This was... unexpected.

Frank wasn't an interrogator. He had no training in anything remotely like that. Part of him still wanted to use a few 'enhanced interrogation' techniques that only super-strength could provide, but that felt like the wrong path to take. He didn't really think he had it in him to do anything like that, anyway. He was Tank, not Torquemada.

Besides, Ana Sofia was a telepath. She could probably skim information out of his brain without breaking a sweat.

"Well," he said to Ana Sofia, "Care to go dumpster-diving in Adler's skull?"

In response to Frank Ana Sofía says, "Sounds like a good plan. It's unlikely he can hide what he knows very well. Apt choice of terms there, too."<Blue> Then she turns back to Valerie and says, <Blue>"How far away is he being held? If the trip will take a little while, I can read through the information on him during the trip."

"He's in Washington, and he isn't going anywhere.  You can take your time.  Price; give me a call once your team is ready"

"Will do" Price picked up the binder and started flipping through the pages.  He would read the file more thoroughly later, but wanted to skim through it in case something interesting catches his eye.  Nothing does.  Adler's CV was impressive, but there was nothing suspicious about it .  Graduated from Yale medical school. Specialized in internal medicine.  Worked in Mt. Sinai before being offered the government job.  Married.  Children, grandchildren.

Price handed the folder over to Ana with a nod

"See if it helps you any.  Valerie; I assume we are also working through the 'regular' channels? His phone records, bank accounts, known associates..."

"The Feds are working that angle.  I'll let you know once they have something, assuming they will be willing to share"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:46, Fri 14 May 2021.

Ana Sofía take the file Price hands her. "Thanks. Any sort of familiarity with him can be helpful... I suppose the big question on approach is if we want to have someone doing a police-style interrogation for real while I search. That might get him to focus on things, even if focusing on things he wants to hide. That might act as a sort of beacon for me. I would also give me an alternative of being able to nudge him to cooperate in case somehow his memories are hard to get to."

"I'm sure I can help with that," Frank agreed. He was something of an imposing figure, after all. "We can play 'Good Cop, Big Scary Cop'."

"Fine.  We interrogate him, you sit on the other side of the one-way mirror and listen in.  If there's anything in particular you would like us to ask; we'll be listening on the ear-coms" Price laid out the plan

"Mistress, if the new approach doesn't work, we will go with our usual routine"

The pudgy woman answered with a smile directed toward her new teammate
"Oh, I hope that won't be necessary.  I'm looking forward to seeing you at work, Windtalker"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:39, Sat 15 May 2021.

"You have a usual routine?" Frank asked, curious. He didn't think the Freedom Force had been around that long. "What's that?"

"Hopefully it will be subtle enough you won't even see me at work. I've got to read his file so I know him better that just this atrocity he's committed." Ana Sofía does listen for the reply to Frank's question. Barring other stuff, she'll be focusing on the file.

"Mistress can breath out a cloud of hallucinogenic gas" Price answered in her stead  "It loosen tongues, but it is not one hundred percent reliable"

"I imagine it's not admissible, either," Frank added. He wasn't entirely opposed to the use of the gas, especially if there were no long-term effects, but it was technically unconstitutional. It was the same reason why the police didn't conduct interrogations under sodium pentothal. "How do we get around the Bill of Rights?"

For that matter, telepathic interrogation was probably illegal, too. Same reason. But Frank wasn't entirely sure he had a problem with that, either, as long as Ana Sofia wasn't actively tearing chunks out of the guy's mind.

"Seems like a bad way for a patriotic super-team to get their start."

"It's not that Narcoanalysis is unconstitutional, but it has been ruled out to have no legal validity by the Supreme Court.  Judges have approved the use of drugs during investigations since that ruling; in the JFK assassination, and in a handful of very recent cases, even though any confession made under the influence is still inadmissible"

Valerie said matter-of-factly

"Anyways; all our interrogations are sanctioned by the court.  It is not a LEGAL issue.
On a personal note; yes, I might have had more reservations about the use of gas, or telepathy -  if our doctor hasn't callously butchered a few mutants, a crime we have more than enough evidence to indict him for"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:58, Mon 17 May 2021.

Price pulled a cigar from his jacket and tapped it twice against the table.  He could really use a smoke break just about now.

"Yea. The mother &*^$# has it coming, and Miss Cooper is going to make sure we have a judge's approval" he said hoarsely "Lets go read the file, see if there's anything interesting in it.  I want us ready for the interrogation in twenty-four hours"

Ana Sofía reads and shares anything interesting she finds.

(OOC: Should we jump ahead to the interrogation?)

Frank couldn't help but note Ms. Cooper's emphasis on it not being a LEGAL issue... suggesting that it was instead a MORAL issue. But Frank was surprisingly okay on that front, as the doctor in question had brought this upon himself. And Ms. Cooper's very next statement confirmed that they were like-minded on the issue.

There really wasn't anything left to discuss, so Frank just kept his mouth shut and nodded.

Dr Adler was kept at DC Central, a detention facility not far from Capitol Hill.  The clay-colored, brick-of-a-building looked rather innocuous.  In truth, the institute has been cited multiple times for failing to comply with the most basic sanitary requirements.  This became painfully evident once they stepped through security.  Moldy walls, cracked windows barely hanging in rusted frames, stale air.  And that was just the impression walking down the hall toward the interrogation rooms.   One could only imagine how the actual cells looked like!
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:29, Thu 20 May 2021.

Waiting for them just outside the room was a posh man in a dark suit. He swapped the hand holding his briefcase once they approached, so he could offer his right hand for a shake:

“Eric Collier.  Adler’s attorney”
His eyebrows furrowed as he looked upon them.  ‘Who the fuck are you?’ is what he thought to himself, but what he actually said was far more polite:

“You’re with the Feds?”
This message was last edited by the player at 14:32, Thu 20 May 2021.

Price looked at the outstretched hand, but didn’t offer his own
“No – we’re from a different agency” he could have at least given him a name – if not ‘Freedom Force’, then at least his own, but he didn’t feel particularly generous.
“Your client is here?”

“Yes”  Eric was obviously taken aback by Price's contempt.  This was hardly necessary!  “They already brought him in from his cell.  But you are wasting your time.  We’re not going to answer any questions”
This message was last edited by the player at 18:05, Thu 20 May 2021.

"We'd like to ask them anyway," Frank said, his arms folded across his massive chest. "Maybe we'll get lucky and Doctor Adler will cooperate."

“Suit yourself” Though he has no reason to suspect Price would go so far as to assault him, he still feels rather uncomfortable turning his back on him.  He waits till the doors to the room are opened by the guards, and for Price and Frank to walk in first, before following them inside.

Despite the fact that he was in an orange jumpsuit, and that he was shackled to the floor, Dr. Adler managed a smug look of superiority
“Good afternoon, officers” he seems almost elated to see his visitors “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 As Frank and Price find their seats opposite the prisoner, Ana, Mistress, and Fiona settle down in the adjacent room and watch the interrogation unfold through the security monitors.  The feed is a bit grainy, but the sound quality is pretty damn good.   They observe Eric Collier waving at the camera before he sits down next to Dr. Adler and taking out his cellphone so he can record the entire interrogation.



OOC: Ana - you can communicate with Frank/Price though their cellphone earbuds, if needed

This message was last edited by the player at 19:52, Mon 24 May 2021.

Frank Sat opposite the doctor. The flimsy aluminum folding chair groaned under his weight, but held. Frank rested his forearms heavily on the table in front of him.

"I only have one question for you, Doctor," he said. He leaned in just a little bit. "It's a simple one, too.

"Why?"