Sugar and Spice Ch. 03

"We'll see." I said. "It does cut both ways, though. Sometimes Democrats perceive their candidate as weak, or corrupt, and they stay home or even cross Party lines, like what happened when Reagan defeated Carter in 1980, and Mondale in 1984, and Bush defeated Dukakis in 1988. The Dems ran bad candidates."

I didn't add that other time that Dems did not vote for the most corrupt politician in all American history, choosing other candidates over her, and then when she rigged the process to get the nomination, Democrats stayed home or crossed Party lines... and she was soundly defeated by her Republican opponent. But I digress.

"My point to all this," I said, "is that if you're running ads to appeal to your base, you're finished. And that's what Ruby Russell is doing. She... and all of you... have to get moderate Democrats, who the Media call 'independents'. You have to give them a reason to cross over the aisle and vote for your candidate. And the old way, that Establishment Republicans have always counted on, is that argument of 'If you don't vote for us, you'll get the Democrat.' And that no longer works!"

Your Iron Crowbar: "Even moderate Democrats are no longer swayed by the arguments of 'opportunity to achieve', by empty campaign promises to lower taxes, nor by the way overused platitudes of exclusivity to Patriotism. You're not going to get even moderate Democrats to vote for you by saying 'We're patriotic and love the military!'."

Your Iron Crowbar: "The Democrats are actively working to destroy the middle class, and the Establishment Republicans are doing nothing to stop it. The Republicans, especially the Establishment Elites, do nothing when the Democrats and their Media allies paste them as racists; they never fight back."

Lamar Linder's face was getting redder by the second, and he finally exploded: "Like hell we don't! We go to the Media every day, and show them how they're wrong, and we're not racists! It's not our fault they refuse to report it!"

"Oh really?" I said witheringly. "My first response is that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again expecting a different result. You go to the Media, they spit in your face... and as you just admitted, you keep doing the same thing over and over again, somehow thinking they will change."

"But my second point is the stronger one." I continued. "Why don't you call them out? Why don't you sue them for slander, again and again and again, until they are drained financially? You don't fight back at all, you LET them paste you as racists! Why aren't you fighting back?"

"Because we need them!" yelled Linder. "We have to work with the Media, or we'll never get our message out!"

"So they beat you down, again, and again, and again." I said. "And you cower in fear, letting them destroy you, and you never... fight... back."

"You have no idea how powerful the Media is!" yelled Linder. "You have no idea what they can do!"

"Like a reporter putting my four-year-old daughter in a warehouse full of explosives, trying to kill her?" I fired back. "Or another reporter trying to get people to physically attack my other daughter because of the color of her skin?"

In the utter silence that ensued, I finally said "Yeah, I think I'm pretty fucking aware of just what lengths the corrupt Media will go to in order to get what they want. But you sure as hell don't see me coddling them---"

"You're not running for office!" yelled Linder.

"Sheriff Griswold doesn't brook their shit." I replied. "Mayor Allgood doesn't play their game. Governor Jared didn't, and Lt. Governor Marshall doesn't---"

"I can't speak for your Sheriff's situation." said Linder. "But Allgood is going to get crushed in November. And so is Lt. Governor Marshall, if she doesn't get right and get with the Republican Party platform!"

"In order to win," I said, "you have to have a platform that people can see you truly believe, and your actions have to match your words. For years, Republicans promised to 'build the wall'... so where the hell was the wall for all those years? Why weren't they building it? Establishment Republicans promised to rein in the Budget... but never did. So those that you need to cross the aisle and vote for you? They don't believe what you say, they don't believe you'll keep your promises."

Lamar Linder stood up. "I think you're full of crap... to be specific, you're full of 'Grassroots Conservative' crap. We've been successfully doing it our way for decades. The Grassroots Conservatives, may God damn them! are more harmful to us than the Democrats are, and the State Republicans can and will win without your and Jared's White Nationalism." He turned and exited the room.

Everyone had been spellbound by what had just happened, but the silence was now getting awkward. "So what do you recommend for the rest of us?" asked Mayor Allgood. "I certainly don't think I'm going to get crushed in November."

"You won't be." I said. "You've stood up to the liars of the Media, and you've called out the 'woke' cancel culture that tried to shame you into submission, and even the US DOJ that tried to intimidate you. And that counts for something. Ditto that for Val Jared and Sharon Marshall."

I finished up: "So my point is to have a message that goes beyond just appealing to your base. You can't count on 'If you don't vote for us, you'll get them' (air quotes)... because that just doesn't resonate, especially coming from a weak Establishment Republican."

"What can I do?" Katina Jones asked. Her eyes suggested she was asking semi-humorously; after all, she was running in a heavily black district, and even though she was black, she was fighting a huge uphill battle running as a Republican.

"Keep doing what you're doing." I said. "You've been telling your district's constituents that there's another way, that they don't have to remain chained and enslaved on the Democrat Plantation. You're doing more than you know to fight for the Individual Freedom of all God's children."

"Sounds like you've got your campaign ad right there." said Sheriff Griswold. There were murmurs of agreement.

"Don't get me wrong, and I hate to say this," said Larry P. Vaughan, "but Linder was right about one thing... we can't fight the war against the Media that you are fighting, Iron Crowbar. You can ignore them, you can sue them, you can fight them... but we do have elections we have to win."

"Just remember: the Media is never going to change their ways." I replied. "You meet them halfway, and they'll try to hurt you just as much as when you call them out for their lies. So why try to meet them halfway? Stop whining about them, stop doing the same old things expecting a different result. Find new ways to combat the rabidly dishonest Media."

"Maybe we should write stories about the Media on adult websites." Peter Dwayne Gordon suggested. Not a bad idea, I thought to myself. Not a bad idea at all...

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

Joan Laurer joined the very short list of current Police Boxing Matches Champions to win the Independence Day Triathlon, as she and Daniel Patrick of the TCPD Police Team edged out several good teams to win the race.

And just as Thomas Patton had raced with a purpose for Tom Usagi's sake the year before (Author's note: 'Iscariot', Ch. 03), Joan had run an inspired race, and was heard saying "This one's for Inga!" as she was awarded her medal by Lt. Governor Sharon Marshall.

Lt. Governor Marshall took a lot of photos with racers, people in the crowds, and especially with the wheelchair racers. One of her with Captain Tanya Muscone would make all the media outlets, as well as the front page of the weekly printing of the Town & County Examiner. Then she and her entourage left, following the example of most of the non-local politicians and Media in our County...

Part 12 - Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler!

'Laissez le bon temps rouler!' is actually a Cajun French saying, and not really used in other French-speaking countries. But it was appropriate for the celebration they were at, Teresa thought to herself.

It was like a huge County Fair, though Louisiana had parishes instead of counties. Booths were set up, and people could try small bowls of gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, Boudin sausage, and pecan pie. There were also hotdogs and hamburgers, and of course beer, wine, and ice-cold Coca-Cola.

There were hundreds of people at the event, and Clarissa Belvedere Esterson was something of a matriarchal icon. A great many people came up to her, and she introduced Teresa to a great many of them. Teresa endured it well.

Most of the family stayed together, and the security people were with Clarissa, Beatrice, and Eugenia, as well. Robert and Clara Edwards were acting like a political couple running for office as they greeted people, and Colin and Wendy Esterson wandered off from time to time.

But it was Jen Sakai that Teresa had been trying to watch. Sakai was on her smartphone, getting and sending texts frequently, and she'd even gotten a few phone calls. She'd stayed away from the others, so Teresa and Todd could not pick up what she was saying.

There was a hillside at the far end of the park where people were laying down blankets to sit on to watch the fireworks show after dark. One of the security men was holding Clarissa's blankets, but people generally didn't try to mess with others's blankets. A reservoir was over the hill behind them, and to their right as one looked when sitting on the hillside, was a patch of woods that were restricted access. Many of the people selling food had their kitchens in that area. Teresa and Todd sat down before everyone else got there, but were soon joined by the Edwardses, Clarissa, and Jen.

"Yes!" Teresa exclaimed as she checked the text that had come into her iPhone. She then said to Todd: "I just got a text from Cindy. Joan Laurer and Daniel Patrick won the Triathlon!"

"Cool!" Todd said. "I'm glad the TCPD Team stepped up. How'd Tanya do in the wheelchair race?"

"There were 224 entries this year, of which 50 were no-kidding professional racers." Teresa said. "Tanya came in 183d overall, and third place among women... first place among non-pro women racers."

"That's not very good." sneered Colin Esterson, who'd come up and was sitting next to Wendy and Jen.

"She's the race organizer." Teresa said. "The win for her is the number of participants. It's growing every year."

"That must be hard." Eugenia said. "Being a Police Officer and in a wheelchair."

"And she never, ever, says one negative word about it nor complains at all." Teresa replied.

"That is very admirable." said Clarissa, almost more at Colin than at Teresa. "You have some extraordinary Officers on your Police Force."

"We sure do." Todd said, then added with a grin as he put his arm around his wife's shoulders: "Especially this one right here."

"Awwww." said Teresa, Beatrice, and Eugenia all at one time...

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

As the sun disappeared over the western Louisiana horizon, and people found places to be to watch the fireworks show, Jen Sakai came up to the family group with a drink in a plastic cup.

"These are really good drinks." said Jen. "They're selling them just past the fence wall back there. Here's a pass to get back there." She handed Todd the pass.

"Uh, sure." Todd said. "Let's go try them. Come with me, Ms. Croyle." Teresa looked at her husband skeptically, but got up and went with Todd.

*CHIME!*
*CHIME!*

As they were walking to the back fence, they both got texts.

"What is this?" Teresa asked. She did not understand the text, which read "Firebird".

"It's the name of a disc golf disc, as is mine." said Todd, whose text said "Starfire. Restroom building.". Let's go see what's going on."

"Why do I feel like you're following your uncle's bad example of walking into traps?" Teresa asked. Todd just grinned.

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

Jen Sakai watched as Todd and Teresa diverted towards the restroom building, and she lost sight of them as they went inside. Some minutes later, she spotted Teresa, then saw the back of Todd's head. They were walking to the back area. Jen breathed a soft sigh of relief, and sent a text.

The man at the entrance to the back area just nodded when they showed the pass. They saw the stand where the drinks were being sold. To their surprise, there were no other customers.

"I don't like this." Teresa said. "Let's get out of here." They turned to go back, only to find eight men in front of them!

"Get 'em!" snarled one man...

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

The afternoon had been peaceful in my Town & County after the initial problems of the morning. I was told that the State Patrol Sergeant that had tried to disarm Tanya was formally suspended pending an investigation. The 150 arrested Antifa perps were sitting in the makeshift cells at County Jail. Judge Watts said they could sit there overnight; he'd set up his 'mobile Court' to process them the next morning.

Clan Troy was walking around The Fairgrounds, where the big picnic was, and from where we'd watch the big fireworks show. Paulina, Molly, her mother Maggie, Laura, Stephanie Steele, myself, Edward Steele and Daniel Allgood were herding the Troy, Steele, and Allgood cats, a.k.a. Carole, Marie, Jim, Ross, Ian, Tasha, Dan, and Patricia.

Cindy, Callie, and Betsy were with Cindy's father, the founder and great leader of 'The Vision' self-help empire, Dr. P. Harvey Eckart. Happy 'Vision' acolytes were cooking and giving out the hamburgers, hotdogs, and ice-cold soft drinks.

"What, no stringbeans?" Jim had lamented after we went through the line and got our food. He was needling his big sister Carole, which was becoming a dangerous thing to do.

"One day, Jim." Carole 'warned'. "Wuuunnnnn day... POW!... right in the kisser!"

"Bring. It. On." Jim replied fearlessly.

"Both of you need to settle down." I said, wondering where Carole had heard that line from that ancient TV show.

"Daddy, where's Todd and Teresa?" Carole asked.

"They went to meet Teresa's family." I said. "In Louisiana."

"Where is Louisiana?" asked Marie.

"Next to Texas." said native-born-Texan Laura Fredricson.

"It's where the Miss-i-sippp-i River flows to." Carole said. "Did Teresa and Todd go to Noo Orr-lee-uns?"

"No, I think they went to a town called Lake Charles." I replied. "And that's very good, knowing that's where the Mississippi River goes to."

"The Amtrak trains go to New Orleans." said Ian, happy to have some knowledge to share. "The Sunset Limited and the Crescent trains."

"That's right, and that's very good, Ian." I said, extremely impressed by my son's knowledge.

"I don't like the 'Aints'." declared Jim, speaking disrespectfully of the New Orleans NFL team. "They paid players to hurt other players." How do my kids know all this stuff? I was wondering to myself.

"Uncle Daniel, where's Aunt Melina?" Carole asked Mayor Allgood.

"She had to go on a business trip." Daniel said, looking very uncomfortable. Carole didn't say any more, but glanced over at me before being distracted by something Marie was saying.

"Everything good?" I quietly asked Daniel.

"I think so." said Daniel. "Melina said she had to go on a surveillance mission. She usually doesn't tell me where she's going until she gets back home, but I happened to see the plane ticket she printed out."

"Where'd she go?" I asked.

"DFW Airport." said Daniel. "Then to Lake Charles, Louisiana...

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

"Really?" Teresa said sourly. "Eight against two? You're making it too easy for us."

The men drew weapons. "Maybe us being armed and shooting your asses dead will even the score." the leader snarled.

"FEDERAL AGENTS! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" yelled a voice. The eight perps suddenly found themselves surrounded, with guns in their earholes. Teresa found herself being covered by the young man that had taken Todd's place... Benny Black!

The perps had been quickly disarmed, and they surrendered and were taken into custody. As they were taken to several black SUVs with Federal car tags, Teresa happened to notice one of the Special Agents driving one of the vehicles. He waved to her, and she recognized him as Eduardo Escobar, who was once with Jack Muscone's Team Lazarus.

As all but one of the Escalades drove off, two persons approached Teresa and Benny from the side... Todd Burke and Melina Troy Allgood!

"As Sheriff Griswold would say: Q'plaa!" Melina quipped. "Well done."

"Hey, brother." Todd said, hugging his brother Benny Black. "Not a bad imitation of me. But I just want you all to know that I could've handled those perps, too." Teresa had to work hard not to burst out laughing when she saw the look on Melina's lovely face, and Melina's eyes rolling.

"You're my hero, anyway." said Teresa as she hugged Todd. No one had any doubt that Teresa could have and would have handled the perps, especially with Benny's help. "So, what's going on with all this?"

"Ma'am," said a Federal Agent, coming up to Melina, "we've run the numbers of the cellphones we confiscated off the perps. They're all burner phones, and one was texting another burner. We've pinged it to this location, and two Agents are going to the specific spot."

"Is it among the crowd?" Teresa asked.

"No ma'am." said the Agent. "It's near the restroom building."

A moment later, two more Agents came up, one of them a female. "We were watching Jen Sakai." she said. "She was following Teresa and Benny at a distance, then broke off and went to the area of the restroom, then back to her family on the hillside."

"We found the burner phone." said the male Agent, exhibiting a cellphone in an evidence bag. "It was in a trash can near the restroom. It looks like it was wiped down, and I never saw Sakai with it in her hand nor throwing it away."

"Neither did I." said the female Agent.

"So we don't have anything on Jen Sakai." Teresa said.

"I'm afraid not." said Melina. "But you netted us a big haul of fish."

"So what's going on?" Teresa asked. "How did you guys get here?"

"Benny and I followed you down here." said Melina. "We've had Jen Sakai on our radar for some time. Her former Japanese husband is believed to be a spy for the Red Chinese, and she may be one as well. She's also as much of a Socialist as her brother is, though she hides it a little better than he does."

Teresa said "So that guy at the airport with the sign 'Burke'? He was a bad guy?"

Benny's grin looked just like his brother Todd's as he said "Well, I'm a Burke, so Melina and I walked into that 'trap'. And yes, he drove us out into the swamps with the intent to kill us. He was... er..."

"He was interrogated." Melina said with alacrity. "And he broke pretty easily. His information put us onto this cell that was going to kidnap you tonight. We can't prove it, but we think Jen Sakai alerted them to who you are, Todd, and she coordinated your kidnapping here."

"How did you know to follow us down in the first place?" Teresa asked. Then she saw her husband unable to hide a grin. "You knew... you did know, didn't you?"

"Yeah, you busted me." Todd said, still grinning. "When I ran checks on your family before we came down here, Jen's name came up as a potential flag. Mariko-san had her father check Jen's husband out, and he stood out like a neon sign on a dark night. I knew you could take care of yourself, so I came on down with you."

"Like uncle, like nephew." Teresa said to Melina.

"My ex-husband was never like that when he was married to me." Melina replied. "I still can't believe what he's become."