Pale Morning Light Ch. 02

"Because you-know-who was in the room." said Jack Lewis. "And he's got more spine than all of the rest of them put together."

Madoff added "Those of them that are Republicans have always whined about law enforcement and respect, but when we start shouting just a little bit, and then threaten to get violent, they cower like beaten dogs and capitulate. They will this time, too."

"Don't bet on it." said 'Coffin' Cerone. "The Iron Crowbar doesn't play by their rules. He punches back... hell, sometimes he punches first. That Narcotics Task Force disaster in his county... any other cop shooting a machine gun over the SBI's heads would be dropped dead in ten minutes, and that's why no other cop has the guts to do what he did. And if the SBI had tried to shoot back, he'd have waxed them in a heartbeat, without compunction."

"So why don't you go in there and make an example of him?" asked Justin Madoff.

"I'll answer your question this way: why don't you do it... personally." said Jack Lewis, who was growing tired of Justin Madoff's whiny attitude. "I'll deputize you into the SBI Reserve, and you can go in and put cuffs on the Iron Crowbar yourself. How 'bout it?"

"Your agents should be doing that." said Madoff, knowing that he was being called out as the coward he was. "I'm a Representative for my district, not an SBI agent."

"All right, guys." said Langdon, getting control before things got out of hand. "By the way, Jimmy, why were you being so agreeable about the Iron Crowbar's compromise framework?"

"Best way to kill it is to take it in and 'consider' it for a long, long time." said Cerone. "But I don't agree with Ms. Woodburn and you, Richard. We can't kill off the SBI or hold it and the Highway Patrol to ransom. Hell, the Highway Patrol were my best people when I was shipping stuff in and out of Southport."

"The Commander's plan wasn't all that bad." said Jack Lewis. "I was surprised at how much State power he left intact."

"That's true." said Cerone. "And listen, gentlemen, this is a give-and-take game here. We can take the Crowbar's framework, then start taking out the stuff we don't like, leave in what we do like, and it'll become what we want but with his name on it. Then he can't complain about it... because it'll be his piece of work."

"No, we can't give them even any part of this." said Madoff. "And Katherine Woodburn is accumulating allies, and she'll be able to form a block that can keep any compromise from going forward. She's hell-bent on her 'our way or the highway' position."

"Or in this case: 'our way or NO highway'." joked Cerone, garnering laughter. "Richard, what do you want to do about this? The vast majority of us are going to follow your lead on this."

"I'm inclined to agree with Woodburn." said Langdon. "But I'll give some thought to it tonight. Now let's go eat dinner; I'm starved."

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

Dr. Laura Fredricson returned to her home, the Mountain Nest in the late afternoon. Her meetings in Washington had gone well, but she was looking forward to getting back home, sleeping in her own bed, fucking her husband, and of course seeing her beautiful, wonderful children again.

When she came in, she heard two things simultaneously: Carole yelling "Mommy!" and Bowser barking happily at her appearance.

Laura sat down on the sofa in the den and took Carole in her arms, exchanging a warm hug with her baby girl. After talking with Carole for a minute, she asked Phyllis "So how was everything?"

"Oh, wonderful!" said Phyllis, then said pointedly "And Bowser is such a good dog, too. He plays with Carole, goes outside to potty, keeps watch at night."

"Bowser." Carole said, pointing down at the dog. He was looking up at Laura, hoping for some attention. And with even Carole pointing him out to her, Laura knew that showing Bowser some love was the right thing to do.

"Hey Bowser." Laura said, petting him on the head, then 'skritching' under his jaw, rubbing his neck and upper chest. He wagged his tail happily in response. "Have you been a good boy? Have you been taking care of my girl?"

"Bowser." Carole said again, more breathing the word than saying it.

"Just like her father." Laura said. "She loves that dog."

"He's a sweet dog." Phyllis said. "I know you don't want to admit it, dear, but I think your husband made a wise decision to bring him into the family."

"I'll admit it." Laura said. She reached down and petted Bowser again. She'd never been especially fond of dogs, but Bowser was a worthy addition to the family.

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

It was nearly midnight and State Senator Richard Langdon was in his official office. He was tired. It had been a long night of phone calls and political maneuvering. The SBI bill was reaching a crisis level, as both sides were leaking to the Media and chaos seemed to rule the Capitol Building. Threats and counter-threats abounded.

Langdon smiled to himself. He had already arranged a little party, and had sent word for the State Women's Prison to send some of their better looking women to be 'comfort women' for his loyal friends; after a long, hard day of political work, he was going to have a long, hard night pumping his cock into some worthless bitch.

Then... he became aware that he was not alone in the darkened room. His guards, disguised as 'staff', had not made a sound, but as he turned around he realized that the very large man in front of his desk was not friendly... and indeed, the red crowbar in the man's hands bode ill.

He rushed to grab the telephone but the man was faster. He grabbed Langdon's wrist and literally pulled the thin Senator out of his chair and over his desk, papers flying everywhere.

*THUMP!*

The first blow of the crowbar was to the middle of Langdon's back. As he cried out in pain and half rolled over, the next solid blow came to his lower left ribcage.

*SMACK!*

Langdon screamed in pain, but no one came inside to help him. He was at the mercy of the Iron Crowbar, and was about to endure a beating... why, he did not know, but would soon find out.

"You pathetic piece of shit!" I hissed at him as a crowbar blow landed on his thigh. Then I grabbed the dirty Senator by the collars of his shirt, using my knuckles to half cut off his ability to breathe. "You think you can make my sister one of your filthy whores? Then try to kill her when she fights back?"

More blows, with my fists, and then a kick to Langdon's testicles. "You gonna fuck with my sister, then try to kill her?" I grunted. "It's payback time now, bitch. And you are going to fucking pay for fucking with my blood, you piece of pig shit!" More powerful blows and kicks were administered. Langdon was whimpering in pain now, and probably believing he was going to die. And if he wasn't careful, he would die.

"I... I didn't know she was your sister!" gasped Langdon, an outright lie born of sheer desperation. "And one of my clients asked me for her specifically. That's all, just doing what my client asked!... OOOMPH!" Another vicious kick to the groin was my answer.

"What the fuck do you want?" Langdon cried out, seeing as I was saying nothing but readying to continue beating the shit out of him. I reached down and grabbed his collars again.

"I'll tell you what I want." I said. "And if you don't do it, you'll be dead this time tomorrow night. And if you think you can get someone to kill me, or try to stop me from killing you, just look over there." I pointed to my left, and Langdon saw the shadow of another tall man with broad shoulders and an even better physique than mine come forward. "And he will really fuck you up like I only wished I could." I stated. I saw Langdon's eyes widen as he realized I was playing on the same level he was used to playing, and that I was winning at his game.

"Now here's the story." I said. "You will accept the compromise bill. You will get your political friends to accept it, as is, no changes towards your way. You'll change sides, get others to, and you'll do it with a smile. Do that, and you get to live. Fuck up, and your last sunrise is this morning's. Are you understanding me, faggot?"

"Yeah... yeah." said Langdon. I could feel his body relaxing in capitulation. I got up, retrieved my crowbar, and with my bodyguard in tow I left the Senator groaning in pain on the floor.

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

2:05am, Friday February 20th. TCPD Vice Detective Lorena Rose was deep undercover.

She was at one of the smaller clubs in the Tenderloin District, one which catered to a seedy bunch of younger people, some dressed in what would be called 'punk', others dressed like what once would be called 'Madonna Wannabees'. They were dancing and occasionally doing some drugs, looking for the next pickup, a few hours of sexual relief and comfort before beginning the next day with little hope or expectation in their lives.

Lorena was here for two reasons. One, this was one of T-Square's smaller clubs, where people who did not want to be seen at the larger, more brightly lit clubs would come. Second, there had been some underground chatter that someone wanted by Police might be coming by, expecting to cut a deal on something big.

So far, nothing had happened, and Lorena was going to leave pretty soon. She had arranged for Senior Patrolman J.J. Perry, who went undercover as part of the 'Punk' scene and was called 'Ice Cube', to come pick her up as if to take her home for sex. If she didn't let herself get picked up from time to time, people would get suspicious of her reasons for being there.

She was at the corner of the bar, the back left as one looked from the front of the room. Looking to her right, she saw a young man with a thin beard and goatee. A shock of recognition went through her. She quickly took out a cigarette, and her right hand went to her pocket. A second later a lighter came out, but not before she'd pushed the little button in the pocket that activated the hidden camera in a button of her shirt. Several pictures were taken.

"Gotta take that smoke outside, honey." said the bartender, an older woman with dark red hair, dyed that way, who looked like she'd seen a lot of nasty things in her life.

"Yeah, sure." said Lorena. As she got up, she approached the young man. "Hey, wanna buy a girl a drink."

"Sorry, but I'm waiting for someone." the guy said.

"All right, but if you change your mind, I'll be right outside smoking this." With that, Lorena sauntered for the door.

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

Molly and I ate breakfast as Todd fed baby Ross at 6:00am on Friday, February 20th. As usual, Todd was his immature self:

"Uncle Don, you had to let off some steam last night, didn't you?" my nephew said, grinning. Molly grinned in understanding, also; she knew Todd had heard me fucking the hell out of her just a few hours before.

"He gets hot after getting to use his big crowbar." Molly replied. "He has to put his little iron-hard crowbar to use, too."

"Keep that up, Uncle Don," Todd said, "and I'm going to have another cousin to feed within a year's time."

"That's my plan, anyway." Molly replied, her eyes boring into me, smoldering with lust. I was just eating in silence as I pretended to read my emails, trying (and failing) not to grin as I just listened. Molly then said "So, do you think your mission went well? Will it pay off?"

"I think so." I said. "Langdon was scared for his life when I mentioned I was there to whip him for trying to make a prostitute out of my sister."

"Yes," said Molly, "when I did what you said and went back to find out her maiden name, I thought the computer was fucking with me when it came back and said 'Troy'. I couldn't believe she was your sister."

"And my mother." said Todd. "Why didn't you let me have a shot or two at him, Uncle Don?"

"You'll get your chance." I said. "I'm just taking a pound of flesh and getting what I want from him for my own political gain. At the right time, you're going to have your own revenge for what he tried to do to your mother."

"Yep." Todd said, and then looked around. "It's funny, Uncle Don... that this is the house where all that crap with Mom and Ned started. Remember when we showed up that day, and Aunt Melina was fired-up mad at Mom?"

"Oh yes, I remember." I said, not really wanting to, but remembering all the same. And then it hit me, and I went deep inside my mind...

Todd was telling Molly about how he and Ned had come here for summer vacation less than three years before after Elizabeth had basically dumped them on his uncle and then-aunt, then how the camping trip had led to Ned's arrest and the beginnings of all those issues.

"Amazing what all has happened since then." Molly said, sipping her coffee. "Don, what do-- Don?" She stared at me, but I was deep in a reverie... one of the most significant of my life.

"Todd..." I finally said... "you and Ned... pulled up in that sports car..."

"The convertible." Todd said, his look at me becoming more wary. "Yeah, I've still got that car. What of it?"

I allowed my head to clear, so much more in place now than before. "Nothing." I said. "I was just remembering it. Okay, guys, let's get going. Molly has to go to work, I have to call the Station at home and make sure they're still standing without me..."

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

Lieutenant Teresa Croyle knocked on the door of Lieutenant Cindy Ross's office and was admitted immediately.

"Lorena got these last night at the punk club." Teresa said. She handed Cindy the photographs, and took some measure of secret delight in seeing Cindy's eyes widen.

"That is him, isn't it?" Cindy said in a low voice. "So what happened?"

"Lorena saw him, took these pics, then went up to him to see if he'd buy her a drink." Teresa replied. "No loss of bravado in her. Anyway, Lorena went outside to smoke, and 'Ice Cube' came up to her like they do from time to time to pretend he's picking her up for sex. They have code words she can use if something big is going down, so she gave the code and then asked him to come in with her. Once they were inside, our man in the picture here was gone. He may have gone into a back room while she was outside."

"And they couldn't get word to the rest of us?" Cindy asked.

"Not without blowing her cover." Teresa said. "And anything untoward might have alerted and spooked him or anyone else of interest to us. She did all the right things, here."

"Okay, let's go talk to the Sheriff. He's in the Chief's office." Cindy said. "He's forbidden us from calling the Don while he's in Midtown, but this is big."

As they got to the anteroom, they saw Martha, Chief Griswold's longtime secretary, sitting at her desk.

"What's wrong, Martha?" asked Cindy, seeing that Martha was stressed to nearly the breaking point. Martha merely shook her head and Teresa nudged Cindy; she had seen Deputy Chief Brownlee at his desk, staring at them.

The Command Suite had three offices: the Chief's in the middle, and offices to the left and right for the Commanders that were never appointed until the Iron Crowbar had achieved the rank some months before. The room on the right had been converted to the small conference room, and the one on the left had been a storeroom of sorts, but Deputy Chief Brownlee was insisting on using it.

Cindy got the message and said "I'll have you come to my office and we'll talk later, okay?" Martha merely nodded her head. "Meanwhile, ask the Sheriff to let us see him; it's important."

"Lieutenant Ross!" Brownlee said from inside his office. As Cindy looked toward the door, Brownlee said with something of a smug scowl on his face "I understand you have a medical problem. You need to be on restricted duty until the doctor clears you."

"He's already cleared me, I never was on restricted duty, and that's for my Commander to call, not you." Cindy retorted, completely unafraid of the total asshole Brownlee.

"Remember your place, Lieutenant." Brownlee snarled. "I'm not a patrolman you can disrespect like that--"

"Ladies, go on in my office." said Sheriff Allgood, coming up behind Cindy. "I'll be there in a second." Allgood proceeded to go into Brownlee's office and close the door.

"Robert," said Sheriff Allgood, "First, she's right: her direct chain-of-command boss has already determined she is fit for duty, and it's not your call nor your business at all. Second, this isn't the military: you may outrank her, but you better be damned careful about throwing your rank around like that, especially since you're not her direct chain-of-command."

Brownlee replied, as if he were the superior officer in the room: "Sheriff, you're right: I do outrank her, and I expect respect from subordinate officers. I disagree with you in that I think her medical issue is absolutely my business. I also expect you and the Chief, whoever that will be, to back me up in these situations. Do we have protocol and order here, or not?"

Allgood worked hard to keep his temper down. "I'll try this one more time, Deputy Chief Brownlee." he said formally. "If you have an issue with any of Commander Troy's Detectives, you're to come to me until we get a new chief. If you get in a pissing match with someone like Cindy Ross, I'll tell you straight up that I'm not going to take your side just because your shoulder boards have a higher rank. Furthermore, if she chooses to whip your ass, as she is very capable of doing, I'm going to get the fuck out of her way and let her."

Allgood then leaned in close, lowering his voice to let the quietness serve to add menace. "And Robert, just between you and me, I'd rather get shot again that piss off the Iron Crowbar by fucking with his people. Be careful, Robert. That man is 'Old School', and there are times when he simply does... not... care."

"Is that a threat, Sheriff?" snarled Brownlee. Daniel did not let himself rise to the bait, but just formed a calm smile on his features.

"No, Mr. Brownlee," the Sheriff said, "that is a prediction. Consider yourself warned. Good day to you."

With that, Allgood turned and went back to the Chief's office. "Sorry for the delay, ladies." he said, sitting behind the Chief's desk and having Cindy and Teresa sit down. First of all, if that bastard gives you trouble, you have carte blanche access to me, especially while the Commander is in Midtown. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Thank you, Sheriff." said Cindy Ross. "You asked us not to bother the Commander while he was in Midtown, but something really big has come up. Really big." Teresa handed the Sheriff the pictures taken by Lorena Rose.

"Who is he?" Sheriff Allgood asked, not familiar enough with the situation to recognize the man.

Cindy replied "He's the man who was in the room with Barry Bounel when we caught Bounel with some bad-shit drugs. He is the man we believe injected the poison that helped kill Pete Feeley, and he is definitely the man who injected the poison into Hugh Hewitt's body, which required Dr. Fredricson's knowledge and abilities to save Hugh. He was involved with that rogue CIA cell, and may have been involved with Don's-- er, the Commander's nephew Ned. The Commander calls him 'Skinny Beard'...

To be continued.