The Interrogation Part V

Donnelly’s investigation continues …

Rating: M

Have changed Reese’s alias from Rooney to Warren to fit in a little better with the canon storyline. Will update it in the previous chapters when I have the energy.

Donnelly sat, mug in hand, fingers wondering idly over his bruised ribs where the bullet had struck him, coffee long since gone cold, as he watched the interrogation progress on one of the men. He people had resumed their investigation into the remaining three with renewed zeal after the attempt on his life. They stood around and glared at any approaching prison guard with a steely and distinctly mistrustful awareness. Donnelly found himself rather touched by his people’s rather universal dislike of the prison guards even if he found the fact he almost always had a silent young agent at his shoulder, or back constantly, right until he actually stepped across the threshold of his apartment last night, rather distracting.

He tried by blame Carter for his body guard, but didn’t really find it in himself at the moment to do so. Something still niggled at the back of his brain about Carter and her actions, but at the moment Donnelly had to recognise that his initial fervour to find the Man in the Suit, was blunted by the fact said man had quite possibly just saved his life. Making up his mind, Donnelly got creakily to his feet, holding back an pained grunt as bruised ribs protested the movement and motioned to the young agent hovering nearby.

“I want a word with Mr Warren. His cell will do, and I want privacy, so no camera’s or recorders again.”

The young agent nodded and beckoning to another agent rapidly departed on his errand, as the agent he’d summoned replaced him at Donnelly’s back. Donnelly managed to refrain from heaving a rather large sigh and headed off to refill his stale coffee with fresh while his order’s where carried out.

The room was quiet, the sounds of the rest of the prison muted in these cells. John Warren sat quietly in his cell, leaning back against the wall. A shadow, the barest hint of those cold steel eyes watching Donnelly with the most profoundly disturbing neutral expression he had ever seen. Outside of a serial kill he’d once helped take down, a small distrustful voice whispered in the back of his mind. Donnelly wondered where that voice had been earlier, when his libido had been attempting to commandeer the driver’s seat. Donnelly sighed and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Where in hell did he start he wondered?

“So, do I thank you for the warning that saved my life, or damn you for making this all too damn complicated?” He asked the shadowed figure tiredly.

The man leant forward, and for the first time since he’d broken cover, a hint of amusement and humanity warmed his features. Donnelly’s libido promptly surged to the fore, or rather groin, at the sight.

Humour crinkled and warmed those eyes from steel to grey and a smile ghosted across the man’s lips briefly.

“It’s not exactly been any easier for me, either.” Warren’s voice whispered out.

“I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me who wants me dead then?” Donnelly chanced.

“If I knew that, then you wouldn’t be in any further danger, trust me.” The voice was still warm, but there it was again, that hint of cold steel hidden beneath.

Blue eyes regarded Donnelly evenly, and he watched as a hint of confusion then entered them. Then a question seemed to arise within them, and that face with it’s too aggressively attractive features tilted and regarded him with a quiet curiousity.

Donnelly abruptly realised he’d been staring at Warren without speaking for far too long, and caught him, shaking his head angrily at his own weakness.

“Trust your people Donnelly, they can help look out after you. I’m fairly sure the threat isn’t within them.”

“What about Carter?” The question was out of his lips before he could even realise he had asked it. And then promptly damned hisself. Why ask that question.

Amusement once again crinkled the corners of those eyes and lips.

“Carter’s a good cop. I should know, she’s been trying to catch me long enough. I think your life is in safe hands with her.” John, no Warren, keep it impersonal Donnelly reminded himself, almost sounded amused.

Donnelly leant against the bars, he caught his hand reaching up to run at his ribs again and wrapped both hands around the bars before him.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to save my life when everything I have on you says you’re nothing but a hired gun? A Monster responsible for more than a dozen deaths across nearly as many countries, let alone what you’ve probably done in this country?

Why are you doing this? Who are you?”

Warren was silent, head bowed as he stared down at the floor. Donnelly wondered if he’d mortally insulted him, then wondered why he cared?

“Would you believe I find that latter question rather hard to argue?” A bleak humour far different from what had appeared there before, lit Warren’s eyes. Something cold and tired slithered across behind those grey eyes and not for the first time, Donnelly wondered what choices a man would make, to become what he so obviously was.

“As to why? Because it’s what I choose to do now. To save innocent lives, instead of take them. To make the hard choices when the law can’t. To protect all the people who would otherwise slip through the cracks unnoticed until it was too late.

I can’t make up for my past, and to be honest, I’m not sure I even could. I did what my country asked me to do, I was good at my job, and I’ve long paid the price that entails.” There was a pain in those eyes that defied Donnelly’s earlier description of sociopath. There was too much pain and understanding there to match the definition of such a simply creature. No, this man was worse, Donnelly realised. Warren was a patriot, trained by his own government to be the best killer, the best monster out there, and had surely done all his country had asked, until? Until what?

What had changed Donnelly wondered.

Donnelly shook his head. Too many questions, he had too many questions and nowhere near enough answers for all that he now supposedly had his quarry in custody and identified. So why had he still not exposed Warren as their man?

“The danger’s not over Nicholas.”

Donnelly’s head jerked up right and he stared in surprise at Warren at the use of his first name.

“Someone still wants you dead. If I was to guess, it would be because you’ve been asking about me. There’s a reason we no longer share the same …boss.” Warren finished with a slightly ironic grimace.

The US Government, Donnelly mentally translated.

“Keep your vest on and your people close. I may be close to finding out who’s after you. But in the meantime, watch your back.” With that Warren leant back into the shadows and Donnelly realised he wasn’t going to get anything further from him at this time.