Izaya could tell a few things right away. The fact that only the suit remained in the small stale room told him that they were very aware that physically he was harmless and that for some reasons he did not want the guards to hear what was about to go down. He identified the man by the cold strictness of his whole attitude even before he announced:
"I'm with the justice department. I have already been over your statement but we would like you to clarify a few things for us. This is being recorded."
The 'we' could only mean the brass that had sent him here. Izaya was in his environment, this was an information game that was about to take place.
"Should I get my lawyer, Mister…I did not quite get your name."
The nameless man ignored the jab and produced some documents that he flipped through, barely reading anything.
"On the 3rd of this month you were in the infirmary due to an injury sustained a few weeks prior, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Before the incident, you received a visit from your cellmate prisoner 5679, Heiwajima Shizuo. Is that correct?"
Izaya now had an idea of what was at stake here.
"Yes."
"What precisely took place during that visit?"
Izaya considered his options. He could lie but there was undoubtedly forensic evidence that made that highly unwise. Not to mention they could be questioning Shizuo at this very moment and he would obviously tell the truth.
"We engaged in sexual activities."
"Is that common between you two?"
"Yes."
"I see. Elaborate on what happened."
There was not a shred of sympathy and worse, not a shred of curiosity involved. Izaya knew that this was entrapment.
"Heiwajima-san masturbated me and I performed oral sex on him."
Izaya kept as formal and neutral as he could.
"Were you aware that prisoner 7890 was a Christian?"
The sudden change of topic was not casual.
"It was common knowledge so I was indeed aware of it."
Izaya had a fairly good idea of where this was going.
"According to my reports you are familiar with the major tenets of the Christian religion."
Izaya would have much liked to read said reports.
"I have a basic understanding of doctrinal matters, yes."
"Then you must know how orthodox Christianity feels about homosexuality."
"I do know that there have biblical and traditional condemnations on it. But there seems to be a misunderstanding here, I am familiar with the principles but I am not a Christian myself."
The man produced more papers.
"That is irrelevant. Your actions with 5679 consisted a clear provocation."
"Not a deliberate one in any way. If you check my history as I am sure you must have done, you will find out that I am prone to forget circumstances when I am engaged in sex. I forgot all about 7890's existence. It was hardly laudable of me but there was no intentionality."
"Were you vocal?"
"Not particularly."
"Did 7890 hear you?"
"I can hardly say."
"Do you think it possible?"
"Possible? Yes. Likely? No."
"In your previous statement you said that you 'acted out of self-defense' and that you 'stabbed a few times'. Be more specific and advance a number."
Izaya did not precisely frown but he was considerably bothered. His memory was both crystal clear and yet unreliable when it came to such details in this manner.
"Around ten, approximately."
Izaya was covering his back but not at all comfortable.
"It was thirty five according to the coroner."
With perfect timing the man slid a few shots across the table. Izaya did not even need to glance at them to know the bloody display therein.
"Trauma often makes one lose count when on survival mode."
"According to the coroner, you cut right through a major artery on the neck and hacked at it with a mere syringe. I quote, 'Had the perpetrator not been stopped it is my opinion that he would have cut off the head as he attempted to.'"
Izaya replied very slowly.
"I acted with the intent of preserving my life as it was threatened."
"Thirty five stabs. How do you account for that? The coroner says that 7890 died after the third or fourth. So explain why you kept on stabbing."
Izaya narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I feared for my life. I admit I wasn't thinking clearly."
