Adventures in Parodyverse - Confession


    The Psychic Samurai strolled into Commissioner Don Graham’s office and bowed politely as she closed the door behind her.  “I’ve come to speak with you.”  she said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Graham looked up from some paperwork he was preparing.  He set it aside quickly and removed his reading glasses.  Then he eyed the sword that she carried on her back, and half wondered how she managed to walk through the police station to his office with it.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Would you mind if we went somewhere more neutral?”  Chiaki requested.  “I would feel more at ease that way.”

    He smiled and rose from his desk chair, grabbing his jacket as he did, and checked his watch.  “There’s a small diner across the street.”  he said.  He understood that if she had anything remotely incriminating to say, she didn’t want to be surrounded by cops who might arrest her.  At the moment, getting the truth was more important than that anyway.

    Neither spoke a word during the short walk to the diner.  Finally, they sat down in a somewhat private booth next to the front window, with a nice view.  Graham ordered a coffee, and the Samurai ordered an iced tea.

    Chiaki started right in with the one item she knew was foremost on his mind.  “A jailbreak at the Safe was inevitable.”  she said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And you had nothing to do with that, I suppose.”  Don accused.

    Chiaki shrugged, and spoke carefully.  “If I had nothing to do with it, it would have occurred anyway...and many people would have died.”

    Commissioner Graham produced a portable device from his outside jacket pocket.  “We found traces of explosives in the prison.”  he said.  “Did you know small traces of explosive residue stay on your hands for weeks after you handle them?  Even if you wear gloves?”

    Chiaki knew what was coming next.  She placed both of her small hands on the table.  She didn’t actually handle the explosives...so she knew she would come up clean.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hmm.”  Graham responded when he read the results off of the device.  “Interesting.  Let’s say you are telling the truth.  When did you get involved, and why?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It was a matter of convenient timing.”  Chiaki decided to answer the why first.  “I simply took note of an inevitability, and turned it to my advantage.  So it could be controlled.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Controlled?”  Graham asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Controlled.”  Chiaki repeated.  “Did you or your detectives stop to consider how much worse the breakout could have been?  Ask why it wasn’t?”

    The Commissioner shuddered.  He did consider that, but at the time chalked it up to either sheer luck, or the activity of vigilantes working underground.

    Finally, Graham presented his inevitable conclusion.  “Chiaki, you’re going to have to turn yourself in.  Answer for what you’ve done, and trust the justice system.”

    The Psychic Samurai’s eyes narrowed.  “I won’t.”  she replied.  “Because the public will have already made up its mind in what it believes.  I would never be tried fairly, and you know it.”

    He did know it, but didn’t want to admit to it.  “So what are you going to do?  Hide?  Run away?  Lie forever?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I won’t have to.”  she replied, her voice lowered to a near whisper, “if you trust me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Someone has to pay for what happened.”  It sounded more like a plea than a threat.  He checked his watch again.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know.”  Those two words from Chiaki caused the Commissioner to lower his head and relax a little.  “I just need a little more time first, until the incident is not so fresh in the public’s mind.  I think I can trust you...but you don’t have to decide now.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Actually, the mayor’s been asking questions.”  Graham started to explain, as he checked his watch once more.  “This could turn into a crusade...so yes, I do have to decide--”

    There was a flurry of clumsy movement as Chiaki reached for a napkin and her iced tea was knocked over.  She leapt to her feet as the liquid ran across the table and into her lap.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh, great.”  she complained.  She grabbed a couple more napkins and headed to the bathroom quickly.

    At that point, Graham realized that she took her sword with her.  He sighed, just as a mob of armed police officers in body armor stormed the restaurant.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Where did she go?”  the mayor of Paradopolis asked.  His limousine was parked outside, on cue as promised.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Don’t bother.”  Graham said with a shake of his head.  “She’s gone.”

    The mayor frowned, and stared coldly at Graham.  “If I find you’re slacking off on this Safe investigation because a friend is involved...you’re finished in this town.”

    He then stormed out, leaving Graham to finish his coffee.  The officers that passed him simply shrugged, and left looking sheepish and defeated.


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
--  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
--  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin

...she probably shouldn't have stuck him with the check. 

An interesting argument.  I suppose from some perspectives, a break-out might have been inevitable after all.  Of course, I think it would be a bit stronger of a case if she had evidence that one was coming before she acted, rather than just the theory.  I'm curious as to how she's planning on seeing that someone answers for it.

>
> Adventures in Parodyverse - Confession
>
>
> The Psychic Samurai strolled into Commissioner Don Graham’s office and bowed politely as she closed the door behind her.  “I’ve come to speak with you.”  she said.
>
> “Oh.”  Graham looked up from some paperwork he was preparing.  He set it aside quickly and removed his reading glasses.  Then he eyed the sword that she carried on her back, and half wondered how she managed to walk through the police station to his office with it.
>
> “Would you mind if we went somewhere more neutral?”  Chiaki requested.  “I would feel more at ease that way.”
>
> He smiled and rose from his desk chair, grabbing his jacket as he did, and checked his watch.  “There’s a small diner across the street.”  he said.  He understood that if she had anything remotely incriminating to say, she didn’t want to be surrounded by cops who might arrest her.  At the moment, getting the truth was more important than that anyway.
>
> Neither spoke a word during the short walk to the diner.  Finally, they sat down in a somewhat private booth next to the front window, with a nice view.  Graham ordered a coffee, and the Samurai ordered an iced tea.
>
> Chiaki started right in with the one item she knew was foremost on his mind.  “A jailbreak at the Safe was inevitable.”  she said.
>
> “And you had nothing to do with that, I suppose.”  Don accused.
>
> Chiaki shrugged, and spoke carefully.  “If I had nothing to do with it, it would have occurred anyway...and many people would have died.”
>
> Commissioner Graham produced a portable device from his outside jacket pocket.  “We found traces of explosives in the prison.”  he said.  “Did you know small traces of explosive residue stay on your hands for weeks after you handle them?  Even if you wear gloves?”
>
> Chiaki knew what was coming next.  She placed both of her small hands on the table.  She didn’t actually handle the explosives...so she knew she would come up clean.
>
> “Hmm.”  Graham responded when he read the results off of the device.  “Interesting.  Let’s say you are telling the truth.  When did you get involved, and why?”
>
> “It was a matter of convenient timing.”  Chiaki decided to answer the why first.  “I simply took note of an inevitability, and turned it to my advantage.  So it could be controlled.”
>
> “Controlled?”  Graham asked.
>
> “Controlled.”  Chiaki repeated.  “Did you or your detectives stop to consider how much worse the breakout could have been?  Ask why it wasn’t?”
>
> The Commissioner shuddered.  He did consider that, but at the time chalked it up to either sheer luck, or the activity of vigilantes working underground.
>
> Finally, Graham presented his inevitable conclusion.  “Chiaki, you’re going to have to turn yourself in.  Answer for what you’ve done, and trust the justice system.”
>
> The Psychic Samurai’s eyes narrowed.  “I won’t.”  she replied.  “Because the public will have already made up its mind in what it believes.  I would never be tried fairly, and you know it.”
>
> He did know it, but didn’t want to admit to it.  “So what are you going to do?  Hide?  Run away?  Lie forever?”
>
> “I won’t have to.”  she replied, her voice lowered to a near whisper, “if you trust me.”
>
> “Someone has to pay for what happened.”  It sounded more like a plea than a threat.  He checked his watch again.
>
> “I know.”  Those two words from Chiaki caused the Commissioner to lower his head and relax a little.  “I just need a little more time first, until the incident is not so fresh in the public’s mind.  I think I can trust you...but you don’t have to decide now.”
>
> “Actually, the mayor’s been asking questions.”  Graham started to explain, as he checked his watch once more.  “This could turn into a crusade...so yes, I do have to decide--”
>
> There was a flurry of clumsy movement as Chiaki reached for a napkin and her iced tea was knocked over.  She leapt to her feet as the liquid ran across the table and into her lap.  
>
> “Oh, great.”  she complained.  She grabbed a couple more napkins and headed to the bathroom quickly.
>
> At that point, Graham realized that she took her sword with her.  He sighed, just as a mob of armed police officers in body armor stormed the restaurant.
>
> “Where did she go?”  the mayor of Paradopolis asked.  His limousine was parked outside, on cue as promised.
>
> “Don’t bother.”  Graham said with a shake of his head.  “She’s gone.”
>
> The mayor frowned, and stared coldly at Graham.  “If I find you’re slacking off on this Safe investigation because a friend is involved...you’re finished in this town.”
>
> He then stormed out, leaving Graham to finish his coffee.  The officers that passed him simply shrugged, and left looking sheepish and defeated.
>
>
> -- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
> --    reprinted without permission.  
> -- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
> --  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
> --  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin
>

I'm not actually sure how much worse the Safe breakout could have actually been. Guards were killed, major villains escaped leading to far more death and suffering, and the world was terrorised. Admittedly, things got that bad because Doorman piggybacked on Chiaki's plan to turn loose damn near everybody but it got about as nasty as it could have done.

Maybe, but right now nobody knows he did it. Chiaki is the one and only suspect, and she can't prove anyone else was directly involved except for the as of yet untraced explosives the police found.

It's enough for reasonable doubt on Chiaki's behalf (because she never handled the explosives) but not to pin it on someone else.

The escape could have been worse because there are prisoners who could have destroyed the city in mere hours who didn't manage it. It's likely they would have if they knew there would be a breakout ahead of time, or if the explosives did most of the work for them at the Safe.