This is Part III of the My Gift To You Birthday Special. Last time, 9 attempted in vain to escape the Five-0's grasp, and with some aid from Spyro and Cynder is now in custody. One maniac down, one to go. So, what's going to happen now that 9 is locked up? Read on to discover...
(Our story resumes back in the main conference room of the Five-0 Taskforce, where Spyro and Cynder are with McGarrett and Danny, watching footage of 9 squirming around in interrogation, handcuffed to the lone chair)
9: (Amidst general shrieking noises) YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME DOWN HERE! I HAVE RIGHTS! YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PROBABLE CAUSE! IF YOU DON'T RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT I SWEAR...
Danny: (As he mutes the footage) And he's been going on and on like that pretty much since we got him here.
Cynder: Just about what I expected out of him.
(As this happens, Kono and Grover walk in)
Spyro: (Seeing the two detectives) How's Flame?
Grover: I'll tell you, he may want to invest in a lottery ticket, because he's one lucky dragon.
Kono: 9's shot just barely missed his lung. He'll pull through.
Cynder: Good. I don't think we could bear the loss of another agent and close friend.
McGarrett: And in the mean time, Ember and Jerry are going over everything recovered from Elora's base of operations. Hoping to get something on Sin's identity.
Spyro: So far, you're already doing better than we ever did.
Danny: That... that is a high compliment in law enforcement. Or so I'm told.
Cynder: Okay, here's the plan. Steve and I will go interrogate 9. The rest of you keep up the search for Sin on foot.
Spyro: You sure you two can handle this guy? He's not exactly easy to interrogate.
McGarrett: (Recalling what he knows about 9) No need to worry, Spyro. Chin and I've got a plan that just might work.
Danny: Just might... just might work? Need I remind you we are dealing with a complete lunatic who is probably one word away from snapping your neck, and you really think that a plan that might work is a good plan?
McGarrett: Are we really going to do this now?
Danny: Yes, we are going to do this right now, because going into a concrete room with a steel door and that lunatic is... well, it's lunacy!
McGarrett: Look, Danny, how long have we been working together? 7 years last I checked. You really think you'd have learned to trust me by now.
Danny: Trust you? Trust you! It's really hard to trust you when you are always suggesting and doing crazy stuff like this!
(The argument continues as Spyro analyzes the whole scene, confused as ever)
Spyro: Are they always like this?
Kono: Usually only when driving to a scene. I don't think I've heard one of these arguments off the roads.
Grover: We're in the same boat there, Kono.
(As this trio looks on, we focus back in on the argument)
McGarrett: Look, if you don't think this is going to work, why don't you go down there, huh?
Danny: You think I'm putting myself in a box with that wacko? No chance, Steve. No chance.
Cynder: (Clearing her throat) If you two are finished, I do believe there's an interrogation that needs to happen, and Lieutenant Kelly is waiting to get started.
(It seems Cynder is the only one who is able to break this up as she heads down to the interrogation cell, leaving everyone dumbfounded)
Danny: (Trying to figure out the preceding incident) Did that just happen? Usually those arguments take a little longer to wrap up.
Spyro: I'm as confused as you are, Detective Williams.
(As everybody else ponders how Cynder broke up that argument, we transition down to the iconic blue lit concrete, windowless interrogation room, where 9 sits handcuffed to the lone metal chair. Within a few seconds of entering the scene, the iron door opens, allowing Cynder and Chin into the room before shutting behind them.)
9: About time somebody showed up. Do you have any idea how many rights you're violating right now?
Cynder: Word to the wise, punk. Five-0 operates with immunity. You couldn't sue if you tried.
9: That is the most dictatorial thing I've ever heard!
Chin: Look. We're not here to discuss how the taskforce works. We just want to know where your boss is.
9: What boss?
Cynder: Don't play ignorant with me. We all know Sin sent you here to kill Elora. Tell us where he is.
9: Sin didn't send me here! This is a personal hit!
Cynder: Bull. You didn't even know Elora prior to today. The only history you two share is that she was our mole into Sin's operations. And from what we've deciphered from Elora's communications, you two never interacted. So quit with this and start talking.
9: Oh, now I see what's going on here, you just want to pin a crime on me because I'm an ape! You really think you can disguise your racism from me?! Guess again!
(At this point, Cynder is through with 9's nonsense up to this point, as evidenced by how she grabs him by the neck, slams him against the wall, breaking the chair in the process.)
Cynder: Listen up, you monster! I couldn't care less whether you're a dragon, mole, ape, or otherwise! You're down here because you have killed 500 known victims on Sin's behalf! So quit the madness, and just tell us where Sin is before I rip your throat out!
9: POLICE BRUTALITY! POLICE BRUTALITY!
(Now completely through with this, Cynder throws 9 onto the floor, right at McGarrett's feet, allowing him to step in.)
Chin: (Putting the plan into action) You know my frienx here's just pulling a good cop bad cop thing, right? There's no need for you to say anything.
(As 9 looks confused, McGarrett pulls out his phone, pulling up a picture of 9's gun, in the same chair Cynder just broke, locked up like 9 just was.)
Chin: Your partner already told us everything we need to know.
Cynder: (Realizing this was McGarrett's plan all along) True. The minute we entered the room, he sang like a canary. Implicated both of you in Elora's death, and even told us where Sin was. To be honest, we only came in here to try and corroborate his story.
(At this point, it looks like 9 has been duped, only for him to burst out laughing, in a much more maniacal fashion than previously.)
9: You honestly thought that was going to work?
Chin: What, did you think your friend here wouldn't betray you?
9: No, trying to trick me into confessing by saying my gun had squealed on me.
(At this point, it dawns on both of them what's going on here.)
Cynder: You're not insane. It's all just an act, isn't it?
9: I guess my father was right. Those acting lessons paid off after all. That act is so complete, no jury in the world could convict me.
Chin: I wouldn't be too sure of that. From what I hear, the Realms have pretty strict laws regarding impersonating someone with mental health issues.
Cynder: Why indeed we do. Feigning any sort of mental illness for the express purpose of minimizing a criminal sentence is actually a Class A Misdemeanor back home.
Chin : Not to mention with there being apparently 500 known cases of this insane act, assuming you get the maximum 1 year sentence for each time, that's another 500 years tacked on to your sentence. And you're probably going to get the max on those murders as well. 500 life sentences and 500 years, that's a lot of jail time. I don't think I've ever seen that much time on one case.
Cynder: Oh trust me, he's definitely likely to get it.
9: You really think you can scare me?
Chin: You know, you can probably get some of that time knocked off if you cooperate.
Cynder: Forget it, Steve. He's not going to say anything. So why don't we give him a preview of what the cell he'll be staying in is like? It's not too different from this interrogation room now that I think about it.
Chin: That's a good suggestion, but I'm thinking he's going to get worse than this.
Cynder: Good point. He could be getting a cell just like this, but with the families of his victims in it, ready to beat him to death. (Cracks her knuckles) Perhaps I should stay here to demonstrate.
Chin: Now that's more like it.
9: You can't do that. I have too much valuable information for that to happen.
Cynder: You want to bet?
(And with that, Chin is about to leave and Cynder is cracking her knuckles ready to beat 9 to a pulp, but just before McGarrett can leave, 9 realizes they're serious.)
9: WAIT!
(Hearing this scream, Chin turns around)
Chin: Looks like he's ready to talk
9: I know where Sin is. I'll tell you everything, just don't let that happen to me.
Cynder: We'll put in a good word, if we can confirm everything you're saying is true.
9: There's paper copies of everything at my base of operations. Kalawa Hotel, room 217.
Chin: Good to see you've had a change of heart.
Cynder: We'll have a few agents check everything.
(At this point, 9 sees the look on their faces and realizes he's been played. Chin and Cynder had planned to scare him into confessing)
9: YOU BASTARDS! YOU TRICKED ME!
Chin: Turnabout is fair play. Hope you enjoy the cell you end up in.
9: YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I WILL GET MY REVENGE ON YOU!
(With that, Cynder and Chin leave the room, leaving 9 to rant on as they head out)
Chin: Nice bad cop act.
Cynder: Oh that was no act. Nothing fatal, don't worry about that.
Chin: This should give us everything we need to lock 9 up.
Cynder: Now we've just got to get Sin.
Chin: And if this works out, we've got evidence of them.
Cynder: Hope Ember and Jerry don't hate us for this.
(And as Chin and Cynder walk back up to the conference room, our tale ends for the day.)
And that seems like a good spot to end both the story and the My Gift To You Birthday Special. Once again, thank you, all of you, for continuing to support my works. It really makes my day. So, looks like 9 was just acting crazy, rather than being insane. Bet nobody saw that coming. And it looks like he's got more information on Sin than we've ever had. So, where is this going to lead? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!
