Eric came out of the interrogation room followed by the interrogation officer. The officer looked at Tag and Danielle for a moment, then selected another student sitting across from them. Its your turn, he said. Then he went back into the room.
Eric said, Wow! You were right, Tag. These people dont mess around. They have absolutely no sense of humor. Heck, you would think they could go out and buy one, but it would probably get them fired if they smiled. Oh, hi Danielle. Have you thought about my offer? Im a great tour guide.
Im so sorry, Eric. Ive just hired a tour guide for Friday and Saturday night.
Whos the lucky tour guide? Eric asked.
Danielle looked at Tag, and he slowly raised his hand and said, That would be me.
Outstanding, Eric said. Now let me warn you, Miss Danielle, that you better not hurt my good friend here or youll have it out with me. Believe me, I can talk a long time and make one minute seem like it will never end. No one should endure that punishment. So you better just watch yourself, Ducky.
Danielle and Tag laughed and she said, Ill do my best.
Eric winked at Tag and left for his next session.
Danielle, I want to try and relax before my interrogation if you dont mind.
No, not at all. Go ahead.
Thanks. Ill see you in class later about this weekend. Then he put his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.
Tag sensed the truth field and let his mind get in step with its fluctuations. He thought, Red! The field turned red. Tag kept the thought of red in his mind and the field did not change but stayed red. Then Tag thought, Blue! And the field turned blue. Thats enough, he thought.
The door opened and the interrogator stepped out and raised his com. Another technician came running down the hall and entered the room with a small tool bag. The student that was being interrogated stepped out and was told to wait. She stood next to Danielle.
What happened? Danielle asked.
I dont know. Evidently, every answer I gave was not true, including my name and birthday, the student said.
Thats odd, Danielle thought. Could Tag be doing this or is it just a malfunction?
The technician came out and the interrogator called the student back in.
Tag then sat up and started humming.
If hes Superman, he doesnt feel any pressure. Hes relaxed. This is not acting. Could I have been so wrong about him being our suspect? Or does the truth field no longer scare him?
Then it was Tags turn. The interrogator came out pointed at him and said, Come in, please.
Tag stood up, smiled at Danielle, and followed the interrogator into the interrogation room.
Mr. Gardner, please sit in this chair. I am going to ask you a series of questions. I want you to answer them with either yes or no. The first four questions I want you to answer honestly. The second four, I want you to answer dishonestly. Do you understand, Mr. Gardner?
Yes sir.
Okay, lets begin. Is your name Thomas Gardner?
Yes, he said, while he thought, Blue field.
Are you nineteen years of age?
No. He again thought, Blue field.
Is your birthday in January?
Yes. He thought of a blue field.
Do you have a girlfriend?
No. He imagined a fluctuating blue field.
Do you live south of the school?
Yes. This time he thought, Red field.
Have you ever failed a class?
Yes. He thought of a fluctuating red field.
Are your parents separated?
Yes, he said as he thought, Red field.
Have you ever hated anyone?
Yes. He thought of a red field.
From this point on, Mr. Gardner, only truthful answers, the security interrogator said. Do you know anything about a missing test booklet?
Tag thought blue and said, No.
Do you know anything about a fight where four men lost their lives?
Tag thought blue and again said, No.
Do you know Leila Barber?
Yes.
Did she talk with you about her poor test results on her first test?
Tag thought blue while he said, No.
Are you able to avoid cameras?
Tag thought of a fluctuating blue and said, No.
Okay, Mr. Gardner. That will be all.
Tag got up and left the room. He gave Danielle his com number on his way to class.
The interrogator called Danielle in for the next session.
How did it go? Danielle asked.
He doesnt know anything. Here, take a look at his results.
Danielle looked at the results and asked, Why is there so little fluctuation in his responses?
I was surprised about that. Usually most students are very nervous; he wasnt. The field said he only gave honest answers.
Is there any way someone could tamper with the field?
No! Well, no.
Why did you hesitate?
There was one person we questioned ten years ago that lied, but the field said they were telling the truth.
How did that happen?
This person had a high psychic reading. He could tell you what cards were going to come up on a shuffled deck of cards. He got quite rich at several casinos expense before security arrested him and had him tested.
Can you test for psychic ability? Danielle asked.
Yes, but it takes multiple measures over a sixty-day period.
Does the person have to know theyre being tested?
Well, I guess you could just have them walk through a portal sixty straight days to get your measures. There is a chance if this person has strong psychic skills he will detect the test.
Does that matter?
Theoretically, no. Psychic power just doesnt turn itself on and off normally.
Okay, Ill talk with Inspector Connor about this; I guess you should finish the rest of the top thirty in this class.
Okay.
She got up and left the room with mixed emotions. Tag passed. But it didnt feel right. Well, maybe this weekend she would get a better feel for who he was. She felt something inside of her that something was wrong with Tags interrogation. Can he control the truth field? she wondered. If he can, she decided, then he really is Superman.
Chapter 14
G rand Admiral Dorg talked with the commander of the two Glod dreadnoughts. Are you clear on the plan?
Yes, Admiral.
Just to be sure, explain your role in the coming attack.
I and my fellow commander of the dreadnought Weapons Loaded will enter normal space and maneuver to get the Earth ship between us and your two ships. Then all four of us will open fire on the Earth ship.
What if they try to escape?
We will have them boxed in. They will have to flee close to one of our ships to escape. It should be close enough to saturate their defenses and destroy them. Especially since this is a destroyer class vessel.
Anything else? Dorg asked.
No missiles.
Very good! I have a ship powered down again and it should draw the Earth ship in when it passes on patrol. Even if they dont approach, my ship will transmit the Earth ships coordinates and then start a ten-dreg countdown when all four dreadnoughts will jump to their assigned coordinates and begin the attack.
I look forward to working with you, Admiral. Maybe we can do this again.
Lets get this done first, commander, Admiral Dorg said as he signed off.