As always the standard disclaimer applies: I do not own the Happy Tree Friends; they are the property of Mondo Media. I own only my own characters and this story.

74 – RIDING FRIK

The next morning Tony Ride came to the Buddhist Monkey's house to take Lifty and Shifty to speak with Frik and Frak. He discreetly conducted the raccoons down to the lowest level of the city but did not actually take them inside the prison camp or even in sight of it. Instead he took them to a secret safe-house that he and his wife maintained for use specifically for secret meetings. Only a select few knew of the house's real purpose. Anyone else who passed by it would think it was just an ordinary house. There were times, however, when it was more convenient to speak to prisoners in a place away from potential prying eyes and such a house was an excellent place in which to do that. This was one of those times. As Tony Ride explained to both Lifty and Shifty, the sight of an animal entering the POW camp would have aroused immediate comment. As no animals were either held there or serving there as guards there was almost no reason for animals to go there. Instead Tony Ride protected the raccoon brothers from unwanted attention by taking them somewhere else entirely that was not on any possible spy's radar.

Frik was already present in the house when Tony Ride ushered Lifty and Shifty inside. He was being held in an interrogation room in the center of the house that had no windows and only one door. Anna Ride was watching him through a one way mirror when her husband arrived with the raccoon brothers. There was no one else present in the house at that time.

"How's our guest doing?" Tony Ride asked his wife.

"I should say he's uncomfortable" answered Anna Ride, "maybe even a bit worried or nervous."

"Good" said Tony Ride, "that suits us just fine. Keep watch from here. I don't anticipate having any trouble with him but in case there is and it gets out of control be ready to step in."

"No problem" said Anna Ride lightly, "I think I can probably take care of him."

Tony Ride opened the door to the interrogation room and gestured for Lifty and Shifty to enter. Once they had gone in he followed them inside and shut the door. He motioned to Lifty and Shifty to sit down behind him facing Frik but not to say anything yet. He didn't say anything either but stood facing Frik with a hard expression on his face.

Tony Ride was of the opinion that in an interrogation of this nature it was always best to make the other side uncomfortable enough to break the silence first. It put the other person at a disadvantage because by speaking first he showed his hand thereby making it easier for you to know how to respond in order to get what you wanted. If you made him uncomfortable enough he often would spill whatever it was you wanted him to say without specific prompting. Sometimes Tony Ride would sit and not say anything at all for a long time, letting the other guy do all the talking. He would wait and choose his moment carefully before speaking.

This case was a little different in that Tony Ride was going after information for someone else's project rather than for himself or for the Council. It wouldn't necessitate a change in tactics though so he didn't change them. Once Lifty and Shifty had taken their seats he turned and looked at Frik with an unwavering stare. He stared and he stared while Frik began to fidget uncomfortably. He had been interrogated by Tony Ride before of course, but he'd never gotten used to the man's piercing stare which was impossible to read and might mean anything at all – but never anything good. It actually wasn't all that long before Frik broke the silence.

"Okay" Frik said, "what do you want this time?"

"I don't want anything" said Tony Ride with a special emphasis on the "I" "except that you give my two guests here what they want."

"And that is?" asked Frik.

"Tell them everything you know about the physical layout of the main marauder camp" said Tony Ride quietly. Frik looked at him blankly.

"I don't understand" he said.

"You don't have to understand" said Tony Ride, "just do it."

"No" said Frik, "I can't do that. That's betraying my comrades."

"I wouldn't think you'd be too concerned about that" said Tony Ride, "since you already gave away your fellow Marauders who were sent to attack the Animal City."

"A mistake made out of fear" responded Frik, "I won't do it again."

"Yes fear" said Tony Ride, "fear of being sent home as I recall. Your master wouldn't be too pleased with you, would he? Suppose we send you home now? Do you think he knows you helped betray Durago's forces?"

"Whether he knows it or not doesn't matter" said Frik, "Frak and I have been on his death list ever since we got caught. He'll get us eventually anyway no matter what you do so giving you more information isn't going to help us at all. Give us back, keep us here – whatever."

"That's pretty pessimistic" said Tony Ride quietly, "you've been here for quite a while but you're still alive. I would have thought he'd have had you disposed of by now."

Frik said nothing. Tony Ride looked at him thoughtfully. Behind him both Lifty and Shifty were listening to the whole dialogue with rapt attention wondering where this was all leading. Finally Tony Ride spoke to Frik again.

"You know" he said, "we've kept you pretty comfortable here, all things considered. We can continue with that. But perhaps your fellow Marauder inmates don't approve?"

"I don't know if they approve or not" said Frik, puzzled by what Tony Ride had said, "what do they have to do with it?"

"It just seems to me" said Tony Ride quietly, "that those of your comrades who were present at Durago's Rout probably don't take very kindly to you getting good treatment, especially since you betrayed them." Frik stiffened.

"They don't know that" he whispered.

"Don't they?" said Tony Ride raising an eyebrow, "no I suppose they don't. For your sake it isn't a good idea for them to know, is it? But, you know, sometimes secrets slip!"

Tony Ride leaned forward over the table separating him from Frik until his face was only a few inches away from Frik's visibly frightened face.

"How about it?" Tony Ride said at last, "you tell these two raccoon brothers everything they want to know and your fellow prisoners need never hear about how you helped betray them." Frik quailed visibly.

"All right" he whispered in a shaky voice. Tony Ride leaned back and smiled grimly with satisfaction.

"Good" was all he said as he gestured to an amazed Lifty and Shifty to take over the discussion.

(To Be Continued)