Unforeseen Dives – 42a – Manipulation

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Nadina’s turn came and the dynamic of our team changed a bit. Adams and Carmichael still leaded all the questioning but their incapacity to understand Nadina’s mind destabilized them. They didn’t like relying on me for information they usually picked up right from the source. They tried to hide it but I didn’t need to be a telepath to figure out their “what if she translates it wrong” faces.
Truth be told, Becky’s presence wasn’t necessary for the interrogation to work. One of the FBI agents could touch my arm, transmit the thoughts, hear the translation and move along. They thought it was how the whole thing should go down. Unfortunately for them, Rebecca wasn’t going to leave my side while I stood anywhere near Nadina, one-way mirror or not. After all, the woman almost escaped the last time we interrogated her. I foresaw it and thwarted her plan, risking my life in the process.
I sat in the corner with Rebecca. She read Nadina and the two agents read me. I was just a channel between the Arabic thoughts and the English agents.
As soon as the interrogation began, a part of me relaxed. Last time, Nadina had a one-track mind. She focused all her thoughts on what she said and concentrated hard to keep her mind from wandering towards thoughts she didn’t want us to read – namely, her escape plan. This time around, Nadina thought in a normal pattern, splitting her focus on a couple of ideas. She was trained enough to avoid hot topics and still thought in Arabic but I knew she wouldn’t try to choke me again.
Adams and Carmichael started fishing slowly. The translation I provided helped subtly guide the conversation. The agents gradually figured out her weak spots and prepared to bang on them.
“Something still isn’t quite right with her,” Becky broadcasted. “I think she intentionally recalled her little brother when Adams mentioned family.”
I tried to remember the details of her file. I was pretty sure I didn’t read about any brother. I leaned to grab the folder but Adams pursued the “brother” angle before I sifted through the paperwork. Nadina laughed.
“Is that hot little red-head with you then?”
Everyone around me cursed. I half-expected she would figure out we read her thoughts. The step from there to me was an easy one. Adams hated that kind of surprise. I couldn’t refrain to think: “I told you she was good.” He glared at me.
“Cassidy, is it?” Nadina continued. “Sweet name. How’s your mom?”
Thanks to Carmichael’s amazing reflexes to switch off the microphone, the “bitch” that rushed out of my mouth remained in our room. Rebecca pushed me back to the chair I hadn’t realized I left.
“We’re ending it for today.” Becky said. Through her, I heard the disapprobation of the agents. We shouldn’t end the conversation with her winning. It sent the wrong message. The situation sparked an idea; the cockiness was the door.
“Let me talk to her.”
“Out of the question,” Adams barked. “You can’t control yourself.”
Rebecca pushed the agent aside to turn on the microphone.
“Yes I’m here you heartless bitch.” I yelled. Carmichael switched the mic off again.
“Are you nuts? Get out of here!” Adams tried to get past Becky but she blocked his way. There wasn’t much breathing space in our little room.
“Don’t you get it?” My partner yelled. In the background, Nadina sang “Pop goes the weasel”. I walked around Carmichael. If the silence lasted too long, it would ruin the effect. Explanation had to wait. Rebecca winked. She got the gist if not the whole jumbled reasoning. The agents still weren’t sure they read my half-thoughts right.
“Let go of me.” I yelled in the mic, looking at Carmichael intently. I grunted for dramatic effect than muted the line again. “That’s the angle.” I breathed while I took off my jacket and pulled my blouse sideways. I walked out, Rebecca on my heels. I messed up my hair a bit on the way than stormed in Nadina’s room.
“Wanted to see me again, didn’t you?” I barked. “Well you got me. Now talk.”
I stepped forward as if I was going to hit Nadina. Becky caught my arm. She looked like she was restraining me but in fact, we reestablished the telepathic link. Adams and Carmichael had finally caught up with what we were doing.
“Or what? You’ll hit me, toothpick? With witnesses?”
Inside Nadina’s mind, the thought in Arabic flowed right as I thought they would. Convinced she had annihilated the concentration of the one person present who could translate her thoughts, Nadina guarded them a lot less. I wanted to make sure her cockiness would lose her. I’d rather die than let my mom’s memory be used against me. They’ve used her enough already.
Becky and I battled for a moment while a joust of insults and clever retort sparked between the prisoner and me. Under the act, I translated as fast as my mind could handle.  Rebecca browsed through the available thoughts bent on milking the moment. We couldn’t stretch it for long or she would realize she didn’t actually push me out of my bounds. Becky’s muscles said loud and clear that she could drag me out on my ass at just about any time.
I didn’t even take the time to understand what I was translating. I picked it out of Becky’s brain, switched it to English and threw it out there. Adams and Carmichael, behind their mirror, split up the information and dictated the content of my mind on tape recorders.
Finally, Becky pulled me out of the room and slammed the door on Nadina’s laughter. We exchanged a high-five.
“I can’t believe that worked.” Adams murmured as he joined us in the hallway.
“It’s hardly the first time we let a prisoner think they have the upper hand.” Carmichael was already rewinding his tape.
“Never that intensely though. Or without planning it beforehand.”
Rebecca wrapped her arms around me.
“You’re going to faint. Don’t worry,” was all I heard before my blood pressure dropped me into oblivion.

42b – Manipulation >>