Seriously Inconvenienced Ch. 04

"We cannot stay connected that long." the Voice on the other end chided harshly. "Next time, tell me to call back in five minutes, get your whore out of there, then wait for my call."

"Yes sir." Patterson said. "It's okay to talk now."

"Good." said the Voice. "I'm about to make the call and put 'Operation Phoenix' into action. Part of this plan is to force our friend Wargrave into either your camp or that old idiot Conrad King's side."

"Sounds good." said Patterson. "Will this help us to form our base of operations? And help decide where?"

"Maybe, maybe." said the Voice. "Just stay patient about that. Right now I'm making damn sure that the murder of that bitch's agent, young Mike, doesn't get solved. Tell Vicki Oldeeds that she is going to owe me big for that."

"I'll tell her that while I'm fucking that uppity skank's cunt like the whore she is." said Patterson, menace in his voice. The man at the other line laughed, a sinister, evil cackle that bode ill for Vicki Oldeeds and her vagina.

"Yes, that will be a pleasurable few moments, indeed." said the Voice.

"We sure do owe you for exposing Mike, and letting us take care of it." said Patterson.

"Oh, my pleasure, my pleasure." said the Voice. "Remember, Robert: nobody likes a narc. And here's more help for you: stay the hell out of the Iron Crowbar's County for the rest of this month, at least. It's going to get... rather warm there, as the children say in that game they play."

"Yes sir." said Patterson as the line went dead on him, wondering but glad he didn't know what was about to happen...

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

Todd came up to to Teresa, who was in the dark shadows of a room whose window overlooked the front drive and the road.

"Whatcha doing, babe?" he whispered.

"Just checking." said Teresa. "Nothing out there. The Patrols said all was quiet, also."

"Come get some sleep." Todd said. "You know we're as safe as we can be here."

Teresa nodded and allowed Todd to walk her back downstairs. She checked on the babies, who were all sleeping peacefully. Jeanine and Seth were also asleep, though Jeanine was now on the sofa Todd and she (Teresa) had been sitting on.

Teresa settled down onto the yoga mat on the floor, with two pillows under her head and a blanket covering her. Todd went and snuggled behind his wife, covering them both with blankets.

"I love you, baby." he whispered to Jeanine. She smiled as her hand caressed his hip.

"I love you too." she said, then kissed him. She pressed her ass into his groin and soon was back asleep.

For his part, Todd lay quietly but awake, realizing for the first time that he was no longer thinking of Melina like he had in the past. He realized that he never thought of Melina while he was fucking Teresa.

Then he realized that while thought the world of Teresa, both sexually and as a person, he was truly in love with his wife, Jeanine. And he'd not been the best husband to her to this point; he needed to make sure she knew he loved her, how he felt about her. He needed to rekindle their relationship before the stresses of all this excitement with his uncle's family snuffed out that fire. He had one idea of what to do...

Part 17 - Foreboding

Friday morning, November 21st. The sky was overcast, threatening to bring bad weather, but not not quite making good on the threat. The television looked considerably brighter as the red haired reporterette filled the screen. It was 7:00am, and that meant it was time for Bettina!

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" the lovely redhead yelled from outside the entrance gate to County Airport, as if her proximity to it would somehow make her report more watchable or accurate. I sure didn't care; my thoughts were, as always, about that lucky microphone in her hand.

"Channel Two News has learned that the four dead persons in the plane crash at County Airport were not FBI agents after all, but four workers who were transporting FBI cargo and documents to Washington, D.C. The FBI says that the names of the workers will not be released by the FBI until the next of kin have been notified, and that the FBI does not believe terrorism was involved in the plane crash. The FBI also stated that they will have no further information on the plane crash until the NTSB finishes its report, which could take a year or more."

Bettina continued, "In other news, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued a statement that the Bureau will not revoke the Federal Firearms License of John Cummings of Cummings Outdoors General Store; however, they will begin an audit of the business at the request of State-Senator-Elect Katherine Woodburn. As you know, Ms. Woodburn defeated TEA Party Extremist John Cummings in the Election earlier this month. Now let's go to Chuck Pringle for Sports. Chuck!"

"Thank you Bettina." said the recorded playback of Chuck Pringle's previously taped commentary. "The University is preparing to play State Tech the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and they are being motivated with the knowledge that this could their last game with Coach Brian Harlan alive to watch them. Channel Two Sports has been told that Coach Harlan is in hospice, in the last stages of cancer, and his team will certainly have him on their minds as they take the field against Tech..."

I began to feel a sense of foreboding. Not because of Brian Harlan's illness, but for some other reason, some undefinable feeling in the air. Cindy felt it too, as we went to lunch together.

"What's that smell?" she asked as we drove in my Police SUV to the Cop Bar to meet Jack Muscone for lunch.

"I dunno, smells like a chemical solvent." I said. "I smelled it this morning, and I figured I'd driven over a patch of something, or someone put a crime lab sample in the back."

"Better check and see." Cindy said, then added "Commander, you ever have one of those days where things just don't feel right?"

"Yeah," I said, "and I'm having one of those days today. Must be something in the water. Everything okay with Jenna?"

"Personally, yeah." Cindy said. "But I think something is going on in the D.A.'s office and she won't say anything about it. It might have to do with Gor-don and the office. But I don't think that's why I feel this way."

"I understand- whoa, was that Todd going into that jewelry store?" I asked. I'd gotten the merest glimpse of a young man that looked like my nephew going into Jared's jewelry store.

"I didn't see it." said Cindy, looking back out the window. "Is that why your spidey-sense is going off? Nephew spending too much money?" I laughed, and we proceeded to the Cop Bar. Jack noted our quietness, and we told him about our undefinable worries. He just nodded in understanding, but consumed his double cheeseburger in front of us with gusto, his appetite unaffected by our worries. I noticed Cindy barely ate any of her lunch. I suggested she might be fighting off an illness, and that she should get plenty of rest this weekend.

About an hour after lunch, I got a call from a very vexed Laura. "The power is completely out at our house... the Mountain Nest. The Power Company called me and said the transformer and wiring in the area is damaged, and it's affecting our house and a couple of others on the hillside above the School. It'll be Monday before it's back up."

"That's no biggie." I said, trying to sound cheerful and unconcerned. "Mom is not coming back home until Monday, so I'll go get the food and baby formulas out of the freezer and refrigerator, take it all to The Cabin, and turn the heat on up there. We'll stay there over the weekend."

"I hope the weather doesn't dump on us and trap us up there." Laura snapped. Then she caught herself. "I'm sorry, you're right. At least we have a place to go to."

The sun was setting and darkness fast enveloping the Town as I stopped by Cindy's office to tell her to go home, as the Chief had just done to me. Cindy asked me to come in.

"You feeling better?" I asked.

"Not really." Cindy replied. "I do know Jenna said something to Gor-don about the other office. He's an arrogant little punk; he just went in and turned all the lights on to make sure we can see him in there. At this point, I'm just about willing to go kick his ass out myself, just to make a point, even if it does piss off Jenna."

"Naah, just hold back." I said. "Higher powers than mighty Crowbars are at work on that. I'm leaving it be for now, too. By the way, how is Lorena Rose feeling about moving to Vice?"

"She's ecstatic." Cindy said. "Tried to say all the right things about having learned a lot in MCD, but she couldn't hide the joy on her face."

"Good." I said. "Get the hell out of here. Get some sleep, you've been working hard. See you Monday."

"By the way, are you good with your security, or lack of it?" Cindy asked. "Captain Charles said to give the word and he'll have a patrol take up station and another drive around."

"No, it's okay." I said. "We're going to be up at The Cabin this weekend, by the way."

"Oh?" Cindy asked, surprised. "I thought your wife didn't like that place much."

I explained the power outage situation, then told Cindy to stop asking questions and get out after dismissing the Detectives for the weekend. As I left, I had another strange sense of foreboding... I'd long known that Laura preferred the Mountain Nest to The Cabin, but Cindy's seeming knowledge that my wife did not like The Cabin at all? What was up wit' dat? I wondered...

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

Cindy woke up with a gasp in the early morning hours of Saturday, November 22d. She had been dreaming, and she was seeing Don's children Carole and little Jim crying, surrounded by fire consuming them. She woke up, flinging herself to a sitting position, tearing herself out of Jenna's arms, whose embrace had been keeping her. She looked at the clock. It said 2:05am. The room was still and dark, but her heart was thumping and her soul racked with tension.

"Wha... what is it?" Jenna groggily asked, having been wakened by Cindy's sudden movement.

"Something's wrong." Cindy said, somehow very sure. "I... I've got to call Don." She grabbed her cellphone that was on the bedside table and speed-dialed the number.

"You all right?" Jenna asked. "What, what is it?"

"Shhh, I'm on the phone." Cindy said. "Come on, Don, answer the phone..."

Part 18 - Fire On The Mountain

I was awakened by the incessant buzzing of my cell phone. I quickly grabbed it, hoping that the noise did not awaken the kids, who were in their respective cribs next to Laura's side of the bed. My wife was asleep, fitfully so, but asleep.

"Troy." I said sleepily into the phone.

"Don!" came Cindy's voice through the phone. "Is everything all right up there?"

"Cindy? Uh, I..." I said as I came awake. And then it hit me: I smelled smoke!

"Ross, stay on the line!" I said as I flung myself out of bed. I went to the bedroom door and opened it to a staggeringly frightening sight: The Cabin was on fire! The front wall, the front door, and the stairs were a sheet of flame!

"Cindy!" I yelled into the phone as I slammed the bedroom door. "The house is on fire! Call the Fire Department, then drive up to the road below the house; we're going to have to evacuate by sliding down the mountain!"

"Wilco!" I heard Cindy say, then the phone disconnected. By now Laura was up and getting dressed. She did not need to see what was downstairs to know the grave danger to her children. Smoke was beginning to fill the bedroom.

"Wrap the children in blankets!" I shouted as I quickly put on my clothes, including my cellphone and my police belt with its gun and radio attached. "We'll have to go out through the bathroom!"

It is amazing how the human mind works, especially the subconscious. As soon as I'd seen the conflagration at the front door, I instinctively knew that it was arson, that the front of the house had been set afire first to keep us from getting out that way, and that reaching the back deck was our only chance. I prayed that the back way wasn't covered by snipers (yes, I thought of that even as all the rest of it was going on.), and that we could slide down the mountain to safety.

In the bathroom, the window over the hot tub opened over the garage, which presently housed Laura's Mercedes. I opened the long window and practically threw Laura through it to the roof. I then handed her our two precious, blanket-wrapped bundles, then climbed out the window onto the garage roof. It was hot, and I knew that the garage itself was on fire, as was the whole downstairs.

I dangled Laura off the side of the roof then dropped her. It wasn't far, and she landed like a good U.S. Paratrooper, feet together, then rolling. She got up and I handed down the babies, then scrambled down myself, executing a dynamite parachute landing fall, putting to damn good use what I'd learned at Airborne School. Why I was actually thinking of that in these moments of mortal danger, I did not know.

"The walkway is burning!" Laura shouted, having looked around the side of the house.

"We'll have to slide down the mountain!" I yelled back. I helped Laura over the deck rail along the walkway, which was not too high nor steep, transferred the kids, then went over the rail myself.

"Take Carole, I'll take Jim!" I said. If you slip, slide on your back with the baby held against your chest."

"Keep your feet and knees together!" Laura yelled back. "A sapling coming up between your legs will have you singing soprano for a month!" She began to descend.

Just as I began going down, I looked back. Through the lattice of the windows, I could see that the house was a sheet of red-orange inside, and I got a glimpse that the upstairs had also begun to burn. I began scrambling down the mountain, slipped quickly, and slid through the darkness on my fourth point of contact. I could hear Laura crashing down the mountainside ahead of me and the crackling of the fire behind and above me. Almost before I knew it, we were on the road below The Cabin.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, you?" Laura replied. Carole had begun crying, knowing something was wrong. Laura soothed her and hushed her. Little Jim was shuffling in my arms, but stayed quiet. I felt proud of him staying calm through it all, knowing that he didn't realize that his dad was all nerves and breathlessness and heart thumping a thousand times a minute...

I looked up the mountain where we'd just come from. The Cabin was now engulfed. We were incredibly fortunate to still be alive, I thought. So far, it was just not our day to die.

But the danger was not over. "Stay in the brush." I said to Laura as we waited. "We don't know if the perps are searching for us."

"You have a gun?" Laura asked. "I'm unarmed."

"Yeah." I said, feeling my gun still strapped in its holster on its hip. I got out the police radio and called in. The Radio Dispatcher said that Lt. Ross had called in, the Fire Department and several police vehicles were on the way, and asked if we needed an ambulance.

Just as I said we were all right so far, the powerful headlights of a car came over the hill. My heart froze, wondering if the occupants were friend or foe. Thankfully, the blinding blue LED lights that signaled a Police vehicle were flashing, also.

Inside the SUV were "Crowbar's Angels": Teresa driving, Cindy riding shotgun, and Tanya in the backseat. The car stopped as I hailed it. I handed Jim to Tanya and then ushered Laura, holding Carole, into the backseat of the car next to her. Cindy got out as I asked "Is there another gun in the car?"

"Glove compartment. Pistol." Teresa said. "Shotgun in the back."

"Give Laura the pistol." I ordered. "Where are you going, Headquarters?"

"Todd and Jeanine's." Teresa replied. "I've already called them. Security is setting up like last night."

"Thanks. Y'all get out of here." I said. "Go to the hospital if Laura or the children need it." I kissed Laura goodbye, then watched as the Police SUV drove down the road, carrying my family to relative safety.

As Cindy and I walked up the road towards the driveway, I looked up. I could see the flames reaching for the sky, lighting the whole mountainside. Just then, a huge explosion sent a fireball into the sky. A moment later, a second explosion rocked the ground under our feet.

"Jesus, Don," Cindy said, "what the hell were you keeping up there?"

"I think that was the cars." I replied. "But gas tanks don't explode like that, so I'm suspecting that the cars were rigged with explosives in case we escaped and tried to use them."

"Geeeeezzzzz..." was all Cindy could say, and I wasn't sure if her gasp was thinking about the steps taken by the perps, or that I was figuring it all out so fast.

Just then we saw two Fire Department vehicles come up the road, red and white lights blazing, followed by a police cruiser. The smaller fire truck went up the driveway, while the larger fire engine, with its powerful water pump, stopped at the entrance to the driveway where the fire hydrant was. Firemen began unwinding and connecting hoses.

"By the way, Cindy," I said, "your phone call saved our lives. How did you know to call?"

"I woke up out of a nightmare that Carole and Jim were surrounded by fire." Cindy said. "I knew something was wrong... but I had no idea it was... this." We rounded the curve from the road to the driveway. The Fire Department guys tried to stop us, and were more than a bit surprised when we flashed our badges and they realized who we were.

"I can't stop you from going forward, Commander," said the Engine leader, "but I'd advise against it. Any idea whose house this is?"

"Yeah... mine." I said. As the Engine leader looked at me in shock, I said "We'll stay out of the firefighters' way. And everyone got out safely, so tell them not to go inside looking anyone. It's empty, and the cars' gas tanks have already exploded."

"Yes sir, thanks for telling us that." said the Engine leader, who relayed the information to the fire truck in my driveway.

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

I looked on, feeling the deep pain of watching my beloved home burn fiercely. I remembered the pain of my final goodbyes to my childhood dogs, I remembered my pain in responding to the 'Officer Down' call when Pete Feeley had been lost, I remembered the sadness of losing my father. This was right up there with those moments. I felt helpless.

But I also felt gratitude. My family was alive and safe. My mother was still out of town and not caught up in this, as she otherwise might have been. I thought of how my partner had miraculously called me in the nick of time, wondering what kind of psychic power had come to her... oh, of course, I thought as I peered at Cindy. Of course.

I felt these things as I saw the burnt-out ruin of my Police SUV, which had been parked near the door. The bulletproof windows had exploded outwards, I pointed out to Cindy, confirming my thoughts that the cars were rigged with explosives. She nodded and wondered aloud if that was the chemical smell we'd detected in the SUV earlier that day.

As I watched, I knew what I had to do. I reached for my police radio, tuned it to the Fire Department's frequency, and said the painful but necessary words:

"This is Police Commander Troy. The house is gone. Contain the fire, keep it from spreading to the mountainside." The Fire Department did so, watering down the brush and trees around the house on all sides. Any brush fires were quickly doused.

But the house was indeed gone, and indeed could hardly be seen inside the orange blaze of light and heat. The flames were reaching dozens of feet into the air, a pyre that was visible to all of the County. And words could not express the fire of righteous anger within me that burned just as hotly at that moment...