Before Arnold knew what was happening he was being torn out of the viewing room and down the stale dark corridors of the police Head Quarters. His arm burned as Frank pulled him into a room just as plain and empty as the one the strange rotting man had been questioned in.
"Sit down" Frank stated firmly.
Arnold sat as Frank left the room. His mind raced. What did this guy what with him, what did this guy want to tell him? They had all been assured that this mad man didn't know they could see him behind the glass, but the mummified man seemed to have stared at him straight in the eyes through the mirror, straight into his soul.
The door clicked open and Laura, Frank and the interrogating officer, McCann, entered the room all looking flustered, all looking as though time was of the essence.
"Arnold right" McCann asked.
"Yeah"
McCann was an assertive looking man, couldn't have been more than 30 years old to look at him, but his presence held that of a much more experienced and wiser creature. His short curly hair lay untamed atop his head and his deep blue eyes bore into Arnolds green ones as he studied him, as if weighing up if Arnold was up for the task, whatever that meant.
"He's just a kid," McCann declared, spinning on his heels to face Laura.
"Jay you know we don't have much time, Helga's been gone too long now, its only a matter of time before she's declared gone for good. Is that what you want, to waste an opportunity?' Laura's face was stern.
McCann turned to Arnold again, his hands firmly rested on his hips in a defiant way, again eyeing Arnold.
"How old are you kid?' he asked.
"16"
McCann spun round to Laura again.
"For fucks sake Beaumont he's 16! We cant send a fucking 16 year old kid in to question a suspect, one that has more or less stated ON THE RECORD that he know what the crack is."
"I'll do it."
Three sets of eyes then darted to Arnold.
"I mean, like Laura says, we need to get Helga back. We need to know what's going on."
Frank rested his hand on the table, and with a deep sigh met Arnold's eyes.
"Arnold, we know you would do it, but we have no idea what this guy is going to tell you. It could, for want of a better phrase, fuck you up."
"Well if he was going to tell this guy," Arnold pointed at McCann, "Then we would have heard him saying it when we watched in that weird little viewing room".
"Yeah, true. But if it had gotten too dark I would have taken you out. Even so Arnold, there's nothing quite like having a man, a man like him, staring you in the eyes, and you alone, telling you some of the real horrors of the world. What people will do to others, what they have done…"
"He can handle it" Laura chimed in.
McCann folded his arms across his chest, staring at Arnold.
"Fine."
McCann then pulled the other lone chair around, sitting directly in front of Arnold. Cracking his knuckles and leaning his head back, Arnold could almost see the cogs working in McCanns head. Arnold could also sense the worry pouring out of the three adults in the room, they were going to have to use Arnold, do something they didn't want to have to do.
"OK Arnold first things first, you're not a cop. You're not going to act like a cop, but you're also not going to act like a little kid either. You're going to act like nothing. You're going to go in there and let him say what he needs to say, you're going to ask logical questions, like where she is or are there any others, got it?" Arnold nodded. "You're NOT going to like what he has to say from the feel of things in there, but as time is short and we have no other options to think of at this point this is the road we are taking. Got it?" Arnold nodded again, McCann stood up, quickly opened the door and left the room, Frank and Laura looked to each other, then to Arnold.
"Arnold, I really need to try and stay calm, no matter what this guy says. OK? Remember, this is for Helga." Laura's eyes were softer now, Franks too.
"For Helga" Arnold repeated as he stood, making his way with Laura and Frank through the door and down the dim corridors back to the interrogation room that contained their only possible lead, their only possible path to Helga.
McCann was already waiting outside the door when they go there, his arms folded. Laura turned to Arnold, her Hazel eyes boring into his.
"Arnold, we will be in the observation room, watching. Don't think you're alone." And for the first time since Arnold had known Laura in this short time, she pulled him into a hug. Arnold felt a great sadness transmit from her as she held him, she wanted to take his place, she knew he wouldn't like what was coming.
Once Laura released him she gave a small smile before opening the observation room's door. Arnold briefly spied Gerald and Phoebe gaze out of the darkness, only to have Frank usher them further into the small space as he too left the corridor. Just Arnold and McCann remained there, McCann still eye balling Arnold, clearly debating if he was doing the right thing.
"Remember, you're not a cop, keep calm".
McCann opened the doors that lead to the soulless being that knew where Helga was. McCann stepped in and with a deep exhale, Arnold followed.