Seriously Inconvenienced Ch. 05

Part 21 - The Party and the Party

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" blared the redheaded reporterette from Courthouse Square. "Channel Two News has learned that the fire on the mountainside that destroyed the home of Police Commander Donald Troy was very likely arson and an assassination attempt. The FBI has taken over the case, saying only that they believe the arsonists have been crossing the State Line in and out of the County, thus making this a Federal case, but would not confirm any other details, including the intended victim of the assassination attempt."

Shut the fuck up, Bettina, I thought silently as I watched. Have I mentioned that despite having some really good sex with Bettina Wurtzburg, I was still not a fan of the Press?

Several still photographs of the fire, taken by citizens all over the County, were being shown as Bettina continued: "Citizens have sent in photos taken of the fire, which could be seen from miles away, even over the top of the mountain by people to the east. This was once the home of the late CEO of Crown Chemicals, old Mr. Bonniker, and there has been speculation that the arsonists were part of the environmentalist terrorist group 'Proactive Citizens of Greenworld'."

"However, Commander Troy himself stated that he does not believe it was environmentalists from an incident a decade ago that set the fire. Commander Troy also stated his gratitude for the Town & County Fire Department, who he said acted with the highest professionalism and whose actions prevented any brush fires that might have caused a larger threat to other homes and to the University below the house." Okay, that part was more acceptable, I thought to myself. I might give Bettina another good rogering, after all...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Monday night, November 24th. I escorted Laura to the home of Dr. Sidney Wellman, President of the University. Sheriff-Elect Daniel Allgood and his lovely wife Melina rode with us.

I endured a great many offers of condolences upon the loss of my home, accepting them as graciously as I could then trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. I understood the sympathy and the social graces in their words, but I simply did not want to deal with all that for the time being.

About an hour into the party, I was in the back library room. Also in the room at the time were President Wellman, who was talking to BOW Enterprises CEO Todd Burke and Dynacorp potential heir Seth Warner. I noted that Town & County Councilman and pastor of First Baptist Church, Raymond Westboro, was talking with Daniel Allgood and T&C Councilman Thomas P. Cook. I'd been chatting with Dr. Bonnie Karpathian when Councilman Reginald B.F. Lewis joined us. I took the opportunity to engage Councilman Lewis in conversation.

"I have to admit," said Lewis, "I didn't know if you were going to give Precincts the effort I wanted, but I've been pleasantly surprised. And your idea of the Old Mill for the 2nd Precinct, I've got to admit, Commander, that was a stroke of genius. It's working out much, much better than I had originally hoped it would."

"Thank you Councilman." I said with alacrity, hoping that my voice would carry, and it did. "As you know, my background is in I.T., and tomorrow night I'm going to be personally overseeing the installation of the secure I.T. and phone lines there. We're going to work through the night, and should be finished by Wednesday morning."

"You can't do that during the day?" Lewis asked, his voice also carrying.

"Since it's the secure lines, the fewer people, the better." I said. "I'll have our people who have the highest clearances working, and by doing it through the night we'll maintain secrecy better."

"But you'll have protection, there?" asked Lewis, "You'll have some patrol officers there in case there's trouble?"

"No sir." I said. "Nobody will know we're there. We're keeping it quiet. I'm not anticipating any trouble, and we can call for help if we need it."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"We've got them!"

It was Myron Milton. He had burst into my office with the news, forgetting decorum. It was Tuesday morning, November 25th, about 1:30am.

"We just got the cellphone pings- oh, sorry Commander, I didn't even knock."

"And if the news is as good as I think it is, you don't need to." I said, letting him off the hook.

Myron put a large map on my desk, facing me. "Right here, just to the west of the State Line. There's a small farmhouse here, which is used by workers for BigAgraFoods when they're harvesting the crops. Right now, it should be empty. But three of the stolen cellphones from the bank job lit up there about midnight, then a burner phone lit up for nearly 30 minutes."

"Good." I said. "Keep this quiet, Myron. I'll let the proper people know."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At 4:30am Teresa Croyle, wearing all black, pulled the car off the main road and stopped briefly, letting off the two black-clad, fully masked men. Seth Warner and Teddy Franklin crossed the road and ran straight down the road to the farmhouse nearly a mile away. Todd Burke stayed in the car with Teresa.

The white van was parked under an awning in the backyard. Not a sound could be heard as the young men crept up to the vehicle. They very gently put tracking devices under the bumpers, which had magnets enabling them to stick tightly to the steel frame of the van. Two in back, one in front. Only one of them clanked as it was attached. The young men retreated back down the road, and they only had to wait a moment for the car coming east down the road to stop and pick them up.

"How'd it go?" Teresa asked as she crossed the State Line back into her home County.

"Great." said Teddy.

"The party never stops in my uncle's Town & County." said Todd. "The tracking transmitters will work... if they're not detected. By the way, why did my uncle want us to plant those devices?"

"He told me so that if the perps tried to run before the FBI was ready to go in after them tomorrow, we'd be able to track them." Teresa replied.

"Why not just go get them now, tonight?" asked Seth Warner.

"That's what I wanted to do." said Todd, menace in his voice.

"Which is why your uncle told me to keep you in the car." said Teresa. "As to why... maybe the Feds aren't ready to raid them yet, or maybe they expect more people to show up. At any rate, the Commander asked me to drive by the Old Mill and time the drive..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"What was that?" Keeler said. He had been dozing when he thought he'd heard a metallic clank from somewhere.

Keeler's voice awakened the youngish leader of the group. "What was what?" he hissed.

"Nothin'." Keeler said, looking out the back window, not seeing anything in the darkness.

"You idiot, did you fall asleep?"

"No, of course not." Keeler said, not admitting that he had indeed dozed off.

"Keep watch, old man. You're not relieved until dawn."

Keeler looked out the window, then went to one of the front rooms and looked out. He could hardly make out the front drive that led to the road. He turned back inside, needing to use the bathroom, and did not notice the two figures in black that merged with the pre-morning darkness as they ran swiftly down the road...

Part 22 - Murder in Cold Blood

"So, did you get the device installed?" Barry asked Taro late on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 25th. Taro had been in his office most of the day.

"It is ready to go." said Taro. "I will handle it personally."

"Taro, are you okay?" asked Barry. "You're looking tired. You should take the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving, even if you said you don't want to. Why don't you come to our place Thursday? Tanya is a good cook."

"I am fine, my friend." Taro said. "And I appreciate your kind invitation. But perhaps you are right. I will stay at home and rest. Would you do me a favor, Barry-san?"

"Sure." said Barry.

"Tomorrow, please mail this letter to my father." Taro said. "And give this scroll to your Commander Troy."

"Uh, sure, but why don't you do it?" Barry asked.

"Ah, but I will be resting, as you have advised." Taro said, a smile forming on his face.

"Okay, sure. I'm heading home myself. See you tomorrow." said Barry.

"Sayonara, Barry-san." Taro replied. Barry left the office, feeling strange about Taro's actions.

Taro remained in his office for a long time, until the darkness of the night had descended. He thought of his father, one of Japan's greatest men, and the family heritage of ten thousand years, a lineage of the greatest nobility. Taro was the second son of his father, and his father had been angry when Taro had not followed his elder brother into the family business, but had become an engineer and emigrated to the United States.

Taro had felt the shame of what his father had considered betrayal of the family heritage, and he knew he had to make things right. For his soul's salvation, he would make things right.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Yes," Todd said into the phone. "We're set. It's all good." He hung up as his wife came up to him.

"Who's that at this hour?" she asked.

"Oh, nobody." Todd replied. "Is dinner ready?"

"Just about." Jeanine said. "Why don't you get Doug ready and I'll change Jack? Wow... only two babies... slow night tonight."

"Yeah, but it's been fun with Carole and Jim." said Todd. "Carole thinks its her job to be their second mommy..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I entered the semi-darkened warehouse. The Ward Harvester truck was near the entrance. Taro was next to it.

"Taro-san." I said. "Here is the device you needed. It's tuned to the frequency of the transmitters, so you'll know what truck it is."

"Thank you, Commander-sama." Taro said. I was struck by the '-sama' title, it was addressing me as Taro's superior. Taro noticed that I had realized it, and the honor being done to me.

"You are a very great man doing very great things, Commander-sama." said Taro. "I am honored to work with you tonight."

"Thank you, Taro-san." I said. "I'm honored to be working with you, also." Why the formality? I wondered as I looked into the truck, seeing some equipment in the center, attached to the dashboard. "So is that the remote control?"

"It is part of it, Commander-sama." said Taro. "I had trouble making your schematics work, but I have found a better solution. With this tracking device, it will work well."

I instinctively knew what was going on. Taro extended his arm, a scroll in his hand, rolled up and tied with string. I took it with both hands, formally.

"Please, send that to my father." said Taro. "I think you should return to the Old Mill and get ready, Commander-sama."

"It will be my honor to make sure your father receives this, Taro-sama. May the kami guide you in your mission tonight." I said, returning the honor. I bowed and Taro returned the bow, then I turned and left.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Okay, we've got the word." said the leader of the group. He and his two counterparts were dressed in all black. Gruff was dressed in a flannel shirt and blue jeans. Keeler was dressed in black pants and a blue pullover sweater, not yet changing to the uncomfortable black shirt. Skinny Beard was dressed in his normal college attire.

"The attack is on." said the Leader. "We're going to hit the Old Mill at 4:00am, kill the Iron Crowbar and his team, set the building on fire like we did the Iron Crowbar's house on the hill, then pull out within ten minutes. We will not be coming back here, but will drive on south to Coltrane County, then west back into this State and then drive west until we hit the Bay Area in California. We'll disperse there. Keep your 'blue' burner phones available for when the Boss calls us back into action. Any questions?"

"Skinny Beard, don't you have to get dressed?" Keeler asked, contempt in his voice.

"He's not going with us tonight, old man." said the Leader, equal contempt in his voice... for Keeler. "Skinny Beard, I know you want to kill the Iron Crowbar yourself, but the Boss wants to make sure this is done right and done fast, and your poisons won't be what we use. The Boss has been very happy with your work in this County, and he's going to have some good compensation for you. He wants you to drive to the City tonight. Leave right now, get in touch with our contact in the safehouse there."

"Yes sir." said Skinny Beard, not questioning the orders, though disappointed that he could not administer the death poison to the Iron Crowbar that he'd so joyously delivered to Pete Feeley, Tim Dawdle, Hugh Hewitt and the others. His days of killing were not over, though. He realized he had better things ahead of him. He also knew what was going to happen, and was glad he did not have to witness it nor be any part of it.

Skinny Beard left, taking the old car that had also been parked behind the house, heading east. He'd go by his dorm room at the School, pick up his things, and be off to the City by the time the mercenaries pulled out for their mission.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After taking Laura home from Dr. Wellman's reception, with Teresa and Cindy staying with her again, I went to Police Headquarters.

"Okay, Hugh," I said to Senior Sergeant Hewitt, the SWAT Team leader, who was dressed as a technician. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes sir." Hugh said. "Are you sure four of us is enough?"

"Yes." I said. "I'm anticipating only three or four of them to attack us tonight. We should have plenty. Lt. Michaels has the other four on standby here at Headquarters, just in case.

"Sounds good. We're ready." Hugh said. The weapons were already in the van, and so it looked like four technicians and myself were climbing in without arms. We believed we were being observed, but though I watched carefully, I saw no one. And that is what I expected to see when the real 'Moriarty' was involved.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Okay, that was good." said the Leader after the third practice of their movements for the raid. "Let's get the weapons in the car. Gruff, you're driving. Sheets, you handle the door and take the rearguard."

"You sure have more than enough firepower in that van." Keeler said.

"We're carrying it all." said the Leader. "As I said, we're not coming back here."

"What do you want me to do?" Keeler asked.

"Nothing." said the Leader. "You're not going with us. You're staying here."

"What?" Keeler said. "But you said you're not coming back here!"

"That's right, you piece of shit." the Leader said. A semi-automatic pistol appeared in his hand, a .22 Magnum with a silencer, which the thug quickly raised to the side of Keeler's head. "We're tired of your shit and your attitude. End of the line for you, old man." With that, the Leader pulled the trigger and the bullet drove through Keeler's head from left to right. 'Santa Claus' dropped to the floor, dead... murdered in cold blood. A second shot to the eyeball made sure.

"Well, that puts us on the 'naughty' list." said the Leader, grinning, having done to Keeler what he'd wanted to do for some considerable time. The others laughed, then the Leader said "Let's get going."

Part 23 - Night of the Samurai Warrior

At 3:45am the van pulled out of the driveway and turned east onto the main road. Within some minutes they'd crossed the bridge over the river that was the State Line. Gruff kept a sharp eye out as he drove the legal speed limit, but failed to notice the patrol cruiser that was hidden well inside the brush, some distance from the road.

Sergeant Rudistan and Sr. Patrolman Morton did not speak into a radio, but only pushed the talk button five times, breaking static. I heard the breaks on my police radio at the Old Mill.

"Okay, they've crossed the State Line." I said to the SWAT Team. "They're coming." It had been a busy few hours at the Old Mill, as we had a couple of lights on and I really did install some servers, though not the secure ones... those had already been put in place, days before.

It was all a ruse. We were going to see who would ambush who.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Takaki Taichi waited in the truck. His body was racked by pain, which was now his constant companion.

Don't think of the pain, he thought to himself. What is pain but a privilege for a samurai to bear. It will not be long now, and the pain will go away. Bear the pain, as the samurai warrior you are, the warrior you are meant to be, that your father wanted you to be...

He heard the breaking of the radio, followed by the words "Go Time!" on his radio, set to encrypted Channel 5 police radio. He pulled the truck out onto the highway, coming north on the bypass.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Okay, Gruff," said the Leader after taking a radio message, "take the bypass south to Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, go east on MLK and drive right into the Old Mill parking lot. They're there, nobody else is. Sheets, anything on Police Radio?"

"No, not yet." said the black-clad mercenary. "Their encrypted channel broke static for a second, but I didn't catch anything. Probably nothing."

"Keep your eyes out, all the same, Gruff." said the Leader. "If you see any police patrols near the Old Mill, any extra cops at the site, anything at all, we're aborting the mission."

"Hey dude," said Sheets as he listened to the radio. "I'm picking up some strange static. Like a transmitter signal in a feedback loop."

"What does that mean?" asked the Leader.

"Type of passive device picks up a signal then echoes back." said Sheets. "Probably some feedback from a car or radio station."

"Keep going." said the Leader, growing nervous. "Sheets, let me know if you get something strange again."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Taro's beeper on his device began beeping. He saw the blip of light on his device. He revved the truck, flooring the gas pedal as he began driving north in the southbound lanes with his lights turned off. The signal became stronger and he could see the shape of the van in the distance in front of him. He steered toward it, his truck gathering speed, as the signal became stronger, much stronger...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Oh shit, feedback loop is getting strong." said Sheets. "Could be police or a detection device."

"Keep driving down the bypass." said the Leader. "We'll circle back and hit the Mill if we don't see cops. If we do see cops, keep going south, Gruff.

Gruff acknowledged the orders, looking out onto the darkness of the road. Then, in that darkness, he was realizing that a seemingly darker shape that had blended in with the horizon was now getting bigger. Only too late did he realize that it was a truck bearing down on him at breakneck speed! There was no time to swerve, the collision was inevitable.

"Oh, shit..." Gruff said, then lost control of his bowels... saying it and then doing it in his last act of life...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As he bore down on the van, Takaki Taichi felt the exultation of his final mission, his supreme moment in life. He could feel his innermost soul crying out for release, and as the vehicles were about to make contact he heard himself scream almost joyously:

"Ban-saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...

Part 24 - The Dying Fire

***KA-PWOW!!***

The explosion was felt all over Town, waking many residents up. I looked out the window of the Old Mill in time to see a bright fireball to my northwest rolling upwards.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Senior Sergeant Hugh Hewitt.

"Let's go!" I shouted. "Looks like a car collision on the West Bypass!" I ran out and got in a police cruiser, the SWAT team piling into their van and following.