FUGITIVES

CHAPTER ONE: INTERROGATION

"Ethan, you're gonna have to help me out here. Look, I'll lay my cards on the table, I don't think you're guilty. But all the odds are stacked against you. You're gonna have to start talking to get yourself outta this hole."

Across from Norman, Ethan Mars didn't even flinch. He kept his head down, staring at the handcuff binding him to the table. From what Norman could see, there was absolutely no emotion on his face. Just a weird, blank detachment, like he hadn't quite processed what had happened to him. Norman sighed. Ten painful minutes in the interrogation room and he hadn't even gotten a blink from him.

"Ethan, do you know where you are? Do you know the kinda shit you've found yourself in? You gotta give me something to work with. Otherwise we're gonna be sat here forever. And the more time we waste, the more danger your son's in. Do you understand that, Ethan? You understand you're a suspect, and if you don't open your mouth to say something, you're just winding yourself and Shaun in more trouble."

Nothing. Jesus Christ, this guy was either made of stone or - more likely - he was so screwed-up by this case that it had sucked the life out of him. There was a wall around him, and Norman knew he was going to have break it to reach him. He glanced at Blake, waiting impatiently in the corner, and pulled out the Origami Killer case file. He thrust it beneath Ethan's downturned face, rifling through the pages. Eight photos of young boys. And their murders written up beside them. The clinical, official tone could not hide their grisly nature.

"You see this, Ethan? Eight victims kidnapped and drowned in the goddamn rain. You recognise this ninth one, don't you? Look at him. That's your son, Shaun."

Ethan averted his eyes. Norman heard Blake utter an exasperated sigh. The older policeman's irritation was needling at Norman just as much as Ethan's silence. He rose to his feet. Palms pressed to the desk, he leant over Ethan. It was a slow-motion, half-hearted attempt at intimidation, and Norman realised instantly it hadn't worked. He slammed down his hands. "For God's sake, Ethan! What the hell's the use of this? One more victim, that's all you'll get! Christ, say something! Otherwise your son's gonna die!"

Jackpot. A brick in the wall suddenly came loose. Ethan looked up and fixed Norman with a desperate look. Norman had read him wrong. Despair simmered not very far behind his pale eyes. "Okay," he said breathily. "Okay. I - kidnapped my son. But I - I can't remember what happened. I can't remember anything."

Norman shook his head. Ethan was clutching at straws now. "Come on, Ethan. You're gonna have to do better than that. How the hell am I supposed to believe it? If you know where Shaun is, tell us."

"I don't know. I can't - I don't know. That's why you have to let me go."

"Ethan -"

"I love my son. I love him more than anything. But the only way to save him is to let me go. Only I - only I can save him."

"It's in our hands now, Ethan."

"No. No, you don't understand. It has to be me. You have to let me go. Please."

Norman paused. Enough for him to catch sight of Blake giving the "kill it" gesture to the officer manning the camera.

"Oh for Christ's sake," he groaned. "I've had enough of this little fucking melodrama. Ethan, you're gonna tell us where your son is. Either you're gonna do it freely or I'm gonna pull it out of you. Now, answer me, and think very carefully about what you say. Where is Shaun?"

Blake grabbed the back of Ethan's chair, leaning right over him. This time, Ethan winced away. "I don't know," he repeated. "If I knew, I would have already saved him."

Blake sighed. "That's the wrong answer, Ethan."

He backhanded him sharply across the face. Ethan lurched, gasping. Norman looked away. "That didn't jog your memory? No? How about this?"

He wrapped his hand around the back of Ethan's neck and shoved him to the table. Face pressed down, windpipe crushed, his breath came raggedly. "I don't know," he wheezed. "Please. I don't know."

"I've dealt with a hundred other convenient amnesia cases, you son of a bitch. Sooner or later, they start singing. You want it to be sooner or later?"

Blake lifted his head and slammed it down again, then again. Ethan groaned and let out a gargled, "please."

"You gonna beg me now? Is that what those kids did when you drowned them? Doesn't feel so good, does it?"

He kicked the chair from underneath him and Ethan toppled to the floor, jarring his wrist. Norman couldn't take it anymore. "For the love of God, Blake, you can't just beat a confession outta him!"

"You're defending him now? He's a fucking lowlife! A fucking kiddie-murdering lowlife!"

"We don't know that. Beating him to a pulp isn't gonna prove a goddamn thing!"

"You think you can do a better job? You had your chance, and he didn't say anything. Your psychology degree doesn't mean jack shit in here." Blake returned to Ethan, driving a boot into his stomach so hard that he gagged. Ethan had looked awful when they had arrested him. Norman didn't know how many other injuries were under his torn clothes already, but now he was breathing in agonised rasps, clawing at his side as Blake kicked it. Norman crossed the room before he could give it two thoughts. He grabbed Blake by the collar, dragged him away, slammed him against the wall. Blake's eyes popped in anger.

"The hell do you think you're doing?"

"You touch him one more time, and I'll -"

"You'll what?" Blake slapped Norman's hands away and shoved him hard. "You wanna fucking try me? Hey? Come on, let's go. I've been waiting a long time for this."

Blake was bracing for a fight, fists in front of him. Norman knew how much he had wanted to punch him since he had been assigned to this case. He got in there first, connecting with a harsh crunch. Blake stumbled back. "You bastard," he hissed, grabbing his nose. "You'll pay for that."

In one swift movement - too sudden for Norman to do a thing about it, he had his gun in his hand. They weren't meant to have weapons in here. But now there was one pointing right at his face. Norman froze, like the slightest shift would snap the trigger. Blake stared at him like a wild animal. Blood dripped down over his mouth. "I said: you wanna fucking try me? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't give in to the temptation and paint the walls with your brains."

Norman felt his heart in his throat. "They'll have your badge for this, Blake. You're insane."

"Insane, huh? I'm not the one with a goddamn drug problem."

He waved the gun towards Norman's jacket pocket where he knew the Tripto vials would be. Norman struggled for the words. Shock and shame combined into anger. "You're outta line."

"I know what I'm doing, Jayden. You better get the hell out of here. Otherwise my finger might just slip."

Norman lingered. He should have known how serious Blake was. He came closer, barrel of the SIG Sauer threatening to bludgeon Norman's neck. Like he was attached on strings to it, Norman stepped back. Feet away, Ethan was still slumped on the floor. He barely seemed aware of what was going on around him. There was no way Blake was going to get through to him. There was no way either of them was going to.

Norman had to get to Captain Perry. Blake didn't give a shit about Norman's authority, but he had to listen to his superior.

He threw up his hands and stormed from the interrogation room. The case file dropped to the floor, pages flying, as he slammed the door.

It was like Perry expected him to come barging into his office. He looked up at him like a child running uselessly to his parent. "Blake is trying to beat a confession out of Ethan Mars!" Norman shouted, not caring if the rest of the station heard too. "You have to do something about -"

"Norman." Perry leant back calmly. "What's more important right now? Saving Shaun Mars or sparing that lowlife a few bruises? Let Lieutenant Blake show him his place in the food chain. Omelettes and eggs."

Blake could have done anything in there. Blake could have broken Ethan's arms. Blake could have ruptured his organs. Blake could have given him concussion. And no one would care, because it was Lieutenant Blake. Fucking Lieutenant Blake with his 'extensive experience' that hadn't prevented eight kids from being slaughtered. "Damn it, Ethan Mars is innocent!" Norman yelled before he could stop himself. And if he hadn't believed it before he damn well did now. "We've got to get back to looking for Shaun, not -"

"You're exhausted, Norman. This case has worn you out. Maybe you should take some time off to think."

"Time off to -" Norman staggered back as if Perry's words had punched him in the gut. "We haven't got time! You think Shaun Mars wants me to have some 'time off to think' while he's fucking drowning?!"

"Agent Jayden. I suggest you leave."

Nothing more. Perry watched him without so much as a flinch. Just like Ethan Mars. But no, Ethan had a soul and a heart inside of him, as torn as it might be. Perry had nothing. Not a single shred of compassion. Norman felt the accusations building in his throat. The nauseating sensation of corruption in this damn station was getting too much for him. He turned, marched out, slammed the door behind him. It felt like the whole force stared at him as he hurried back to his office. Let them, he thought.

His tiny, dust-choked room swarmed around him. The adrenaline of being held at gunpoint was starting to wear off. But he was still panting, angrier than he thought he had ever been in his entire life. Just rooms away, Blake was breaking every rule in the book and no one was batting an eyelid. This was not something a single man could stand against. This was a systemic, ugly fuck-up that ran far too deep.

Norman tried to push himself away from the door, but his head was throbbing. His hands trembled at his sides. Christ, not now. He had to think. He had to prove Ethan's innocence. He had to find little Shaun. He was drowning - drowning - drowning...

He fumbled for the vial in his jacket pocket. The blue sheen of the Triptocaine was so alluring and tempting. Norman knew he should fight it. He should stand up to it otherwise it was just going to get worse and worse and worse.

But, as the blackness started to close around him, he snapped the lid and gave in.

(tbc)

A/n: I have been looking for an excuse to write a multi chapter Heavy Rain fanfic ever since I finished this game. I love the characters so much and the storyline is so powerful ~~ Ethan x Norman should have been an endgame option haha. Anyway, I've done a couple of unpublished one shots with this pairing but nothing long yet. For the first couple of chapters, it follows the gameplay but diverges into more of an alternate plot after that. Hope you enjoyed, feedback always appreciated, I'm just trying to nail down the characters and themes at the moment.