Only Time Ch. 03

Bettina: "Federal Agents leading the investigation into the truck-bombing of the Maternity Ward of the Hospital believe that it was the work of a domestic terrorist group known as the American Jihadi Front. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Homeland Security Agent Miles Winters making a statement: "The American Jihadi Front is a group of American citizens that have been radicalized into a terrorist organization. We believe they may have been involved in the attack on BOW

Enterprises in this County some months ago, and have followed up with this attack upon University Hospital. At this time we are not sure of their motives for the attack, nor why they chose to attack a Hospital. We hope to be making arrests soon."

Back to Bettina live. "And in local news, the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union, is threatening to sue the Town & County after a Board of Inquiry voted 3-2 to absolve and indemnify Police Commanders Donald Troy and Cindy Ross of any wrongdoing in the arrests of six persons who allegedly assaulted now-Fire Chief Davies. Neither Commander Troy nor Ross appeared at the Board of Inquiry hearing, prompting candidate for Inspector General Finneran to issue a statement saying 'Commander Donald Troy does not respect the rule of law nor the processes set up to protect minorities against Police brutality. And that is why I should be elected Inspector General, to stop Commander Troy's blatant disregard for the law'..."

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

"This is Priya Ajmani, KFXU Fox Eight News!" shouted the beautiful Indian reporterette at 7:30am, from in front of the Courthouse. "Fox Eight News has learned that Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Curtis Halsey was arrested last night and charged with reckless endangerment of University Hospital and attempted murder of another Federal Agent!"

Priya: "Special Agent In Charge Halsey was the lead field agent in the investigation of the truck-bombing of University Hospital yesterday morning. Last night a helicopter allegedly belonging to the Town & County Police Department landed on the roof of the helicopter. Sources tell Fox Eight News that Agent Halsey drew his weapon to fire at the Police helicopter, and if he'd not been stopped from firing his weapon, he would have hit the side of the Hospital."

Priya: "Agent Halsey was allegedly stopped from firing at the Hospital by an FBI Agent. Witnesses at the scene said that Agent Halsey then pointed his weapon at that FBI Agent and took off the safety, and that they believed Agent Halsey intended to shoot and kill the other Agent. He was stopped by other FBI Agents and arrested at the scene."

Priya: "And in other news, the FBI is not coordinating with local and State law enforcement agencies, nor even sharing information with them. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Town & County Sheriff Antonio Griswold giving Priya an interview, and the Sheriff was saying: "The FBI has refused to respond to multiple requests for information by the TCPD, me, and the SBI. The SBI has withdrawn their explosives experts and CSI persons, and the Governor will have strong response to Agent Halsey and EAD Robin Isley's rough treatment of the State Agents that were only trying to help discover the truth of what happened here."

Priya: "Sheriff, are you suggesting that the FBI is trying to hide something from you and the SBI?"

Griswold: "Not just the FBI, but all the Federal Agencies out here. I am not sure if their motive is to hide the truth or not, but their actions towards local and State Law Enforcement is unprofessional at best, and suspicious at worst..."

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

As Cindy, Tanya, and I watched in my office, I said "So Winters is either spearheading a ruse, or he's being set up to take the fall."

"What do you mean?" asked Cindy.

"Bettina and the Feds are feeding the American People this steaming pile of excrement that the American Jihadi Front is behind this." I said. "But the 'American Jihadi Front' is like the 'Leg Ranger'... it is a figment of your imagination."

"Why do you think it's a ruse by the Feds?" asked Tanya.

"I'm not saying that it is." I said. "But to my point: remember the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 or so? The FBI told the Press that they couldn't even get down there yet to investigate the truck bomb. But in truth they were already down there, had the number off the real axle of the truck, and were already on the way to make arrests."

I continued: "When the FBI announced the arrests, the Press only cared about one thing: they kept asking if the FBI had lied to the Press about not being able to get to the truck. The FBI said of course they lied, so that the perps wouldn't know the FBI was already on the way to get them. The Press, however, was furious that they had been lied to, and that was all they talked about."

I finished up: "So yeah, they may know something, and are lying to the Press to distract from what they're really doing. But I also noticed that it's not Halsey or Isley in front of the cameras talking that up, but Miles Winters who is their punching bag and straight man for their joke on all of us."

"It's sure not Curtis Halsey." said Tanya with her cherubic grin. "He's sitting in a holding cell here at Headquarters."

"Yeah." I said. "And I wish Isley or someone would show up to try to get the bastard out of jail. I want to go to the Hospital and see Laura."

"Go on ahead, Don." Cindy said. "We'll take care of things here, and Teresa already at the Hospital, coordinating our Officers there."

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was my landline office phone. "Troy." I answered.

"Sir, it's Captain Hewitt." said Captain Hewitt. "Jack Logan's lawyer has arrived."


"Who is it?" I asked.

"Nathan Masterson, Gresham & Mason, P.C..."

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

"Okay," said Paulina Patterson, who had just come into Police Headquarters, "two arraignments, two judges, two prosecutors. Which one do you want to go to Judge Watts, and which one to Judge Nance? And me or Savannah Fineman?"

"Logan to Judge Watts's courtroom." I said. "And we absolutely have to keep him, so I'd appreciate it if you handle that one."

"Wilco." said Paulina. "So you're okay with the Feds taking Halsey back?"

"No." I said. "I want to keep both. But that wasn't what you asked me."

Paulina nodded. "All right, I'll go pull the strings." She left the office, and Tanya drove in almost immediately.

"I just wanted to tell you what was going on with Halsey." Tanya said. "Jack told me that Karina White has filed formal charges against him, and she's contacted both the FBI and ATF's Offices of Professional Responsibility and made formal complaints. Julius Jefferson also contacted OPR and made his own complaints. Jack and Owen Lange have endorsed both their complaints."

"Good unity, there." I said. "I can't wait to see Robin Isley's reaction." Tanya's face immediately fell. "What?" I asked.

"Don..." Tanya said "Do you know what Isley has threatened to do to Jack?" When I shook my head, she said "Isley has threatened to fire Jack, and block him from getting his pension. That likely won't wash, but she's also threatened to transfer Jack, and to someplace like Alaska or even Europe. Obviously I can't leave the TCPD even if I wanted to... and I don't want to."

"And Isley knows that, and is using it against Jack." I said. "Well, the Swamp has already split Team Lazarus apart, and now they're moving to eradicate Jack entirely---" I stopped, as I saw that Tanya had broken down and was openly weeping now.

I got up and went over and sat in a hot chair next to her. "You okay? What is it?" I asked.

"It's just not right!" Tanya wailed. "I want to be here, I want to marry Jack... but he loves the FBI like I love the TCPD. And that bitch is making us have to choose between the things we love!"

All I could do is put my arm around her and say "It will be all right. After we put this crisis to bed, we'll figure it out, okay? I've got your back on this." Tanya nodded, then hugged me back.

My phone buzzed. I got up and went around to get it. It was the Duty Desk. "Sir, FBI EAD Isley is here, with an attorney for Agent Halsey..."

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

The case was called up, and the Prosecution and Defense went to their respective tables. On the Prosecution side was ADA Paulina Patterson. Arrayed for the Defense was Nathan Masterson and U.S. Attorney Richard Baldwin.

"Okay," said Judge Watts, "the charges are attempted murder with aggravating circumstances, resisting arrest, assaulting Police Officers, and weapons violations. How does the Defendant plead?"

"Before we enter our plea, Your Honor," said Nathan Masterson, "we have motions to dismiss and also to transfer this Defendant to Federal custody."

"None of those charges are Federal." said Judge Watts. "Are you wasting my time again, Masterson?"

"Your Honor," said U.S. Attorney Baldwin, "the Federal Government believes this Defendant may be involved in the bombing of the Hospital, and the Federal Government is taking over exclusive jurisdiction of that incident; therefore, we request habeas corpus and custody of this Defendant."

"Objection, Your Honor." said Paulina Patterson. "It has not be ascertained at all that the Federal Government has exclusive jurisdiction over the bombing incident, and both the State and this County are opposing that and will continue to fight it in Court. And the Federal Government has no place in this attempted murder case, as you just said, Your Honor."

"The objection is sustained," said Judge Watts, "and the Federal Government will have to try to get custody through a very lengthy legal process. Once again, how does the Defendant plead?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor." said Masterson. The judge forced the Defendant himself to sign the document stating that plea.

"Prosecution, bail?"

"We ask the Defendant be remanded without bail." said Paulina. "He is an exceptionally dangerous criminal, which is why his legs are shackled; he has demonstrated skill with martial arts in his attempts to harm Police Officers. Furthermore, he is an exceptional flight risk: he is not from this jurisdiction, he has ties to criminal organizations outside this jurisdiction, and we believe that any amount of bail would be met by those criminal organizations."

"Your Honor," said Nathan Masterson craftily, "we intend to show that the Defendant was merely defending himself from Police assault and abuse. Furthermore, we would understand if the bail were high, and we'd accept ankle monitoring and restricted travel, but we believe bail should be set so that we can work with him to provide an adequate defense at his trial, which will take time."

"So if I set a high bail and he met it, he would honor restrictions to remain in the jurisdiction?" asked Judge Watts.

"Yes, Your Honor." Masterson said quickly.

"No, Your Honor." Paulina replied. "We believe this Defendant would be helped to defeat the ankle monitoring, would leave the jurisdiction at the first available opportunity, and would not return to meet any Court dates. And he very well might attempt to assassinate Dr. Fredricson a second time. Also, Your Honor, the U.S. Attorney at the Defense table is the same one who tried to take Peter Blassingame out of County Jail using violent paramilitary tactics."

"Oh yeah, I thought I recognized you." said Judge Watts with a joviality he did not feel. "And there was no excuse for that, Mr. Baldwin. None." Baldwin and Masterson were both smoldering with hatred.


"Bail is denied." said Watts. "I am ordering that transfer of this Defendant to Federal custody is denied and will remain denied until his trial here is completed." With a bang of his gavel, Judge Watts ended the proceeding...

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

Meanwhile, I was confronting FBI EAD Robin Isley in the lobby of Police Headquarters. With her were several Federal Agents of varying letters of the alphabet. Among them were David Rovers and Peter Page of the FBI's 'vaunted' Rovers BAU unit, which delighted me; I hoped they'd try something so that I could kill them and be done with their worthless presences on this earth.

Opposing them were the fully deployed TCPD SWAT Team, rounds in the chambers of their weapons, ready to fire; Captain Tanya Perlman in her wheelchair, wearing armor and brandishing her fully-loaded, round-in-the-chamber service weapon; and me... wearing armor and the 'girdle', and of course armed with my red crowbar.

"This is a Federal warrant to release ATF SAC Halsey to my custody." said Isley. "Immediately."

I took the document and examined it, and then I began tearing it up into small pieces. "This is not real." I said. "It is a figment of your imagination."

"Like hell!" Isley shouted. "That was issued by Federal Judge Ruth B. Taney an hour ago!"

"And it's been overturned already on appeal." said a voice. FBI SAC Jack Muscone came in through the front door, followed by FBI ASAC Karina White and Special Agent Julius Jefferson. Jack came up to confront Isley, but in truth was placing himself in front of his fiancée, Tanya Perlman, I noticed.

"We're not leaving without him." Isley said. "Whatever it takes, including lethal force, we're going to take him with us." The Agents had their guns drawn, though so far pointed at the floor.

"Then you'll leave in body bags." I replied. "And I am more than ready to make that happen"

"For God's sake!" Isley exclaimed in exasperation. Then she said "We're not letting Halsey get away with it. But we'll handle him at the Federal level."

"I've already filed charges with the TCPD." said ASAC Karina White, squaring off against Isley, woman vs. woman, Fed vs. Fed. "Attempted murder and assault charges. I've also already filed complaints with the FBI and BATFE Offices of Professional Responsibility."

"I'm ordering you to stand down, Agent White." ordered Isley. "Your career is already on shaky ground, and I'll have no problem finishing it."

"No." said White. "I'm not backing down, not this time. Halsey tried to shoot me. He is going to prison."

"Listen, you---" Isley growled, advancing on the shorter Karina. A red crowbar appeared between them.

"Would you like to borrow a crowbar, Agent White?" I asked.

"Don't mind if I do!" Karina said, awe in her voice as she took the proffered red crowbar, a gleam in her eye as she tapped it into the palm of her left hand.

"Why aren't you with your wife right now?" Isley asked, hurling the words at me as an accusation.

"Because I have to be here, taking care of this business of you trying to subvert Justice." I growled back. "And every moment I'm away from her, I'm holding against you,, Dr. Isley."

A man in his upper 40s, with brown hair, glasses, and a brush mustache, and looking about as cheap as his suit, said "I'm U.S. Attorney Dalton Kendell. I'm here as Agent Halsey's attorney. Take me to him immediately."

"You better hurry to the Courthouse if you want to see him." I said. "He's already been taken over for his arraignment on attempted murder charges."

"What?!" roared Dr. Robin Isley. "Why didn't you tell us that?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Why, you were too busy threatening my friends, here, to listen to anything we were saying." I said.

If looks could kill, I'd be dead and Robin Isley would be getting arrested. As it was, she just snarled to the U.S. Attorney "Let's get over there, now!" They left, followed more slowly by her contingent of Federal Agents. Muscone and Karina White just looked over at me as Tanya dismissed the SWAT Team. I couldn't help it; I broke out into a huge cackle of laughter.

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

"Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!" said the Bailiff. "Court is now in session, the Honorable Harry R. Nance presiding." Everyone rose as Nance came in and seated himself before bidding everyone else to be seated. He called for his first case.

The Prosecution and Defense came up to their tables. For the Prosecution was ADA Savannah Fineman. For the Defense was U.S. Attorney Kendell and U.S. Attorney Baldwin, who'd come over from the Jack Logan arraignment.

"I see a motion by the U.S. Attorney here." said Nance. "You want the Defendant transferred to Federal custody?"

"Yes, Your Honor." said Kendell. "This is a Federal matter between Federal Agents, and should be kept to that. If I may, Your Honor, we have----"

"Your Honor," said Savannah Fineman, "one of those Agents filed formal charges of attempted murder with our Police----"

"Do not interrupt the Defense nor me again, Prosecutor." said Nance, more haughtily than angrily. "You were saying, Defense Counsel?"

"Your Honor, we have with us FBI Executive Assistant Director Dr. Robin Isley here." said Baldwin. "She is overseeing the investigation of the terrorist incident at the Hospital. May she speak on the Defendant's behalf?"

"Objection, Your Honor." said Fineman. "This is an arraignment, not the full trial----"

"Overruled!" growled Nance. "I'll accept a Friend of the Court brief in writing." After a moment, Kendell handed a piece of paper to the Bailiff, who took it to the Bench and the Judge. Nance read it.

"Prosecutor," said Nance, "it would seeeeem that turning this Agent over to Federal Government would rid you of a potentially political problem and a long and expensive appellate battle over jurisdiction."

"Your Honor," said Fineman, "we're ready to fight that battle. Again, Your Honor, the Defendant is accused of attempted murder as well as attempting to shoot at the Police... the helicopter he was aiming at was being flown by a TCPD Officer----"

"Your Honor," said Baldwin, his interruption not being called down by the Judge Nance, "the Defendant did not fire his weapon. We were already planning to object to the charges, as they should be no more than reckless endangerment. We also do not waive the preliminary hearing."

"That's a very good point, about the scope of the charges." said Nance. "Ms. Fineman, I'm going to save your promising political career, here. I'm dropping the charges without prejudice for now, and remanding the Defendant to the BATFE's custody. You need to come through the Grand Jury, or have the D.A. file more appropriate charges. Dismissed." And with a bang of his gavel, ATF SAC Halsey was released from custody...

Part 16 - Vengeance Delivered, Vengeance Needed

10:15am. Finally! I got to go to the Hospital to visit Laura. I came into her (new) room, now guarded by a phalanx of TCPD Deputies. When I got to the room, Laura was trying to get comfortable in the bed.

"How are you?" I asked as I came in. The reply was immediate, and strong.

"You remember how they made you get up and walk the day after your back surgery?" Laura said bitterly. (Author's note: 'Film Noir', Ch. 02.) I nodded, and she said "They made me get up and walk around, too. And it hurt! I'm a doctor, Jim, not an Iron Crowbar!"

I grinned widely at that. "I'm going to bring in Captain Perlman. Bitch about it in front of her... if you dare." Laura conceded the point with a nod of her head.

Just then, Dr. Cordell came in. "Ah, there you are, Don. Busy morning?"

"Yes sir." I said. "Bad actors have been keeping me from visiting my lovely wife earlier this morning."

"Well, the good thing about that," said Dr. Cordell, "was that we got some physical therapy in. How did that go, Laura?"

"She wants a lot more of it." I said with a wicked grin. "She can't get enough of it."

"You're going to be sleeping on the couch, mister." Laura threatened.

"I probably will be, anyway." I fired right back.

"Heh." said Cordell. "Truth is, though, Laura, is that you know it'll help you heal up and be up and about a lot quicker. And I need you to heal up quickly... we need to start rehab on that broken arm of yours as fast as we can, and also see if there's any nerve damage."