Day 11 - Underwater
Summary: "Look, let me save you some time. No, I didn't have anything to do with his lunatic schemes or whatever. No, I didn't know he was trying to go after that one kid. And no, I didn't know that Vlad [REDACTED] Masters was a [REDACTED] ghost!" - from APPDTRScpt 01829 (post-PP)
AMITY PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT - CONFIDENTIAL
TRANSCRIPT 01829 ([DATE REDACTED])
PARTICIPANTS: Detective Matthew Juarez, Laney [LAST NAME OMITTED]
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
DET. M. JUAREZ: So, Ms. Re-
[OMITTED], L.: For the love of God, please don't use that name with me. I told them when they brought me here I just wanted to be called Laney, and I seriously meant that.
DET. M. JUAREZ: … Alright then, Laney, do you know why we've brought you here today?
[OMITTED], L.: If I say yes, does that mean you'll let me go sooner?
DET. M. JUAREZ: I mean, when you go home depends on if you can help us answer some questions or not.
[OMITTED], L.: You realize that sounds manipulative as [REDACTED]?
DET. M. JUAREZ: I can assure you, Laney, I'm not trying to manipulate you. We're just trying to make sure justice gets served. I'm sure a reasonable young lady like you can understand that, right?
[OMITTED], L.: Okay, first of all, I'm not a "young lady." That just sounds creepy. And second, can we just… not with the whole cop-aganda bit? You'll just make this a [REDACTED] of a lot more painful.
DET. M. JUAREZ: … Right. Well, how about we start with a simple question, then? How old are you, Laney?
[OMITTED], L.: I'm 18, so please, like, don't treat me like a kid?
DET. M. JUAREZ: Fair enough. Where are you living right now?
[OMITTED], L.: I don't have an address, if that's what you're getting at. Been couch surfing for a few months now.
DET. M. JUAREZ: Did something happen to your parents?
[OMITTED], L.: (laughter) If by something you mean they're living their perfect little lives all happy and stuff, then sure, we'll say something happened to them.
DET. M. JUAREZ: … Okay, let me rephrase that. I see here you only turned 18 last month. What happened before then to make you homeless?
[OMITTED], L.: Got caught making out with my girlfriend, that's what. Dear old Mom and Dad didn't waste any time throwing me out after that. Can't have an abomination to God living in their house, right?
DET. M. JUAREZ: I'm sorry to hear that, Laney. Do you nee-
[OMITTED], L.: Save it. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. As soon as I save up enough, I'm off to New York and I'll be living with my girlfriend while she goes to school. So long as I have that, I'll be fine.
DET. M. JUAREZ: So you would say money is a big driving force in your life right now?
[OMITTED], L.: When isn't money a driving force in someone's life?
DET. M. JUAREZ: … I'll take that as a yes, then.
DET. M. JUAREZ: So money, then - is that why you went to work for Vlad Masters?
(loud clanging)
[OMITTED], L.: (unintelligible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: What was that?
[OMITTED], L.: Are you [REDACTED] kidding me? That's what this is all about?
DET. M. JUAREZ: Well, I-
[OMITTED], L.: I'm sick and tired of everyone asking me about him, alright? You're like, the billionth person to ask me. Pretty sure the [REDACTED] FBI is gonna be after me next.
[OMITTED], L.: Look, let me save you some time. No, I didn't have anything to do with his lunatic schemes or whatever. No, I didn't know he was trying to go after that one kid. And no, I didn't know that Vlad [REDACTED] Masters was a [REDACTED] ghost!
DET. M. JUAREZ: Please, Laney, I know you're upset, but can we try and use language that's a little less… strong?
[OMITTED], L.: Do you want your answers or not?
DET. M. JUAREZ: (sigh) Okay. So just to confirm, you were a part of the group known as the "Masters' Blasters"? And you went by the name "Vid"?
[OMITTED], L.: (unintelligible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: … You're going to have to speak up, Laney.
[OMITTED], L.: Yes, alright? I was part of his stupid little ghost hunting squad. If I'd known those were going to be the names he'd use or whatever, I never would've done it. God, I almost walked right out the door when he told me what I had to call myself.
DET. M. JUAREZ: So why didn't you?
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: I mean, you said it yourself, right? I needed the pay. It was too good to pass up.
[OMITTED], L.: I didn't realize he was going to start [REDACTED] extorting people! All it was supposed to be was a ghost hunting gig. It sounded fun, it paid super well, and I fit the role he wanted. End of story.
DET. M. JUAREZ: When you say "extorting people", what do you mean by that?
[OMITTED], L.: (laughter) Nice try, Sherlock. I'm not about to admit to committing a crime in front of you, especially when I know this [REDACTED] is being recorded.
DET. M. JUAREZ: Okay then, can you at least tell me what Masters was doing to extort?
[OMITTED], L.: I don't know, he just started charging people for our ghost hunting services once Phantom disappeared. And he kept wanting to increase the price, since there were so many attacks and stuff.
[OMITTED], L.: Like I told you, I wasn't exactly in-the-know with his creepy plans. I don't know why he did it.
DET. M. JUAREZ: I think the whole world is wondering why he did what he did.
DET. M. JUAREZ: What about your colleagues? The two that went by "Thrash" and "Download"?
[OMITTED], L.: Oh my God, you mean Cody and Max? Those two were complete idiots. All they were interested in was playing with the toys Masters gave us. I had to stop Max from cracking his skull open from playing around with that [REDACTED] jet pack. I don't even know why they signed up.
DET. M. JUAREZ: I take it you didn't get along, then.
[OMITTED], L.: God, no. I wanted nothing to do with those two dingbats. All the "camaraderie" stuff was just for the media purposes. Sell the brand or whatever [REDACTED] those business types are always on about.
DET. M. JUAREZ: I think I get the picture. Did they seem to be in on Masters' plans? His ulterior motives, I guess I should say.
[OMITTED], L.: (sigh) I don't think so, but I probably wouldn't know. I tried to stay away from them as much as I could outside of work.
DET. M. JUAREZ: That's understandable. We're working on getting in contact with them for questioning, too. You happen to be the first we were able to find.
[OMITTED], L.: Whoo hoo, lucky me.
DET. M. JUAREZ: Now, I also wanted to ask you about collaborations with the Group for Interdimensional Warfare.
[OMITTED], L.: The what now?
DET. M. JUAREZ: You may know them better by their colloquial name - the Guys in White.
[OMITTED], L.: (unintelligible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Hmm?/
[OMITTED], L.: Those white suited Nazis can [REDACTED] off for all I care.
DET. M. JUAREZ: Those are some… strong words for them, I'll say. Care to elaborate?
[OMITTED], L.: Elaborate on what? The totally bogus laws they kept claiming were legit? The illegal arrests and stuff? Like why the [REDACTED] did they make us try to do them? We're like, barely adults with zero authority. The public didn't even respect us that much!
DET. M. JUAREZ: Yeah, I wanted to touch on the arrests. We definitely had an influx of people being sent in for booking in that bit of time where Phantom disappeared. We basically had to turn around and let them all go immediately due to lack of grounds for arrest.
[OMITTED], L.: Course you did. Like I said, those laws they kept citing were totally bogus.
DET. M. JUAREZ: And you said you were involved in these GIW sponsored arrests?
[OMITTED], L.: Well… not -
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: Oh ha ha, nice try copper. I told you before, I'm not going to 'fess up to anything that's going to land me in trouble down the line.
DET. M. JUAREZ: If it helps, we have documentation that you were at least present for the arrest of Jack and Maddie Fenton.
[OMITTED], L.: God, just end me now.
[OMITTED], L.: That one… I just - ugh…
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: (inaudible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Well, I mean we really need you to answer these questions as best as you can, Laney. I suppose whether you do or not is up to you, but without your answers it's going to be that much harder to nail down the real bad guys.
[OMITTED], L.: (unintelligible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Take your time. I'm in no rush.
(silence)
(silence)
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: (inaudible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: What was that?
[OMITTED], L.: … I quit after that one.
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Why did you quit?
[OMITTED], L.: It was… I couldn't do - I just…
[OMITTED], L.: That one was [REDACTED] up.
[OMITTED], L.: … Does your "documentation" say anything about what happened while we were upstairs?
(sounds of papers)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Not that I can see here… Why? What happened?
[OMITTED], L.: Oh, God… I…
[OMITTED], L.: Okay. Okay. Look, when we got there, the kids were there too. The Fenton's kids, I mean. I think they had a couple of their friends there, I don't know. I only kind of caught a glimpse of them in the other room. They - they saw… They saw us detain Jack and Maddie.
[OMITTED], L.: And look, before you ask, this was the one arrest that - it was different. Masters, he ordered the Fentons' arrest directly. And he wanted it done… a specific way.
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: How did you detain them, Laney?
[OMITTED], L.: (unintelligible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Please, Laney, you have to speak up. If Masters asked you to do-
[OMITTED], L.: It was an electric net, alright? One of… one of the weapons Masters gave us. I think it was Cody that shot it. It wasn't me, I swear.
DET. M. JUAREZ: It's okay, Laney, I believe you. I believe you. Do you mind telling me what happened next?
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … I was supposed to go first. There was this whole script Masters wanted us to use. I had the first line. After I said it…
[OMITTED], L.: … That's when I saw the kids.
DET. M. JUAREZ: And what did they do?
[OMITTED], L.: I didn't see where they went at first. I only caught the glimpse of them before we kept going with the arrest. I only found out where they went… after…
[OMITTED], L.: I - I don't remember exactly when it happened, but there was this huge explosion in their basement, sometime after we got Jack and Maddie out of the house. We thought it was a ghost at first, 'cause Masters told us they were harboring a ghost fugitive, but…
[OMITTED], L.: … Oh my God, it…
(silence)
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: When we got down there, the kids… (sounds of sniffling) Something had happened in their wall. It - it was completely destroyed and -
[OMITTED], L.: … and…
(silence)
(sounds of sniffling)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Let me get you-
[OMITTED], L.: No. No, I just… I got to get it out.
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: The boy… The one who's apparently Phantom, he - he was lying on the gr- on the floor…
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … I thought he was dead at first.
DET. M. JUAREZ: … Isn't he already dead?
[OMITTED], L.: How the [REDACTED] was I supposed to know that at the time? All I saw was whatever had exploded in the wall and then the kid on the ground looking like he'd just been through a [REDACTED] war zone.
DET. M. JUAREZ: So did you call EMS?
(silence)
(silence)
(sounds of sniffling)
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … No.
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Why not?
(silence)
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Laney?
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … I was in too deep.
DET. M. JUAREZ: I'm sorry?
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: I - I've just been… so desperate to save up the money to get to New York and get to Shayna, and Masters, he was a total [REDACTED] but he kept promising us this really good pay, and -
[OMITTED], L.: … It was the worst because I knew, I knew like, deep down, I was going way off the deep end and - and ditching all my morals and stuff, but… I couldn't stop. I had to keep going.
[OMITTED], L.: I was in too deep.
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: I don't think anyone blames you for following through on Masters' and the GIW's orders, Laney. You're only 18. It can be terrifying even for someone like me to try and stand up to powerful people like that.
[OMITTED], L.: (inaudible)
DET. M. JUAREZ: No, I'm not just saying it. And especially now? Knowing what Masters really is? And all those things he's capable of? [REDACTED]. I think I'd do pretty much the same thing you did.
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: I didn't really… process it until I got back to my friend's place. They didn't know I was doing the whole thing for Masters. But…
[OMITTED], L.: … I started thinking about it all and I realized - I realized that it was too much of a coincidence for us to go and arrest Jack and Maddie and then that explosion and then the kid lying there…
[OMITTED], L.: So… so I started to think…
[OMITTED], L.: (inaudible)
(silence)
(silence)
DET. M. JUAREZ: Well… The good news is we know he didn't do that, right?
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: I guess.
(silence)
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … I called Masters and quit that night. I… I couldn't stand what he'd done to me, and - God, he turned me into a [REDACTED] puppet, I was…
[OMITTED], L.: (sounds of sniffling, laughing) You know, looking back on it now, of course that kid would turn out to be Phantom.
DET. M. JUAREZ: What do you mean?
[OMITTED], L.: I mean, in some weird, [REDACTED] backwards way, he saved me.
[OMITTED], L.: I was drowning. Masters, the whole job… I was drowning in it all. Losing myself. And I couldn't swim my way out of it.
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: He threw me the life ring.
(silence)
(silence)
[OMITTED], L.: … Can I leave now?
END TRANSCRIPT
Yeah, this one's even looser in terms of relation to the prompt, but oh well. I wanted to dabble in a bit of a different style, and this idea I've had cooking forever was perfect for it.
Tomorrow is the Traditional Media Challenge, so I obviously won't be able to post that here. I will however update tomorrow (assuming I can get it done!) with the links to the tumblr post that I'll make for it! (I might also include a Google doc link, we'll see how it goes lol)