Cutter's Office, The ARC - Wednesday

[itsananomaly]

It was the day before their interview with Christine and Cutter was finding it difficult to control his nerves, he had been going over the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique as he waited with Connor for Becker to arrive. They were meeting in his office at the ARC to prepare for the interview and go over the questions that Christine was likely to ask them. Cutter fidgeted on the couch where he and Connor were sitting, "this was not how I pictured our return to the team at all," he said softly. [preplayed with the amazing anomaly_research_nerd. CW for mention of torture. NFB for distance but OOC welcome!]

Becker(thearcfamily)	Connor nodded as he shifted a little closer on the couch and put his arm around Cutter, trying to reassure him a bit. "it's definitely been a surprise " he said softly. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Lester and Beckerwas letting Christine do this. He knew it was for the best and really the only thing they could do. But Connor was still very nervous about it. Thankfully he didn't have to sit there fretting for long as Becker walked in a few minutes later. "Alright, sorry I'm late" he said apologetically. The line at the coffee shop was insane today" he said as he held up the drink tray with three large cups in it. Becker walked in and set the drinks down then took a moment to deliberate look at Cutter and Connor in turn to make sure they were holding up ok. "You both doing alright, all things considering?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter leaned against Connor, taking comfort from that for a few moments and when Becker arrived he straightened up a little to look at him. "Been trying to keep busy as I can," Cutter admitted, "it's been hard but Dr. Taylor said it was important to try and focus on the things I can control," And right now there wasn't a lot he could do to try and control everything that was happening with Christine.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Been about the same here too" Connor said softly. "Feel ok one minute and the next like I'm going to have a bit of a panic attack over all this. I... I'll be glad when it's done." Becker nodded and put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Well that is why we are doing this. To help you both be as ready as you can be and to be comfortable with what could happen tomorrow. But before we start, is there anything you both want to know or have questions about all of this?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"What happens if we say something wrong?" Cutter had been stressing about this, "does that give her cause to arrest us? Drag us from the ARC? I know it's just going to be us and Christine but ..." his voice trailed off uncertainly as he gazed helplessly at Becker and Connor, "the last time we were questioned ... " he couldn't bring himself to talk about what had happened when Helen had used the truth serum.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"No she is not going to arrest you then, or ever" Becker said reasuringly though he knew that last part wasn't necessarily true. But he wanted Cutter and Connor to be as relaxed and confident going into this as they could be. "We are only going over what she might ask and how to respond to make it less likely she has something she can use against us. There is no right or wrong answer, just one that might be better for us."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter bit his lip, fidgeting slightly at that, he was still nervous about the idea that he and Connor could be arrested but he nodded, "okay," he said softly, "um ... I think I'm ready to ready to start," He didn't feel ready but then he wasn't sure he was ever going to be ready for something like this.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor looked from Cutter to Becker and nodded slowly. "I... I'm as ready as I ever will be" he said, glancing down at his hands and realizing he was tugging at the gloves he was wearing. A quick flash of being back in that cell with Helen flashed through his mind and Connor fought to push it down again. "Alright, we'll start. First question, and remember, imagine these are coming from Christine. Why are you here right now talking to me?" Becker knew it was a little unfair starting to such an open-ended question, but he also knew one of the most important things for Cutter and Connor to remember during all this was say as little as possible and still answer the question and be mindful of the wording. He gave them both a small reassuring smile as he waited for their answers.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"You - you wanted to speak to us," Cutter's mouth went dry and he had to remind himself this was just practice, that they were there with Becker. He tried to keep as still and possible but he couldn't help but fidget slightly.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"You wanted to talk to us about what happened with Helen" Connor said softly, fighting back the butterflies in his stomach just then. "Alright, good" Becker said with a small nod. "Just remember, don't provide anything more than what she's asking for. If she hasn't specifically asked about Helen or such then don't bring her up in your answers. And if you do, try and remember to use words like "supposedly" or "allegedly" when you can."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, biting his lip as he tried to file that away, "okay, I'll remember to do that tomorrow," he said softly, really wishing that was the case, he was positive that he was going to end up screwing this up and just put him and Connor in even more trouble.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Tell me about what happened while you were with Helen and how you helped her while she had you imprisoned." Another trick question yes, but they needed to be prepared for questions like this. It was exactly the kind of thing Christine would ask to try and get a second hand confession out of them.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled, he knew there would be worse questions that Christine would ask them but he hadn’t expected one about Helen so soon and for a moment his mind went blank and he looked at Connor, panicked and then back at Becker, “I … Helen kidnapped us, she held us for a week and … I … I thought … she told me Connor was dead … I …” his voice trailed off as he was pretty sure he had just said something wrong now and that had basically confirmed he’d helped her, “I … supposedly … “ he winced at how bad this was sounding, “allegedly, I … I wanted Connor back …I mean I did want Connor back,” He realised there was no way that he could answer the question without saying that he had helped her, he was stuck … “I … I …” he looked helplessly at Becker, he wasn’t sure what to say now.
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker had figured they would struggle with questions like that. It was why he was throwing them at them, and he hated himself for having to do this. But it was better for them to figure it out with him, and not Christine sitting across the table. "Hey, it's alright Nick" he said softly as he reached out a put a hand on Cutter's. "It's a trick question, exactly the kind Christine is likely to use." Becker stayed quiet for a moment, trying not to overwhelm them as he continued. "Any question Christine asks, make sure she's not asking any leading questions. If shes asking you something and shes already pushing towards a specific answer shes looking for, challenge it." Connor nodded slowly as he spoke up. "So for that question, she was already acting like we had helped Helen. So... so we would have to say we didn't help Helen and didn't do anything to be considered treason before we say anything about what she did to us. Right?" Becker smiled and nodded. "Exactly. Shes already leading with the assumption you are guilty and will use your answers to prove you are. So challenging that assumption is critical."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter took a deep breath and nodded, trembling slightly as Becker held his hand on his, "I ... I don't know if I can do this..." he said softly, "I'm ... I'm going to mess this up," He hesitated, "We're only two questions in and I've already messed up,"
Becker(thearcfamily)	Connor looked over and put a hand on Cutter's and gave a gentle squeeze as he held on. Becker too looked at Cutter, feeling guilty about putting them both through all of this. "It's ok Nick" he said gently. "Let's take a little break for a bit" he said with a small nod towards the coffee cup. He took a drink and then continued. "Actually, I forgot to tell you both one of the most important and useful responses you can have for something like this. Anytime Christine asks something you don't want to answer or you are unsure of how to answer, simply say "no comment." It helps protect yourselves against saying something self-incriminating and doesn't give her leverage in the interview. You... likely cant get away with using it for every question, but it is very much an accepted and legal response to questions like these."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter gave a small smile at Connor, grateful for the reassurance, he wished he was better at this, "a break sounds good," he said softly and then reached over towards his coffee cup and took a sip, taking a moment to focus on his breathing, "it would definitely be easier if I could just say no comment to all the questions," he said softly, "I'd be less likely to mess up that way," he took another sip of coffee. He paused, "how long do you think the interview is likely to go for?"
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Hard to say how long really" Becker said as he took another sip of his coffee. "Christine will want to try and go until she gets what she wants and needs to try to get the treason charges to stick. So answering 'no comment' and giving her 'allegedly' framed answers will make that harder. So it will likely elnth the interview but will make sure she doest get what she wants. It... it sucks but right now, we're basically playing a game of seeing who gives up first. Christine wants us to crack and make it easy on her and we want to make her frustrated enough she slips up or just gives up." "But you will be nearby right, Becker?" Connor asked looking a little worried- the idea of being alone with Christine still terrified him. "I will be right outside the door the entire time" Becker reassured them. "I likely wont be able to hear the interview but if anything goes off or you need me just call out and I will be there and we will end the interview then and there" he promised them.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded and took a sip of coffee, it sucked that Becker wouldn't be in the room with them but he knew that also meant that Christine's men wouldn't be with them and that thought terrified him, "and she can't do anything to hurt us physically right? To try and get us to confess?" he wouldn't put it past Christine to do anything to get a confession out of them but facing possible treason charges ... maybe that gave her a different set of rules to follow.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Christine is to do nothing more than ask you questions. She is not to lay a hand on either of you or threaten you physically in any way" Becker said. "I may not be in the room but I will be outside. If anything happens you do not feel comfortable with, or if she does try and pull something, just call out to me and I will be there. No matter what she might threaten if she stoops to that. I will be in there and at your side in a matter of seconds." It was killing Becker having to talk about this and having to put Cutter and Connor through this. But knew it had to be done. And he also wouldn't put it past Christine to try and use physical threats or physical violence if she wanted. So it was critical Cutter and Connor knew that he would be there the instant anything happened that they were uncomfortable with.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter took a deep breath, he was still anxious about the interview but knowing that Becker was going to be close was comforting, "okay," he said softly, "um ... " he glanced at Connor and then back at Connor, before he put down the coffee cup, "I'm ... I think I'm ready to try the questions again,"
Becker(thearcfamily)	"I think.... I think I am ready too" Connor said with as confident a nod as he could muster as he put his own coffee cup down. "Alright. Next question," Becker said giving them both a nod and looking a little apologetic for where the next questions were going to go. "Tell me about your relationship to Helen Cutter and why she would have been interested in kidnapping you as you claim."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter took a deep breath, "Helen was ...is my wife," which yeah he was going to have to figure out the legality of his marriage because the idea that he was still legally married to her made him feel ill and he knew that would be something that Christine would exploit, "she ... she wanted to break me, she didn't like that I was with Connor, she ... she wanted me to go back to her,"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor flinched slightly at that question and at hearing Cutter's response. He took a slow deep breath as he got ready to give his answer. "Helen Cutter worked at the University I went to at one point. I... never knew her till I got... with Cutter and she started messing with the anomalies." Connor hesitated, realizing he probably shouldn't have brought up the anomalies. "We at the ARC try to keep the public safe, deal with the security threats, and Helen seemed interested in the exact opposite."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter hesitated, unsure if he should bring up the next part of not but he took a deep breath, hoping that this was the right response, "Helen was after a way to create a stable link to a future anomaly, she thought ... allegedly that we could give her that information,"
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker was quiet for a moment. The answers were pretty good. And truth be told, Christine would likely find a way to manipulate even the most basic and innocent of answers. He nodded slowly as he thought about the next question to ask. "Connor Temple" he said, looking over at where he was sitting. "Tell me why you did not try to escape Helen and get back to the ARC and save yourself?" Connor opened his mouth to say something. To say that it was because he didn't want to leave Cutter and was afraid what would happen if he left. But he realized Christine would try and twist that into him being worried Cutter would turn traitor if left on his own. So instead, he simply looked at Becker and shook his head. "No comment" was all he said. Becker gave a small smirk and nodded and then turned to look at Cutter. "Professor Cutter, what did Helen give you in exchange for your help and for betraying your country?" Becker needed to push them to see how they would respond and to remind them they could push back and didn't have to give Christine anything that could incriminate them.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter fidgeted slightly and he knew there was no way that he could answer this question without admitting his guilt that he did help Helen, he took a deep breath and very quietly said, “no comment,” following Connor’s lead.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Good. Very good" Becker said with a smile. "Remember, Christine can't force you to say anything one way or another. She can yell and try to intimidate but she can't do anything to you or anyone else. So don't be afraid to use that when you don't feel right answering a question." There were some more questions he wanted to go over with them and a few situations where he wanted to make sure they knew what to do. But all in all Becker felt Cutter and Connor were doing quite well. "Just remember, this isn't a trial. It's just Christine trying to fish for information and something she can use. We are going to make sure she doesn't get what she wants. You both are going to be fine. And Lester and I both are going to be nearby keeping an eye on things the best that we can."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter took a deep breath, he was still rather anxious and this was a lot to process. “Okay,” he said quietly, “I think I can remember to do that, will …” his voice trailed off, “what if she tries to offer us deals or something in exchange for confessing …is …will that be something she can do?”’Cutter wasn’t sure how well he’d go if Christine started offering deals, especially if they could protect Connor and the team.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"She can make an offer, but any decision on a plea deal or special arrangement has to come from the Defense Minister. He has to approve anything like that so Christine could propose something but she has no power to grant any deal then and there to anyone." Becker knew she would likely try and do something like that so it was a good thing that they were ready and knew that anything Christine offered that sounded too good to be true likely would be.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Oh," Cutter said quietly, not sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. He knew it would be a weakness that Christine would try to exploit, his desire to protect Connor and his team and after everything they had been through with Helen, the first offer he got that would have spared them he would have taken it even if it meant going to jail for the rest of his life. "I ... I ... guess there's a lot of tactics Christine's going to try and get confessions from us isn't there?" he said softly.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Unfortunately, there are" Becker said simply. "We.. we cant prepare for all of it, but this has been a good practice I think. It will help all of us be a little more prepared to deal with what Christine might try to throw at us during all of this." "I... I know I'm still worried, nervous about all this" Connor said softly as he looked over at Cutter and then at Becker. "But this... this has helped some" he added with a small smile.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter looked over at Connor and as well and then back to Becker, "This has helped with some ofd the uncertainty of what Christine will try and throw at us, I don't know if I'm going to get any sleep before tomorrow," he admitted, not that he really slept much at all these days but after the camping trip with Becker he had been able to get more than a few hours at a time. "But thank you for helping us Becker," he said softly.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"It has helped. Everything you have done, since day one, has helped" Connor said with a soft fond smile. "Thank you Hills" he said, the smile growing a bit as he dropped the nickname he had used now and then. Becker smiled at that and reached out and put a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Just glad I can be part of the team with you guys" he said simply. And don't worry. Whatever Christine tries to pull, whatever she does, we will get through it. Together. As a team."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter gave a soft smile at that, "I know I feel a lot better about our prospects, with you helping us," he said, relaxing somewhat now that he wasn't as stressed about possible interview questions or tactics, "I know I wouldn't be able to do this without your help,"
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker smiled fondly at that nickname, giving Connor and Cutter both a nod. "It's an honor and a privilege. You both will always be a part of this team until you choose otherwise" he said with a small smile and a nod to the dog tags they both wore, his own matching one hanging around his neck as well. "Christine won't be able to break us so long as we stand against her together."