Chapter 18: Officers
[Finn's POV]
The day after my encounter with Hutch, I noticed that the police were stationed outside my house. Hutch had certainly left me a memorable "present."
"Hello, officers. Is there something I can help you with?" I greeted the group of policemen, trying to maintain a positive demeanor to avoid escalating the situation.
In response to the police presence outside my house, I decided to cooperate with the authorities. After exchanging pleasantries with the officers, I visited a shop to acquire the ability to lie without being detected. This newfound skill allowed me to deceive others without fear of being found out, unless, of course, the person asking the question already possessed prior knowledge of the truth.
Regrettably, acquiring the skill came at a high cost, leaving me with only 2,000 points. Achieving my target of reaching 10,000 points seemed more challenging now. However, with Hutch as my target, I was prepared to exploit every opportunity to gain points.
"Yes, that's correct," I confirmed with the officer, acknowledging my identity as Finn Grayson.
I had made enough changes to my appearance that it wouldn't be a surprise if they didn't associate me with my previous look. Nevertheless, I nodded in confirmation, acknowledging that the person they were looking for was indeed me. Lying at this point would only complicate matters further.
"We received a statement last night indicating that you tried to commit first-degree murder against Hutch Tucker. We're requesting your full cooperation, and any unneeded resistance could be used against you," the officer explained, not particularly concerned with what I had to say.
Just what I needed, asshole cops. Since there was no proof that I was the cause of Hutch's condition, I couldn't be held accountable for anything.
After being transported into a confession room, I found myself in a confession room with cameras monitoring our conversation, making the atmosphere stuffy and tense.
"To clarify, are you acquainted with Hutch Tucker?" The officer began by inquiring about my connection to the victim.
"We attend the same college," I responded truthfully, offering no more information than necessary.
"Officer, if I may clarify, I wasn't the one who harmed him. There's a training facility nearby, and there were witnesses who saw what happened," I stated, hoping to expedite the questioning process. While I had orchestrated the situation, I didn't need to incriminate myself further.
"That information is already known. However, the victim himself has a reason to believe that you were the reason for his hospitalization, and that is what we're here to figure out," the officers explained. Without stopping, the officer continued speaking.
"Next question: what were you doing for the past few days?" The question seemed pointless, but I answered it nonetheless.
"Training. You can see proof from my previous picture to the current me," I responded confidently, emphasizing the improvement in my physical condition.
The officer continued taking notes for about an hour, but it seemed like the questioning was not progressing much. Someone else entered the room, potentially with new information or questions.
"This is a lie detector. I will ask you a few questions, and if nothing goes wrong, you will be free."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden introduction of a lie detector. "Couldn't you have just done this earlier? You wasted an hour of my time." I couldn't help but express my annoyance, though I refrained from saying more, realizing that now wasn't the time for further complaints.
The officer paid no heed to my complaint and produced a peculiar orb. He explained that it was a lie detector, and he conducted a test to demonstrate its reliability.
The orb had a neutral gray hue but would turn red upon detecting falsehood. Fortunately, I had acquired a skill precisely for such situations.
"Are you harboring any intentions to harm Hutch Tucker?" The moment of truth had arrived.
"No," I replied confidently. We both fixed our gazes on the orb, waiting for any signs of deception. Thanks to the skill I had purchased, any indications of falsehood remained concealed.
"Have you played any role in Hutch's hospitalization?" The officer inquired in a composed manner.
"No," I affirmed. Convinced that I was not implicated, the officer concluded the interrogation.
"I see. Then you're free to go," the officer said, releasing me from the interrogation room. After spending an hour in that uncomfortable chair, I stretched a bit and left the room feeling a sense of relief.
Freedom had never felt so good, and my first thought was to continue with my plan for revenge against Hutch. The time I spent in that interrogation room had made me impatient, so I decided to start my revenge right away.
Knowing what I needed, I decided to hire an expert photoshopper for the job. I paid them five hundred bucks to create the image I wanted, and it would take at least a day to get it done. But before I could put that plan into motion, I had another prank in mind.
It was time for me to meet Hutch's mother. After the events of yesterday, I wouldn't be surprised if Hutch had warned her to watch out for suspicious people, especially since I had directly threatened her.
I waited outside of Hutch's mother's workplace, and it took her longer than usual to leave. Fortunately, with my low profile and my skill to avoid suspicion, I blended in effortlessly.
After about half an hour, Hutch's mother finally appeared. She tried to appear casual, but her nervous glances gave her away. It was clear she had taken Hutch's warning seriously. Before heading home, she made a stop at the hospital to visit her son.
She stayed at the hospital for three hours until closing time, which was somewhat surprising considering her cautiousness. Now that it was nighttime, more shady characters might show up, but it seemed she was determined to ensure her son's safety.
I planned to approach her before she reached her house. After the way her family had caused me to waste time, they couldn't go unpunished for their actions.
I had identified a street where cameras and witnesses would be minimal. I intended to intercept her there, knowing that it would be the perfect opportunity to make my move.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone