INSIDE THE INTERROGATION ROOM, Commander Fortier and Chief Nkosi sat poised at the table, a manila folder spread open before them. The folder detailed Theo's background, his crimes laid bare in black and white.
As Newbie and Jackie entered, the officer stationed outside held the door open. They guided Theo to a chair, where Newbie deftly uncuffed one of his wrists, looped the restraint through the steel bar on the table's surface, and secured it back in place.
Chief Nkosi leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Theodore Crowler. Thirty-two years old. Born just outside August Parish. Son of Abraham and Alexandra Crowler. Younger brother to Neil Crowler—our elusive escapee from last night's operation." He tapped a finger against the folder. "Your rap sheet includes theft, armed robbery, home invasion, and now, attempted murder of an officer." With a measured toss, he slid the file across the table. "Care to explain what you were doing in Mille Dan last night?"
Theo smirked, glancing at the file before looking around the room. Outwardly, he projected nonchalance, but inside, curiosity stirred. Like every other Dread Hunter, he had no memories of a life before becoming one. It was as if they had all been pulled from the depths of autopilot, their awareness snapping into focus only once they took on their new line of work.
"What?" he drawled. "Is it a crime to enter the swamp now?"
"Of course not," Chief Nkosi replied, his tone almost too pleasant. "I'm simply trying to understand why someone like you would be so deep inside a place as treacherous as the Mille Dan Swamp." He leaned back slightly, voice calm but probing. "You see, we received a tip from a very reliable source. Apparently, a couple of Dread Hunters were spotted lurking around the kingdom—moving with a sense of urgency."
"What are you planning?" Eric began, his voice sharp with accusation.
Before Theo could respond, Jackie cut in. "Why were you after the kid?"
Theo smirked, spitting onto the floor before shifting his gaze to Fortier, then Jackie. "What's that, darlin'? Me and my brother weren't sent to snatch no kid." He paused, aggressively scratching at his hand. "No, what we were paid to catch is worth a mighty fine price to whoever's requestin' it. A hell of a lot more than some kid would be worth."
Chief Nkosi narrowed his eyes. "If not a child, then what exactly were they paying this 'hefty price' for?"
Theo tilted his head, a grin creeping onto his face. "I guess you could call it a wolf in sheep's clothing. But our benefactor had another name for it." He leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly. "We were sent to capture a demon."
"Preposterous," Eric scoffed. "Looks like we have an occultist on our hands, Chief."
A heavy silence settled over the room. Jackie and Chief Nkosi exchanged brief but knowing glances. Then, with a quiet clearing of his throat, Nkosi pushed back his chair and made his way toward the door.
"Commander Fortier, if you could give Ms. O'Hara and me the room, please," Chief Nkosi said.
"Leave?" Fortier frowned, stepping toward the chief. "May I ask why, sir? You put me in charge of this case, but it's been out of my hands this entire time. And now, you're kicking me out of the interrogation?"
Before the chief could respond, Theo smirked, mocking Fortier. "Run along now, boy. A good dog doesn't question the one holdin' the leash."
"That's enough!" Jackie snapped, stepping in close to Theo. Her voice dropped to a whisper—sharp, cutting—but loud enough to carry across the room. "You've got some nerve calling someone out of their name when none of you Dread Hunters even know what you really are."
Theo leaned back, his smirk faltering. Something about her words unsettled him, as if she had just brushed against an unspoken truth—one buried deep within every Dread Hunter.
Chief Nkosi exhaled, turning back to Eric. "Please," he said, his voice calm but firm. "This is difficult enough without having to explain it to anyone else. I promise, one of these days, I'll fill you in. But right now, just give us a moment."
Unbelievable, Eric thought, but he held his tongue. "Fine. I'll take my leave." He shut the door behind him with a decisive thud.
Jackie dropped into the chair beside Chief Nkosi, arms crossed tightly, frustration etched into her expression as the interrogation resumed.
"What do you mean by 'demon'?" Nkosi asked.
Theo smirked. "Oh? So we've got a believer in our midst?"
Jackie slammed her hand on the table. "Start talking."
Theo glanced between her and the chief, momentarily thrown off. He hadn't expected them to take this whole demon thing seriously. Still, if they wanted a story, he'd indulge them.
"You have no idea what goes on in Mille Dan Swamp," he said, leaning back. "I'm not just talkin' about what folks see on the surface—I mean the backwaters. The places no one sane would step foot in. Like where the kid was." He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "I've seen things that'd make your skin crawl. Make your stomach turn. If there's a hell on earth, it's there. Ain't a more unforgivin' place like it."
Chief Nkosi's expression remained unreadable. "Try us."