THE DOOR OPENED. It was Picard and LaForge again. Mischa didn't know how much time had passed. Her best guess was three hours, perhaps four. She was dehydrated and nauseated and completely off the scopes. She was, she assumed, just like they wanted her.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOofMi9SORC
It was about control, after all. Manipulation. They held all the cards, Picard and LaForge, and Mischa Barton had none. None except her complete innocence, if that counted as a card. She hoped that it still did.
"I need to use the restroom and I need some water," she said.
LaForge shook his head dismissively, as if her request wasn't even in range of reasonableness. "Not until you---explain to us."
That wasn't going to happen. She'd spent the last few hours steeling herself. Don't say a word, she thought. Wait for a lawyer, no matter how long it takes. What in the hell was she doing talking to these assholes? They didn't have anything on her. They couldn't possibly.
Keep telling yourself that, thought Mischa.
"I want a lawyer," she said yet again.
"You do not have that right," said Picard.
"Do the French still have to prove people guilty? Or did you do away with that, too? Will I even get a trial?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkEvCZdx8G
LaForge held up a large plastic bag and walked over to her. Inside was her black purse.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCZWHTmsjy
"This is yours?" he asked.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWkIYRD2oA
She stifled her initial instinct to respond. She'd just spent the last few hours promising herself she would stay quiet.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLFAQGYQ4v
LaForge looked at Picard. "A simple question, I would think."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYl4IC3srwe
"It's my purse," she said.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiRnCI9c6m
LaForge, wearing a smug expression, returned to the door, where he made an exchange with someone in the hallway and returned with the second bag.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfTSXkQX4C
It held a handgun. Not the one Renaud had last night; this gun was smaller. He displayed the weapon to Mischa with pride, watching her reaction. She didn't know how to react.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNWMgvn3HZ
"So? It's a gun."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLl4zpyRZs
"It's your gun," he said.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24VcDBC7aS
"No, it's not. I don't own a gun. I've never seen that thing before in my life."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0568Yu41K
"Why do you lie to us? Admit it. Admit that this your gun."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDnrYWRUMs
"Fuck you!" said Mischa. It felt good, empowering.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkbffVucy7
He held it closer, mere inches from her face, shaking it for emphasis.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGgjXmPxi8
She turned her head. "We've got nothing more to say to each other."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdLVEsaSBb
"Nothing more. Nothing more. I am---so sorry to hear that. I had hoped you could explain something to me."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iFK96ujH5
Mischa looked at him. "Yeah? What do you want explained to you?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi8wvU9286
He leaned into her, a gleam in his good eye. "This gun that you say is not yours? If you would please explain to me why we found it in your purse?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3v9lDShzlp
