Knights of the Round Ch. 03

The chronological order of my stories is now listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 9 - Blood and Orange

"What?" gasped Lt. Perlman. "But... but..."

"Please." I said, my hand extended towards the door in invitation. Totally stunned, Tanya drove her wheelchair out of the office. In the anteroom, she was placed in line behind Cindy, in front of Sergeant Carswell. Sergeant Rudistan could not hide his grin, and I was pretty much losing my ability to keep a serious face, as well.

The initiates were taken into the Main Conference Room while I and the rest of the Orange Order Members began gathering everyone into the Main Auditorium. I heard hundreds of Police iPhones chime or ring as my email to loddy-doddy-everybody went out.

"This... this has to be a mistake." said Tanya in the Conference Room. "I'm... I'm retired now, I'm not-------"

"Yes, you are still one of us!" Cindy Ross said, easily sensing what Tanya was going to say.

"Lt. Perlman," said Ronnie Kirkpatrick, "when the ballots went out, I was overwhelmed with Officers asking if they could vote for you. I checked with the other Members, and everyone agreed that you were active duty for part of the year, retired medically only by force of the Council... and as Captain Ross said, you are still one of us."

"You damn right you are." said Chief Griswold, his mustaches twitching merrily. "We asked the Iron Crowbar, too, and he saw the logic immediately. All we needed to hear. We don't know if this will happen again, but you were voted in unanimously... unanimously, Miss Perlman, that is hard to do... and we will hear no objections to this honor that you absolutely deserve."

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

"I want to congratulate you on yet another outstanding year." said Chief Moynahan. "You have done an outstanding job in one of the most harrowing years any Police Force has ever had. We've had a few wounded, but everyone is still with us, and that's the best news I can have as your Chief. And now Commander Troy will say a few words before introducing our new initiates."

"Thank you Chief." I said, taking a microphone and walking along the aisle instead of standing at the podium on the dias. "I also want to congratulate you on being the most outstanding Police Force in the State, the Nation... heck, in the World!" There was some laughter and light applause.

"I also want to say something else, something serious." I said as I stood in front of them. "There are people out there trying to create racial strife and division. There are people full of hate that are shooting police officers in the back, physically assaulting police officers, and accusing police officers of racially-motivated physical abuse."

"I know, ladies and gentlemen," I continued, "that you will rise above all of that. We do not, and should not, care about the hatred of others and the divisions they try to cause. We will enforce the law on behalf of everyone, and without regard to the ethnicity of the criminals or their victims. We do not care about black, white, Wildcat Red or University Blue. We care about Police Blue, about being the Thin Blue Line and Band of Brothers and Sisters that we are. We will do our jobs with distinction, and for each other. Take care of each other out there, ladies and gentlemen, work as the great Team you are, and we'll all go home and hug our kids after a job well done."

"Okay," I said, feeling that my message was being absorbed, "let's meet the newest members of the Orange Order. First, Sergeant Carswell!" As Carswell came in, everyone began applauding, slowly standing up as one as he came in and stood next to me. Then there was a lull as I announced the next name:

"And Lieutenant Tanya Perlman!" I practically yelled. The massed crowd of Officers erupted into a huge round of very loud applause as Tanya was wheeled in by Teresa Croyle, and parked next to Carswell, who was applauding her along with me and the Chief.

As the gathering of Officers cheered, Tanya tried to remain composed, but lost the battle. Tears began streaming from her eyes and down her cheeks, and the Officers just began another, louder wave of applause...

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

Chief Griswold asked that I drive my Police SUV, and he told Sergeant Rudistan to ride with us. We had TCPD cruisers in front of Tanya and Carswell, Cindy guiding them in her robes and carrying her orange-glassed lantern, and Teresa driving Cindy's SUV behind them, with Della Harlow riding shotgun.

Tanya had been outfitted with a non-motorized wheelchair, as we were worried the battery on her 'tank' might run out. I'd also fashioned a metal stick with a hook and put it on the front of the armrest so she could hang her green-glassed lantern on it. She pushed herself for the most part, but Sergeant Carswell would push her up hills and down hills, and sometimes just to spot her some rest.

As Chief Griswold slept in the shotgun seat, I was watching carefully around Town. I did not expect to see anyone jump out at us, though one never knows, but I was watching the buildings, seeing if anything unusual was going on, and especially watching to see if we were being observed.

At the start of the Patrol of Honor, people had lined the roads around Courthouse Square. They turned on their cellphone lights or lighted candles, creating a beautiful sea of sparkling light. They also applauded Tanya when she went by them. Cindy would later tell me the mental outpouring of love rivaled what she always felt at 'The Vision'.

As usual, we went down MLK Jr. Avenue. In past years there had been a smattering of people that watched. This year, there was just no one. People went about their clubbing, barely paying us attention... or giving hateful looks to us. I wasn't sure why, but I felt very relieved when we got out of that area.

Chief Griswold had told me to wake him up just before 2:00am. I did so, at 1:50am. "Drive back down to the Junction Station Depot, Crowbar." the Chief ordered. I did so.

At the Junction Station Depot, the Chief told me to park, then for us to come inside with him. When we got inside, I was shocked. There were two red-glassed lanterns on the table, and the room was lighted only by red lights and red candles burning normal candlelight. It was eerie, and almost a depiction of Hell itself.

There were four other people in the room. One was Corporal Ronnie Kirkpatrick. Next was the Intendent, Adele Peabody. Third was Fire Marshal Zoe Singer. The last was a retired TCPD Officer named Efram 'Ed' Elliott. He had run Internal Affairs for years, and had retired before I'd come to the TCPD.

They were all wearing robes and looked like monks. Chief Griswold came around from behind us, also wearing a robe like theirs, and he joined them in front of us.

"Gentlemen," said Kirkpatrick, "we are brothers and sisters of a very special part of the Orange Order and the Fire Chief's Order of Distinction. There are others of us among the Police and Fire Departments, and our mission is to protect the Citizens and our good brethren from those that would destroy us. At this point, I must ask you to commit to an oath of secrecy, which will not commit you to join us. If you do not wish to go further, you may leave with no hard feelings nor retribution."

"Count me in." I said, knowing the people in front of me would not be a part of this if it was not for the good.

"I'm in, too." said Rudistan, who'd wisely decided that jovial humor was not called for at this juncture. We swore an oath of silence, and then Chief Griswold asked up to sit down.

"Guys," he growled, "I think you both know we've had some real bad apples in our Police and Fire Departments in the last few years, as well as politicians and others that are corrupt. There are people who not only don't follow the rules, but attempt to use the rules themselves as weapons against us. While we all love the Constitution and the Rule of Law, there are times when those are used to constrain us and enable our enemies."

I was nodding my head as Griswold continued: "You know how I love Star Trek. And if you follow that show, you've heard of what they call 'Section 31', and its secret, secretive operations. In real life have such units at the national level... and we have a few people here that are part of our group, that are willing to do what must be done."

"We call ourselves the 'Blood Order'." said Zoe Singer. "The Orange Order and Fire Chief's Order Inner Circles are the people from whom we recruit our members. Every one of us are persons of integrity and distinction."

"I need not say," said Chief Griswold, saying it anyway, "that the Iron Crowbar has been pretty much a one-man Blood Order unto himself. And now, Don, we're here to offer you some help."

"You already have been helping, I perceive." I said, seeing all those times Myron and Mary's hacking went unchecked, and my blocking of I.A. listening in on me had not been challenged... not to mention data coming to me that was not collected by ordinary means, and setting up Bryce...

"Not much gets by you, Crowbar." growled Griswold. "But apparently the existence of the Blood Order did. Frankly, we're stunned you didn't catch on to us. We started years ago, when Westboro was starting his Career of Crime, and was bringing Malone and Brownlee and other filth you never knew into our Police and Fire Departments. Assistant Fire Chief Jefferson was one of them. We were trying to stop them, and realized we needed extracurricular moves to do so. We might've gotten Malone and Brownlee, but we see now that the Consultant of Crime was too far ahead of us."

"Gentlemen," said Kirkpatrick, "the two of you have shown that you are ideal candidates to join us. Sergeant Rudistan proved his worth when he helped you the night you and Captain Ross worked over Steven Moschel... oh yes, we knew about that..." he said, seeing the look in my eyes. "You did what had to be done. And we made sure everyone else looked the other way. One day, we will ask Captain Ross to join us. For now, what is your own answer? If you refuse, you may go in peace, and nothing more will ever be said."

"I'm in." said Rudistan, who could not resist adding: "Unless the Iron Crowbar refuses and wants me to be in his personal Blood Crowbar Order."

"I think I like having the numbers behind me." I said. "I'm in."

We went through a ritual. One was straight from Conan Doyle's The Valley of Fear: we were masked, and two points were pressed into our eyes as we were told to step forward. When we did, the resistance disappeared. We also had blood drawn, as did everyone there, which was dripped into a bowl. Then some alcohol was poured in and lit aflame.

At the end, Adele Peabody said "There is a medal that comes with your induction. However, you do not wear it on your public uniforms; only when the Blood Orders meet do you wear the medal or ribbon." With that, our medals were pinned upon us. They looked like Orange Order Inner Circle medals, except the middle stripe was blood red, and the medallion below looked like a spider web on a five pointed star, with a red lantern in the middle, and the inscription "Do What Has To Be Done" on the outer edge. I suspected this was adopted and adapted from a Military Intelligence insignia.

Yes, there were secret handshakes, which was more like touching on the wrist in a certain way with the other hand, to let the other know we were part of the Blood Order. The non-initiated would never realize it.

"All right, let's get back on the road." said Griswold. We left that red-lit chamber with our red lanterns and went back into the cold of the night.

Part 10 - Champions and Balls

As the first threads of dawn appeared in the eastern skies, the initiates were steered back to Junction Station. They (and Cindy) left their lanterns hanging outside. Once inside, Cindy was awarded her Inner Circle medal, then Damien Thompson pinned Carswell's medal on his uniform shirt. And then Chief Griswold pulled all kinds of rank to pin Tanya's medal on her shirt himself.

At breakfast we had the standard Orange Order fare: eggs and beer. Of course we had other things, too, especially Your Iron Crowbar's favorite: bacon. Tanya was exhausted from the patrol, and said she would probably fall asleep before finishing hers.

"I still cannot believe anyone thought of me, much less voted for me." Tanya said as we ate.

"I'm not sure where it started, but I was getting dozens of Uniformed Officers coming up and asking." said Kirkpatrick. "But you were active duty almost half the year, and everyone knows it was the right thing to do."

And Chief Griswold said it best when he said "We had to have all three of Crowbar's Angels in the Orange Order. Wouldn't be right any other way."

"I'll drink to that." I said, raising my beer mug in a toast, then drinking heavily from it. Others agreed, including Cindy and Teresa, and drank from their mugs as well.

"Looks like we'll be driving the Commander home today, instead of the other way around." Cindy said to Teresa.

"Yep." Teresa replied. "So... how was it guiding them?"

"Tiring, like the initiation itself." Cindy said. "But the good thing about it was that I got to call the bathroom breaks. Nothing like having all that power in my hands." Cindy cackled with glee, then Teresa cackled even more evilly...

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

I opened my eyes out of a deep slumber to see the eyes and face of a three-year-old sitting on my chest and looking into my face. My three-year-old, Carole, was the culprit, of course.

"Wake up, Daddy!" she said. "Mommy says it's time to get dressed for the Po-leece-man's Ball."

"Hey Cutie." I said, waking up and looking around. Laura was by the bed; she had deposited our daughter on top of me to wake me up.

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

"Mmmmm, you are gorgeous." I said to my wife as we readied to go. Laura was wearing a black gown that, without trying, showed off her magnificent body to perfection. She was wearing high-heel black pumps, and with her raven-black hair partially piled on her elegant head, she all but towered over me.

I was in my formal uniform, with medals over my right pocket and the Medal of Valor with oak leaf cluster around my neck. Molly took pictures as she told Carole that Mom and Dad were going to a 'grownups party'. Carole didn't seem to mind; she was catching on fast that when Molly babysat, Carole got extra desserts after dinner....

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

We were at the Civic Center this year, in the grand ballroom. Most of the Officers and their spouses or dates were in the cash bar room adjacent to the big ballroom, waiting to go through the processing line. Those of us in the line were in the room, with Chief Moynahan discussing where we were sitting, where the line would be, etc. Me, I was noticing Melina, who was looking pretty hot in her light blue evening gown and matching light blue high heel pumps. She was not as tall as her sister Laura, to Daniel Allgood's good fortune... I'm tall enough that my ego can handle a tall(er) wife; I'm not sure Daniel would be so secure.

I also noticed, or perhaps felt, that something wasn't quite right with my ex-wife. She seemed tense, and I was not sure why.

The formal line started up. At first there was a greeter, in this case Sr. Patrolman Hicks. He announced who was coming through to the Mayor and his wife; then to Sheriff Allgood, who then introduced the persons to his wife; Melina then passed them along to Chief Moynahan, who was without a date; the Chief passed the persons on to me and Laura; then on to Della Harlow and her husband.

I always tried hard to remember my Officers and their spouses and children's names, and it was for this occasion. This was the only real contact I would have with many of them the entire year, and I wanted them to think they were more than nameless, faceless Officers viewed from the Brass in the Ivory Tower. So I became the bottleneck as I spoke to all of them as they came through, remembering a positive action or the birth of a child, and so on. Chief Moynahan later told me that he was impressed, and that it was good for their morale when their leaders remembered them.

To my surprise, Chief Emeritus Griswold came through the line with his wife. He had declined to be part of the receiving line, and later said it was fun going through the line for the first time in many years.

And of course, Todd and Teresa came through. There was no outward problem between them and Daniel and Melina; just hosts greeting guests. But I felt the vibe, and it was saying 'awkward'...

We went to our places for dinner. Those in the receiving line were also at the front table. I looked out over the Officers sitting at the round tables, and I remembered being told the story of what Teresa's Lieutenants and Sergeants had done for her 'round table' throne. She was sitting with Todd at a front table, with Myron and Mary Milton, Theo Washington and his wife, Teddy Parker and Janice Holloway (who was looking mighty fine), Joanne and Seth Warner, and David Krueger and his date, a lovely young lady that I had not met.

And then it struck me... where was Cindy?

She had not come through the receiving line, I realized. I whipped out my Police cellphone and fired off a text. She replied that she was there. I looked around and finally saw her at a very back table. I felt relief and concern at the same time.

"Playing Secret Service Agent again, darling?" Laura said to me. She'd noticed the small, clear earpiece with a clear wire going down the back of my jacket.

"Of course, dear." I said. "The Wildcats are playing for the Conference title."

"If the Bulldogs make the title game," Laura asked, "will everyone else have those little earpieces?"

"Oh, noooooo." I said. "We'll have to change our schedule if that happens. Nobody will come; they'll be watching the game."

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

The Wildcats had gotten to a 10-0 lead over the Tigers as they went to halftime. Right at that time, we began the speeches. First went the Mayor, who expressed his and the Council's appreciation and support of the Police Force. I could've built a clipper ship out of his wooden voice. Then came Sheriff Allgood, who put a little more energy into his voice as he complimented the Force on the great job they did this past year. Then came Chief Moynahan, who made a point to notice "that young patrolman and his lovely wife", that being the Griswolds.

Moynahan then said "I'll bring up Commander Troy now, who I'm sure will lead a toast... so get those drink glasses filled up!" There was some laughter, then I came to the podium.

I looked around the crowd until they became silent with anticipation. Then I said "Ladies and gentlemen... it has been one heck of a year!" People laughed, and then some applause started.

"We faced some big challenges this year." I said. "I asked you, all of you, from the Patrol Officers to the Detectives, to the Special Ops teams, to do a lot. And you did a lot, and you did it with professionalism and distinction. I can tell you that there are many good Police Forces out there... but this is the only Police Force with which I would care to serve." I was interrupted by applause. I raised my glass and said "So yes, I will be leading a toast... to the finest Police Force anywhere, and to you special people and your families that make it so. To the TCPD!"