Consent of the Governed Ch. 04

"Yes sir." said Joanne. "It may be overkill, but it's a good extra layer of protection if we need it."

Jerome added: "Lieutenant Milton, Myron Milton, will be putting in all the keycodes for us today, sir. Until then, I'm leaving our doors open, but you know that someone will come in and close the doors just to see how they look, and we'll need our temp cards------"

*SLAM!*

We looked at the other end, to see that Sheriff Griswold had come in and shut the door behind him, observing the door.

"That didn't take long." I said quietly to Jerome, who grinned. Then I said loudly: "Good morning, Sheriff. I think you just locked us in."

"Har!" growled the Sheriff, knowing that couldn't happen... the doors had knobs on the insides, and merely needed to be turned to manually open the door. Fire code regulations, wouldn't you know. "Looks good. This was a good idea you had, Ms. Warner."

"Thank you, sir." Joanne said brightly.

"Did Alabama take care of their lightwork against Tennessee?" the Sheriff asked.

"Yes sir!" Joanne said happily. "38-3. Nothing sucks like a Big Orange! Roll Tide!"

"Around the bowl and down the hole, Roll Tide Roll." I said reflexively.

"You got that right, sir!" said Teresa as she came in through the back hallway entrance. "War Damn Eagle!"

"Go Wildcats!" I replied. "Especially this week!"

"Speaking of 'this week'," growled Our Sheriff, "I need to see those of you named 'Commander' right now..."

Armed with Navy coffee, Teresa and I followed Sheriff Griswold to the Chief's Conference Room...

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, from the KXTC Anchor Desk. "The University braces for fallout after the Ethics Board decision to clear Dr. Laura Fredricson of all charges and accusations!"

After the hard-charging music intro, Bettina began: "Student groups are outraged at the University Ethics Board for clearing Dr. Laura Fredricson by a narrow margin at yesterday's hearing. Dr. Fredricson was represented by attorney Mike G. Todd of the Madison & Ives Law Firm... that's Mike G. Todd of the Madison & Ives Law Firm. Dr. Fredricson refused to answer the Board's questions during the hearing."

Bettina: "Some Ethics Board Members are accusing Dr. Fredricson's husband, Police Commander Donald Troy, of intimidation tactics during the hearing. Ethics Board member Dr. Lionel Carmela was acting as the prosecutor at the hearing, and Commander Troy read Dr. Carmela his legal rights. Mike Todd said it was to preserve the integrity of the FBI investigation of Dr. Carmela, and also Dr. Fredricson's lawsuit against him; however, several Ethics Board members considered it to be intimidation and suppression of Dr. Carmela's voice. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, first showing Dr. Jan Camp saying "It was horrible, as if we're in some kind of Police State. Troy was standing over Dr. Carmela like a vulture, and reading him his rights as if Dr. Carmela were the criminal instead of Troy's wife, the true criminal in that hearing." Then the Press conference quotes of Dr. Juanita Rivera, sobbing as she cursed the very name of Your Iron Crowbar, was shown.

Back to Bettina live: "Dr. Fredricson was acquitted of the charges, and sources tell Channel Two News that while the merits of the charges were strong, most of the Board members did not think the charges were sufficiently proved. And some persons familiar with the Ethics Board's decision process but speaking anonymously said that many of the Board members regretted that they had not waited until after legal proceedings were resolved to take this serious issue up."

Bettina: "And in other important news, the Town & County Assembly will be in session today, voting on the Budget that was hammered out over the weekend. Channel Two News has learned that the Budget will contain full funding for Donald Troy's Town & County Police Force. A quorum of sixty percent of the Assembly, in this case 18 members, is required for the Assembly to be able to vote on the Budget. And now let's go to Jeff Hull with Channel Two Sports. Jeff!..."

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

"Teachable moment." I said as the Sheriff, Chief, Deputy Chief, Operations Commander, and Captain of Detectives drank coffee with me in the Chief's Conference Room. "What was the most important thing about that little exhibition in agenda-driven journalism?"

"That it was agenda driven?" Teresa Croyle said cattily. A red crowbar was waved in her general direction.

Tanya said "She started off talking about outraged student groups, so I was halfway expecting her to go to Stellum or Amber interviewing students, and the other one talking to Stellum or some talking head (air quotes) 'expert'."

Sheriff Griswold growled "That's the first time I've ever heard it mentioned that the Assembly has a quorum. It's true, but her mentioning it was... a 'strangeness', as Crowbar would say."

"Yes sir, and that is important." I said.

"But it's not what you're driving at." Cindy Ross said, reading my mind.

"Stop reading my mind." I said.

"Then what is it?" Teresa asked.

I said: "I've observed over time that when Bettina is at the anchor desk, it's either really, really cold outside... and it's not today... or Bettina hands stories off to her (air quotes) 'trusted' reporters. Today, she did not do that. Tanya was close... no handoff to Amber or Stellum... and the Sheriff's observation about the Assembly quorum was spot-on."

Your Iron Crowbar: "But I couple that observation about Bettina with another observation that this Police Force's best Detective, that being Carole, made over the weekend: national news vans are pouring into our County."

Cindy said "Priya told me that they're saying that was for the Wildcats-Bulldogs game this weekend, but the real truth is that they expect the U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division to come in and lay the hammer down on Mayor Allgood... maybe even serve a warrant and arrest him with a very public perp walk."

I replied "That is the story the Media is putting out, but while the Sports angle is a red herring, so is the DOJ angle. And I submit as (air quotes) proof the fact that Bettina did not have any handoffs to her minions. They are out on assignments, preparing for the two major events happening today------"

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

The door opened and a jovial Lt. Micah Rudistan poked his head inside. "Commander Troy, can you come to MCD? There's a problem with these new doors."

"Why don't you call Maintenance instead of the Police Commander?" Captain Perlman said angrily. But I was already on my feet and moving towards the door. Rudistan was just a wee bit too jovial, I had observed.

"Okay, let's go take a look." I said. Just before I went through the door, I nudged my shoulder forward and waved my left arm, indicating that they all should come, too.

When we got to MCD, the door to the back hallway was open and Rudistan led me in. All the Detectives and Officers of MCD, Vice, and Intel were gathered. In the center of the room on a table were seven stacks of five doughnuts, with two on top of them with lit candles, making 37 doughnuts in all. And everyone started singing:

"Happy birthday toooo yoooo,
Happy birthday toooo yoooo!
Happy birth-day Iron Crowbar,
Happy birthday to yooooooo!"

"And min-ny morrrrre!" the Chief and Cindy sang together.

"Thanks guys!" I said. "Let's definitely get sugared up on doughnuts. It's gonna be a busy day, and the presents the Bad Guys are going to give me will hopefully be to be stupid and allow us to make many, many arrests."

"You heard the man." growled Sheriff Griswold. "Those are my doughnuts. Where are y'all's?" Everyone laughed. I was given the first doughnut, then the rest disappeared quickly, followed by several more boxes of doughnuts vanishing. I did not need to call in K-9 Sergeant Bowser to solve this case; after all, we were in a Police Station, and every cop was a suspect...

Part 26 - Drumbeats of War

8:50am, October 26th. A black Escalade drove Dr. Laura Fredricson to the back entrance of the Psychology Building, which faced north. The front entrance faced the south and the manicured quad. Campus Police were manning the doors, but there were only four of them total.

Almost as soon as Laura exited the vehicle and entered the building, groups of students began massing on the lawn to the west of the building, between the building and the wrought iron fence that ran along the side of University Avenue. It was the same lawn where students had massed before, and one student was shot dead as he threw a Molotov Cocktail at the windows of Laura's office, which faced the west side. (Author's note: 'Falsely Accused', Ch. 04-05.)

As Teresa, Tanya, and I were wrapping up the Angels Meeting, the door burst open after a brief knock. It was the Duty Desk Sergeant. "Sir!" he said breathlessly, "the Psychology Building on Campus has been surrounded. Campus Police estimate at least three hundred people!"

"I'm on it." Teresa said, getting up and rushing for the door. "Get out of the way, dammit!" she barked at the Duty Desk Sergeant, who was in her way. He swiftly backed up, and Teresa rushed out and down the hallway.

"Thanks, Sergeant, you can go." I said. "Just stay out of Commander Croyle's way, so you don't get run over."

"Yes sir." said the Duty Desk Sergeant with a grin. He went down the hallway.

"And why aren't you running after her, sir?" Tanya asked, peering at me.

"Becauzzzzze..." said the Chief, who'd appeared at my door, "I've told him not toooooo. There's nothing he personally can do about this. We have to let it play out."

Tanya was an outstanding Detective and figured it out pretty quickly. "Oh wow... you've planned for this already, haven't you?"

"We've been making contingencies for a while." I said. "We've got State Patrol and National Guard assets, thanks to Sheriff Griswold and Governor Jared. Laura went into the building and down the stairs to the secret basement room, and is now in the Pharmacy Building next door to the Psychology Building... well, that's the plan, anyway."

I continued: "The Chief and Sheriff don't want me visible at these riots and the interdiction of them, because they're afraid a sniper might take a shot at me, and also because it might spur the thugs to fight harder if they have me as a target. And there's also------"

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

It was my Police iPhone. I put it on speaker so Tanya could hear, and said "Hi Jack. Whassup?"

"They're on the move." said FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone. "Get your guys ready."

"Wilco." I said. "See you in a few minutes." I hung up and said to Tanya "You get to mind the store today." I then went to the doorway of Cindy's office and got her. We exited the building and went to our respective Police SUVs...

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 9:20am. "We interrupt the Point Taken program to bring you breaking news of a serious development in the ethics violations case against Dr. Laura Fredricson! Let's got to Amber Harris at the scene. Amber!"

"That's right, Bettina!" shouted the athletic blonde from a position on the other side of the quad from the Psychology Building, looking south-to-north. "Peaceful protesters had gathered here, demanding the resignation of Dr. Laura Fredricson for ethics and legal issues, despite her being cleared by an Ethics Board these students say is rigged!"

Amber: "But the breaking news is that nearly 300 State Patrol Troopers have breached the ring of protesters around the building, and also behind them, augmented with National Guard troops sent in by the White Nationalist Governor Val Jared! As you can see, the cops began firing rubber bullets, beanbags, and tear gas into the peaceful protesters, and knocking them to the ground and arresting them as they tried to peacefully withdraw from the scene!"

The actual video showed a slightly different story. The 'peaceful' protesters had hurled rocks and even a couple of Molotov Cocktails at the State Patrol and National Guardsmen, who had on riot gear and plastic shields. Only when the Molotov Cocktails were thrown did the LEOs move in, crushing the violent protests and making mass arrests...

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

Meanwhile...

Two white vans drove over the bridge over the State Line River into the State west of ours. Two unmarked vehicles fell in behind them and turned on the blue lights embedded in the windows and grilles.

"Don't stop!" yelled Cori Bowman. "Try to get to Hammondsville!"

These van contained thirteen Democrat Town & County Assembly members. They were leaving the State in order to stop the Assembly from having a quorum, and therefore being able to pass a budget that contained even one dime to fund the Police.

The driver of the van gunned the engine, but resistance was futile. Four more black cars with embedded LED lights came up from the other side and cut off the vans, verrrrry nearly ramming the lead van when it tried to run past them. Once the vans stopped, men and women in suits poured out of the LEO vehicles.

"FEDERAL MARSHALS!" yelled the Federal Marshals, their guns drawn as they approached the vans. "UNLOCK THE DOORS! GET OUT OF THE VEHICLES NOW!"

When the Democrats did not comply with the Agents nor the Law, devices to shatter the windows were brought in. The windows were effectively shattered and guns thrust into the vehicles at the Assemblypersons, who were screaming at the Agents and calling them 'RACISTS!' and 'PIGS!'.

The doors were unlocked and opened, and the Assemblypersons were dragged out of the vans and their hands cuffed behind them.

"You goddamned crackers!" yelled Cori Bowman. That drew the attention of a large black FBI Agent in a suit and tie.

*WHAM!*

He'd tried to slam Cori Bowman's nose into the side of the van, but she'd turned enough so that it was her cheek that smashed into it.

"You fucking bitch!" Jefferson snarled. "I ain't a cracker, and if you call me one again I'll fuck you up so bad you'll never walk again!" Then he said in a loud voice: "Take these pieces of shit across the State Line. Give 'em to Donald Troy! He'll know what to do with 'em!" Federal Marshals moved swiftly to comply with those instructions...

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

"The called session of the Town & County Assembly will come to order." said Mayor Daniel Allgood.

"Point of order." said one of the two white Democrats. "The Assembly does not have a quorum to do any business. I move to adjourn." The other Democrat seconded.

"If we don't have a quorum," said Mayor Allgood, "then you can't vote to adjourn. I could call an adjournment, but I'm not going to. We'll sit here all day if we have to. Oh, by the way, you can't leave." As he spoke, Deputy Sheriffs came in and blocked the doors...

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

The fugitive Assembly Democrats were driven back over the State Line into my Town & County, and they parked at the entrance to the Impound Yard, which had been cleaned up and re-fenced-in after being obliterated by a plane full of explosives. (Author's note: 'Power of Love', Ch. 03.)

"Well, well, well." I said as the 13 criminals were forced out of the vans. "We'll take Cori Bowman and Coretta K. Scott straight to City Hall in our SUVs. The rest of you have a choice... you can go to the Assembly meeting, or to County Jail. But hurry up and decide... County Jail is about to become reeeeeeal busy."

There was me, Cindy, Detective Julia Rodriguez, Lieutenant DeLong, Sergeant Carter, and Officers Buchannan and Wagner. Only me and Cindy were white; Julia was Hispanic, and the other Officers were Black.

"You fucking Crackers!" one of the male Assemblymen was yelling.

Officer Kevin Buchannan shoved his face into the side of the Patrol cruiser. "You calling me a cracka?" Buchannan said into the man's ear. "What, you colorblind or somethin'?"

"Sergeant Carter," I said, "they think you're a Cracker like me."

"Obviously they are not committed to racial diversity, sir." replied Carter. Around Rudistan he'd been too long, I thought to myself as I chuckled out loud.

Cori Bowman was screaming. "I'll have your fucking badges for this!"

"If you defund the Police," I replied snarkily, "there won't be any badges to take. Let's get you to City Hall, so that you will be the one that makes the quorum..."

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

"There really is no point in us just sitting here, Mr. Mayor." said the white Democrat Assemblyman. "At this point, you are holding us against our will------"

*WHAM!*

The doors to the Assembly Chamber flew open, and Cori Bowman and Coretta K. Scott were 'escorted', i.e. pushed, into the Chamber. The fifteen Republican Assemblypersons stood and applauded as Bowman and Scott were forced into their seats. Cindy and other Deputies stood close by, ready to keep the two woman in those seats.

"Thank you, Commander Troy and Commander Ross!" Daniel Allgood said loudly with great joviality. "I formally declare that a quorum is present, and the Assembly can begin conducting the business it was elected to conduct!" The Republicans applauded again, then Ryan Paulson made the motion to put the Budget to a vote, seconded by Jeff Maple.

A few minutes later, the other Democrats came in. "There's no point in staying away, anymore." said the Asian Assemblywoman that had sparred with Cindy before. "We came back to keep that God-damned Iron Crowbar from singling you out for humiliation..."

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

"Well done." said Sheriff Griswold as Cindy and I came into the Chief's Conference Room upon returning to Police Headquarters, joining the Sheriff, Chief, and Teresa. "How is it going in the Assembly session?"

"Good!" Cindy said. "Cori Bowman's attempt to strip money for the Police failed 13-17, when the two white Democrats that did not try to sneak out of the State sided with the Republicans, in exchange for Ryan Paulson not attempting to cut a third of the Education budget and half the budget for social programs."

"So this was a whole bunch of a-dooooo about very little." drawled the Chief.

"Oh, a lot of the Democrats were furious with the two that sided with the Republicans." I said. "I don't think Cori Bowman and Coretta K. Scott really care that those two have the toughest re-election battles in the County, besides the Mayor's race, of course. They were calling those two Dems every name they could think of, and even invented a few new ones. There's a whole lotta 'cancelin' about to go on."

"Speaking of 'canceling'," said the Sheriff, "those so-called 'students' at the Psychology Building are anything but. There were 223 arrests made this morning, and about 75 got away but we're using facial rec to identify as many of them as we can. Only about 10 percent of those we arrested even live in this County or are students at the University."

"To get those kind of numbers, they have to import slugs from the outside." I said. "Some of those people are probably (air quotes) 'professional' agitators, paid to gin up violence and chaos."

"It's not all good nooozzze, though." said the Chief. "The national news media is making it look like 'Kent State' out there. Although no one was seriously injured that I know of, they are actually reporting that, and I quote, 'Governor Jared's stormtroopers opened fire on peaceful protesters', and saying some of the students were seriously injured and rushed to the hossss-pit-ulllll."

"Don, do you think this is it?" Teresa said. "Do you think the national Media came here just for a few minutes of students rioting?"