Iscariot Ch. 04

"Make me." I said. "Give it your best shot... Go ahead, try it."

"Special Agent Troy," said the Union Rep, possibly having mistaken me for one of the FBI guys, "I need to talk to my employee... alone."

"As you wish." I said. I turned and left.

When I got outside, almost everyone was either stunned or angry at me. We went into another room, where I addressed everyone. "Guys, that lawyer Masterson is like a lighthouse beacon in the night that corrupt interests are at work here---"

"You may have violated the employees's rights!" gasped Potter. "We may not have a case now!"

"The truth is, SAC Potter," I replied, "you never had a case against them anyway. Do check them out, but you'll find them to be clean; the records will look as pristine and clean as the driven snow. But you now have a chance to get them to talk, if that Union Rep starts realizing that the lawyer Masterson will betray his employees like Iscariot betrayed Jesus... with a kiss."

I continued: "Like I was about to say, the Union Rep might get them new representation, and then you have a chance to work with them to get a lot more information than we have now. And that's our only chance to get a break in the case from this end."

"Well, we certainly didn't need your theatrics with that lawyer!" Potter all but yelled beginning to be angry. I went up to him and fronted him.

"You don't get it, do you, Potter?" I said "You're not up against some motley group of fuck-ups that stumbled onto this. You're up against a group of highly professional criminals backed by extremely powerful interests in the corporate world and the Government. You're out of your league against these guys. They are better than you!"

"All right, Commander." said EAD Lange. "Let's go home. Muscone, take over the lead on this. The Iron Crowbar is right: Potter can't handle it..."

Part 20 - Misfit Toys

I flew the EAD back to the City, then drove in my black SBI SUV to City Police Headquarters. Pottsville Detective Shane O'Brady was there with City Detective E.J. Jefferson. Also there was SBI-OER Lieutenant Norm Chow.

"Definitely arson." said Jefferson as we talked. No bodies have been found, so far. After it cools down, we'll have people go through it to see if any papers survived."

Norm Chow said, using my SBI Reserve title, "Inspector, last week the SBI conducted a raid on that building. The entire building. We got warrants to search every room in that place."

"Wow, you're going to have people screaming about that." I said.

Chow said "We made sure to explain that we were looking for specific things, and that anything else we found would not be admissible as evidence. We could find a nuclear bomb and a murder weapon from another case, but that was be too bad for us. But yes, we got tremendous pushback... and we're ready to fight like hell in Court."

"So what did you find?" I asked, ready to get to the gist of it as opposed to a legal discussion.

"Nothing." said Chow. "No hidden passages or rooms. Nothing in the basement that appeared to be related to McGinty's Materials. We've come to the conclusion that the building was not where McGinty stored his stuff."

"I'll buy that for a dollar." I said.

"Flip side of it," said Chow, "is that if there was any clue at all in McGinty's office or in that building that would lead us to his Materials... it's gone now."

"Think that's why they set the building on fire?" asked O'Brady. "Out of desperation, hoping to destroy the Materials or any clue to them?"

"Or someone found something," said Chow, "and burned the place down so no one else would find it."

"No, I don't think that's it... not completely." I said. "There's something I know that you guys don't. Something happened in the State west of us, something the Feds are looking into. Shane, who called you?"

"City Police." said O'Brady.

"Who exactly?" I asked. "Did he or she give a name?"

"It was a 'he', and... no, he didn't give a name." said O'Brady. "Said he was the Desk Sergeant."

"It could be legit," I said, "but it might have been the arsonists calling you, knowing you'd eventually call me and get me over here. And as it was, we had to take a chopper all the way back over to my side of the State to investigate that other crime..."

I went into a reverie.

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

"Beautiful." said Edward Blassingame as he was shown through the warehouse full of truck trailers full of arms. "Just beautiful. Well done, Jerry. Well done."

"Thank you, sir." said Barsbane.

"What do you think, Mr. Geiger?" asked Blassingame.

"Sir," said Geiger, "this building and the trucks are shielded, but there might be tracking devices on some of these caches. The FBI will have satellite tracking capabilities, so we need to disperse this stuff as soon as we can."

"Practical, ever practical." said Blassingame. "And thinking of the mission first. That's good, I like that. Jerry, teach Mr. Geiger how we deal with issues like that."

"Mr. Big," said Dick Granger, "that may not be a good idea. No offense, but this guy is new. He hasn't proved himself."

"I understand, Mr. Granger." said Blassingame. "Jerry, you know what to tell him and what not to. You guys get to it. Mr. Granger, you're with me."

As they walked away from the others, Blassingame said "You're right to say that, but Mr. Geiger was a trusted associate of Harold Malone when he was in the TCPD. And like many of our Associates now, they may know some things, and have to know some things, but Mr. Geiger will never know the most important aspects of our operations."

"Yes sir." said Granger. "But there's something about that guy... he's like a two-faced Judas."

"Yes, he projects that unlikeability." said Blassingame. "But he's a hell of a lot better than Steven Ikea would be. Geiger has a modicum of competence. Ikea is just a... dingleberry."

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

"Don't worry about Granger." said Jerry Barsbane. "He's skeptical of everybody. That's a good thing. What he doesn't seem to remember is that he's just like a lot of us, a small-time criminal that Mr. Big gave a chance."

"I understand." said Geiger. "I've dealt with mistrust, and worse, for a long time. This is nothing compared to the TCPD."

"Okay," said Barsbane, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but we have friends in high places. The best technological companies, that my friend Shimono was working with until she got busted a few days ago. Top people in the big companies. And top people throughout the Government, in high places. People that will help us get this stuff safely out of here."

"Sounds good." Geiger said, passing the test of not asking who those high level people were.

"So we've got devices that will find their trackers." said Barsbane. "And we're going to load up trucks and send these arms out in every direction at once. The Government will have to be damn good to track all of us... oh, that's right... as I just said, we have friends in that Government ourselves."

"They'll have to be good to beat you." Geiger said.

"And one guy is... the Iron Crowbar." said Barsbane. "Unlike Granger and Mr. Big, I have no illusions..."

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

2:00pm, Friday, July 5th. I'd barely gotten back to my office and into my comfortable Command Chair when Helena buzzed me and announced that Jack Muscone was here. I had him come in and sit down.

"Thanks for coming out this morning." said Jack. "Of course, you won friends and influenced people by humiliating SAC Potter in front of all his people, but you were right that he's not up to the job."

"He's a dirtbag." I said. "Oh, you might want to consider Special Agent Karina White as an addition to Team Lazarus. I get the feeling she'd do well with the FBI, and that she needs to get out of where she is to have a chance to show what she can do. We traded cards at McDonalds, if you want to contact her."

"There's a story behind her, too." said Muscone. "But if you're the guy making the recommendation, I'll give her consideration."

"What's her story?" I asked. "I was going to look up her record, but I've been too busy traveling one way and then the other across this freeking State..."

Muscone chuckled, then said "You think setting McGinty's office on fire was a distraction?" I looked up in surprise at Muscone, and he said "Yeah, some of us aren't Agencies of the Weak Minded, either. It was the first thing that crossed my mind when I heard that you were over there while arms were being stolen over here."

I smiled. "I'll order some firewood and a stake." I said. "But no, I agree that the fire and the arms theft happening at the same time is not a coincidence."

Muscone said "Anyway, about Special Agent White. She went to Quantico, and it looked like she'd have a bright career in the FBI. But BATFE went and recruited her away from us. About six years into her career with them, she filed a sexual harassment complaint against a fellow ATF Agent, then complained that her superior covered it up. That superior was Potter."

"And she's still working for him?" I asked.

"Yes, but let me tell the full story." said Muscone "They didn't do anything about her fellow Agent, so she filed a lawsuit against him. She won, too; she had evidence on him no one knew she had. They were forced to fire him. They also reprimanded Potter for not doing more when she came to him with her initial complaints, which was a total CYA move, of course."

Muscone went on: "They were going to transfer her out, but nobody would take her. One guy even stated openly to his boss that if she were put in his unit, he'd frag her, that he'd shoot her in the back and blame the other side, and they could fire him for saying that if they wanted. So they left her where she was, and she's stayed there for sixteen more years, never moving up, never being considered for promotion."

"Hmmmmm," I said, "and working for Potter all that time? Nothing personal to you, Jack, but why does this story not sound right? Oh wait, I bet I could tell you... they've been dumping all their slugs into that unit. Sort of like the Island of Misfit Toys."

"Yes, that's pretty much it." said Muscone. "Every one of the people in that unit have something on their records, often a bad review. Some are whistleblowers, like White is considered to be. It's the black hole no Agents get out of... unless they quit."

I said "And they're the unit sent to investigate this theft. Were they called in for the EMPTY QUIVER event?"

"No, that was the military handling that." Jack said. "So what are you suggesting?"

I said "We know Jerry Barsbane is involved. He's a tool of the Swamp Frogs, and has worked with Shimono, Paco, and Blassingame. And I believe they set McGinty's office on fire in the City to kill two birds with one stone, one of those birds being to drag me to the other side of the State. And then they send the BATFE's 'dog' unit to investigate. I do see Elitists at work, here."

I then said: "I might add that this David Carter and some other people that were in Trent and Quint's unit are still out there. And weapons are what they do, at least while they were in the military."

"You may well be right." Muscone said. "Having said that... I'm not part of the Island of Misfit Toys, and the EAD put me in charge of the investigation, so I'm going to give it my best shot. In the meantime, what's going on with your missing Detectives?"

I shook my head sadly. "No word. Nothing. At all."

"You think they're still alive?" Muscone asked.

"I don't know." I said. "I don't know." Then I said, "By the way, Jack, there's one thing I need to ask you to do. And that BATFE team, sans Potter, might just be perfect for the job...

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

(Author's note: remember, this is based upon actual events.)

Keith Madden was sitting at his desk at KXTC, putting together notes for a big story he'd been working on. He'd pieced together from various sources that the U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division was about to bring the hammer down on Mayor Daniel Allgood, including criminal charges that would all but force the Governor to suspend Allgood as Mayor.

Bettina Wurtzburg came up to his desk. Keith asked "Did you get my email? I'm putting together a huge story---"

"Yes, I got it." said Bettina. After a 'significant' pause, she said "Keith, come with me." He got up and followed her, expecting to go to her office. Instead, to his surprise, she led him into the office of Executive Publisher Burt West. He also noticed Security personnel trying to act a bit too casual as they neared the office.

"Sit down, Keith." Burt West said formally. When Madden sat down, West said "You haven't put out a story in a week and a half."

"Sir, I'm working on a big one, about Mayor Allgood." Madden said.

"What about the homeless people you were assigned to cover?" asked West.

"I turned in stories on them every day I was assigned to cover them." said Madden. "Day after day after day."

"And nothing since." said West. "So you're not contributing here."

"That's not true." Madden said, suddenly realizing what was really going on. "No one has sent me out on any assignments in the last week, and I've been proactively developing this big story---"

"You have not been assigned anything," said Bettina, "because you failed to follow Amber Harris's orders, which I fully expected you to follow as if they'd come from me or Mr. West, here. One day your cameraman had to stage the homeless protesters, which you should have done----"

"Hold on!" said Madden. "It's not our job to stage things like that! That would actually be the 'Fake News' that we're accused of making."

"You are so God-damned naive, it's pathetic." Bettina snarled. "Your job is not to report the news. Your job is to give us the stories we send you out on, so that we can tell our viewers exactly what to think!"

Burt West said "Mr. Madden, you have failed to follow the orders you were given---"

"Amber Harris is not my boss, and never was!" Madden said hotly.

"SHE IS IF I TELL YOU SHE IS, YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF CRAP!" Bettina screamed. "And I told you to follow her orders!"

"No you didn't!" Madden yelled back. "And she's not my boss----"

"That's not what was said when Bettina formally wrote you up." said West. "And that's what we put in your file, that you were told to follow Amber Harris's orders, and you were insubordinate."

"That's not true!" started Madden, but West cut him off.

"Mr. Madden, your services are no longer required here." West said. "You're fired, for multiple instances of insubordination, and a studied failure to do your job properly. The Security Officers will escort you out."

"I'll see you in Court!" Madden said.

"I hope so." said West. "You'll lose. It's your word against several of ours, and we're going to say whatever we want to. Take it to Court, and we will fuck you up."

"Don't forget, Madden," said Bettina. "We're the Press. We can, and do, destroy people's lives without a second thought. Not only will you not be believed, we will crush you like the puny ant you are."

The Security People opened the door and came in. "Come with us." one of them snarled. They made sure to perp-walk Madden right through everyone on the way out the door, ensuring maximum humiliation of the now-former reporter...

Part 21 - Storm Clouds Gathering

10:00am, Saturday, July 6th. Brunch was being served at The Cabin. Present to eat it were Your Iron Crowbar (me), Paulina Patterson, Edward Steele, John Colby, and Mayor Daniel Allgood.

"So what Melina has been able to gather," said Daniel, "Jocelyn Moran of the Civil Rights Division of the US DOJ is intending to bring in lawyers to, quote 'observe' unquote, the Council meetings, including the Executive Sessions."

Paulina said "She got a Federal warrant to force her way into the Executive Sessions, citing the lawsuits filed by the Democrat Council Members. Federal Judge Ruth B. Taney was eager to issue that warrant. We've appealed it, but the Federal Appeals Court declined to issue a stay of the warrant, so it's valid for now."

"What I need to know," said Allgood, "is what to do at the Council meetings. If those protesters show up and start making trouble, then no matter what the Police do, Moran is moronic enough to say that I'm suppressing their rights because they're black... and she just might try to charge the TCPD with a racially motivated hate crime, as well."

"But worse," said Edward Steele, "is what might happen in the Executive Session. If Reginald B.F. Lewis gets up and starts accusing you of stealing the election, and you do the right thing and have him arrested, they fully intend to have the DOJ criminally charge you with a hate crime, Mr. Mayor. And then they'll demand your suspension while you're criminally charged."

"I can tell you this." growled Griswold. "Governor Jared is not going to fool with that crap. He's not going to suspend you over false charges like that."

"And then the Democrats in the State House will demand the Governor's impeachment." I said.

"Fer cryin' out loud." John Colby muttered in his baritone voice.

"Val is not obligated to suspend anyone if he doesn't think they're fairly or correctly charged." said Griswold. "They can't impeach him for that."

"Sure they can, Sheriff." I replied. "You're right, he's not legally obligated to, but the Democrats in the State House will say he's 'morally' obligated to, or they'll say he's practicing cronyism, or whatever they need to say. I assure you, sir, they will consider it a crime by the Governor if he doesn't suspend the Mayor, and they will publicly accuse him of a crime, and then act upon their own accusation."

"We're getting ahead of ourselves, here." said Edward Steele. "The DOJ hasn't charged the Mayor with anything yet."

"No, but they will if they can." said Allgood. "They're gunning to do it. They way they're going about it, they consider me guilty until proved innocent... no, guilty until proved guilty."

"Yes, they do.." I said, then mused to myself: "Personally, I don't think they're that smart. But maybe they are..."

"What do you mean, Crowbar?" growled the Sheriff.

"That this is all a coordinated plan to get both the Mayor and the Governor out of office." I said. "Undoing the Votes of the People by dishonest charges of racism against Daniel, and cronyism against the Governor. I was wondering to myself if they really are good enough to plan to take out the Governor by first going after the Mayor, and I don't think they are. But somebody is..." I was nodding my head absentmindedly as I repeated: "Somebody is..."

"So what do we do?" Daniel asked.

"We need to get you a lawyer, and a source of funds to pay that lawyer." I said. "And Daniel, you need to be prepared. I think you're right, and the DOJ is going to come after you no matter what you do."

"What happens then?" asked Paulina. "And just for the sake of argument, suppose Daniel is forced to temporarily step aside, and be unable to perform his duties as Mayor?"

"Then the Council is deadlocked." said John Colby. "We won't have the tiebreaker vote the Mayor normally would cast. And the Board of Commissioners would be rudderless, as well. Worst of all, though, may be Boards of Inquiry. Silas could try to force just three people on it, so that he and Finneran could dominate those Boards and, excuse my language, fuck over the Police with every bit of hatred in their beings."

"I don't know about that." said Edward Steele. "Those are uncharted waters. But you're right that the Council will be hamstrung."

"Who will act as Mayor if Daniel is suspended?" asked Paulina.

"J.P. Goldman." said Sheriff Griswold. "Longest serving Council Member."