Chapter 12: Barney's Playbook and The Interrogation Room Intel
MacLaren's Pub was, as usual, a microcosm of New York life: loud, slightly sticky, and perpetually on the verge of a dramatic revelation. Today's revelation, however, was purely for Barney Stinson's benefit, or rather, his detriment. He was attempting "The Astronaut," a particularly egregious play from his infamous Playbook, on a young woman at the bar.
"And so," Barney declared, his voice booming with theatrical gravitas, "after narrowly escaping a black hole, I realized... life is too short for anything less than... legendary." He paused, expecting awe. The woman merely looked confused.
Adam, seated with Ted, Marshall, and Lily, took a slow sip of his beer. "Ah, 'The Astronaut.' A classic. And by 'classic,' I mean 'classic failure.' Barney, bless his heart, never learns. The [Knowledge & Insight Module] is practically screaming the inevitable outcome, but who am I to ruin a good show?"
Barney, undeterred, continued. "You see, up there, in the cold vacuum of space, I learned the true meaning of connection. A connection that transcends gravity. A connection... like ours, perhaps?" He winked, a little too forcefully.
The woman excused herself, citing an urgent need to "check on her space shuttle."
Barney returned to their table, looking genuinely bewildered. "What?! She didn't buy it! It's a foolproof play! I even wore my 'Space Explorer' tie!"
Adam leaned forward, a look of profound concern on his face, though his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Barney, I think I've identified the flaw in 'The Astronaut.' It's not the lack of a space shuttle, or even the questionable physics. It's the inherent logical inconsistency. If you've truly experienced the profound isolation of space, why would your immediate reaction be to use a transparently fabricated story to pick up women in a bar? Surely, your existential dread would lead you to, say, a quiet monastery, or perhaps a deep dive into quantum mechanics. Your narrative arc is fundamentally flawed."
Barney stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. "My... my narrative arc? What are you talking about? It's a play! It's supposed to be fun! It's not a... a literary analysis!"
"But it is, Barney," Adam insisted, deadpan. "Every interaction is a narrative. And yours, unfortunately, suffers from a severe case of character inconsistency. The 'astronaut' would seek truth, not cheap thrills. You're violating the very essence of your chosen persona. It's a Bro-code violation of the highest order, if you ask me."
Barney sputtered, genuinely speechless for once. Marshall snickered into his beer. Ted looked thoughtful. Lily gave Adam a knowing, appreciative smirk.
"Success," Adam thought. "Barney's brain is buffering. Again. This is almost too easy. Almost."
[Knowledge & Insight Module: Barney's Playbook Logic Successfully Dismantled (Again).]
The next day, the 99th Precinct was hitting a wall. They were interrogating a suspect in a major embezzlement case, a slick, corporate lawyer named Mr. Henderson. He was calm, collected, and giving them nothing but carefully worded deflections.
"He's like a human brick wall," Jake muttered, pacing the observation room. "Every question bounces right off him. He's got an answer for everything, and it's always just plausible enough to be annoying."
Amy, equally frustrated, rubbed her temples. "His alibis are airtight, his story is consistent. We know he's lying, but we can't break him."
Captain Holt, observing from the back, turned to Adam. "Mr. Stiels. You've been reviewing the suspect's seized belongings for forensic evidence. Have you observed anything... illuminating?"
Adam had indeed been reviewing the suspect's personal effects: a pristine briefcase, an expensive watch, a meticulously organized wallet. But it was a small, almost imperceptible detail that caught his eye. Henderson wore a very expensive, custom-made suit. And on the inside of the left cuff, barely visible, was a tiny, almost microscopic fray. It was too specific to be random wear and tear.
"A fray. On a custom suit. And he keeps adjusting that cuff. He's hiding something there. A nervous habit. And the way he keeps touching his left earlobe during specific questions… classic deception tell."
[Knowledge & Insight Module: Activating. Relevant Data: Non-Verbal Deception Cues. Overlooked Detail: Micro-Fray on Cuff, Ear-Touching Tell.]
"Captain," Adam said, his voice calm. "Mr. Henderson is a master of verbal deflection, yes. But his body language tells a different story. Specifically, his left cuff. There's a tiny fray on the inside. And he keeps subtly adjusting it, almost unconsciously, whenever he's asked about the missing funds. It's a nervous tic. Furthermore, when you press him on the timeline of the transfers, he touches his left earlobe. It's a classic self-soothing gesture associated with deception."
Jake looked skeptical. "A fray? An earlobe? Adam, are you sure this isn't just, like, fancy people problems?"
"Jake," Adam replied, deadpan, "the human body is a walking crime scene of tells. The fray indicates a repeated, unconscious action. The earlobe suggests stress and an attempt to self-regulate during a lie. It's a pattern. Not random."
Holt, however, was listening intently. "Detective Peralta, Santiago. Focus on the left cuff. Ask him about the provenance of his suit. And then, press him on the timeline again, specifically observing his left earlobe."
They re-entered the interrogation room. Jake, with a mischievous glint in his eye, started. "Mr. Henderson, nice suit. Custom-made, right? Where'd you get it? Must be expensive to get a fray like that."
Henderson's eyes flickered, and he subtly adjusted his left cuff. "My tailor is quite reputable, Detective. No fray that I'm aware of."
"Really?" Amy pressed, leaning forward. "Because we've noticed it. Just a little thing. Speaking of little things, let's go back to those transfers on the 15th. Where exactly were you at 3:00 PM?"
Henderson's hand immediately went to his left earlobe. He stammered, his carefully constructed facade finally cracking. The interrogation broke open. Henderson, rattled by their seemingly impossible insight into his tells, eventually confessed.
Jake's POV: "Adam is a human lie detector! He just looked at a guy's ear and knew he was guilty! This is way cooler than fingerprints. I need to learn this. Maybe I can use it to win poker. Or find out who ate my last donut."
[Status Log: Professional Skill Refined: Interrogation Support. Adam's Behavioral Insight Validated.]
Later, Captain Holt approached Adam's desk. "Mr. Stiels. Your observations in the Henderson case were... instrumental. Your ability to discern truth from subtle falsehoods is a valuable asset to this precinct. Keep up the... precise work."
It was as close to a compliment as Adam had ever heard from Holt. He simply nodded, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Always, Captain. Always."
[Relationship Status: Committed to Emma Watson. Duration: 84 days.][System Status: Adam's intellectual prowess in both social and professional settings is increasingly evident. Emma relationship stable.]
A Special Message to My Amazing Readers!
To keep B99/HIMYM: I M here growing and deliver more chapters faster, I've launched a Patreon! Join today for 5$ unlock 20+ additional chapters and become a vital part of this story's journey. Your support means the world!
you can read also 20+ chapters of "In Marvel With Auction System" " IN MARVEL WITH MISCHIEF SYSTEM" "MCU/ARROWVERSE : With Trading System" "In Marvel With Guild System" "Marvel : Please Kill Me" "Sitcomverse: TBBT, HIMYM, B99, & Modern family" "The Boys: I'm the New Hue, I Need More Power" and "legends of tomorrow : Im a Legend Now"+"Arrowverse: I'm a Hero"+"The Flash : Please Kill Me" "Arrowverse: I m A Fifth Dimension Being"
Click here to dive deeper: [patreon.com/TheFinex5]