Cool For The Summer Ch. 03

"We weren't told everything, Commander." said SSA Russo. "We were told Brody admitted to planting the bug, and that he is potentially a national security threat, and SAC Muscone wants to know who Brody's handler is, since it was his wife whose wheelchair was bugged."

I glanced over at Teresa, whose eyes were gleaming as she looked back at me; she'd caught Russo's slip, also. I then said "Mr. Brody also asked for a lawyer, and was not provided one. And I strongly suspect he wouldn't have one now if we hadn't have been working like dogs to find him."

Special Agent Emily Lewis said: "We can hold a national security suspect 72 hours and interrogate him or her. Are you not aware of the legal rendition programs for suspected terrorists?"

Laura spoke up. "Oh, I'm very well aware of those programs. And this does not quality for them."

"And who are you to say that?" Emily Lewis asked harshly. She might have noticed the many pairs of eyes that went wide at that, including mine, Teresa's, and Todd's.

I looked over at Laura, who looked Emily Lewis straight in the eyes and said "I was the Deputy Director of the CIA for Science and Technology for many years before I recently retired. I have forgotten more than you will ever know about rendition programs in your lifetime."

SSA Russo stepped in. "It is very obvious that there are a lot of things going on here that we need to get worked out. Brody has his lawyers now, and we will not question him any further without his attorney present. In the meantime, we're still holding him on Federal charges."

"Which won't be for too much longer, if I have anything to do with it." I said. "We're going to the Federal Judge to get these charges dropped, especially in light of the abuse of his rights by denying him legal representation after he asked for it."

"And what is your role in this?" Special Agent Luke Morgan asked harshly.

"Ask your SSA, here." I replied, unable to keep a little bit of a grin off my face. "He called me by my real first name... Commander. He knows who I am."

SSA Russo looked pained that I'd caught his slip. He said "He's Commander Donald Troy of the Town & County Police, and he's also the Reserve Inspector of the SBI."

"The Iron Crowbar..." Emily Lewis almost whispered with a look of awe in her eyes.

"Oh yeah," said Luke Morgan. "You're the guy. You come in here whining about Constitutional rights, while you beat down black protesters with excessive force, and charge innocent peaceful protesters with felony murder. And that's after you raped a woman in your custody. The Federal charges can be brought back up---"

"Shut your mouth." said Melina Allgood, levelly but menacingly, as she got in Morgan's face. "Your fellow Federal Agents tried to frame him with a forged document, so you've got no room to be speaking. And just to make sure you understand, here's my ID, and my standing to be here."

She showed the BAU Agents her 'Dark Agent' ID. SSA Russo blanched. SA Emily Lewis looked shocked, then looked at Russo as if for guidance. SA Morgan looked dully at me, unable to hide the race-based hatred in his eyes.

"All right." I said. "Brody is staying here at City PD. His attorneys will be working on his release with the Federal Judge. SSA Russo, just as I believe Brody was duped and acted in good faith, I think you and your team acted in good faith based on what you were told. It's not you that is incurring my wrath... though Agent Morgan here had best be careful of his racism in his accusations. It's SAC Jack Muscone I'm pissed at. Where is he? by the way."

"In his office, at the Federal Building in the Town & County." said a scratchy voice. It was EAD Owen Lange, who had either just come in, or was listening to conversations that did concern him from out of sight.. "Commander Troy, I appreciate your restraint, here. All you FBI guys, let's go back to the Federal Building here in the City."

"Why isn't Muscone here?" I asked Owen Lange, who understood fully what I was really asking.

"He's scared of you. As are we all." said Owen Lange. He then glanced over at Luke Morgan and added: "At least those of us with any brains are."

As they passed by me, Luke Morgan hissed quietly: "I'm not scared of you, you fucking white racist. And I'm coming for you. I wonder what a DNA test of Cindy Ross's daughter will show."

Emily Lewis was right behind Morgan, and her eyes widened in total shock when she heard that. "Are you crazy, Luke? Keep walking." Morgan kept walking. Emily Lewis followed him out.

Part 18 - Free At Last

Sunday, August 16th. It was my daughter Greta's birthday, and the pain of not being able to see her was ever present in my soul. I was a good dad to my other kids, I thought to myself, but a rabidly Leftwing judge in New York had tried to put a restraining order on me that would disallow me from carrying a gun, even for Police duties. He was forced, as I was forced, to allow a custody agreement without that restraining order, but it was still onerous, and it still hurt that I couldn't communicate with my daughter. But she'd be eighteen one day... one day.

I had to put that into a compartment of my mind, as I was in the Chambers of Federal Judge K.M. Lands in Lexington, Hamilton County. And one did not want to be in front of this Federal Judge with a cluttered mind, nor not paying full attention.

In Chambers with me were Judge Landis, of course, as well as Mike G. Todd, Rudy 'Bulldog' Louis, Melina Allgood, and Dr. Laura Fredricson. Also present were SSA Aaron Russo and two U.S. Attorneys, John Jones and Dalton Kendell. (Author's note: 'Case of the Black Badge', 'Environmental Hazards', 'The Saga Continues' for John Jones; 'Only Time', 'No Way Out' for Dalton Kendell.)

And at Judge Landis's 'invitation' (that could not be refused), EAD Owen Lange had brought SAC Jack Muscone into the room. To his credit, he met my stare with his own; he was giving no quarter on this.

"I appreciate you all coming in on a Sunday." said Judge Landis, though it was us that should have been thanking him for that. "I'm going to swear you all in, so that your answers to my questions will be considered to be under oath." He did so.

Judge Landis: "I'm looking at the motion by Archie Brody's attorney, asking that the charges be dropped based on perceived abuse of Mr. Brody. Dr. Fredricson, you examined Mr. Brody. What is your expert opinion, as a medical doctor as well as a psychiatrist, of his physical and mental condition. And was he physically assaulted in any way?"

"Physically," replied Laura, "he was dehydrated, and had not had substantive nutrition for at least 24 hours. I saw no marks on his body to suggest he was physically beaten nor any indications that anything like electric shocks were administered to him. Mentally, he was very disoriented from being unable to tell the passage of time and being kept awake and denied REM sleep. He was also very agitated and bordering on hysteria from the relentless interrogations."

"These are standard FBI techniques for interrogating non-cooperative suspects." said SSA Russo in reply to a question from the Judge.

"Your Honor," said U.S. Attorney Dalton Kendell, "we have a number of legal precedents allowing this interrogation of persons suspected of being a national security threat."

"But there are rules outlined for the use of such methods." said Judge Landis. "It's a narrow path, and you've walked along the edges of it throughout the renditioning of Mr. Brody. Mr. Russo, did you gather any information beyond what Commander Troy has told us, that Mr. Brody had acted in good faith to what he perceived as a Police request?"

"No, Your Honor." said Russo. "He told one story, and never changed it. But I have to add, Your Honor, that we did not have the full 72 hours we needed for these relatively 'gentle' processes, for lack of a better term, to work properly."

"Commander Troy," said Judge Landis, "while I am not happy with the way this has been conducted, because of several factors, including the fact Mr. Brody had a security clearance and was working in a sensitive position at a company with ties to the U.S. Military, I'm not convinced they FBI acted excessively with respect to PATRIOT Act laws and other regulations. How would you convince me otherwise?"

"Your Honor," I said, "the Federal Government has a myriad of powerful tools to investigate American Citizens and Foreign Nationals. We the Police also have many tools, and I used them to investigate Mr. Brody when his name first came up. Federal Government authorities can look into his finances, his credit card use and his banking transactions. They can find out where he's driven his car, who he's talked to on the phone. They can subpoena his employment records. They can interview people who know him. And in Mr. Brody's case, they can review their investigation of him when he applied for his Top Secret security clearance... which was granted after a thorough investigation."

Your Iron Crowbar: "If the FBI had done these things, they'd have found out if there were any red flags on him... which I don't believe exist based upon my own Police investigation of him. And they certainly would not have needed to put him through these psychological processes usually reserved for hardened terrorist suspects. Your Honor, the FBI has used a triphammer to crush a nut, here... and an innocent nut, at that."

"And the background investigation was done, Mr. Muscone?" Judge Landis asked.

"We were in the process of doing that, as well as lawfully interrogating the suspect as the national security threat I believe he is." said Jack Muscone. "And our investigation of him and his background continues, Your Honor."

"So," said the Judge, "why shouldn't I drop the charges with prejudice?"

"Because, Your Honor," said Muscone, "I don't believe Brody bugged my wife's wheelchair innocently. I believe he did it with purpose and intent, and in cahoots with other threat actors."

"And his story that it was done innocently?" queried Judge Landis.

"He'll have the chance to prove his innocence during his trial." said Muscone.

"With respect, Your Honor," I said, speaking up, "the Constitution of the United States does not require him to (air quotes) 'prove his innocence'. It requires the Government to prove his guilt. Which they have not done to this point, despite these... extraordinary methods of psychological... interrogation." Everyone with more brains than a Betta fish knew what I was implying with those pregnant pauses.

"That's true." said Judge Landis. "But that's why we have trials: for the Government to prove its allegations. What does the Government want to do, Mr. Kendell?"

"Your Honor," said Dalton Kendell, "it is the official position of the U.S. Government that Brody represents a security threat to the United States, and we intend to prove this at trial. We also ask that he be remanded into Federal custody without bail until the trial."

"Defense?"

"Your Honor," said Mike G. Todd, "we believe there is no way that this man should be allowed to remain in Federal custody, especially after what they've already done to him in one Agent's unholy zeal to force a confession out of him. We also believe he should be given bail, as he is not the threat this Federal Agent... again in his unholy zeal to irrationally pursue these charges... is making my client out to be."

Judge Landis said "I've known SAC Muscone a long time, Mr. Todd. He's an outstanding Agent, and I'm not accepting that his actions represent 'unholy zeal'. I have to say that he and the FBI must be allowed to investigate your client. Having said that, I believe that home confinement with ankle monitoring is acceptable, and he will be remanded to your custody, Mr. Todd."

And then Judge Landis said "Okay, I need for U.S. Attorney John Jones, Mr. Mike G. Todd, and Commander Donald Troy to remain. The rest of you are excused, and that means go." Everyone not 'invited' to remain moved out smartly.

After they were gone, Judge K.M. Landis peered at me, then said: "Commander Troy, I have followed your career with the TCPD almost from the moment it began, and I have always been exceptionally impressed with your record of successes, and your making sure to have good legal cases when you hand them over to the Court system."

"Thank you, Your Honor." I said, not sure where this was going.

Judge Landis: "I was told that you were threatened by one of the FBI Agents at City Police Headquarters. Still trying to attack you through a baby that allegedly is your daughter. I'm putting an end to those threats."

My heart leapt as Judge Landis continued: "You and U.S. Attorney Jones will sign a written Immunity Agreement, which I will accept and endorse. In exchange for full immunity from Federal prosecution for any crimes related to the transportation of Betty Morelli to her Grand Jury appearance, you'll no longer be taking the Fifth when you need to testify on... anything."

"Thank you, Your Honor." I said, trying to keep my voice calm. I didn't know why he was doing this, but I didn't look the gift horse in the mouth. I signed the document, as did U.S. Attorney John Jones and Judge Landis. We were excused, and I walked out of there with the Federal Sword of Damocles no longer over my head.

No, I never asked, and Judge Landis would never tell if I did. Very few people knew that he owed his Federal Judicial appointment to the recommendation of a good friend and a great man named Jonathan Keating... Navy Rear Admiral Jonathan Keating, who was murdered by the Swamp Frogs. (Author's note: 'We'll Always Have Paris', Ch. 03.)

Judge Landis had watched with interest my career and my struggles against the power of the Swamp Frogs. And in his innermost soul, Judge Landis had never forgotten, much less forgiven, the murder of his friend. He was retaliating in a way he'd long wanted to, but only now had the chance, by making it easier for me to wage war against the Enemy's insidious evil...

Judge K.M. Landis... was a Guardian of Justice.

Part 19 - The Party Never Stops

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, August 17th, from the roof of the building at Riverside and College, with the State Office Building in the background. "Governor Val Jared commits his most outrageous act yet!"

Bettina began: "Val Jared, the deeply unpopular lame duck Governor of the State, outraged politicians of both Parties by injecting himself into State politics and naming an Independent State Counsel to investigate Democrat candidate for Governor Hoyt Stenson and his son Hunter Stenson for alleged influence peddling by Hunter Stenson!"

Bettina: "The investigation stems from a laptop that was found, upon which allegedly incriminating emails and texts were found. SBI Inspector Britt Maxwell had been investigating the alleged charges until Governor Jared stepped in with his egregious actions. Political experts are calling this nothing short of pure political retaliation for Hoyt Stenson's strong support of the Independent State Counsel that investigated Jared before, and for advocating Jared's impeachment long before many other Legislators did."

Bettina: "Here with us today is Dr. Adam S. Keller, senior Fellow at the City University Rodham Foundation for Political and Social Change." The camera panned out to show 'Pencil Neck' Keller with Bettina. "Dr. Keller, is this a serious attempt to investigate alleged crimes based on a laptop that mysteriously appeared, or pure partisan politics by the outgoing, lame duck Governor of the State?"

Dr. Keller answered in his smooth talking way: "It's just pure partisan politics of the dirtiest kind, Bettina. There simply is not enough to investigate Hoyt Stenson for as much as littering, but in Jared's zeal to support the candidacy of his White Nationalist crony Sharon Marshall, he took this ridiculous, hyper-partisan action."

Bettina: "Dr. Keller, will this harm Sharon Marshall's candidacy for Governor?":

'Pencil Neck': "Considering that Sharon Marshall is a clone of Val Jared, and shares his White Nationalist, rabidly racist views, it should really be something that the Voters of the State pay close attention to."

"Thank you, Dr. Keller." Bettina said with a bright smile. As the camera focused back on her, she said "And politicians of both Parties expressed their outrage at Val Jared's hamfisted action. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing the outrage of the professional politicians: "Governor Jared's unconscionable act to appoint an Independent State Counsel is racist and offensive!" yelled Tasheeka Harris.

"For Governor Val Jared to appoint an Independent State Counsel to investigate the Democrat candidate for Governor is the most partisan abuse of political power possible! It's unconscionable!" shouted State Senator Katherine Woodburn at a political rally.

"Val Jared continues to show why his white nationalist views are so deeply unpopular, and destructive to the Republican Party!" said House Minority Leader Wilson Hammonds. "His aggressive act of establishing an Independent State Counsel to investigate a good man like Hoyt Stenson is unconscionable!"

Back to Bettina live: "And in other news, Archie Brody, who was arrested by Federal Agents and charged with a number of crimes related to planting a listening device on the equipment of a TCPD Officer, was placed under house arrest over the weekend instead of the far harsher treatment of being remanded to custody without bail. Though he faces multiple Federal charges, neither the TCPD nor the Town & County District Attorney's Office are filing formal charges against Brody. Neither the District Attorney nor Commander Donald Troy could be reached for comment..."

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

"And there it is again." Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle said as we drank coffee and watched the broadcast in the Chief's Conference Room. "Commander Troy couldn't be reached for comment."

The Sheriff, Commander Cindy Ross, Chief Moynahan, ADA Paulina Patterson and myself were present, but Captain Tanya P. Muscone was not. And I wasn't sure exactly why Chief Moynahan had invited us to this coffee klatch, but I did not question it.

"Why does she do that?" Paulina asked with a puzzled voice. "I mean, why bother? It adds nothing to the story."

"In the warped, twisted minds of the Leftwing Looneyverse and the Mainstream Media, they think it does." I replied. "Bettina's gappy reporting of the Archie Brody case was carefully written and reported to make the FBI sound good and the TCPD to sound bad. Bettina's thinking, and she may truly believe this, is that by attaching my name like that, it adds to the negativity of the story for Brody and for the TCPD."

Teresa said "Sir, I think there's even more to it. Bettina is saying that as a message to you. You found Archie Brody, provided him with lawyers, and got him out of that scary-as-hell situation of being in the hands of Federal Agents with a very real desire to do him some harm. It's almost like Bettina said that to mock you... she's not reporting what you did, but only that you won't talk to them, the Media about it."

"Could well be." I said. "Could well be."

"I was noooo-ti-cinnnng that everyone used the word 'unconscionable' in their comments." drawled Chief Moynahan. "Coincidence?"

"No sir, Chief." I said. "It's like the time the great Rush Limbaugh pointed out how thirty-three different reporters separately used the word 'gravitas' on the various Sunday news shows to say George W. Bush didn't have any. Thirty three separate times, in one day... and the kicker was that the word 'gravitas' had never made it to the Lexis-Nexis database, at all, prior to that day."