didn’t hate him. Hate was a strong word in the first place, after all. Very few were actually willing to use it even for the ones they really did hate. Tony had his own explanations for this, though. Even before the supernatural world came into common knowledge, there were people who claimed they could do what he did. To some extent, they probably could, too. That made it a condition that for some reason or another wasn’t supernatural… even though - to Tony - it was. His life had that written all over it. After all, did any of those who claimed to have his ability in the past bear the scars of a childhood where they couldn’t sit in a classroom for long enough to get through a lesson without yelling out about something or other? The doctors had tried everything. They’d diagnosed him with ADD, ADHD and everything in between. They’d tried different medications, different combinations, different treatments. None of them worked. In the end, all that was left was to believe that he really could feel what other people were feeling. Unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to do anything to help him suffer less because of it and he’d just been left with a pat on the back and a “you’ll do fine, kid”.<br/>
<br/>
Not that it mattered anymore. After various struggles, he’d actually done quite well for himself. He was slowly climbing through the ranks of the Austin Police Department and they accepted him - mostly. A majority of his coworkers knew that he was different, but a fair few of them requested specifically not to know the specifics of his senses. It made it easier for them somehow.<br/>
<br/>
Of course, that was probably what was to blame for his current predicament. Apparently, a suspect had been arrested. At least, that was what his phone told him at 9am that morning. The vibrating in his pocket caught his attention and then as he pulled it out, the message flashed on his screen. “Arrest made in regards to terrorism investigation.” It wasn’t from anyone at the office and it wasn’t from a coworker either; it was a local news announcement, actually. Tony was finding out at the exact same time as all the other people in the city population were finding out about it. That was frustrating to say the least.<br/>
<br/>
Sighing, he stood up from the bench in Republic Square Park, his eyes scanning the runners and walkers who were still out for their morning dose of fresh air. From most of them, he was able to absorb hints of serenity and concentration and while he did, Tony inhaled deeply and let it wash through him. Calming down was easy in this kind of environment because very rarely was there a person around with frustration strong enough to override all the others.<br/>
<br/>
Then he unlocked his phone and read the whole announcement. There were a few positives of the situation. The announcement was very vague which meant that his coworkers had managed to keep most of the facts under wraps. No names had been released, there were contradicting statements even in the brief announcement, and no names of officers involved had been listed either. If their goal was to completely fuck up the situation, they had failed. At least someone had managed to try and keep things organized; normally that was Tony’s job and he couldn’t keep the thought to himself that he could’ve handled the situation better.<br/>
<br/>
Tony took another deep breath before he started heading towards the station. If there was one thing he knew for certain, it was that the whole interrogation process would go better if he managed to be a part of it.<br/>
<br/>
The walk was uneventful and the time to think was debilitating. Tony really had no idea what he was walking into and it concerned him. His job wasn’t supposed to be like that and he’d been assured multiple times that information would not be held from him when there was a situation that he could help with. Apparently, that wasn’t the case. Of course, it wouldn’t stop some people from trying to be more friendly, though.<br/>
<br/>
“Good morning, Tony!” Celia greeted him. Of all the people who worked in the office, she was the one who was smiling the most often. That was probably because it was her job. People tended to flow into the police station for a wide variety of reasons in a massive stretch of mental states and she was the one who always ended up dealing with them first. Smiling made that whole process go a whole lot more smoothly. She’d also been there a while so learning names was just a natural part of the process, it would seem.<br/>
<br/>
“Good morning, Cece,” he replied, his voice stable and fairly nonchalant. He didn’t say anymore and he didn’t stop walking to enjoy a casual conversation with her. She wouldn’t mind. She never had before.<br/>
<br/>
The elevator was right behind the desk and that was where he headed. The path would lead him up to the second level and there he would see that most of the desks were empty. He wasn’t the only one who’d been assigned a recent undercover mission and he imagined that those who were here were all involved with the interrogation he knew would be ensuing. Tony didn’t waste any time in heading in that general direction either. A few of the desks had files sprawled out that he could’ve glanced at, but he knew he could also do that at a different time.<br/>
<br/>
There was also a notable absence of people in the hallways. Tony was truly beginning to wonder if there really was any arrest at all. Usually, there would at least be a few people running around to make sure things were moving if they’d managed to get any information out of the suspect. Either there weren’t that many people involved in the situation or they simply weren’t learning anything from the suspect they had. Both were situations that Tony actually preferred because both meant that there would be room for him to try and correct any mistakes that had already been made.<br/>
<br/>
Walking into the interrogation room, it was likely that both were true. The team that seemed to be working on it wasn’t as many as Tony had anticipated and his boss was among them.<br/>
<br/>
“G’morning Tony,” his boss greeted promptly. “I was wondering if you were going to come.”<br/>
<br/>
“How was I supposed to know?” Tony replied swiftly and accusingly. “No one sent me any notice. I only found out about it because the news decided to publish a PSA.” It was clear that he was not happy and at the same time, he was reigning in his temper to a major degree.<br/>
<br/>
“I thought,” his boss interjected. Then the man’s gaze flickered to the two officers in the interrogation room, which Tony could see through the one way window. He also got his first glimpse of their suspect and already, he was not impressed. “One of those two was supposed to contact you. I’ll address it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Very well. Why are they both in there when there’s an interpreter?” Tony piled on another question. “That’s a bit more than overwhelming, wouldn’t you think?” Even though he didn’t mention it, Tony could sense that the interpreter alone was overwhelmed with the sheer numbers in one conversation and that was already a problem.<br/>
<br/>
This time, the chief raised an eyebrow at him. “Now you’re an expert on interrogation techniques, then?” he inquired curiously.<br/>
<br/>
All he could do was roll his eyes. “You know I have more experience than the both of them combined and I am also better equipped for this conversation than they are. Pull them out. Give me a chance to talk to this guy. You <i>know</i> I can learn something even if he says nothing in the process. You seriously think those two can manage that?” Yes, the attitude was a bit much for Tony in most situations, but he was annoyed and on top of that, he wanted to be listened to and he knew he was right in this instance. There was no reason for him to be stopped from interrogating the prisoner and they both knew that.<br/>
<br/>
There was a brief moment of intense eye contact between the two of them and then the chief sighed vaguely. “A’right. A’right.” Pushing a button, he spoke on the intercom between the observation room and the interrogation room, calling the two officers out. Neither one of them looked happy about the fact and one of them turned and muttered something briefly, but they both pulled themselves out of the room, bringing the manila folder on the table along with them.<br/>
<br/>
When they came in, both of them seemed to know the drill. They handed Tony the file, he thanked them briefly in a tone that lacked any sincerity, and then he made his way into the interrogation room. Closing the door behind him, he pulled out the chair across from Amadan and placed the file on the table, opening it in front of him so that he could read. “Apologies for the change in situation, Mr… Velas.” Tony had searched for the name for a moment. “I’m Officer Tony Deschenes and I’m going to be taking over the discussion here. Do you know why you’re here?”<br/>
<br/>
That was as good of a place to start as any. Since his two fellow officers had not been inclined to fill him in on the situation - not that he’d really given them any time to do so anyway - Tony had to start from the beginning. It wasn’t the most positive approach, but it would get him information and maybe reveal a thing or two about the man across the table.<br/>
<br/>
<a class="username" data-user-id="7636" data-username="@Ninjanerd" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/7636/">@Ninjanerd</a> </span>