Phoenix Feathers: The Magician

Chapter Three

So much for family!

The tight metal cuffs on Tristan's wrists dug deep into his skin. They dragged him along with one officer holding each of his arms. It wasn't necessary. He didn't resist because he had no clue where to go now that his family was gone. And it wasn't like he committed a crime so they didn't need to be so rough. Pushing him in the car, they had their hand on his head making sure he didn't hit the top of the car doorway.

They pulled off heading to the police station. They were asking him questions but he was paying no attention. The ride was much longer than he expected. The place they stopped at was a huge building that said New York Police Department in large bold letters across the top. 

They forced him into a small holding cell. The cell was gray for the most part besides the white toilet that was conveniently placed at the head of the bed. The bed, if it could be called that, was extremely small with paper thin sheets and covers. On the cover was a stain that Tristan didn't even want to guess what it was from.

Tristan had been in the cell for 20 minutes and all he did was stand in front of the metal bars. He wanted to rub a cup back and forth against them but he had no cup and no desire to anger the guard who he couldn't see but could hear pacing close to his cell.

He started to hear an extra pair of footsteps, besides the guard, and they were getting closer. He soon saw the face of the man, the one that arrested him. Hobbs. By the mans suited attire Tristan could tell that he wasn't an ordinary cop. He was a Detective

The man stared at Tristan for a long time before talking. He had a lit cigarette in his mouth and was casually taking pulls. He soon opened his mouth. "So are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Sure," he said while taking a step backwards "As soon as you tell me what happened I'll be sure to return the favor."

 There was something off about this officer. It seemed as if he was hiding something. He flicked the half-finished, still lit cigarette onto the dirty ground. “Look, kid, I want to wrap this up as soon as I can alright. You’re already caught so just answer the questions. Okay?"

Tristan didn't answer but Detective Hobbs continued as if he had. "What were you and your family doing in that apartment?"

Tristan let his eyebrows turn down, he didn't understand the question. "Maybe we were, I don't know, living in there?" He couldn't control his sarcasm at the ridiculous question. 

Detective Hobbs just kept his face calm as he shook his head and wrote in a small notebook. "OK, why can't we find any records of you and your family?" he asked without lifting his head up.

 Tristan walked up closer to the grey cell bars and stared Detective Hobbs in his brown eyes, while wonder filled his own. "What's that supposed to mean? I must have records I'm in school."

What the hell's going on? The detective was dressed in what Tristan would say was an all business suit but the look on his face, and the way he was asking the questions, as if they had no weight to them, was uncaring and not serious.

 The detective continued to write in his notebook. "More lies, huh? Saying you all have records when you really don't."

Tristan didn't know what was going on but he didn't like it. What was Detective Hobbs getting at with these questions? And what's with the notebook? Tristan was curious as to what he was doing with it. "What are you writing Detective Hobbs?"

The Detective looked up at him with a smile. "Give me a second." He put his pen into overdrive as he wrote and a second later stopped. "I was actually drawing something. Tell me if you like it." He said as he turned the notebook around so Tristan could see.