Vengeance is Mine Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

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Author's special note: This story is written for the 2022 Mickey Spillane Challenge. It is based upon the characters in my Iron Crowbar series. It is recommended that you read my story 'Send In The Clowns', for which this story is the sequel.

For the entire George Aurus saga, read 'Black Velvet' and 'Power' for his original crime spree; 'Shipping And Handling', Ch. 01 for the first escape and Ch.04-05 for turning himself in; 'Red Squad', Ch. 04 for news of his second escape.

Part 10 - A Failure To Communicate?

As ten-year-old Jimmy finished eating his burger and fries, Johnny came up to him and George Aurus. Johnny was a relatively tall man, with a wiry but athletic frame. His face looked like he'd seen a lot in life... and had endured a lot in life.

George Aurus was 4'2" tall when standing. In an earlier era, he would've been called a 'midget' or a 'dwarf'. He and Johnny had been part of the Wrangler Circus, whose logo was on his black t-shirt as well as the shirt under Johnny's Food Services jacket.

George was also showing signs of illness, as his physical strength and abilities were beginning to wane, and he was all but confined to the electric-powered wheelchair he was sitting in.

"George," Johnny said, "the cops have pulled away from this area of Campus. It might be a good time to get you out of here."

Aurus said "It might also be a good time to help our new friend Jimmy find his dog. Call our friends around here and ask them to help us search. I suspect the dog is huddling around here, somewhere. It's getting cold and I'm sure the dog is hungry. You can put some food on the ground right outside the bins in back, and see if the dog comes to eat it. And once the dog is found, we'll anonymously tip off the Police to find Jimmy."

Johnny said "I can take him to them."

"Oh noooo, by no means." said Aurus. "The Feds might be monitoring, or this might be one of their silly traps. Either way, we can get word to Commander Troy, who will take care of Jimmy and his dog. That is one of the Iron Crowbar's redeeming qualities: he loves dogs."

"The Iron Crowbar?" Jimmy asked, awe in his young voice. "You know him?"

"Yes, I've met him." said George. "But it would be a good idea if he does not see me yet, at least not until we find your little dog..."

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

"All right," reported Special Agent In Charge Bob Rovers as he came into the FBI RV, "the Campus Police have pulled back, and so have the State Patrol."

"Damn straight." said Lindsey Black. "They better do what the FBI orders them to do."

"Then this will really get your panties in a wad." Bob Rovers said, intentionally offensively, as he liked to push Lindsey Black's buttons. "The Sheriff's Deputies refused to pull back. It took a direct order from the Sheriff himself to get them to pull back outside of the 500-yard-perimeter around the Museum."

Lindsey Black said "That old coot? Yeah, he's old and weak. We can force him to back off any time... like Lange did at the flower shop today." Apparently, it did not occur to her that Sheriff Griswold abandoning the search for a child was her first clue that she had made a bad miscalculation in her plans...

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

8:30pm, Friday, April 9th. The door to my office opened, and in walked trouble. Platinum blonde, as usual.

"Come on in." I said to Chief Deputy Sheriff Cindy Ross. Teresa was in the far-side 'hot chair' near the wall, so Cindy sat down in the 'hot chair' nearer the door.

Her face was red underneath that platinum blond hair as she said "That arrogant bitch Lindsey Black demanded the Campus Police, State Patrol, and Sheriff Department stop searching for that boy, and stay at least 500 feet from the University Museum. I told the Deputies to ignore the bitch and keep looking, and the Sheriff overrode me and had them stand down!"

"We were just talking about that." Teresa said. "I don't get it, either... just like I still don't understand the Sheriff letting Lange take those Swamp Frogs out of there after one of them literally tried to murder my husband... and you guy's nephew and cousin, respectively." They both looked over at me.

I said "I know. And yes, we should have shot Black and Coleman on the spot. But that's spilt milk, water under the bridge. I'll just say this about the Sheriff: have either of you ever known him to do anything that was not in the best interests of the Town & County Police Force?"

Both women stared at me in shock for a moment. Then Cindy said "Come correct, Red Crowbar." She'd long suffered me making cryptic statements, leaving her confused. And she wasn't taking much more of it, and she had a green crowbar and the will power to use it to administer a beatdown to me.

I said "I think the Sheriff knows something we don't know, and I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet to find out what it is. And I remember the day he retired as Police Chief, when he placed his trust... and his Police Force... in my hands. He trusted me then, and he's always had my back. So I'm going to trust him, at least until I find out what's going on. And I'll ask both of you to do the same... or at least trust me to resolve the situation."

"I do trust you." Teresa said. "But will Todd? Maybe not so much. He is absolutely furious with the Feds, and he is going to sue them... and provide legal counsel to Beverly, so she can sue them, too."

"What can I say? He's his mother's son." I replied. Todd's mother, my sister Elizabeth, and I had never been particularly close. And Todd's own counsel (pun intended) would he keep regarding this situation.

"I trust the Sheriff, too." Cindy said. "Even more than I trust you... Cousin. But this, I don't understand. There is a ten year old child out there, and we've got to find him."

"And his little dog, too." I replied as I stood up. "And we will. Okay, it looks like tonight will be a good night to try out the new trenchcoat." I reached into the little wardrobe coat closet in the back corner of my office and took out a trenchcoat.

It was more beige/gray and less khaki-colored than my normal one. It was also very heavy, as the armor sewn into its lining was much thicker than normal; the regular one had armor enough to stop regular large-caliber bullets, but the impact of those bullets would still hurt, and I wouldn't want it to be my only protection against cop-killer or small caliber bullets, which can penetrate kevlar.

This trenchcoat also had a raised collar that was very stiff; it was armor-lined, and hopefully would protect my neck and the back of my head. I'd still hate to get hit in the back of the head through it; the bullet might not penetrate and blow my brains out, but it would still give me a concussion at best, and a fractured skull or worse at worst."

"You expecting trouble?" Teresa said.

"Oh yes." I said. "And what's more... I expect the Swamp Frogs's trap to work, and to draw George Aurus in."

I quickly put on the heavy trenchcoat, and it got its first test as the Green Crowbar whaled away at me several times...

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

"Okay, David," said FBI SAC Bob Rovers, "let's go over this one last time."

Special Agent David Rovers said "The real Statue of Artemis is locked up in the safe inside its viewing room. We created a fake Statue of Artemis, and it's on display under glass in the back of the main hallway of the University Museum. We had the security company for Museum leak word that due to budget cuts, there would be no security people at the museum during the night, and the Museum is being monitored only by the Campus Police from their headquarters."

David Rovers: "We're leaving a back door to the warehouse partially open. We expect Aurus and his henchmen to use it to enter the Museum, and attempt to steal the Statue. Our people will be in the conference room up front, and we'll come out and take Aurus down when he attempts to take the Statue."

"Who are (air quotes) 'our people'?" asked Karl Coleman.

Bob Rovers said "You, Agent Black, and my team: me, David, Peter Page, and Andrew Parsons. And we'll have four Federal Marshals that are loyal to Robin Isley, as well."

"Good." said Karl Coleman. "And when it looks like Aurus and his thugs are resisting, we'll mow them down."

"What?" said Bob Rovers.

Coleman said "What I was going to do to Burke was nothing compared to what we're going to do to Aurus."

"Yeah." Lindsey Black said happily. "That fucking midget will never be escaping Federal Prison again."

Bob Rovers said: "There are two things you need to know. First, Special Agent Black, I'm a Special Agent In Charge, and I'm in charge of this mission. You do what I tell you, not the other way around. And Coleman, if Aurus is unarmed and you kill him, I won't help you when the OPR comes down on you like a ton of bricks. Are you feeling me on this?"

"All I'm going to say," said Coleman, "is that a weapon will be found on Aurus, and he will be shot dead in the attempt to use it to kill Federal Agents. And if you don't like that, call Robin Isley now and complain. She'll twist your cap around..."

Part 11 - Confrontations

*Whirrrrrrrrrrr*

The sound of George Aurus's wheelchair hummed in the night as he drove along the paved walk between the back of the Dining Hall and the University Museum. Jimmy was walking just ahead, calling out his puppy's name as he looked around.

"There he is!" Jimmy said. Aurus looked over to see the brown and white puppy run into the University Museum under the partially opened loading dock door. Jimmy ran after him, and easily ran under the door.

Aurus followed, finding the door was left open just high enough that he could duck his head and drive through. "How conveeeeeenient." he said out loud to himself, knowing what that meant. Scattered lights in the warehouse allowed him to see enough to drive through the room without hitting anything.

As he drove along the hallway towards the Main Hall of the Museum, he noted that the security rooms were empty. "Harrumph." he growled. Good grief, do the stupid Feds really think they can set a trap this obvious, and expect me not to see it? Definitely insulting my intelligence...

Billy Beagle had been able to go through the bars that protected the valuable artwork in the side room, and he had tripped an alarm which caused a blue light in the panel next to the door to blink brightly. Jimmy came up to the door, but could not go through. "Come here, Billy." he called out. The puppy came through the bars again, but veered down the hallway towards the back room where the real Statue of Artemis was kept, and Jimmy followed.

Aurus came into the Main Hall, and saw the dog and Jimmy run down the corridor. He was driving across the hall towards the other side to follow, but his eye was drawn to the bright gold object under the plexiglass box against the back wall, and he stopped for a second.

"Ah, the Statue of Artemis." George said out loud. "And they thought I wanted to steal it, and the Lost Greuze. Federal Agents are truly stupid idiots."

"I could not agree more."

Aurus whirled his wheelchair around and looked towards the door of the side room. Standing there was Your Iron Crowbar, in my black pullover shirt and black trousers. My badge was on my belt under my heavy trenchcoat, and I was wearing my trademark Tilley Hat, with Airborne wings over the TCPD's hat badge. My service weapon was still in its holster on my right hip, and in my left hand was the ubiquitous red crowbar.

"Ah, Commander Troy." said George Aurus. "I am delighted to see you again, I really am. But please tell me that you are not a part of this silly trap. Even I can see from this distance that that statue is a fake."

"No, I have nothing to do with any of that." I said. "And I know you were never after the Lost Greuze, nor the Statue of Artemis. You've already found what you were looking for, and what they freed you from prison to find for them."

Aurus smiled. "Yes." he said, his voice whispery and hard to hear. "And I know how you are able to realize it... from experience. And you are correct, as you always are: Brendan Chapel's avarice, his thirst for money, is unquenchable. He hoped I would lead him and his worthless minions to the treasure. But they were easy enough to fool, weren't they?"

"And you obviously did." I replied.

Aurus continued: "And I must commend you on how totally you defeated Chapel. You recovered the Lost Greuze, and you somehow stopped that insidious virus attack on University Hospital, trying to steal that very courageous Commander Croyle's inheritance." (Author's note: 'Send In The Clowns', 'Beethoven Virus'.)

My face must've shown my surprise at Aurus's praise of Teresa, as he continued: "Yes, your friend Teresa is a very good woman, too. She tried very hard to help my friend's daughter, but unfortunately little Sarah died. But we all appreciate what your friend is trying to do for sick children."

I said "And that's why you cooked David B. Palmer alive."

"Oh yes." said Aurus. "I know you think I'm an evil man, Commander. But believe me, sir, I am a saint compared to the depths of cruelty of that man Palmer. He absolutely deserved what he got."

"I didn't shed a single tear for him." I replied. "But you've hurt innocent people, too... and in some cases much, much worse than Palmer did."

Aurus: "You know, Commander Troy, I believe you understand me far more than anyone else. You've done a few... extracurricular things, too. Did you ever read the graphic novel 'The Killing Joke'?"

"Yes." I said, remembering the DC Comics novel where The Joker shot and paralyzed Barbara 'Batgirl' Gordon, and then explained to the captured Commissioner Gordon how 'one bad day' had changed his life forever, and also those of many others.

"I am the real life personification of that." said Aurus. "I had a childhood I would not wish on anyone, not even David Palmer. And my life was changed forever."

"Yes." I said. "But in the here and now, you still have to pay for your crimes."

"And I will. But not at the hands of your earthly Governments." Aurus replied. Then he shocked me by saying "Ah, Commander, I do wish I could have known you under different circumstances. You have a brilliant mind, the best I've ever known. If things were different, we might have been playing chess and talking about true crime instead of the life-and-death games of wits we've played. Alas... like the song says, you're in the air, I'm stuck here on the ground."

"It is what it is." I said. "Now let's get out of here------"

Aurus interrupted: "But first, I have a favor to ask of you, Commander. When I die, an attorney will contact you about the treasure I found, but is no longer in my possession nor my name. I want you to set up a trust, to help abused and molested boys, so that they will receive the help that I and my friends never did."

"I'll do that." I said. "But why don't we talk about it at Police Headquarters. I need to get you out of here before the Swamp Frogs arrive..."

Too late.

"FEDERAL AGENTS! GET YOUR HANDS UP!" yelled the most very annoying voice of Lindsey Black. She and her fellow Federal Agents were running into the Main Hallway from the front of the Museum, their powerful handguns drawn and ready to fire at Aurus... and me. In an instant, I saw that there were ten of them.

Lindsey Black was screaming: "GET YOUR HANDS UP, AURUS! SURRENDER!"

"That will be the day." Aurus said calmly. A powerful handgun suddenly appeared in his hand, ready to shoot the Federal Agents. And then something ran by me.

"Hey mister!" Jimmy said excitedly as he ran towards Aurus with his puppy in his arms. "Look! I found my dog!"

"No, kid!" Aurus cried out. "Go back! Go back!"

*POW!* *POW!* *POW!* *BLAM!* *BLAM!* *POW!*

Before I even realized it, I had dropped my crowbar, dived forward, grabbed Jimmy and his dog, and cradled them into my chest as I landed on my left side on the floor. My back was to the gunfire being poured from the Federal Agents's Government Guns, and I bowed my head forward as I felt the armor on my back being impacted by the gunfire, hoping that they wouldn't get a head shot on me.

"Aw, George, you dumb sucker..." I heard Aurus say as many bullets tore through his body, literally knocking him and his wheelchair backwards and tipping them over. He landed on the floor on his back.

"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" I heard a voice say. It was FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone, who with his team was just running in and coming up behind the Swamp Frogs. The TCPD SWAT Team, led by Lieutenant Commander Teresa Croyle, also poured into the room.

"GET ON THE FLOOR!" Teresa yelled as the SWAT Team came up and pointed their M-4s at the Swamp Frogs's heads from very close range. "DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND GET ON THE FLOOR! OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!" Her powerful handgun in Lindsey Black's earhole accentuated her instructions.

Meanwhile, Jimmy had torn out of my grasp and crawled to Aurus, still holding Billy Beagle. "Mister? Mister! Are you okay?" I crawled up after him, and saw Aurus look at the kid, his eyes dimming.

"Well, kid," George Aurus gasped, "at least you got your dog back..." And with those final words, the Black Velvet Killer expired. George Aurus was now facing the Judgement of a much higher Power than earthly governments.

Sheriff Griswold, wearing armor, came up to us. "Crowbar! You okay?"

"I'm good." I said, though my back was screaming with pain. "Take Jimmy and his dog out of here." The Sheriff picked up Jimmy, still holding Billy Beagle to his chest as I'd held them to mine, and began carrying them out.

"Why did they shoot him?" I heard Jimmy say, tears running down his cheeks. "He was a good guy. He helped me find my dog."

"A little bit of bad in the best of us. A little bit of good in the worst of us." I heard Sheriff Griswold reply as he carried them away...

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

Meanwhile, Jack Muscone was yelling "What the fuck, people? Why did you open fire unprovoked like that?"

Bob Rovers said "George Aurus was pointing a gun at Federal Agents, Muscone." He then said "Are we good?"

"No, we are not good." I said as I came up to Muscone, having been helped up by SWAT Team members Patrick and Hawley as EMTs went up to Aurus, only to find their services were not needed. I continued: "Cuff 'em, and bag their firearms as evidence." That was swiftly done, and once the Swamp Frogs's hands were cuffed behind them, I began taking off my trenchcoat, then my armor underneath.

I said "I need two Officers to take this trenchcoat and armor to the State Crime Lab building, and have them expedite a ballistics report on the bullets inside. And take these Federal Agents weapons, too, for comparison."

My Officers did not like it that I'd removed my armor, and another TCPD armored vest was instantly produced. Robert Kalsu helped secure it on my person.

I said loudly "The bullets that hit me in the back would have hit a ten year old boy and his dog if I had not been there..."