Follow the Rules

"Thank you, ma'am. I understand that was hard for you. We also wanted to fill you in on what happened last night."

"You may have heard about the Hard Z's and the Locos?"

I nodded. They frequented the bar where I worked.

"Well, they are both gangs in the area and involved in illegal activities: drugs, smuggling, prostitution and the like. The Police Department received information that a conflict was brewing between the two gangs and we put agents into place. The sting went on for 6 months but it came to a head last night. We found out that a bomb was in place in a school for retaliation for another act. Our operators worked out a deal late last night to identify the location of the school and then bust both gangs."

He looked at me expectantly. I looked back. What did he want - a high-five?

"One of the men who raped you last night, the second one, a Mr. Jose Fernandez, was identified as a member of the Locos. He was found dead on arrival."

He paused, looking uncomfortable now. That was interesting.

"The other man who ... raped you..."

"Zachary," I said. I wouldn't ask if he was okay.

"Yes, he... His name is Zachary Kant. He was - he was one of the agents workings under cover in the sting operation."

What. The. Fuck.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He cleared his throat, "Zachary Kant is an officer with the FBI who, working in conjunction with the local police department, infiltrated the Locos gang. His participation was vital in determining the location of the bomb, which was found and removed from an elementary school early this morning. No one was hurt." Well, that wasn't quite true, was it?

"So, I was ... I was raped by an FBI agent."

"Ah, yes. I believe that the reasoning was to keep cover and also to" - he cleared his throat again -- "to protect you. It was his belief that you would be ... you would be violently gang raped and possibly killed had he left you to the other men. He attempted to claim you in a manner that is common among that group of people."

"I ... I see."

"Yes, well, undercover officers are given immunity for certain crimes that they commit as part of their role, but that particular one ... well, ma'am, the precedents are ... unclear. It will be up to you as to whether or not you want to press charges."

"Ah." That's why he was nervous.

"Even if you do, it is possible that the DA or judge will pardon him ... considering the circumstances. Still, that won't come into play unless you decide to pursue this."

"I see. Well, I ... this is a lot to take in. But I guess I ... don't want to press charges."

"Ah. Okay. Good," he sounded relieved.

He wrapped up by giving me information about victim's counseling and his business card -- into the trash with both of those.

So. Zachary was an undercover agent. Zachary Kant. And he was okay, I presumed, since the detective was concerned about pressing charges.

And it made sense, though, his reasoning for doing what he did. He was probably right about what would have happened to me. So in a way he did save me, even if he had to rape me to do it. And he didn't protect me from that man, Mr. Jose Fernandez, but he was a little busy -- what with being in the middle of a gang war and saving a school-full of children and everything. And in the end, he had saved me.

But Zachary hadn't come. This detective had come and taken my statement and explained about the undercover operation, but Zachary hadn't come to see if I was alright.