Media Matters Ch. 01

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A moment later, Molly brought up two high school students. "Commander Troy, this is the Nextdoor County High Jr. ROTC team. This is Tom Usagi. His formal name is Hiroda Usagi. And this is Thomas Patton. They're Nextdoor County High School upcoming Seniors. And Tom has a four year ROTC scholarship to Wildcat School.

"Awesome!" I said, shaking both young men's hands. "You didn't try for West Point?"

"No sir." said Tom, a slender, fit young Asian man. "I want to major in Psychology, and they can't really choose a major at West Point."

"You need to talk to my wife." I said. "She's the Head of the Psychology Department at the University here. But don't let her change your mind about going to Wildcat School."

As Tom and Thomas went to check in, Molly said "Tom's great-grandparents were interred in the camps with other Japanese-Americans during World War 2. Now he wants to serve in the American military."

"Many blacks serve, and very well, in our Armed Services," I replied, "while others curse America and the Constitution for the slavery of the past. Which is one reason I say it's all about the smallest minority of them all... the Individual."

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Some moments later, Team 45 came up: Laura and Melina. They both looked smoking hot in their form-fitting swimwear, and I knew I'd be watching them no matter how well they were doing in the race.

"Y'all ready for this?" I asked them.

"No." Laura said bluntly. "But I will try."

"Do or do not." I said. "There is no try." Laura had absolutely expected that line, and smiled. I kissed Laura and wished her good luck as Daniel Allgood came up to us. Not to be outdone, he smooched Melina. We took no notice of the reporters a distance away, though I knew I could arrest them for being too close to Laura with a restraining order against them.

"So what's going on with this BigAgraFoods business?" Daniel asked quietly.

"After this gets started," I said "ride with me to the wheelchair race, and I'll tell you on the way."

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*BANG!*

The starting gun fired, and the first wave of racers hit the water of Lake Reservoir. As Daniel and I slowly walked towards my Police SUV, we watched the swimmers. I noticed that Teresa was struggling with her right arm, and she was all but swimming with a side stroke. Laura was swimming well, but not particularly fast.

We watched them round the turn to swim back. Teresa was in fourth place, which was unusual for her. Laura was well back in the pack.

"All right, let's go watch the wheelchair races." I said. Daniel and I got into my Police SUV, which had the 'power' to cross Police barricades.

"So what do you want to know?" I asked as we drove towards Town.

"The part about that bust you guys made here." said Daniel. "And Feingold's murder."

"The part here was that we caught them red-handed trying to destroy the farmland in this County." I said. "All the evidence one could possibly want, good warrants in getting it. Then Krasney decides not to prosecute. As to the Feingold murder, he was helping the FBI and Senator Nunn get evidence on Mitt Willis and BigAgraFoods's various perfidies. The Guardians of Justice stuff was real, it turns out."

"Wow." said Daniel. "No wonder they're so agitated."

"BigAgraFoods? They been calling you?" I asked.

"They've been calling Council Members, particularly Kelly Carnes and Susan Weston." said Daniel. "And those Council Members call me, mostly to gripe about you. It goes in one ear and out the other. Then Kelly Carnes called yesterday about this business with Paulina and Tasha. I told her that was none of her business, nor really anyone else's. But it may become a political hot potato for Paulina."

"It is what it is." I said. "And Paulina knows, and always knew, that I won't deny my daughter."

"Nor does anyone expect you to." said Daniel. "The Press may hit Chief Griswold with it... ask him what a church-going man like him thinks of his Police Commander siring an illegitimate child, and all that... but he's ready for them. My statement to the Press was the same as my statement to Carnes: it's none of my business, nor theirs really."

"Thanks for that." I said.

"So," said Daniel as we turned onto University Avenue, currently the only vehicle allowed to do so.. "Are you ready for Mullen?"

I gave a mirthless smile. "I'm looking forward to ripping him a new one. Bring it on." Daniel just shook his head.

"I'm glad you're looking forward to it." he said. "Nobody else in their right mind would be. That guy is dirty, plays dirty. I was glad when you and Horace Wellman finally drove him out of the I.G. Office. But Mullen is really gunning for you. He doesn't give a shit about the Governor. He just wants to fuck you up."

"Vee shall see whoo fucks whoo uu-up." I responded in my 'German' accent. Then I said "Oh, look."

I was pointing at the Hospital to our right. A huge banner had been hung from the roof across the front of the building. It said "GO TERESA!" and in smaller print were the words "from the UHCC kids". I'd heard a rumor that the banner had been paid for by a retired Navy Admiral who happened to be the Hospital Administrator. I also knew it was time for the redoubtable Bowser to visit the kids again...

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The racing wheelchairs were pretty sleek stuff. Most were like recumbent bicycles with a wheel way in front, the riders sitting back but in a way they can still push the back wheels. The alloys were extremely light.

"Hi Don!" Tanya said as I came up to her wheelchair. She had a little pennant on a flexible rod attached, which said 'TCPD' on it, and the wheelchair-bike was painted the same silver-gray as our Police vehicles. "Sure you don't want to race with us?"

"I'm grateful that my back has not given out so that I have to be in one of these... yet." I replied. "And I don't want to make you look bad by leaving you in the dust, of course." Tanya's eyes sparkled fire at me for that, but she knew I was teasing her.

"We'll see who leaves who in the dust." she said cheerfully. "But seriously, there are some good racers here. Like David over there." I noticed a teenage boy in his wheelchair, putting on his helmet. He looked a bit like a young Rudistan. I said hello to him."

"Oh wow, the Iron Crowbar!" he said as I shook his hand. "I'm sorry I'm going to have to beat your Captain today."

I chuckled. "Don't be sorry if you do. That's what competition is about."

"Yes sir." said David. "My goal is to win the gold medal at the Paralympic Games one day!"

"And with an attitude like that, you probably will." I said. "Best of luck to you in getting there." I shook his hand again and went and met more of the wheelchair racers. There were 15 men and 3 women participating in this inaugural event.

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The Wheelchair Race was a 5k race. The 18 contestants lined up and the pop-gun fired, starting them off. I saw a drone following them, and that reminded me to put my little earpiece in place and listen to the race broadcast on the radio.

"And Teresa Croyle came out of the water in fifth place," said the announcer, "a bit slower than what we are used to with her. But Todd Burke, her race partner and now her husband, is in the water and he is making up time. In first place is the Fire Department team, followed by the University ROTC team. And in third is the Nextdoor County Junior ROTC team, making their first appearance in the Triathlon..."

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"And in the Wheelchair Race," said the second announcer, usually the first announcer's spotter and assistant, "young David Keyes is in front, just a teenager but really pushing hard..." Tanya was in ninth place, I heard.

"And Todd Burke is making up ground in the swimming portion of the Triathlon." said the first announcer as they watched coverage from a drone. "That young man looks like Michael Phelps as he passes a couple of swimmers to climb to third place."

I parked at Police Headquarters and Daniel and I made our way to Riverside Drive. Chief Moynahan had already staked out a place at the corner of Riverside Drive and the little road that went past the Crime Lab building and into the Fairgrounds, where the finish line was, and was sitting in a folding chair.

"The wheelchair racers will be here soooooon." said Moynahan. "They are going much faster than anyone an-tissss-i-pated."

"How's Perlman doing?" asked Daniel.

"Well back in the pack, per the latest radio report." I said. After a moment, I said "I'm going to the finish line, if you'll excuse me." I left my bosses to talk amongst themselves. At the finish line, I found Jack Muscone and his daughters, one of them holding the hand of little Pete Feeley.

"How's she doing?" Jack asked me.

"Some people are ahead of her." I said. "But she'll probably be top female finisher."

"How's Laura and Melina doing?" asked a voice. I turned around to see the DepDirector coming up behind me. I was wearing my light blue polo/golf shirt and khaki pants. The DepDirector was wearing a white golf shirt with a "Masters" golf tournament logo, and khaki pants. It was as casual as I'd ever seen him. FBI Special Agent Lindy Linares was with him, mostly as his bodyguard.

"No word yet, sir." I said. "They'll update when the cycling portion starts."

"What about Teresa?" asked Lindy. "How did her arm hold up?" She knew, like I did, that Teresa's nerve damage to her right arm might be a problem.

"She fell to fifth place coming out of her swim." I said. "But Todd was making some of that up. She shouldn't be affected in the cycling and the run portions..."

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"And here come the wheelchair racers now!" said the radio announcer. "They are moving at amazing speeds! And they're passing the Police Station and moving to the Fairgrounds! And young David Keyes, just a teenager, has won going away!" The announcer named names as the others came through, then announced Tanya's name as she wheeled over the finish line in 10th overall, and first in the female division.

"Great race." I said as I shook her hand as the medics glanced at her and the other racers. "You did very well."

"Ah, I was hoping to do better," Tanya said, "but those young guys were ready, and they're in better shape than this old lady."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that 'old' part." I said. "You did great. And you're the one who put this all together, and it was a big success." I then made way for Tanya's family to talk with her and take pictures. I went over and congratulated the other racers, including young David. Someone took a picture of me shaking his hand, which would make the news reports for the evening as well as the local newspaper, the Town & County Examiner.

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Teresa Croyle chugged up the hill on the road that led right beneath The Cabin. She was making up ground on the second place cyclist, Thomas Patton. She knew she needed to catch up and pass him, because Tom Usagi had shown himself to be in excellent physical condition and hungry to win. Todd had not been able to catch up to him in the swim...

"And Teresa Croyle takes second place as the lead pack of cyclists ride down Riverside Drive." said the radio announcer as they had come down the hill, gone westward on North Street, and then turned onto Riverside Drive going south. "They'll head south to Jefferson Avenue and east to Reservoir Road, and pass their batons to their partners."

"And all the wheelchair racers are lined up in front of the Police Station now, cheering the cyclists on in a great display of sportsmanship." continued the announcer. "The wheelchair racers really showed us something today, great athleticism and enthusiasm. Police Captain Tanya Perlman is to be commended for her tireless efforts to make this addition to the races today..."

Nice of them to say that, I thought to myself as I listened in, watching from the corner near Chief Moynahan's (occupied) chair...

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"And here comes Todd Burke! He has passed young Tom Usagi to take the lead!" said the radio announcer. "And they're now on the downhill, coming past Memorial Stadium and onto North Street. The Bulldog Army ROTC team is in third..."

I'd noticed that the Clan Takaki team was holding a good tenth place. Laura and Melina were much further back in the pack. Laura was struggling, while Melina was holding her own...

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"And the cycling is done for the frontrunners as they begin the final portion of the race, a half-marathon for each contestant, just over 13 miles of running." said the announcer. "Team Burke is in the lead, with the Nextdoor County Jr. ROTC Team in second place. Teresa Croyle is running well, showing little sign of the injuries that hospitalized her last Christmas. Young Patton of the Nextdoor County team shows no sign of backing down, however."

"And now they're turning onto University Avenue, running north. Thousands of spectators are lining the road, cheering them on!" continued the announcer. "And University Hospital is on the right, with a big banner saying 'Go Teresa!' on it. Ms. Croyle is a cancer survivor, and is running on behalf of the University Hospital Cancer Center..."

Then the announcer suddenly shouted into the radio: "And there goes Croyle! She's making a move!" he was saying. "I think she saw the sign that says 'Go Teresa!' and Teresa is now going! Patton is not responding, and Croyle is beginning to pull away! She's opened up a lead of over a hundred yards!..."

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The baton was exchanged and Todd took off, running south along Riverside Drive. Her race over, Teresa headed to the finish line to wait for Todd. Medics quickly looked her over, and gave her some Powerade to drink. As I came up, I noticed young Patton congratulate her and shake her hand in a good display of sportsmanship. No Bradley Rangers here today, thank goodness...

"Good race." I said, congratulating her after I'd congratulated Patton on his race.. "How's your arm?"

"It's okay." Teresa replied. "Gave me trouble during the swim, but it didn't bother me for the rest of it."

"You really took off on University Avenue." I said. "Was that planned?"

"No sir." Teresa said. "I saw that sign on the Hospital, and I felt the energy come to me, and I took off. I didn't want to let the kids down. By the way, How's Todd doing?"

"Leading." I said. "But this Usagi kid is tough, and he's gaining."

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As the race neared its end, I listened on the radio. The announcer said "And Todd Burke is rounding the curve from North Street onto Riverside Drive. And here comes Tom Usagi, he's only 40 yards behind! Usagi is making a move, he's trying to catch up! He is closing! Todd Burke knows he's there, and Burke is now running full speed ahead as well!

"And down the stretch they come! Over thirteen miles, and they're running at a dead sprint! They're running past the Police Station and they've rounded the corner! Just ten yards separate them, and Usagi is trying to catch Burke! And here they come!..."

To be continued.