Power Ch. 01

"Fifth and final woman is named Victoria Boling. She was 38 when she disappeared. Worked as a clerk in the Superior Court for one of the City's judges. Her husband worked at Target. He was a manager, got demoted, then reinstated upon a Court order after he sued."

"If she's dead, she'll be of no help to us." I said. "But the rest of them... we need to talk to some families. Would someone in the FBI like to go with us?"

"I'm not allowed to right now." said Lindy. "I'm assigned to help Clark Webster with data and records until they get him a couple of people full time."

"What happened to those robots that were with him?" I asked.

"They were re-assigned." said Lindy. "You get one guess to whom."

"Les Craig?" I asked. Lindy nodded.

"Just one more question." I said. "Has any missing person that might've been a victim of the Black Velvet Killer ever been found alive?"

"Not that we know of." said Lindy.

"So if he's blackmailing these victims' families," I said, "it did not matter if they met his demands, they still died."

"So it would appear." said Lindy.

"Unless they were scared into silence when returned." said Cindy.

"As Don knows through his wife and Dr. Yates," Lindy said, "we have very good psychiatrists and psychologists. We'd have gotten through that. So... got a name for us of who this guy might be?"

I took out the bug-killer and switched it on. "I do, but I'm going to give you plausible deniability and not tell you. Right now I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy about what is going on around here. And if Clark Webster finds out, he's just liable to put out a public APB, and totally ruin any element of surprise we have." Lindy nodded as I put away the device.

Just then Clark Webster himself came back into the office. "Got everything you need?" he asked.

"I hope so." I said. "In the spirit of cooperation with the FBI, especially your Missing Persons Bureau, I'd like to take an FBI Agent with me to interview some of these people. Who can you let me borrow?"

"You'll have to ask Jack Muscone, Commander." said Clark Webster. "I don't have any assets to loan you right now; I'm working with his team as it is." Lindy nodded at that.

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

I went to the office of the Deputy Director. His assistant glared at me as I saw him inside with Jack Muscone. I asked (nicely) if I could see the DepDirector at his convenience, and the assistant said she would have to inquire as to his availability. She did not pick up the phone, and did not look at anything resembling an appointment calendar.

"Let's go, Captain." I said to Cindy. "Looks like they are busy, and we can do what we need to do ourselves." We left the area and were going back to the big office area where Jack's team was when my Police cellphone chimed a text from Jack to come back to the Director's office.

Going back, we were admitted into the room. Well, sort of.

"Captain Ross," said the DepDirector, "if you don't mind, I need to speak with the Commander alone. If you have something to discuss, go ahead first."

"No sir." Cindy said. "I'll go rattle Jack's team's cages." With that, she left the office.

The Director said to me "My apologies if my assistant seemed rude a few minutes ago. She doesn't know who you are, and thank you for not demonstrating with a crowbar to her desk." I smiled at that, but otherwise remained silent.

"So," said the DepDirector, "what did you find out about the Black Velvet Killer? I heard you got an audiotape of him taunting you."

"Yes sir." I said. "I sent Jack here a copy of that for you guys to hear."

"I haven't seen it yet." Jack said. "I haven't had a chance to read my emails for 24 hours now." I peered at him, wondering what was keeping him so busy.

"That's okay." said the DepDirector.

"I was going to interview some of the families of these victims." I said. "I'd like to take an FBI Agent with me, and was wondering if Martin or Sandra might be available."

"You can take Martin." said Jack, who then looked to the DepDirector.

"That'll be fine." said the DepDirector, who obviously was seeing me peer at him and Jack both. "We've also been working hard on this situation with the 'mothballs', as we are also calling them. We've really worked over the three perps, and we simply have nothing. Washington is really hot on us about this, Don. They are very scared of possible terrorist actions if there are more of these agents out there."

"That's always been a threat." I said. "Why the sudden shock about it now?"

"Because they have proof that there is an actual threat, not just 'what ifs' and 'maybes'." said the DepDirector.

"And no more plausible deniability." I said. "This fits into why Bettina is making such a BFD on the news about it. If another attack happens, and succeeds, the Media can just go to town on you and whale away, saying you knew about the threat but did nothing about it."

"Yes, that's a lot of it." the DepDirector said. I noticed a lack of two phrases from either man: 'Nothing gets by you.' and '400 years ago...'. Something was up, for sure.

The Director continued: "But a big, big part of it is that whenever we have a terrorist attack, or stop one before it happens, it's usually a one-time thing by a lone wolf. We rarely find it to be 'this is the first of five', and if we do, we usually can stop the other four. But this time... we have no leads whatsoever, we have no information, we have nothing from these guys."

"We're going to have to either let them go or take them to Court soon, too." said Muscone. "KSB here in the City provided them with lawyers, and are hammering us about court dates. If we had our way, we'd turn them over to Homeland Security, and they'd find out every little thing they know. But the Media is on it."

"I hope you're not expecting me to take your side on that." said I, remembering my own experiences.

"No, we're not." said the DepDirector. "But the bottom line is that we got nothing from them, and we're having to let them go."

"Especially the one that was your mole in their operation." I said, looking at the DepDirector.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" he almost screamed out. "How the fuck did you know that?! I'm not kidding, Commander Troy, this isn't about some '400 years ago' stunt. How did you know that?"

"Geez, sir," I said, "you know how I am. Why are you getting so upset? But to answer your question: he gave himself away when we interrogated him that first night, when I brought the mothballs in. He wasn't worried about them; he should've been, at least a little bit. On top of that, when he mentioned 'Speedy', I slipped up and asked if it was Speedy Gonzalez, the University coach that had been supplying PEDs to the athletes."

"You know what he said, sir?" I went on. "He said 'No, he's a Spic. I'm talking about our Speedy, a good white man'. So I knew then something wasn't right... he was supposed to be a low-life courier, but he knew who Coach Gonzalez was! Now if I can solve Westboro, why do you think that is going to slip by me?"

The room was eerily silent after I finished. The DepDirector was staring at me with something between disbelief and something else more inscrutable on his face. After a long moment, he looked at Muscone and finally spoke.

"This is what the Director was talking about, and what Les was talking about." said the DepDirector. "The Iron Crowbar knows too much, sees too much, and too much for his own good."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Someone threatening me again?"

"Jack," said the DepDirector, "why don't you take Don to lunch, and explain things to him..."

Part 4 - Power of Persuasion

"Get your bug-killer out, turn it on." Jack said as he drove me towards Westphalia. I did so. Jack looked at his GPS, which was now dead. "Damn, you got the new shit, didn't you?"

"Jack, friend to friend," I said, "what I've got is beyond the 'new shit'."

"And things like this are part of my boss's dilemma." Jack said. "Look... Washington has long known how good you are. Everything from knowing the name of your wife's handler, the Old Mother, to solving a tremendous number of crimes in amazing fashion. They also knew that your wife was protecting you, and I don't know if you realize just how powerful she was... and still is... within the Company."

"I think I found out for sure in January." I replied.

"Yes." said Muscone. "And that's yet another thing: you're a damn good cop, but they think you're not loyal to the Government, maybe not to the country."

"I'm loyal to the Constitution." I said. "And Washington can shove its corruption up its ass. I don't owe them a God-damn thing. My wife and my friends, including you, rescued me in spite of them, and I and some friends rescued her... in spite of them."

"True." said Jack. "Now listen up, and let me do the talking. My boss knows you're willing to help take out Superior Bloodlines. The problem is that they'll let him take out small bits and pieces of it, but they have never intended to allow him to take out the whole organization, which is tied to some of the most powerful people in the world. I'm not talking Illuminati bullshit, but real people in real seats of Government and Business power."

I nodded, and Jack continued: "But they know that you, Don Troy, can take out the whole organization, and wipe out the top people... and that you will if you're given the chance. You remember that little girl dying right in front of you... oh yes..."

I had snapped my head around to stare at Jack. "Yes, we know Amy's organ was stolen by one of their highest-level people."

"So what's the point of this?" I asked.

"My boss believes that if he keeps you on, they're going to try to assassinate you, and this time your wife will be unable to help stop them." said Jack. "My boss also believes that these guys may start wiping out my team, as well."

"They're doing it already." I said. "In the person of Les Craig."

"Ah, and there you go again, seeing it ahead of everyone else." Jack said.

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

We'd arrived at Luigi's in Westphalia. A youngish man at the counter asked if we had a reservation. I asked him to get Greg Mazzini, the lunch manager. He looked at me strangely, but a moment later I was standing in the presence of a short, slender man with black hair... and I knew what a certain Mob Boss of Bosses had looked like in his youth.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked Mazzini.

"It's how I can help you, Mr. Mazzini." I said, bringing out the red crowbar. "I understand that you are the nephew of Senator Jimmy Cerone?"

"Uh, yes sir, Mr. Iron Crowbar." said Mazzini. "I'm his sister's third son. He generously gave me the lunch manager position at his new restaurant."

"If you can provide us with a quiet back room table," I said, "provide my friend here with the best casserole of lasagna Luigi's has ever made, and provide me with the best garlic and mushroom pizza that Luigi's has ever made, I will be sure to compliment the restaurant... and it's lunch manager... to my friend Senator Cerone."

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

"Wow." said Jack as we were seated in the back room near the fireplace. Only a few other patrons were in the room. "Yet another thing... buddy-buddy with Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone now."

"It's good to cultivate friends in the right places." I said. "After working on the SBI Bill and then the assassination attempt, Senator Cerone and I are on much better grounds than in the past. Of course he knows to stay the hell out of my jurisdiction, and I leave him and his various political games alone."

The lasagna arrived quickly, and the pizza not long after. "Damn, this really is the best lasagna I've ever had." said Muscone. "How's the pizza?"

"Exceptionally good." I said. "Easy on the garlic and heavy on the flavorful mushrooms, just as I like."

"Sure we don't need tasters for this?" Jack quipped.

"Noooooo." I said. "Cerone does not want an FBI Agent dying in his new restaurant, much less the Iron Crowbar."

"Is it safe to talk here?"

"As long as the battery holds out." I said, turning on the bug killer. If people in the room had reason to notice, they'd see that their cellphones were getting reception but not able to send out any.

"So..." said Jack, "I'll tell you what happened with Les Craig last night..."

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

(The night before...)

Les Craig entered the office of the Deputy Director, and was asked to sit down next to Jack Muscone. "What did you want to see me about?" asked the DepDirector.

"Sir," said Craig, "I believe that Commander Troy is untrustworthy, and should not be an FBI Consultant any longer. You and your teams should not work with him any longer."

"You would never enter an office of mine and make that statement without something serious to back it up." said the DepDirector. "What is it?"

"Sir, this man knows too much." said Craig. "He found those mothballs as if he knew they were there and what they were. That sting happened immediately after that hit team arrived."

"He's been working with us on Superior Bloodlines for a long time, and on Westboro for years." Jack Muscone said. "His people caught those perps with tie-ins. That's just good police work."

Les Craig seemed unhappy that there was a 'defense counsel' opposing him. "Mr. Director, perhaps I can speak more freely if we talk alone."

"Why you little shit------" started Muscone, but the DepDirector stopped him.

"No, Mr. Muscone will stay." said the DepDirector. "But let's hear him out, Jack."

"Sir, we know that Commander Troy has had dealings with Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone. They had lunch together the other day." said Craig. "And Moe Molinari came to that lunch. And then he and Captain Ross were in Molinari's office. Those are some bad actors we've been watching for a long time."

"They were working on the SBI bill with two duly elected members of the State Legislature." said the DepDirector.

"And that's another thing, sir: why is Commander Troy so hostile to the SBI instead of working with them. He even fired a machine gun at SBI Agents!"

"Don't say a word, Jack." said the DepDirector, stopping Muscone. "Les, the SBI is so corrupt that I could sit here for hours telling you of case after case... and that's long before the Iron Crowbar joined the TCPD."

"For that matter, why did Commander Troy recuse himself from the investigation of Walnut Prep?" asked Craig.

"He and his wife are personal friends of the Meadows." said the DepDirector. "Come on, Les, do you really have anything about this guy that should make me worry?"

"He knows too much about too many things." said Les Craig. "And then there's the classified information Priya Ajmani obtained. Now you know as well as I do that Sergeant Sharples was not the source of that information."

"Good God, this has been rehashed time and again." said the DepDirector, beginning to get irritated.

"And even if Troy did not admit it under torture, it doesn't exclude nor excuse the possibility that he was behind it." said Craig. "And look, Director, he was bringing a Police dog to Jeanine Burke's car long before anyone else knew it was necessary. Dog was already on the way. How did he know to do that?"

"He anticipated it." said Muscone. "He knew Jeanine brought her kids to Captain Croyle, he already knew from working with us that there was danger there. He's good at anticipating things, and many people are still alive because of it."

"And you're proving my point, Jack." said Craig. "How does he know to anticipate things?"

"You're sounding like Julie Newton now." said Muscone. "Maybe we need to investigate you and your loyalties."

"Go for it." shot back Craig. "I've got nothing to hide; my career has been nothing but honorable. Mr. Director, this is not about me, even though Troy's lackey here is trying to make it so..." Jack Muscone had stood up at that one, and Craig stood up to face off with him.

"Guys! Sit down!" ordered the DepDirector, seeing both men's hands hovering over their guns. "Get your god-damn hands away from your guns." Both men sat down.

"Sir, we also have moles, and you can't deny that." said Les Craig. "And if Troy was behind the Ajmani classified information exposure, he'd for sure release our information. How do we know that he himself didn't tell Bettina Wurtzburg about those mothballs? He's been fucking her."

"How do you know that?" asked Muscone. "You been doing surveillance on him?"

"No." said Craig. "But others in the FBI did when you guys were making him a Consultant. And the CIA has been watching him like a hawk for years behind his wife's back. And speaking of that, Director, the reason the Commander and his wife know the Meadows? Because they're in the same swing club!"

"All the more reason to recuse himself, which he did." said the DepDirector. "All right, there is one thing I heard that interests me: the possibility of moles. Jack, tighten the screws on your team and on Clark Webster. Craig, I am turning down your suggestion to exclude the Iron Crowbar and his natural born American partner from working with us."

"Sir, at this time, I really need to speak with you alone, no disrespect to Agent Muscone intended." said Craig.

"Go talk to your people, Jack." said the DepDirector. Muscone did not like it, but he he left.

"What is it?" said the DepDirector.

"Sir, I'm not trying to go behind your back or over your head, here." said Craig. "But I am not alone in how I feel about Commander Troy. You are going to find that people higher than you in Washington will be calling, and they won't be asking like I did. They will be ordering you and the rest of the FBI to cease and desist working with Commander Donald Troy and the disloyal Canadian Cindy Ross."

"We'll see about that." said the DepDirector. "In the meantime, Craig, keep your fucking mouth shut, do not talk to anyone about Donald Troy or any of his Police Officers in the TCPD. You've been reassigned to Homeland Security and Dana Fox is going to be temporarily assigned to Los Angeles, but don't get too comfortable around here. You're burning bridges, Craig, and your protection in Washington will not save you from getting a crowbar shoved up your ass if you overstep."

"I can handle Donny Troy." sneered Craig.

"He's not the one that should worry you." said the DepDirector. "What Captain Ross did to six highly trained agents in saving Commander Troy is still being talked about and studied by the CIA. If she ever decides to fuck you up... you will be fucked up. Badly."

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

Back in present time, I was feeling that after-dinner lassitude after finishing off my delicious pizza. I'd intended to save some of it for Cindy, but had consumed the whole damn thing. I asked for a medium pizza to go.

"That was awesome." I said. Jack Muscone would comp the bill, which Greg Mazzini had tried to not give us, but I insisted that his restaurant be paid for such a delicious meal. I then texted Senator Cerone, complimenting him on the great new restaurant, and the courteous attention of the lunch manager. Jimmy Cerone texted back his thanks, and I knew he would be happy with his nephew.

As we drove back into the City, Jack Muscone said "Did you hear about what Les Craig did last night, taking Sandra home?"

"Yes." I said. "And that is none of my business."

"It's mine." said Muscone. "She and Martin are no longer engaged, but that was mean of Craig to do. And it hurts my team professionally, as well as personally."

"You do what you need to do." I said.

"I'm surprised you're not more interested." said Jack. "After all, it's your baby Sandra is carrying."

"Why do you think that?" I asked, not letting my face show a damn thing.