The Yellow Rose of Texas Ch. 04

"Asked why Patterson killed Mrs. Oldeeds," said Bettina, "FBI Special Agent in Charge Jack Muscone, who led the raid, said this. Roll tape."

Jack appeared on the television screen. "I am not sure why he killed her." said Muscone. "Possibly to keep her from talking, but some are speculating it was a mercy killing. We simply don't know at this time."

Way to go Jack! I thought. Putting all that extra speculation into the air, to confuse the overall issue more, and keep the truth from getting out...

Then Bettina hit the airwaves with my comments to her the afternoon before (Monday). I gave credit where due:

"Bettina," I said, "some information that led to the FBI raid came from work done by Leonard Sharples over many years, before he came to the TCPD and while he was here. I am not sure why he went bad and tried to shoot me, nor why he involved himself with the corrupt people in the SBI, but the Oldeeds Organization and its child molesters are finished, and partly because of his years of work."

Everyone in MCD was looking at me in stunned amazement. I just said "What?"

"High praise for a man that tried to kill you, sir." said Theo Washington.

"Only what he deserved. Now don't I always give you guys credit where due? I'll give Sharples that much for his lifelong work trying to take Oldeeds down. And some of his stuff really did help make this day possible." Everyone murmured different things, then we turned back to the news.

"And speaking of Leonard Sharples," said Bettina, "he has ordered his lawyers to drop all appeals of his death penalty. Some groups are continuing to file appeals on his behalf, but he has stated that he is prepared to die, and does not want the inevitable delayed."

Everyone looked at me again. I just shrugged my shoulders. Sharples was beyond figuring out.

Bettina was saying: "And in State news, Governor Val Jared has stated that he will not meet with civil rights leaders over some of his tweets that they consider to be racist. The Governor tweeted that undocumented workers, which he called 'illegal persons', are taking jobs away from black citizens. Civil rights leaders had demanded to meet with the Governor, but he has slammed the door in their faces with his blunt refusal."

"And the Governor continues to be dogged by charges of corruption, of spending money in unauthorized ways, and in exceeding his authority in cracking down on undocumented workers." said Bettina. "State Senator Katherine Woodburn again openly called for the Governor's impeachment in a speech Sunday, joined by Senator Maxine Watts..."

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

"Nothing new on those bozos we wiped out." said Cindy. "They haven't even taken me off duty pending the investigation, which I don't understand."

"You didn't use a gun." I said. "Killed three people with weaponless defense. They have no idea what to do with that. But you are on Restricted Duty, so you get to stay here... and continue to train for the Boxing Matches. I'm sure what happened the other day is more than 'good advertising' for you, and will put fear into your opponents' hearts."

Cindy laughed briefly. "Not really. We're starting to get to the quality people still standing, and the riff-raff on the sidelines. The Chief really is scared I'll hurt somebody, though. I think he'd kill off the Freestyle Division if he could."

"It's not going away." I said. "We're still discussing modifications, though."

Cindy took out her bug-killer and turned it on. "So, looks like everything went well in Texas. How's Laura?"

"She's... okay." I said. "She's happy she's avenged a fellow agent's death. But I think she's starting to realize that her days of ordering deaths and even killing people herself are past. Time to let other, younger people handle that stuff."

Cindy nodded. "I wasn't really trying to kill those guys the other day... but Callie was there and I would do anything to protect her... then I find out she's already pretty damn good at taking care of herself."

"Yes, but she's not as good as you." I said. "So you keep looking after her."

"Soooooo..." Cindy said, looking at me with the beginning of a smile, "who's better in your family? You, or your wife?"

I grinned. "I don't know. And I don't care to find out. I don't think I've seen Laura at her best... or worst, as the case may be. All I'll say is that she and I make one hell of a team... just as you and I make one hell of a team on this Police Force..."

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

"Heard you guys had a little party on the flight back." Jack Muscone said as he came into the Cabin on Tuesday evening, May 23d. Tanya Perlman had preceded him, and Bowser had barked mightily at her wheelchair. He calmed down and let Tanya pet him when I put him into her lap, so all was good.

"Yes, you missed a good one." I said.

"Mmm hmm." Laura murmured. She'd loved the orgy, and said she got off seeing me fuck those attractive young women. I'm a wife-watcher, she's a hubby-watcher. Great team, we are.

"Well, that's okay." said Jack. "Tanya's not taking a frying pan to my head since I wasn't there. Anyway, as I'm sure you've heard, the FBI is just beginning to put the whole story together, but there are going to be some serious indictments coming. Perry Richards has been arrested, DFW Regional Banks seized, and his personal assets seized under RICO laws. He's not cooperating, though, and has already taken the Fifth."

I nodded. "I can't say I'm totally surprised. We're in the endgame with these people. He'll take his chances with a trial. He'll lose, but he'd rather take his shot there than betray his comrades in Globalist Supremacy."

"Think this will cause either Superior Bloodlines or the Black Triumvirate to change course?" Jack asked. "My boss wants to know."

"I think if anything, it makes Superior Bloodlines more desperate and they'll move forward, perhaps faster. So get through all that information fast, so you can get some lines to take them down." I said. "It also will probably cause Mr. C. to change from his agenda to more... personal issues. Mostly issues regarding the one person he hates most... me."

"Yes, definitely keep your eyes peeled." said Muscone. "But we're still getting chatter about threats to the FBI Director, to my boss, and to others in Washington. At least they never try to shoot Congressmen."

"Don't even say that." I said. "One day, someone is going to try to." Muscone nodded.

"Well, Oldeeds is cleaned up." said Muscone. "At long last. They outlived Westboro, but you finally got 'em."

"Not me... we." I said. "This was the job of a great many people, including the FBI, certain good-looking elements of the CIA, and even... Sharples, of all people."

"Yes." said Muscone. "He dropped his appeals when he heard the Oldeeds Group and the child trafficking was stopped. I think living to hear that was his only bucket list item left...

Part 20 - Epilogue

Sunday, May 28th. The Police Headquarters gym was chock full of Police Officers as the Semifinal matches were about to happen.

Cindy Ross had taken out Patrolman Barker, who had shocked the world with his rise to the Final Eight. He used a metal billy stick instead of a crowbar, and he had some really good moves that I could tell were based in martial arts. He was going to be a contender in the future, but Cindy was able to show that a crowbar and superior martial arts skills would continue to rule the day.

The 'match of the century' was Joanne Warner vs. Roy McGhillie. Joanne has been training with Cindy, and while Roy knew some stuff, Joanne managed to get him discombobulated with a few tricks worthy of the Green Crowbar, and at the very end of the second round, she took him down. He was a good sport about it, and I congratulated him on the tournament he'd had to that point and his excellent showing. He also was going to be 'consoled' by Becca Larrington that evening after their date...

Teresa squared off against Sergeant Charles. He was very well trained in SpecOps and SWAT tactics, was well-conditioned, and took the Police Commander's words to heart that taking it easy on an opponent served no one. Still, Teresa did her trick of throwing her crowbar out of the ring, then with a couple of fast moves ended up with his in her hand. She threw it out of the ring, then began administering punishment. Sergeant Charles knew he would not make it to the end of the round to get his crowbar back, and yielded.

That left Micah Rudistan vs. Hugh Hewitt of SWAT. Hewitt fought well, and probably should've won. But Rudistan is sneaky fast, and he also talks in the ring... and is known for getting into his opponent's heads. Hewitt fell for the smack talk, got too aggressive, and was taken down rapidly by a move that looked suspiciously like Basic Aikido.

Now today, it was Ross v. Warner and Croyle v. Rudistan. Rudistan's trash talk was met with 'Teresa Cunt' trash talk, honed from repartée with the Iron Crowbar, the Green Crowbar, and perhaps her fiancé Todd. And Rudistan's greatly improved skills were also no match for Teresa's. She seemed to just take her time, administering whatever punishment Rudistan could take. He wisely did not answer the bell for the second round.

That left Ross vs. Warner. Joanne was improved, and really good. But it is possible that Cindy had held some things back during their sparring matches. Joanne knew that Cindy's trick of going to one arm and spinning her legs to take out the opponent's legs was going to happen; still, it worked, and Cindy cut Joanne's legs out. But Cindy made a small mistake; she went for one more crowbar blow instead of just grabbing Joanne and taking her down. Joanne parried the blow, and was able to move out in time. I was impressed. But Joanne's dream ended. Cindy just overwhelmed her, then took her down.

As the thunderous cheers echoed through the gym as I announced the pairing for the Championship, I knew that without me in it, this was what it had to be, what it could only have been. And it was going to be a storm:

Cindy Ross vs. Teresa Croyle.

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

That evening, Laura and I were sitting on the sofa of the Mountain Nest. The kids were put to bed, and Laura and I were making out like teenagers. I was groping her, as well, and she was more than ready to go upstairs to bed.

"I've got a little gift for you." I said. I got up and went and got a long box out of the closet, which I'd put there earlier in the day. "I had this made up for you."

"Oh, what is it?" she said as I handed her the white box, tied with a satin yellow ribbon.

"It's for all you did." I said. "For those girls we rescued, and for taking down Vicki Oldeeds and ending the child trafficking, which is a god-awful nightmare for any decent human being to even have to think about."

"Aw, you're sweet." Laura said. She opened the box. It was full of yellow roses, but Laura knew the heaviness could not have come from the flowers. She dug through them to find at the bottom... a crowbar. It was painted the same color as the yellow roses.

I didn't know how my wife was going to react to being given a crowbar, but her eyes were sparkling as she took it out and held it up.

"Oh my God, my own crowbar." she said. "How did you know I've always secretly wanted one for myself?"

"I didn't." I said. "But watching you at the Oldeeds compound, I was wondering just how much damage you would've done with one. Just don't use it on your loving husband..."

"Yes, now I can keep you in line." she teased as she tapped me on the thigh with it. "But of course I would never do that." She was waving the crowbar around, and I could tell she really did like it.

"By the way, it's yellow because you are my Yellow Rose of Texas." I said.

"Awww, that is sweet." Laura said, kissing me. "Now why don't we go upstairs and you can give me some of that 'other' crowbar of yours..."

"Your brilliant ideas are matched only by your beauty." I said.

As we headed upstairs to bed, I watched my wife's magnificent ass right in front of me as we climbed the stairs. We made a great team, but Laura was so much more to me... mother of my children, friend, lover. I was lucky to have her. Lucky Iron Crowbar...

"She's the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew,
Her eyes are bright as diamonds; they sparkle like the dew,
You may talk about your Clementine, and sing of Rosalee,
But the yellow rose of Texas is the only girl for me..."

Finis.