Man of God Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography, which is currently not updating. Stories after Music Box Dancer are: Return To Apple Grove, Media Matters, Swamp Frogs, Man of God.

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 7 - Resolution

(Author's note: This story overlaps the previous story, 'Swamp Frogs'.)

"Shots fired! Shots fired!" came the call on Police Radio. "Shots fired at J.P. Goldman Bank!"

"Break break break!" I yelled into the radio. "Do not advance! SWAT teams to ready positions, but do not attack until I give the signal!" I received acknowledgement. SWAT Teams were now at the corner of the building on College Street across the street, near the front door. A second SWAT team was against the east side of the Bank building, crouched down and ready to move...

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

As Father Romano's body fell to the floor, Teresa saw the perp come into view. She was already in motion, swinging her arm to fire at the perp.

*BLAM!* *BLAM!* *BLAM!*

Two shots slammed into the perp's chest. The third fired bullet broke the perp's upper front teeth on its way to the base of his brain. He was dead before he hit the floor.

With lightning speed, Teresa cuffed the younger perp's hands behind him. "You move and I'll blow your ass away, too!." she snarled. Then she retrieved her own gun from his belt, and she scrambled over to Father Romano.

"Father!" she cried out, expecting the worst.

"Uhhh..." groaned Father Romano. "Help me up. Please... help me up."

Teresa saw that he'd been wounded in the left arm, but the shots to his chest had been successfully stopped... by the Police armor he was wearing under his robe!

She helped him to a sitting position and he went forward onto his knees by the body of the dead man Teresa had shot... the perp that had shot the priest, and had threatened to kill him earlier... and began saying the final incantations for the deceased. Priests! thought Teresa to herself, hardly able to understand the level of forgiveness in this Man of God. Certainly he was doing his duty and then some...

She looked behind her, seeing J.P. Goldman sitting on the back of the second perp, keeping him from doing any more stupid things. Once Father Romano was done, she helped the Chaplain to lie on his back, then went for the door...

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

"Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" I ordered into the radio as the front door of the bank slowly opened. A pair of hands showed themselves, then arms. Then Teresa Croyle, clad in a t-shirt and Police uniform pants, appeared.

"MEDIC!" she screamed.

"Clear the scene!" I ordered the SWAT Team. They rushed in, followed by the paramedics of the University's Ambulance Service.

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

"Upper arm wound." Fire Marshal Zoe Singer reported to me in the aftermath of the crisis. "I think he's got cracked or broken ribs from the bullets impacting his armor. But the good news is that none of it should be life-threatening. Captain Croyle is uninjured. Mad as hell, but not hurt. Mr. Goldman is short of breath; they'll look at him to make sure he's not having a heart attack or something."

"Okay, thanks." I said as I saw medics bringing a stretcher out of the bank and to the waiting ambulance. Father Romano was on the stretcher and Teresa was walking alongside it as I came up to them. Seeing me, she said "I guess it's Desk Duty forever, huh, sir?"

"Like I have any chance of keeping you behind a desk, Captain." I replied. "But our Chaplain here..."

"Not that I'm complaining," Teresa said to Romano, "but why were you wearing armor?"

"Because Commander Troy ordered it." replied the Police Chaplain. "And I don't want to risk the wrath of the Iron Crowbar any more than anyone else does."

Teresa smiled and I laughed out loud. "Excellent job, Captain Romano." I said, giving him his Police title in recognition that he indeed was one of us, the Thin Blue Line. I continued: "Teresa, ride with him to the Hospital." The medics put him in the ambulance and Teresa got in with him.

Part 8 - Inquiries

Monday morning, July 16th. Former SBI Director and failed candidate for Governor Jack Lewis came into his office near the campus of Eastern State, in the town of Sparta in the State east of his former State. He was surprised to find two visitors waiting for him.

"Hello Steven. Hello Dick." said Lewis to Steven Ikea and Richard 'Dick' Ferrell. "What brings you here?"

He led them into his office, where Ikea made coffee for them all. They made small talk about innocuous things until the coffee was ready, then they sat down with their mugs of the steaming beverage to talk seriously.

"We've come across some information, sir," said Ikea, "about what the TCPD is calling the 'Queenie Files', but you might have heard of as the 'Willis Files'."

"Hmmmm," said Lewis, pretending to think. "Queenie... is that the staffer of Katherine Woodburn, that was killed in the assassination attempt on Jared?"

"Yes sir." said Ferrell. "We have information that she left instructions to come ask you about these files if she was killed. She was killed, so here we are."

Lewis nodded. "Yes. Very sad... that she was killed and Jared was not. Then again, I'd have been even happier if it had been that bastard Griswold that had died. Well... never mind all that. What else did you learn?"

"Uh... nothing, sir." said Ferrell. "That's all we know."

"Actually, sir," said Ikea, "we've since learned that the information in those files are possibly being used to blackmail people within Jared's organization. But the Iron Crowbar is now interested in it, so we felt we need to move fast and get the stuff before he finds out more about it."

"Yeah, that's probably the wise thing to do." said Lewis. "So let's go for a walk, to a place we will not be easily overheard..."

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

"The Board of Inquiry into the shooting at the Bank is to-morrrr-oh." said Chief Moynahan to Captain Croyle in his office. "Commander Troy made a distinct point to refuse to put you on restricted duty of any kind, so you're still fully active and can carry your weapon as part of your doo-teees."

"Having said that," the Chief said, "I want you to make yourself scarce. Find a place to be that does not include this Headquarters. Maybe an audit of your Precincts would be in orrrr-der. Maybe a visit to Father Romano, check on how he is doing, and coordinate with him about the Board of Inquiry, if you get my drift..."

"Yes sir." said Teresa, fully understanding.

"Oh, one more thing, as Steve Jobs used to say." said the Chief. "Commander Troy is up to something. He won't say what it is, that it's out of our jurisdiction here, but he said that he might need you for some 'clan' bizzzz-nezzz. So keep your phone charged and close to you."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." said Teresa.

"You are dismissed, Captain." said the Chief. "I'll see you at the Board of Inquiry."

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

The Eastern State Campus was not large. It was centralized around the original, core buildings. The land was pretty flat, like the farmland surrounding it and extending to most of the western part of the State and into the eastern part of the next State (ours) south of the City. There was not a lot of shade, but it was slightly overcast and therefore not too hot as Jack Lewis, Richard Ferrell, and the self-styled man of God, Steven Ikea sat down on a bench, Ferrell being in his wheelchair, of course.

"What I need to tell you guys," said Lewis, "is that even though she called them the 'Willis Files', they are not about Mitt Willis of BigAgraFoods... Queenie got the information from Willis. She didn't hack him, either; he gave her the information in exchange for keeping Katherine Woodburn off his back in the Legislature."

"Who is the information about, sir?" asked Ikea.

"I don't know." said Lewis. "Queenie contacted me through intermediaries, so she rightly did not say. I haven't seen the information, and it was suggested that I not pursue it in order to have 'plausible deniability' in case shit started hitting any fans. Now Mitt Willis is in trouble, and you're asking about the files, so it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out the shit is hitting the fan."

"So what can you tell us, Mr. Lewis?" asked Ferrell.

"I can give you this." Lewis said, taking an envelope out of his sportscoat pocket and handing it to Ikea. "It's a safe-deposit-box key. City & Counties Bank in the western suburbs. I'll get in contact with a judge that I still have some pull with, and have him issue you a warrant to get the information."

"Thank you, sir." said Ferrell. "What are your plans, by the way?"

"Like many of our fellow Democrats," said Lewis, "I'm waiting for the Elections in November. Romanov at the University and Adam S. Keller of the Rodham Institute in the City believe the Democrats will gain control of both Houses of the State Legislature. Katherine Woodburn is going to ram through her 'strong SBI' bill, giving the SBI tremendous control over local jurisdictions. Then we'll start weeding out the shit eaters like Griswold and his lapdog Troy. And then I'll be back as SBI Director, after Jared and Collins are both removed from office."

"That will be a great day." said Ikea, religious fervor welling up inside him. "Troy's perfidies will catch up to him, and he shall be smited down by the Lord for his hideous sins..."

Part 9 - Confiscation

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, July 17th, from in front of City Hall. "Today the Board of Inquiry will meet to determine what happened during the J.P. Goldman Bank robbery last Friday!"

"Police Chaplain Alberto Romano was wounded, but was wearing his Police armored vest, which saved his life." said Bettina. "Captain Teresa Croyle was also involved, and several Council Members want to know why she gave up her gun when the perps took hostages. Fox Two News has learned that in spite of these egregious breaches of her duty, Captain Croyle is not suspended nor even on restricted duty! The Police have refused to answer any Press inquiries into the matter, and they are refusing to hold any Press Conferences or give out any updates. Neither Commander Donald Troy nor Captain Croyle are returning our repeated calls for comment."

"Meanwhile, Commander Troy prepares for what may be the most important testimony of his career, as he answers the subpoena of the Independent State Counsel tomorrow..."

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

"Yeah, but the air sure smells better around here, without any Press assholes stinking it up!" said Lieutenant Micah Rudistan jovially as he shared some coffee with the Detectives of MCD and Vice in the MCD room. Everyone laughed.

"And the laughter is back, with you hanging around, Rudistan." said Cindy Ross. "What are you doing here, by the way?"

"The Chief is having a direct meeting with the Precinct leadership and Lt. Hewitt, ma'am." said Captain Thompson. "You and I will be invited, as well. I think it's to get our ducks in a row for anything that might happen while Commander Troy is enjoying his vacation in Midtown."

"Some vacation!" Joanne Warner almost shouted. "By the way, where is Commander Troy?"

"In his office." said Rudistan. "He just got back------" He suddenly shut up, then said. "Excuse me, gotta go to the potty."

"Yes, I think you do." replied Cindy acerbically as Rudistan rushed out, many pairs of eyes upon him.

"What was that about?" asked Theo Washington.

"Must've been something he ate." Cindy said, her voice severe.

"Maybe it's about that offensive Press reporting." said Teddy Parker. "Wurtzburg could not have tried harder to make it sound like Captain Croyle did something wrong."

"Yeah." said Captain Thompson. "And she can whine about Commander Troy not returning her calls until the cows come home, but she's not going to get any sympathy from him nor anyone else."

"And it's just going to get worse, after what happened this weekend." Cindy said, referring to the Brian Jennings arrest on weapons charges. "We are at all-out war."

"Aren't we always, ma'am?" asked Parker.

No one answered him.

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

Yep, Rudistan slipped up.

Yes, I'd just gotten home, and so had he. In the wee hours of the previous morning, I got a call from Eddy the Bounty Hunter. It would seem the Reverend Steven Ikea did not have the Eyes of God, as he totally missed the fact that he and Ferrell were being followed.

At 2:00am I took the controls of the TCPD's Bell 206. With me, all of us wearing black, was Captain Teresa Croyle, Patrolman Hicks, and Lt. Rudistan. We flew north, then east, flying north of the State Line in an easterly direction, then slanting back down into the City. I parked the chopper on the helipad of the Federal Building.

By curious coincidence, a set of keys in my pocket cranked the engine of a black Federal Government vehicle in the parking lot below, one that is assigned to the local FBI office. We piled in and drove west, to the City & Counties Bank office.

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

Nearly 5:00am, Tuesday, July 17th. The City & Counties Bank officer slid one key into the lock of the safe deposit bank. SBI Chaplain Steven Ikea slid the other key into its lock, and both turned their keys. The box opened.

Ikea stuffed the contents of the box into a briefcase. The box had contained some jump drives and some files of typed papers. "Okay, Dick," he said, coming out of the safe that held the boxes, "we've got the goods------"

"Thank you."

Ikea had no time to blink, but realized that the briefcase had been snatched out of his hands, and the sharp point of a katana was pressing into his throat. The briefcase was being held by Your Iron Crowbar. The katana was in the possession of a Police Captain with a bad attitude.

"You treasonous bitch!" Ikea snarled upon recognizing Teresa Croyle. "Captain Malone would be ashamed of you."

"Captain Malone is dead." Teresa replied. "And any loyalty I had for him definitely does not extend to you, shithead."

The other two men in the room were masked. One, who I happened to know was Hicks, had his gun in Ferrell's earhole. The other, whose relatively portly figure gave him away as Rudistan, was holding the bank officer. A mask and earmuffs had been put on the man, so that he could not see and hear what was going on.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Ferrell." I said. "Alpha-One, search that man thoroughly for weapons."

"Yes sir." said Hicks. He grabbed Ferrell by the collar and threw him out of his wheelchair and onto the floor on his (Ferrell's) face and belly. Ferrell landed hard. He was frisked for weapons, and those weapons confiscated.

"Well, Ferrell." I said. "Not much fun getting thrown out of a wheelchair, is it now?"

"Fuck you, Troy." Ferrell snarled.

"Boy, you don't learn, do you?" I said. "I'm being exceptionally generous. Ask your bitch Ikea what happened to him when he hit my mother. I'm owing you a similar beatdown."

"What the fuck is this about?" growled Ikea. "We have a warrant to obtain this information. You're holding us illegally."

"And stealing your private papers." I replied. "Oh... darn, I almost forgot. Captain, do we have that document?"

"In your pocket, sir." Teresa replied, not taking her eyes nor the point of her katana off Ikea's neck.

"Why yes, here it is." I said, holding up the document. "This is a warrant I obtained from Superior Court, and here's one from Federal Court, to run a sting operation to recover the lost so-called 'Queenie Files'. By way of contrast, that warrant you've obtained under rather suspicious circumstances is not likely something Jack Lewis will want to talk to the Federal Judge about."

"Sooooo," I said, "I think I'll take possession of this evidence. I need not even bother to say that your silence on this will do you a lot more good than it will do me; in fact, I don't care what you say or do."

With that, I took Ferrell's handcuffs, and cuffed Ikea to the door handle of the safe. Ferrell was left lying face down, and the bank official was released after Teresa and I put on masks...

Part 10 - Inquiries, Redux

10:00am, Tuesday, July 17th. The Board of Inquiry convened at City Hall. Mr. Silas was the lead Commissioner, and the others were Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Finneran. The Board's mission was to determine exactly what happened at the bank robbery, to indemnify or not indemnify Captain Croyle for shooting one of the perps to death, and to determine what award, if any, Chaplain (Captain) Romano was entitled to.

Teresa had requested Union representation from the Police Captain's Union, and she had it at the hearing. She actually had Mike G. Todd, hired by the Police Captain's Union, representing her. And she would need the help: Finneran looked like he smelled blood, and was going on a relentless attack.

J.P. Goldman was called to testify. The other hostages had either been deposed, or the Board had accepted their interviews recorded by Police reports. Mr. Goldman took the stand.

"Mr. Goldman," said Finneran, "we appreciate you taking the time to be here today. I just have one question for you: Did Captain Teresa Croyle give up her gun to the criminals?"

"She had no choice, they were-------" started Goldman.

"Just yes or no, Mr. Goldman." Finneran ordered.

"Do not interrupt me again, Mr. Finneran," thundered J.P. Goldman, "or I'll have your head on a spike in front of the Town & County Council!"

"Sir, this is our Board of Inquiry-------" started Finneran, but Goldman would have none of it.

"No, Finneran, this is the Council's Board of Inquiry," replied Goldman, "and you will see just how fast I can have you removed from it. But to fully answer your question, Father Romano was being held at gunpoint, and the other perp could've shot any of the hostages in the room. Captain Croyle took the only responsible action to save lives in that situation."

Silas whispered something to Finneran, who glowered at Silas but said nothing. Then Silas said "Mr. Fitzgerald, do you have any questions?"

"Yes." said Fitzgerald. "Mr. Goldman, the criminals wanted the bank owner to come to the bank and open the safe. You were in there, but they did not know who you were. Did you willingly reveal who you were?"

"Yes, I did." said Goldman.

"And why did you do that?" asked Fitzgerald.

"I hoped that it would de-escalate the situation." said Goldman. "I asked them to release most of the hostages in exchange for opening the safe, and with the help of Father Romano and Captain Croyle, they were persuaded to release most of the hostages."

"With Captain Croyle's help? And Chaplain Romano's?" asked Fitzgerald. "Please explain that." Goldman explained the discussion, including Romano's offer to remain as hostage, and Captain Croyle telling them that more hostages meant a worse possible outcome for the perps.

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

Next-to-last was Father Romano. He was wearing his Police uniform, which consisted of his dark blue jacket with thin light blue piping over the wrist, dark blue trousers with thick light blue piping, but with a black shirt and white clerical collar, and ribbons denoting his Commendation and Achievement Medals.