The look on Fred Marvison's face showed that he was winning. In fact, the more he smiled the more certain the agents were that he knew something. At least Carter anyways. Paul seemed to have a deadpan look on his face since early morning. It was as if he were lost in another world. Carter deduced that maybe Paul and his mysterious boyfriend were fighting and that's why Paul was acting up. The interrogation room seemed to grow smaller as Carter stared deeply into Fred's feverish hazel eyes while his smile grew bigger.
"So I hear they call you Jake The Snake is that correct?" Asked Carter.
Fred slithered his pointy tongue and looked at him all wild eyed and crazy. "Yeah,that and other things as well." Said Jake The Snake leaning back in his chair. His long copper red unkempt hair dangled over the back of his chair. A bluish colored adder with two tiny fangs bulged prominently on the inside of his right veiny forearm. These people were here to see him and he knew he had them just where he wanted them. One thing was for sure, he was definitely on top and he was going to come out of this like a champion chess player.
Paul finally piped up and said his first words of the day. "What other things? What other things do they call you?" He asked inquisitively.
Jake The Snake wanted to raise both his hands towards the ceiling to give some body language with his reply but his hands were cuffed in the back. Instead he just shrugged his shoulders and listed his head to the side.
"They call me Jehovah because I am the chosen one." He said trying to be sincere but it wasn't working.
Carter smashed his fist onto the graffitied wooden table right where someone had scratched a picture of a knife. "We're not in the mood for games Mr.Marvison. We know there's nothing wrong with your head and you shouldn't even be on the psychiatric block."
Jake The Snake's smile vanished and he had a surprised look on his face. How did they know he was malingering? Wait a minute. They didn't know, they were bluffing. All cops lie.
The alligator smile quickly returned and the hit man held his ground. "I've got what you want and I told you what my conditions are. Now do we have a deal or not? Oh, and I want it in writing." Said Jake looking all around trying to spot anyone who might be ear hustling.
Carter crossed his arms and glowered at him while waiting for him to finish. Then he picked up a Manila folder and leafed through some papers inside and pulled out what he was looking for. He squinted at the affidavit and then cleared his throat.
"Mr.Marvison, it says here that you're linked to 4 different homicides contiguous across the U.S which unfortunately only one of them could be fortified against you. You're also a suspect in 10 armed bank robberies. Do you really think the information you have for us is substantial enough for us to let you back out on the streets?" Said Carter squeaking his voice at the end of his question.
Jake The Snake slithered his tongue back and forth while contemplating Carter's question. "Oh I think I do." He said reassuringly, "I know who the Gadget Man is and I know how bad you want him. My conditions will be met Mr.Carter." He said with confidence.
Carter's patience was growing thin and he didn't know how much more he could take. He looked over at Paul who just shrugged his shoulders like he was stumped. Jake The Snake noticed a pack of Eclipse chewing gum sticking out of Paul's shirt pocket and waited for Carter to look back at him with those fallacious eyes of his. Jeez, he was so good at this.
"I'll tell you what you can do for me in the meantime." Said Jake breaking the silence. They both looked at him but said nothing. "The prison doesn't allow us to have chewing gum. I've been craving a piece of chewing gum for the past 6 years."
Paul looked over at Carter who nodded saying it was okay. He reached into his shirt pocket and plucked out several rectangular squares of peppermint chewing gum and plopped them onto the dusty table in front of Jake.
"Here, have several pieces." Said Paul being careful not to touch the dusty vandalized table.
Jake The Snake looked at them both caustically. "Now how
in the world do you expect me to get those into my mouth? My hands are cuffed behind my back." He whined. He felt like he was losing now.
Carter shook his head and raised his eyebrows. "We're certainly not gonna loosen your cuffs. If you want them you're gonna have to bow your head down and pick them up with that snaky tongue of yours....Jake The Snake." Replied Carter. He looked at Paul and they both started laughing. They could be good at this game too.
Jake lowered his head and licked up one piece of gum at a time. The chewing sensation was euphoric. Better than tasting chocolate mousse for the first time.
The agents waited awhile and then Carter finally spoke. "Now we gave you something. Now you give us something."
Jake chewed vigorously like a cow chewing cud. "Ha! I'm not giving you nothing until I see my full pardon in writing."
Carter lost it and leaped over the table and had Jake The Snake in a headlock within seconds. The hit man accidentally swallowed his gum from the startling maneuver. There was nothing he could do but bite down on Carter's arm which he did but the agent didn't seem to notice and kept squeezing. Paul jumped up and tried desperately to pry Carter's relentless headlock apart before he ended up leaving marks and they would both be in trouble.
A guard standing outside the interrogation room heard the clamor and rushed to Jake The Snake's aid but didn't help him in the least bit. Instead he punched Jake in the gut and then kicked him really hard in the shin. It was dirty cop time. It always went down like this.
"You can't do this to me!" Shouted Fred, "I have rights. I want my lawyer!" He demanded.
Carter finally let go of him and raised his hand signaling the guard to stop. The burly guard seemed to still be on a power trip. He pulled Jake The Snake out of his chair by his hair and led him to the door.
"This interview is over. This guy is giving you too much trouble. You'll have to come back at another time." Said the guard pushing Fred towards the door.
Paul and Carter looked at each other dumb founded. "Wait! We're not done with him!" Shouted Carter.
Jake The Snake burst out with laughter as he got escorted out the door. "Show's over you Docker wearing pigs! Jake The Snake wins again. If you want the Gadget Man you will collaborate." He said over his shoulder which he used to scratch his chin.
Their mission had failed. Jake The Snake wanted unreasonable requests. Time was running out.