We Have Ways of Making You Talk

by Heidi

Disclaimer: The Magnificent Seven do not belong to me. This fan fiction was written for enjoyment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended to CBS, MGM, The Trilogy Entertainment Group, The Mirisch Corp, or TNN. My only enrichment comes from feedback.

Warning: Food or drink may be hazardous to your continued breathing if consumed during reading. I'm no good at cyber-Heimlich.

Author's notes: To Cin and those like her. You'll understand when you reach the bottom. This was intended in the spirit of fun and hopefully taken that way.

The interrogation lasted for hours. The suspect, already read her rights, signed her Miranda waver and refused the services of an attorney. Team 7 arrested her for her role as go-between for two very large arms groups trying to merge and establish Denver as the halfway-point.

Chris went first. He glared at her for five full minutes but all she did was stare right back, her brown eyes unwavering and unflinching. They stayed that way as the Larabee glare rose in intensity to the point that most grown men usually broke into sobs and pleaded for mercy.

He tried asking questions, she refused to say more than yes or no. This went on for twenty-five minutes before Chris left the room frustrated. For him, it was leave the room or start redecorating - with his fists.

Chris decided to send Buck in next. The team ladies man could work wonders with his charm in getting female suspects to talk easily. Apparently not this time; he amused her. She openly laughed at him, scorned him, and ridiculed him. Her imitation of his voice and sayings was dead on and those in the observation room found themselves holding their hands over their mouths to stifle their chuckles.

Buck plowed on, not wanting to admit defeat, but eventually conceded that she was not worth wasting his charm on with her less-than-flattering attitude. He left, figuring either Nathan's directness or Josiah's psychology would crack her.

Nathan took his turn, asking direct questions and getting no answers except those she wished to give. She tried using his buried compassion to free herself but he shut that down quickly. Her own questions back bordered on insubordination and if she were not so valuable to them as a witness, her butt would have ended up in the cells sooner.

The medic finally gave up when he realized that he was not going to accomplish anything. He hoped that JD, Ezra, or Josiah might make more progress. So far, they learned next to nothing from her.

JD took his turn and his youthful enthusiasm entertained her. She responded to his questions with a question and thoroughly set about making him give her the answers to her questions. Chris stopped this within the first five minutes before JD unintentionally said something he should not.

Besides, JD reasoned, he could hunt down information on her with his computer faster than she could stall and trick him. He went immediately to work.

Ezra went next using a vocabulary that a dictionary publisher would envy. She matched him with the depth and complexity of her own non-answers to his questions, flummoxing the normally unflappable agent. Their verbal sparring continued for two hours before everyone in the Observation room needed a case of Tylenol and a good, stiff drink.

Again, Chris pulled Ezra out when it became obvious, in Buck's oh-so- quaint opinion, that the bullshit was floating around ceiling level and both of them were so mired in verbal quicksand that Buck felt no amount of rope would ever free those bogged down steers.

Josiah, quiet in his own way, took his turn. They discussed philosophy, ethics, argued points of long-forgotten lore, both trying to assert that their position was the morally correct one. He almost succeeded; she nearly let slip the name of one of the major players.

When she realized it, she muted herself and refused to speak again. With a heavy sigh, Josiah rose from his seat and stepped out, shaking his head when the door closed behind him. He told Chris that Vin was their last hope.

The Texan shook his head and said no. He dug in his heels and refused to budge under glares, threats, cajoling, but finally capitulating when faced with JD's undeniable logic: What was left to lose?

Taking a centering breath, Vin walked into the interrogation room provoking an immediate reaction; she sat up straighter. For some reason, Vin grew uncomfortable under her stare as he sat down across from her, his eyes on the table in front of him.

His simple one word greeting caused her to lean forward to hear him. She asked his name and he gave it, still staring at the table. She then asked him to look at her and finally he did. The hungry look in her eyes made him nervous. She asked him to tell her about himself and he shrugged, replying there wasn't much to say. He then asked her a question and to the surprise of every person present, she answered it honestly and directly. Therefore, he asked another getting another quick answer. He kept going, gathering information from a woman that flummoxed the entire team with the exception of Ezra.

The question and answer session lasted almost four hours. Vin only left the room to retrieve lists of questions from his teammates. Each time he returned, she continued answering him, a mesmerized look on her face. At the end of it, when she signed her statement, he finally asked her why. Giving him a smile, she told him she'd do anything for that voice because it sent shivers down her spine every time she heard it. Then she asked if it the session was over, couldn't they just talk some more.

Vin blushed.

Behind the glass, Buck's jaw hit the ground.

Josiah laughed and held his sides when they hurt.

JD smacked Buck's jaw back into the normal position with his own eyes wide.

Nathan shook his head.

Ezra held out his hand to collect his winnings from the others.

Chris allowed himself a large smile, planning all the ways to use her reasoning against his friend in the future. Let the teasing begin!

THE END

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