They didn't cuff her, there was no need; she wasn't a criminal. Although her expression made him raise an eyebrow. William had expected fear, confusion but the only expression on her face was one of pure annoyance. She almost looked like this had ruined her day. Maybe it had. He entered the room, auburn hair slicked back in a style that imitated Andrew Ryan, neatly dressed in a navy blue suit; he was a mustache away from being Andrew Ryan's flame haired doppleganger. So Ryan's flamed haired copy placed a notebook, an elegant black fountain pen on the desk before cockily unbuttoning his jacket. Smug idiot. That's how she regarded him anyway as he slipped one arm out of the suit jacket, slipped it smoothly off the other and placed it neatly on the back of the chair before sitting down. Everything about him screamed annoying. Then again his opinion of her wasn't that great, her hair was mussed, blood polkadotted the white decorations on her dress and well the scowl wasn't very ladylike.
"So Miss..." He began, not wanting to prolong his time in her presence.
"Hawthorner, Eva Hawthorne" She cut him off, her temper flaring at his tone of voice.
"Could you please recall the events of today?" He asked cooly before flipping the notebook open and uncapping the fountain pen.
She sighed, the first real show of emotion since he had walked in the room; it almost caught him off guard "I was walking my normal route from the middle class apartments in the eastern Rapture to the main officer barracks when I enocuntered an abnormal female cowering in the corner ten metres from the Fort Frolic bathosphere. As per regulation, I approached with caution; requesting if the woman needed any help"
He noted her words down in neat script "Regulation, you were off duty?"
"Off duty doesn't mean you stop being able to help" She almost spat back, so she was annoyed with him; the thought almost made him smile.
"Carry on Eva"
"Miss Hawthorne to you. She rose from her position after asking 'Is that you baby?" His eyebrows shot up "There was a growth on her face, I don't know but something angered her and she charged at me so I took out my revolver and shot her"
"You killed her?" He asked with a peturbed look.
"Yes I did, I didn't do it with a clear conscience if that is what you think. Noone comes back from shooting someone dead and deals with it easily, unless they are a cld hearted son of -"
He cut her off with a wave of the hand "You were carrying a weapon?"
She bit her lip, realising she may be in trouble "Recently there have been reports of attacks on young women, my brother suggested -"
"Matthew Hawthorne, correct, physics major currently working on a classified project" He pulled a page from a file beside him.
"Do you cut people off for some sort of power trip? or are you really not bothered about what I have to say?"
"Honestly Eva-"
"Miss Hawthorne"
He gritten his teeth and continued; she was infuriating " Miss Hawthorne, no I do not care, this statement will not be released to the public. It will be a simple attack on a young woman who defended herself within the full confinments of the law, you will be commended for your dilligence; you might even be promoted" He smiled at her; A thin smile; almost fake.
Her jaw dropped, the only thing that stopped her from standing up and punching him were the two guards who were twice her size; staring her down like she was a criminal "How stupid are you?" He was taken aback by her outburst "What I shot today wasn't human, it was rabid, it was dangerous, the public need to be warned so they can defend themselves. What you are spouting right now, my father would have called grade A bullshit back when he was a serving officer"
"Miss Hawthorne" He began
"No, no Miss Hawthorne, I am Officer Hawthorne of the guard regiment, the one that protects your sorry ass, arrests the criminal who breaks into your home; get's shot at so you don't have to I am many things but I am not an idiot. I happen to be a level of intelligent that your smug little brain might not comprehend. I know there is something going on, only someone drunk enough to produce liquor from their bloodstream would go through an attack like that and put it off to someone on a bad trip"
"Shut up you silly little girl" He spoke so softly that she stopped without speaking further. He picked up her statement and waved it in her face "This, this right here could cause mass panic in Rapture, could possibly take down Rapture and the government, this would cause a mass demand for answers, answers we do not honestly have, that in return would bring a demand for action and you're appear to be a smart woman so I assume you realise that how can action be taken when we have no idea what is going on and in my line of work that means someone gets shot at; usually Mr Ryan. Do you understand?"
"I understand but I don't like it" His jaw dropped at her calm response "Just don't ever ask me to jump in front of a bullet for your so called cause" She pushed a few loose strands of hair out of her eyes and looked at him through narrowed eyes "Can I leave now or do you want to know what I intend to eat for dinner?"
"You may leave Miss Hawthorne" He slid her statement into the file marked Hawthorne. She stood up and brushed some of the dust from her dress and took the purse from the guard handing it to her. "Oh and Eva" He marked her look of irritation at the use of her first name "Stay out of trouble"
