Agents and Angels Ch. 01

"I'd say that beats the hell out of being a Senior Patrolman," I said, "which is what you can be busted down to if you keep this shit up. But let's get to the chase of that: today you disrespected your immediate superior Officer, and you disrespected the TCPD. You've just admitted that I have no reason not to kick your ass clean off the Force. And with actions like those, you are complaining that you haven't made Captain? Do you not consider that actions like yours are the reason you're not being considered for Captain?"

"I think I should've been a Captain a long time ago, Commander." said Briggs. "There's a space in the Deputy Chief's office. Promote others, move everyone up, and give me what I deserve."

Wow, the effrontery, I thought to myself. I changed tack.

"Tell me, Briggs... do you have a problem with a woman being your immediate superior officer?"

"No sir." said Briggs, who looked offended at the question. "And I've never said anything to that effect, so don't even try to run me out of here on a rail like that."

"I dunno." I said. "You avoided Captain Croyle's phone call, but responded to mine within a few minutes. I don't know what your reason for that disrespect is, Mr. Briggs, but you had better un-fuck yourself and get your head out of your ass. Or you will be gone. I'd suggest you consult with your Union Rep, as I believe you're going to need that rep in the near future. Dismissed."

"Sir, I----"

"I said 'Dismissed'!" I practically shouted. I then turned in my chair to face the window behind me. Briggs found his way to the door and exited the office.

Moments later, Teresa came in. "Well, sir?" she said.

"Make sure that anything you order him to do, be it attending a meeting, changing a duty schedule, or sweeping the floor," I said, "that you document it in writing, and send a copy to me. If he crosses the line even one more time, he's done."

"Thank you, sir." said Teresa.

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

"How's your back?" asked Cindy as she and Teresa ate their lunch at the Applebee's near the Mall. Even at the height of lunch hour, the restaurant was only half full.

"It's okay." said Teresa. "But there's a knot on it. Don wasn't fucking around this morning; he hit me with everything he had."

"So I heard." said Cindy. "So he's ready for the Boxing Matches?"

"Ready?" Teresa said with mock shock. "Yes, I dare say he's ready. I do admit he got to me with the chatter, but everything I tried to do he easily blocked, and then he just whaled on me. If he keeps that up, he's going to whip both our asses and win the Boxing Matches going away."

Cindy nodded, not very happy to hear that news.

"Look," Teresa continued, "when he beat you in the Finals the year before last, I always thought it was partly because he surprised you with his level of ability, and it still took him nearly three full rounds to take you down. And I know I surprised you last summer with my training, and it was still an even match for most of it. But today, Don didn't even try to hide it... he's at a different level than he was, and I suspect he intends to wipe the gym floor with both of us."

"We shall see." Cindy said. "I've been training, myself."

"And you better step it up." said Teresa. "I've been training, too... and I got my ass beat down hard this morning, in front of my SpecOps team and a lot of other Officers. I've got work to do."

"Well, one thing's for sure." said Cindy. "I'm not going to let Don's potty mouth get to me. Psychology alone won't win the Police Boxing Matches."

Teresa said nothing, and decided that changing the subject was a good idea. "So how is your accounting class going?"

"I'll get a B for sure, maybe an A if I can do well on the rest of the tests." said Cindy. "And I've got enough overall credits to get a second degree, in Business Administration."

"That's great!" Teresa said. "I probably should go back to school, too."

"In what?" Cindy asked.

"Psychology."

Part 5 - The Call To Action

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, February 21st, from in front of the State Office Building. "Fox Two News has learned that State Attorney Glenn Alberts has been named as lead counsel for the State in the Jan Camp lawsuit against the University!"

"State Attorney General Karl Handel named Mr. Alberts as the lead counsel as first motions are being filed in preparation for the trial." said Bettina. "Mr. Alberts is the State Attorney usually assigned to the Midtown area, but he'll be working out of our County's Superior Court. Superior Court Judge Harry 'Spud' Nance has been assigned the case by Chief Judge Patrick R. Folsom."

"Fox Two News will continue to cover the Camp lawsuit," said Bettina, "in which Women's Studies Professor Jan Camp was fired for exposing favoritism towards student athletes by the University, including changing grades."

"In local news, BOW Enterprises made a stunning announcement yesterday that they've been awarded patents for artificial intelligence software and hardware." Bettina went on. "Experts say this new technology could completely revolutionize the artificial intelligence space, and affect the lives of every human being on our planet! In a statement to the Press, CEO Todd Burke said that his team did an outstanding job developing this technology."

"In State news," Bettina said, "Frustration grows under the gold-plated dome of the State Capitol, as total gridlock has overcome the Legislature. While Senator Maxine Watts has stopped her effort to hold all bills until there is an investigation of the death of superstar singer Jasmine Nix, she and other caucuses within the Legislature continue to be at odds on everything from the Budget to the Governor's Tax Reform plan to the Law Enforcement bill."

Bettina got in her last shots: "Experts say that all of this can be blamed on Governor Val Jared and his failure to lead. With Social Justice groups such as 'Black Voices Raised' continuing to point out Jared's racism and misogyny, about the only thing Legislators and others can agree upon is that Jared needs to step down as Governor..."

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

"My condolences to you and the Bulldogs, Captain Ross." I said as we drank coffee in MCD after the Bettina broadcast.

"What do you mean?" Cindy asked.

"Glenn Alberts." I said. "I'd rather bet on the Atlanta Falcons to hold a fourth quarter lead than bet on Alberts to successfully defend the University against Jan Camp."

"Shouldn't it be a slam-dunk case for the University, sir?" asked Parker.

"I'd think a 28-3 lead would be a slam-dunk, too." I said. "But the Atlanta Falcons always find a way to humiliate the city of Atlanta, and I'll bet Alberts finds a way to screw it up for the University, too."

"That bad, huh?" asked Rudistan jovially. "Glad I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan."

"Sergeant Rudistan," I said, "you are now officially in my wife's good graces."

"Sir, what's going to happen with the Budget?" asked Joanne Warner. "Will they get anything passed?"

"The Budget issue isn't that bad." I said. "If they don't pass one, then appropriations continue at last year's levels... but without the baseline budgeting automatic increases for inflation. The Governor would actually welcome that. My concern is the Law Enforcement bill. Salaries will continue as part of the Budget, but money for things like equipment and building repairs have to be allocated each year, and won't be automatically renewed. And the SBI is in total limbo right now. As much as I've always disliked them, I dislike the uncertainty even more."

"Says the SBI Reserve Inspector." Cindy said as she sipped her coffee. A red crowbar was waved in her general direction.

"They'll work out something." said Joanne. "They always do."

"Not this time." said Theo Washington. "The Governor is going to veto the Budget and Law Enforcement bills if both don't add significantly to interdiction of Illegal Aliens. And both Parties are dug in against that."

"Isn't immigration a Federal issue?" asked Jerome Davis.

"Not when it's you and me making the actual arrests, Detective Davis." Sergeant Morton astutely said.

"True, that." I said. "Okay, I'll be in my office while the Political Roundtable continues in here. Good coffee this morning, Detective Davis."

"Thank you, sir." said Davis. "Anchors aweigh!"

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

"Coltrane County will be free of speed traps for this week and next." Cindy said after we watched the gorgeous Priya Ajmani's KSTD report at 8:00am in my office. "Deputy Strait is taking his first vacation since becoming a Coltrane County LEO. He's visiting his 'new' family in Charlotte, North Carolina."

"That's awesome." I said. "I think old Mr. Davis would be happy for him, and his war buddy Strait's family, too."

"You miss old Mr. Davis," said Cindy, seeing my face turn wistful, "like I miss Mrs. Veasley."

I nodded. "Yes. Good people. Those anarchists of those so-called 'Social Justice' groups could learn a few things from people like Mrs. Veasley and Mr. Davis."

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

I fished out my Police cellphone and answered it. "Hello, Deputy Strait." I said. "Your ears must be burning. We were just talking about you being on vacation."

"Yes sir," said Strait, "I'm in North Carolina. Sir... there's something strange going on over here and I thought I should call you..."

TO BE CONTINUED.