Interrogation in Joliet

Content warning: Strong language and themes or references to violence, genocide, and death.

"You do know you're the clone, don't you?

"....."

"Dr Malloy? did you hear wh--"

"I heard. and I know."

"Oh. Well, that moves the conversation forward! With that settled, do you know where the real Malloy is?"

"No."

"Sorry?"

"No. I don't know where he is."

"...I don't think you understand what I am asking."

"Then try asking the question you want to ask! Or untie me, and maybe induce some goodwill."

"...It is my understanding that all of Dr Malloy's clones were designed with an innate homing ability. A sense deep inside your psyche, directing you to your master."

"I have no master. I am free man... Can you say the same?"

"... Please. Either you tell me where the doctor is, or I kill you. There will not be any repartee on the nature of freedom. Where is Malloy?!"

"Gah! Ergh! Well... huh... wasn't expecting you to get violent-"

"Enough! where is Malloy?!"

"Shu--huh! Hehehe!"

"Do you have any idea what he is planning? Do you?!"

"What?! you should know- Gah! Ftoee! Keep punching me-- grgh!-- you'll find out!"

"... Malloy... didn't just make you. Or your brothers... He's been working on a special project..."

"Hh! hehe! You don't get it... He --Grrghh!!"

"What don't I get, huh?! What the fuck don't I get?!! There's thousands dead and a crater where Chicago used to be!!"

"Us... we clones... we were all part of the plan...the same plan..."

"No... you knew... all of you... you knew... You knew what Malloy was doing this whole time?..."

"He... he made us.... to help him... do it..."

"...."

"...."

"...."

"You were... you were only following a piece... you found out about the clones... not seeing why he made us... my brothers, as you say..."

"... I thought... intel suggested... that you little fucks were just there as decoys... to keep that genocidal fuck out of our hands... for years..."

"...I know that... I know that I'm not the first you've caught... didn't the others give you any idea of... the Grand Design? Not even a hint?"

"Heh! So... you named your atrocity? How megalomaniacal."

"Well, Dr Malloy did make clones of himself to expand his work so... yeah. Hehe!"

"Tell me. What is... was the Grand Design?"

"...You had it right in the first... The Grand Design is. Is and always will be."

"Murder? Mass murder of innocent people? Destruction of history, of America? Tell me, what IS this Grand Design?!"

"No. It was a culling... to induce an evolutionary necessity... a genetic leap for humanity... To reach out and... grasp our future!"

"..."

"Why the long face? Everyone who lost their life gave it to bring our species to the threshold of our destiny!"

"...even if they didn't know you were sacrificing them?"

"... In trials... scientific research, that is... we don't ask the mice for consent. They don't know the scope of the grant or the intended impact of the study. They are subjects... to be studied... so humanity can get a little closer... to perfection."

"..."

"I'm sorry, inspector. I imagine you knew someone who died in Chicago. Loss is never--"

"Shut!--Up!--SHUT UP!"

"GAH!!--FHHH!! -- ARGHHHH!!!"

"You sick little shit!"

"Ftooee! been a minute since you throttled me!"

"..."

"I see... Well, seeing I am not going to receive due process... Can we skip to the extrajudicial killing?"

"..."

"Just thinking of your time, really... you must have enough on your plate already..."

"..."

"... Friends or family? In Chicago?..."

"..."

"Maybe both?"

"..."

"It's not your fault. The nature of law enforcement is compartmentation of information, so without a wholistic overview you would never have discovered the Grand Design before--"

"..."

"Is it ss-suddenly cc-cold... what is this? What am I feeling?"

"...don't know... not you, buddy."

"Ww-why are you smiling at? Dd-did you... dd-did you do something to mm-me?!"

"... no.. Dr Malloy... the real Dr Malloy... is dead. His Grand Design... and yours... ends here."

"Nn-no... Hh-how?!"

"No idea... just intel I just received... and your chills... your innate sense.. that psychic connection..."

"...Hh-he can't be..."

"I wonder how long you and your brother's will last without him?"

"The Grand Design has already been set--"

"Yeah. And that's something we will have to live with. Our failure."

"You... don't need to do this... the others... there are others... you can't find us all..."

"I found you... Malloy is dead... and your little terror attack is over. So... now I where the doctor is... time to die."

"..."

"..."

"...Ww-what?"

"..."

"Who are you?"

"Dr Malloy, I presume?"

"Dr Malloy?

"A brother, such as yourself. Are you all right?"

"I-I am. Is ss-she?"

"Don't tell me you're getting Stockholm syndrome. We'll do a full evaluation when we get back to the lab. There. Let me get your legs."

"Her head..."

"Sad... no, open casket for her... Now, you feeling peckish?! Been surviving on power bars and gas station coffee. Would love a decent hot meal!"

""Three hots and cot... That's the most you can hope for.""

"Yes. Can't help hearing his voice even now."

"Is he really? Do you feel it too?"

"Hold on. Excuse me, madam. Just a thumbprint will do... Thank you! Would have gone for the face recognition, but-- y'know! Ah.... So, according to late inspector's partner, Malloy was... wow. just.... wow."

"What? what did he text?"

"She... or They... hold on... yes, she. Just read her pronouns in the salutation."

"What did she text?!"

""7:48pm - Malloy cornered FL"... then "8:17pm - Malloy dead, self"

""Self"?"

"I assume self-inflicted.. Ooo!! she sent a pic!"

"Gah! Oh my god!"

"I know! it's like staring into a mirror. With a gunshot wound in your head."

"How are you taking this so lightly! The doctor is dead! The Grand Design is--"

"The what?"

"The doctor is dead--"

"Yeah, I know. But, what "Grand Design" are you talking about?"

"... How could you not know? It was the entire reason for our being!"

"Jesus! Don't need to yell. Well... I'm sure the doc had his reasons..."

"For?"

"Not telling me about his plans."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I wonder... What he kept from you..."

"..."