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Topic 29: The Kindness of Strangers (Ficlet)
Jul. 10th, 2006 01:28 pmAll in all, it had taken far longer than he had expected to end his imprisonment, but it did, at last, end.
“You’ve got to be joking,” said the Senator whose name he always had trouble recalling during his parole hearing.
“This man is directly responsible for murder, extortion, kidnapping and torture. How can you even think of letting him go?”
“If you look at every psychiatric evaluation done on him,” his lawyer argued passionately, “as well as the testimony of Mr. Flinkman, you will admit that he was in no way in control of or responsible for his actions.”
The hearing took a long time, which gave him ample opportunity to reflect on the irony of the situation. Psychiatric evaluations. So despite all their decades together, it wasn’t going to be Jack who would be securing his release. Despite the fact he loved her like a daughter, it would not be Sydney.
“…very well. Your client will be transferred to a medical facility. But regular reports will have to be…”
A medical facility. Well, that should not be a problem. It would be almost insultingly easy.
“…Mr. Bolger? Do you understand these conditions?”
“Naturally.”
If only they would not keep insisting on this masquerade and calling him by another name. He was Arvin Sloane, not someone named Ned Bolger. Still, it was a minor irritation. He could bear with it if it meant regaining his freedom. He should have known it would be through a lot of anonymous people he could care less about. Friendship, love, hate, they put you in chains visible or invisible; but you could always depend on the kindness of strangers.
Footnote: Ned Bolger was the man brainwashed into believing he was Arvin Sloane and featured in the s4 episodes Pandora, Another Mr. Sloane and In Dreams.
“You’ve got to be joking,” said the Senator whose name he always had trouble recalling during his parole hearing.
“This man is directly responsible for murder, extortion, kidnapping and torture. How can you even think of letting him go?”
“If you look at every psychiatric evaluation done on him,” his lawyer argued passionately, “as well as the testimony of Mr. Flinkman, you will admit that he was in no way in control of or responsible for his actions.”
The hearing took a long time, which gave him ample opportunity to reflect on the irony of the situation. Psychiatric evaluations. So despite all their decades together, it wasn’t going to be Jack who would be securing his release. Despite the fact he loved her like a daughter, it would not be Sydney.
“…very well. Your client will be transferred to a medical facility. But regular reports will have to be…”
A medical facility. Well, that should not be a problem. It would be almost insultingly easy.
“…Mr. Bolger? Do you understand these conditions?”
“Naturally.”
If only they would not keep insisting on this masquerade and calling him by another name. He was Arvin Sloane, not someone named Ned Bolger. Still, it was a minor irritation. He could bear with it if it meant regaining his freedom. He should have known it would be through a lot of anonymous people he could care less about. Friendship, love, hate, they put you in chains visible or invisible; but you could always depend on the kindness of strangers.
Footnote: Ned Bolger was the man brainwashed into believing he was Arvin Sloane and featured in the s4 episodes Pandora, Another Mr. Sloane and In Dreams.
