Schools and the Second Ch. 04

"Why are you crying, Mommy?" Ian asked. "Aren't you getting better?"

"Yes, honey." Molly said. "I'm crying because I'm so happy to see you. I've missed you both so much!"

"We missed you too, Mommy." Ian said.

"Have you been good boys for your daddy while you stayed with him?" Molly asked.

"Yes, Mommy." said Ross. "And we helped Jim build his Lego city."

"Good." said Molly, starting to sound tired. Cindy and I glanced at each other, and she nodded.

"Okay, boys," I said, "the doctors will be coming in in a minute. Hug your mom goodbye. We'll come visit again soon..."

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

The next day Governor Val Jared came to University Hospital. Detective German had been released from the Hospital, but came back for rehab and for the photo-op, and was in Molly Evans's room when the Governor arrived. As a KXFU camera videoed the ceremony, Governor Jared awarded Evans and German the Governor's Gold Medal for their heroic actions in stopping the perp.

KFXU and Fox Midtown gave the event good coverage. SNN did play the video clips and the photos that they were provided, but did not dwell on the ceremony.

KXTC Channel Two News did not show it at all.

Part 24 - Epilogue

Teresa was right: the State Legislature passed a bill with two items: raising the age to buy firearms in the State to 21, and starting a training program for select teachers to be armed in schools. The bans on 'assault rifles' and limiting magazine capacity in all firearms to six rounds was passed by the State House on a purely Party-line vote, but they died in the Conference Committee. The Governor signed the bill, and the NRA immediately filed a lawsuit over the age provision of it.

The Old Testament says many times: 'and it came to pass'. Likewise, the student protests came to pass. Darryl Smogg was given national attention for a while, but political opponents began accusing him of being a 'crisis actor', and the 'Drive-By' Media moved on to other things. The U.S. Congress passed no gun legislation based upon the Nextdoor County High School incident.

That weekend, the Police Boxing Matches continued. Though pressed by Robert Kalsu, Julia Rodriguez showed some moxie and some moves, and defeated the SWAT Team member. Kalsu's partner Daniel Patrick did not fare nearly as well against Jerome Davis, who administered a strong crowbar beatdown. Micah Rudistan bullshitted his way through his battle with Sergeant DeLong, and the trash talk on both sides was more spectacular than the actual fighting. But after Rudistan took DeLong down, they hugged and made up. Teresa, Cindy, Irwin, and I also cruised through our matches.

The Elite Eight was set: Teresa v. Julia, Your Iron Crowbar v. Irwin, Cindy v. Hewitt, and Davis v. Rudistan...

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

Teresa and Todd brought their boys to The Cabin for supper, and Paulina brought Tasha over to spend the night. Marie's grounding was ended by her parents, and she was very happily playing with Carole and Tasha, and spending the night. Tanya brought Pete over, and he was going to spend the night also.

Molly was staying in the second bedroom, and also staying with us at the Mountain Nest, under Laura's watchful medical eye. I observed that Ross was happy with the arrangement and staying with us longer, while Ian kept to himself a bit more.

After supper, Teresa asked me if she could talk to me on the back deck. We went out and sat together in the metal mesh loveseat.

"I was going to ask you this the other day, but we were interrupted." Teresa said. "At the Hospital, after we subdued the Rovers Brothers, I heard the exchange between David Rovers and Assistant Director Lange. Lange referred to Laura as a Deputy Director of the CIA... not a former director nor a retired Director, but present tense."

"And then," Teresa continued, "Laura had us take that slug into that cavern for a philosophical discussion of ideas. And she continues to command a lot of authority, which I wouldn't think a retired CIA Agent would have. Is my train of thought boarding at the correct station, that your wife is not just retired nor a consultant with the CIA, but still very much one of its highest officers?"

"Sure you don't want a crowbar?" I asked.

"Don't need one." said Teresa. "Except during the Boxing Matches, and then only as an attention getter." I chuckled at her joke.

"Your observations are Crowbar-worthy. Yes, Owen Lange slipped up, there." I said. I paused, then began: "Laura is officially retired from the CIA as one of its Public officials. She is still officially a consultant to the Directorate of Science and Technology. However, you're right: she's more."

I continued: "I told you a little bit about the woman they call 'the Old Mother', whose name can't be spoken aloud, but Carole's middle name 'Diana' comes from." Teresa nodded and I said: "That woman had retired and given up her official title, also... but behind the scenes she was even more powerful than she had been."

"Like Obi-Wan after Darth Vader struck him down." said Teresa. "And Laura's like that now?"

"Yes." I said. "She's a 'dark agent'. Melina was supposed to be working with her, but then we found out that Melina was an FBI mole within the CIA. Melina is also a 'dark agent', much more powerful than a Supervisory Agent of the local FBI Resident Agency."

I continued: "The retired FBI Deputy Director, Martin's uncle, is also one of them, as was Admiral Keating in Washington. There are others around the country, many of them having helped Keating."

"He was the real 'Guardians of Justice', wasn't he?" asked Teresa.

"No, the Deputy Director started that, and made it what it was. But certainly Admiral Keating made it much more powerful, and helpful to us." I said. "But after the Guardians of Justice had to disband, we still needed people to fight the Swamp Frogs. The Establishment had rogue CIA cells, and has the Rovers BAU cell; why can't our side have a 'rogue' cell working for the Constitution and for Justice?"

"This is your doing?" Teresa gasped.

"Well, I did mention the concept to the DepDirector." I said. "But he put it together, and he took my advice to not tell me what he's doing. He doesn't know how much I know, either. And you'll have to forgive me if I don't tell you nor anyone else just how much I know."

"Wowwwww." said Teresa. Then it hit her: "Don, does Laura know you know?"

I smiled and said "Does she know that I know that she knows that I know..." Teresa gave what was for her a chuckle, and I said "She said nothing to me, ever, about the power she kept after publicly retiring. And I haven't mentioned that I know what they're all doing."

I continued: "And some of that is to keep Carole from knowing. Damned if that girl can't read my mind, and Laura's. And she'd go ballistic if she knew her mother was still fully active within the Company."

"I'll be sure not to mention it to her." Teresa quipped, then said: "I appreciate your trust in me. But why are you telling me all this? Besides the fact I asked."

"Because you need to know." I said. "I trust you won't tell Todd nor anyone else. The secrecy has to be kept to protect our loved ones. And I get the idea that you know a few things yourself. You noticed Lange's mistake, and there was a reason you did and it resonated with you."

"Well," said Teresa, "despite Cindy's claims to the contrary, I'm not an Agency of the Weak-Minded."

"No, no you're not." I said, then added humorously: "So Cindy doesn't think much of you, eh? Gonna take it out on her in the Boxing Matches?"

"I won't get the chance to." Teresa said with what was for her a wicked grin. "You're going to take care of my lightwork for me."

I laughed out loud at that, then said "Okay, let's go back inside before things become a zoo in there."

"Waaayyyyy too late for that." Teresa quipped. As we got up, I noticed that a train was coming out of the western horizon, and I watched as its sparkling headlight rounded the curve...

Finis... pour le moment...