Alpha One Six

by Misanthropian

Chapter Eleven: Interrogative

Lyra sat waiting in an empty interrogation room.

She shifted uncomfortably in the hoofcuffs that kept her stuck at the table. Looking up, she glared at her reflection in the one-way glass. "Hey! Jack-holes! Get in here and question me already!" She knew they were watching her. It had been at least 20 minutes and she was getting frustrated.

"Hey!" She stuck her tongue out at the window in a taunting gesture. She had been through this before, and she wasn't putting up with it this time. "Liam Neighson! You forget about me, or what? I know you're there!"

Several seconds passed as she continued to stare at the glass. She could just barely make out the shifting outlines of several ponies standing on the other side. One of them turned and began heading towards the door to the room.

Finally the door opened and an older looking stallion who's face seemed to be stuck in a perpetual scowl stepped in. The lines in his face, and greying mane showed his years of experience as he trotted over and sat across from Lyra.

"Hello again, Miss Heartstrings." The stallion's voice was practical a monotone growl.

"Hello, Captain Serious`." Lyra mocked.

The investigator ignored the comment and pulled out some files. "It seems you've, once again, decided to cause trouble for us."

"I do enjoy causing trouble.", Lyra smirked, "Especially for you guys."

"So it would seem...", He opened the file, "How's your... electronics repair business going? Looks like you have a sizeable record of late rent payments."

Lyra avoided the pony's gaze.

The stallion continued. "I find it mind boggling that someone so prestigious would willingly throw everything away the way you have."

"I wouldn't say I threw it away." Lyra glared in his direction, but avoided his gaze.

"Really?", He flipped through the file, "One of the highest IQ scores in the country. You wrote your first neural network for image classification at the age of 15, and got into Canterlot University on a scholarship at 17.", He moved to the next page, "You earned your PhD in computer science and bachelors degrees in both electrical engineering and neuroscience. You then moved on to work at ERoCo. as one of, if not the worlds most renowned expert on AI."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Yeah. I know my life story, thanks. What's your point, Taps?"

Taps looked up to her. "Why did you do it?"

"Is this really relevant?"

"Call it 'morbid curiosity'." Taps closed the file and moved it aside.

Lyra was quite for a moment. "Where's the pony who was with me? 'Redhead' or whatever her name is." She demanded, trying to change the subject.

"Nurse Redheart is being questioned by the police."

"So I get you?", Lyra gave a sly look, "Lucky me, huh`?"

Taps looked to her, his face as blank as ever. "Yes. Lucky you."

------

"What exactly is your relationship with Miss Heartstrings?" An officer asked.

Redheart fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. "I don't really know her that well. I just met her."

"And she was the one hiding the malfunctioning robot?"

"Uh... No. I mean, yes. I mean... I don't know. I had a feeling she knew something about Alphie, so I tracked her down." She had never been in this kind of situation before. The pressure made her stomach tie in knots.

The officer took some notes. "So you were investigating the missing robot yourself. Even though you had been informed on the current situation in regards to ERoCo.'s involvement?"

"Yes." Redheart realized immediately after speaking that she had just made a mistake.

The officer noted her response and continued. "And was there anyone else involved in your investigations?"

Redheart did her best to swallow the lump in her throat. She struggled and let out a rough cough. "No. It was only me."

"And what lead you to being in the apartment building with Miss Heartstrings?"

Redheart cleared her throat. Or tried, at least. "Don't I have a right to know why I'm here? Nopony has explained that yet."

------

"Interfering with a police investigation and public endangerment." Taps read off the police report.

Lyra scoffed. "Hah! 'Public endangerment?'", She looked at him, "I bet that would hold up in court`."

"You were actively helping to protect a dangerously malfunctioning piece of equipment." Taps looked up.

"Dangerous?", Lyra raised an eyebrow, "Alphie wouldn't hurt anyone. She's just afraid of what you'll do if you catch her."

"Are you aware that your 'friend' threatened a civilian in order to escape capture?" Taps pushed a photo across the table to Lyra.

------

Redheart picked up the picture. "Alphie wouldn't hurt anyone. She must have had a good reason for doing whatever she did." Yet the image defied her explanations. It showed a hooded figure holding onto a shopkeeper by his collar. Even through the poor quality of the CCTV image, she knew it was Alphie.

"I understand you feel empathetic towards this machine.", The officer spoke in a consoling tone, "But it's just that, a machine. They can seem very convincing, but at the end of the day, it's still just plastic and metal, and this one is broken and dangerous. We need to find it, and hoof it over to ERoCo. to that they can take care of it."

Redheart slammed the image back onto the table. "You're wrong!"

------

"I want to speak with my lawyer.", Lyra demanded, "No crimes have been committed, and you have no right to hold us here."

Taps furrowed his brow. "Do you even have a lawyer?"

"Wells. He was the one who defended me when-"

Taps interrupted her. "Wells retired some time ago. He's no longer available."

"You're kidding me!", Lyra shouted, "Why are you even holding us? You already know everything we have to tell you!"

"Yes.", Taps answered, "But the longer we keep you here, the longer you're out of our way.", he gathered up the filed from the table and put them away, "You'll be moved to a cell here at the station for the time being. Once somepony can be arranged to pick you up, you'll be free to go."

"And then what?" Lyra asked.

"You stay out of our way. Or you will be in trouble." The stallion got up and trotted out of the room.