This project will consist of multiple interviews conducted by myself involving individuals who attended an institution aimed at raising and educating potential candidates who would later go on to participate in a running to succeed the world-renowned detective, L. Subjects will be asked to divulge both personal information and details of their involvement in the Kira case. (0.982)
My first subject is Mail Jeevas, age 22. A former student of this school, he removed himself from the L competition at the age of sixteen and subsequently, the institution. There is no record of his activities until he was contacted by a fellow former student of this institution who requested that he assist with an unofficial investigation pertaining to the Kira case.
My employers have asked me to state that nothing stated in this interview, or any others, is a representation of their establishment. They do not condone any information given by, or actions taken by my subjects.
No information in this interview has been omitted or edited in any way. I present to you a transcript of our spoken conversation which includes observations made by myself at the request of my employers. What you are reading is a raw copy. Annotations will be included before the final editing process.
[When I first meet "Matt" in person, he reflects what I expected from the emails that we have exchanged prior to this interview. While his physical appearance suggests a few years younger than his recorded age, his mannerisms are those of someone much older. He is cautious of his surroundings and I suspect that he may have ignored my request to meet with me unarmed. His eyes appear tired, as though the flight has taken its toll, and when he takes the seat that I've offered to him, he drags it against the far-left wall where he can keep a wary eye on the entirety of the room.
He repeatedly questions whether or not there will be video surveillance of the interview, despite my answer being in the negative each time. After the sixth time, he finally settles enough for the interview to begin.
His paranoia, however, seems to spike when I produce the audio recording device. Despite my telling him that he will be allowed to listen to it in its entirety before his departure and decide whether or not he will allow it to remain in my possession, he continues to eye it as though the device, itself, poses a threat.
I am unable to convince him that it is the only recording device in the room.]
Hello, Mail.
Matt.
Matt, then. Do you know why you're here?
Question to begin all questions, yeah? [His rise in anxiety is apparent from the way he keeps glancing from me to the recorder. He doesn't want his voice recorded; none of my subjects do. It took almost six weeks to get him to sign off on it.] 've got a basic idea. You wanna figure out whether or not the school needs to cut ties with me so I don't influence any future students to be fucked in the head, right?
That is part of it. Are you comfortable with this premise?
Not at all. But I'm here. [He fidgets with his hands frequently. His knee bounces between exchanges.]
Fair enough. You may begin with speaking to me about anything you'd prefer.
L send you?
I was asked by members of the faculty to conduct interviews with individuals who were directly involved in the Kira case.
Yeah.
Is that what you want to talk about?
No.
Do you want to talk to me about Kira?
Fuck no. Dead and gone, yeah? Talkin' about it only keeps the memory alive. Shit needs to be buried with the body. [He seems annoyed] S'at the real reason you're here? L wants to know our real feelings on the Kira case? [His snort is indignant.] Can I smoke?
You're welcome to.
'Kay. [Yet he makes no move to.]
Are you going to?
Not right now. [It's difficult to tell just what the subject is attempting. He seems to be assessing me as I speak, which I've come to expect through my other subjects. While Mail may not have pursued detective work after his leave from this institution, what he has learned while here is ingrained in his mannerisms, the way he approaches a conversation.] 'm I the only one who agreed to this?
No.
Did M?
I am not authorized to share that information.
He'll tell me if he did.
Are you going to tell him that you agreed to this?
[There are a few moments of silence. Subject is considering his answer carefully. Whether it is for my benefit or his remains to be seen.]
I might.
Would you care to share the criteria that you are basing your decision around?
No.
Are you aware that the release form you signed called for complete honesty durin—
I know what I signed.
Do you intend to violate the terms of the release?
No.
Is that an honest answer?
Doesn't matter. S'not like you'll know if it's not. So it's gonna go like this: you take the interview or leave it. After I'm gone, you can sift through shit and decide whether or not to believe a word that came out of my mouth. While I'm here, you assume everything I say is true, otherwise half of my time spent here is gonna consist of nothing but you asking me a question, then asking me if my answer was honest, to which you won't know whether or not to believe the answer. You wanted a fuckin' interview? Here I am. If you can't accept that, I walk.
There is no need to be aggressive.
[He laughs.] You think this is aggressive?
Your tone is combative, yes.
And they thought sendin' in a pussy like you was gonna do any good?
This isn't about me, Mail.
Matt.
Matt.
One more and I walk.
Are you looking for a reason to extract yourself from this session?
Maybe.
You are free to leave at any time.
Don't need you to tell me that. [Now he does slip a hand into his pocket and produces a bent, half-smoked cigarette. It doesn't occur to me why he winks as he lights it, but upon the first waft of smoke, the reason is clear.] Didn't ask you what I could smoke, yeah?
I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to put that out.
Or what? You gonna confiscate it? You tracked me down halfway across the fuckin' world to get this interview. Doubt you're gonna throw it over something like this.
[It is unclear whether the subject is attempting to be removed from the interview process through no decision of his own. Refusal to accept responsibility for one's actions is a common trait in those who have survived a great deal of trauma. What that trauma is, exactly, is unrevealed, thus far.]
I want to start at the beginning.
Of what?
Your time in this institution.
Oh.
Will you agree to this?
Suppose.
Will you agree to respond with more than a single word to each of my questions?
What if some of them only require a one word response?
Then I suppose it would be acceptable.
What if all of them do?
I don't believe that will be the case.
I was under the impression that they kept close records on all of us. You sure this is necessary?
It is necessary.
All right, then. You want—what—the second that I walked in the door? Thoughts, feelings, all of that good shit?
If that is where you would like to begin.
Look. [The response is sharp, clipped, and when he inhales the substance again, he directs his annoyance by blowing the smoke in my direction. I choose not to comment directly at this time. Subject is clearly attempting to cause conflict.] You ask me what you wanna ask me, and I'll answer you to the best of my ability. But I'm not gonna sit here and have you prodding stuff out of me like it's my decision to bring up certain shit, yeah?
Do you feel that anything we may speak about will be of an incriminating nature?
If it is, we won't talk about it.
Are you officially reserving the right to withhold information that may benefit the outcome of this interview?
I'm reserving the right to tell you to fuck off.
Let's begin then, shall we?
Haven't we already begun?
Not officially, no.
So you're not recording this?
I am.
So we've begun.