Why?
It was the first question in his head. It was not a question from Doctor Lance Sweets, trained psychologist. It was a question from Sweets, friend of a guy in trouble.
Why? Would Zack ever enter into this?
How? Did he not pick up on the changes in Zack's behaviour?
Who? Was this twisted man who had pulled Zack in?
When? Had he pulled Zack in?
What? Had Zack done in aiding this monster?
These were his basic questions; he'd ask them with any client. He tried to push the 'friend' point of view out of his mind and allow the psychologist to take over.
Why should he treat Zack any differently? Sweets almost scoffed at this question. Because Zack was more than just a usual client.
But Sweets wanted to try and understand Zack's thinking. He knew no matter how much it hurt, he had to go over each of his own questions and try to find the answers. It was his job.
So…
Why would Zack ever enter into this?
This was the most difficult question. Zack would not have simply agreed to help him. But he didn't seem the type to give into blackmail either. So what had this guy told Zack? Had he used Zack's emotions involving his family? Sweets doubted this idea, Zack was too smart to allow that. Maybe Gormogon had threatened his friends at the Jeffersonian. Again this was unlikely, but a slightly higher possibility. If this guy was as smart as he seemed, he would know that he would need to outsmart Zack. He would need to use logical arguments to convince Zack to work for him. But how could Zack ever be convinced that taking a human life is ok? Sweets froze as he realised, if that man had provided Zack with an undeniable argument Zack would have been convinced. An overwhelming sense of pity for Zack gripped Sweets, Zack's own intelligence had betrayed him.
How did not pick up on the changes in Zack's behaviour?
Something like this, even if Zack thought he was hiding it, there would still be minute differences in Zack's behaviour, subconscious changes. As he thought back over Zack's last few months at the Jeffersonian, his behaviour had changed incredibly so. But they had all blamed on his experience in Iraq. Zack had become quieter, more serious about his work, now this alone may have just been him maturing, but combined with Zack jumping a little more easily, and his hesitancy to become involved in his surroundings... well the behaviour suggested a whole different meaning. Sweets, and all the others at the Jeffersonian had assumed this was related to Iraq. But Sweets could see now that it was not. He had been quieter, because he was thinking more often, about the implications of what he was doing, and whether or not it was right. He was more serious about his work, almost trying to make up for the murders he aided Gormogon in. He jumped a little more, knowing, that, somehow his master was always watching him, making sure he made no mistakes, gave nothing away. He hesitated about becoming involved with the others, because any closeness with them may affect him when it came time for him to leave the Jeffersonian to join Gormogon, because of course, the truth would eventually have come out anyway, and Zack would have been forced to either flee or be arrested.
Who was this twisted man who had pulled Zack in?
He would have a high IQ. He was an invisible man, he would have inherited some wealth, enough to own a property where he would commit his murders, or... feast on his victims. This location would be large but probably not well maintained, as his focus would be on his ritual life. He would be well dressed, he would not care about his personal appearance, but need to be well dressed to blend in with his surroundings and follow his targets. He would work in a white-collar job, most probably a career he saw as beneath himself. Judging by the amount of time he was an apprentice and how long he has been the master, he was probably in his mid to late forties. There were many other details about this man that came to mind, but at the moment Sweets had other more important questions to focus on.
When had he pulled Zack in?
By the change in Zack's behaviour, and the help that Gormogon needed, Gormogon would have 'recruited' Zack some time after his return from Iraq. He would have been most vulnerable then, and easy target to take advantage of. Zack must have been working for Gormogon for months. But if that was the case, why had he help so much on the case? He had played an essential role in solving this case. Had he wanted Gormogon caught? Or maybe he knew it would arouse suspicion if he did not fully participate in the case. Then again, maybe he wanted Gormogon caught, so he could escape his clutches. This was a difficult one to figure out, he would have to interview Zack to uncover more relating to that. Moving his thought's back to focus on his question, if Zack had made Gormogon teeth he had probably been working for Gormogon since around the time he returned from Iraq, probably between three to five months.
That left his final question... the most terrifying one.
What had Zack done in aiding this monster?
Sweets paused, under any other circumstances he would have said nothing. Denied his friend was capable of committing any kind of horror, but he had to do this. Sweets closed his eyes and took a slow deep breath.
Zack, he could be as detached as Brennan sometimes. He would definitely be capable of murdering another human being, if given any reason that seemed flawless and intelligent. He would be able to... prepare the bodies for Gormogon, most probably viewing it as just another task, not unlike the ones at the Jeffersonian. Sweets was avoiding answering the most terrifying question. Would Zack have ever been able to consume another human being? He was unsure, Gormogon hadn't progressed that far with Zack's 'training'. In Gormogon's eyes Zack had to earn that... honour. But Sweets did not doubt that when Zack would have been given the opportunity, he would have accepted if the he was presented suitable the circumstances.
Sweets sighed as he finished that thought. This was too painful, he just couldn't do it. Right now he just needed to be a friend of a guy who really needed some help. Sweets buried his face in his hands. In his job he'd dealt with all sorts of people. He'd watched people suffer horrible losses, felt their pain. But none of it compared to the wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He would have to be responsible for Zack's mental rehabilitation.
He didn't honestly didn't know why Zack the Forensic Anthropologist had done what he did. But he would do his best to understand and support Zack his friend.
Yeah so I really like writing from Sweets point of view, cause I think he would have been the most analytical of them all. Let me know what you think, and even your thoughts on how the others should be reacting. I won't be updating unless I get some reviews!!