chapter word count: 503

noir heart: one hundred and ten

That's quite the accusation." Hans' eyebrows rise into his hair, though there's no impressed or surprised look. Condescension in spades, however. "Have you any proof, or is it just wild, unsubstantiated theory?

Jack's lips twist, and though he says nothing, his eyes betray him with a quick glance away.

Hans scoffs lightly, and jots something Jack can't see into his notepad. "I thought so," he says somewhat victoriously, and then looks up through his eyebrows at Jack. "It must have made you very angry, being so helpless."

Jack folds his arms and tries to slouch into his chair, giving him maximum indifference. "Wouldn't you be? One of the people who swore to protect and serve turns out to be one of the bad guys," he says. Maybe if he turns the interview away from him for a second, it'll give him time to regroup.

The smile that curls Hans' lips is an ugly one, like a malevolent smirk. "Why do you think I work with Internal Affairs?"

Jack doesn't miss a beat, deadpanning, "'Cause you're a sore, vindictive prick. Next question."

Hans barely shows a reaction. Annoying, as getting under someone's skin is a specialty of Jack's, so evidently Hans wants to hide it. If he was antagonised at all in the first place. "What made you think the White Fairy was a cop?" he asks, casual.

"No evidence, no witnesses. No-one heard any screaming, so the abduction must have been peaceful. Somehow, the Fairy was able to make the kids trust him, and forget everything they learned about strangers. He knew our tactics, our forensic measures, he was always one step ahead." Jack cocks his head. "What do you think?"

Hans makes an mm-hm sound, and the pen wobbles over the notepad some more. "And how did that affect your judgement, and your relationship toward fellow police officers?" he asks, still noncommittal. Like he's a freaking psychiatrist.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, according to statements from your fellow detectives," he waves the pen toward the folder to his side, "and a few uniformed officers, you became paranoid, and distrustful. You no longer trusted your colleagues, people ready to put themselves in harm's way alongside you. There were complaints about you invading their privacy, going through their desks and lockers, their phones. Pulling people aside to question them in the corridor. There was even an altercation between you and Detective Snotlout - as log-headed as that man may be." The pen is laid down on the table, perfectly parallel to the notepad, and Hans' arms curl around it, fingers lacing together. "You became a one-man inquisition to find this supposed culprit, and in doing so, burned nearly every single bridge you had."

Arms still folded, Jack's shoulders bounce. "What can I say? I don't like it when kids are victims."

Hans chuckles once, and says, "So it would seem. Now...how was Detective Arnulf Southernisle involved?"

*gives snowfire12345 a cookie* stefalove: that will be elaborated on, but suffice it to say that Elsa got up to some antics that were illegal. As for Black, that will also be elaborated on. Jack isn't the only one who's got an interesting past.

special thanks to: doomstone, jpbake, hornedgoddess, anastasia, stefalove, snowfire12345, hugs and puppies all around, riverfall and kimchee2222 for the reviews!