Vengeance is Mine Ch. 02

Jim had gotten the bright idea of building roads through the city for toy cars, which would cross over the train tracks in places. And then Jim had gotten the not-so-bright idea of muscling in on his younger brother Ian and taking some of the railroad bed rights for the highway. He tried to enlist Ross to help, but Ross wisely stayed out of it. And despite being younger and smaller than his brothers, Ian stood his ground and gave no quarter. The ensuing furious fistfight destroyed the entire northwest sector of the city and its railroad.

Bowser's barking brought my eldest child Carole to the room, and she engaged in her chosen life's work, law enforcement. She stopped the fight cold with her superior Aikido skills, and then she made her brothers go to arbitration... before their sister, Judge Tasha Troy-Patterson, who would be starting first grade the next Autumn. With Daddy's help, Judge Troy-Patterson made an equitable ruling.

It was Tasha's first ruling as a Judge. It would not be her last.

*CHIME!*

It was my Police iPhone, and the text message read "10am, University Conference Center". It was from Sheriff Griswold. The meeting was set.

I went downstairs and told Laura and Molly, then left for the University Conference Center. As I was about to pull out of the driveway onto the road, Todd Burke drove out on the road right ahead of me from the driveway of his home next to mine, with his wife Teresa Croyle riding shotgun. The BOW Enterprises SUV Todd was driving was very similar to my Police SUV in that it was heavily armored and had bulletproof glass.

I followed Todd and Teresa down the road to the University campus, and to the Conference Center. We parked and went into the Conference Center together. Todd was wearing a well-fitting suit, and Teresa and I were in uniform: light blue shirts and dark blue pants, with our ranks on dark blue soft shoulderboards on the shoulder epaulettes.

Men in suits and wearing shades let us in the back door; they were obviously security. We went down the hallway to the Board of Trustees Conference Room. The conference table, like the one at Police Headquarters, was very slightly curved along the long sides.

At the center of the table on the far side sat United States Senator Lorraine McGill. To her left was U.S. Congressman for the 1st District, Larry Vaughan, the People's Choice, and the former Town & County Mayor. To McGill's right was Governor Sharon Marshall. To Vaughan's left was was FBI Executive Assistant Director Owen Lange. To the Governor's right was SBI Director Wes 'Coldiron' Masters.

And at the near end of the table sat FBI Supervisory Special Agent Melina Troy Allgood, the current Mayor Daniel Allgood's wife... and my ex-wife. Her presence here could be good or bad, I thought to myself.

At the far end of the table, to Lange's left, was TCPD Deputy Chief Tanya Perlman Muscone in her wheelchair, also in Police uniform. To her left, at the right end of the near side of the table, was her husband, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jack Muscone. And to his left was Our Sheriff, Antonio Griswold, in his Sheriff's semi-formal uniform with brown jacket over tan/khaki shirt, and brown pants that matched the jacket in color.

I was invited to sit in the middle of the near side, opposite Senator McGill and to the Sheriff's left. Teresa sat next to me, and Todd on her other side. I felt considerable foreboding at what I was guessing was the purpose and intent of this meeting, and I suspect my face showed it.

"Thank you for coming, everyone." said Senator McGill. "Especially you, Commander Troy." Lorraine McGill had been a longtime judge, and was one of the most formidable mental presences I'd ever encountered. (Author's note: 'The Saga Continues' for Judge McGill's introduction.) I could sense her mental aura reaching out for my mind, and I willed myself to resist.

"Senator." I replied, somewhat formally.

"Senator Nunn is in other meetings today, and I apologize that he could not be here." Lorraine McGill said. "I think everyone here is aware that in the past few months, former Director of National Intelligence Brendan Chapel was (air quotes) 'allegedly' behind several possible crimes. He may have been complicit along with Matthew Willis in the murder of Julie Davalos Matheson, leading to the suicide of her husband Dwayne Matheson." (Author's note: 'Price No Object'.)

McGill: "Then Chapel and National Security Agency official Dr. Robin Isley were 'allegedly' behind the plot to frame now-SBI-Director Wes Masters for the City Police drug-running operation, and were getting their cuts from that operation's profits." (Author's note: 'Who Watches The Watchers'.)

McGill: "We have some evidence, but not enough to go to Court, that Chapel was directly behind the attempt to steal the 'Lost Greuze', and we're certain he was behind the attempt to steal the charitable trust that Teresa Croyle endowed to University Hospital." (Author's note: 'Beethoven Virus'.)

McGill: "Senator Nunn and I were more than pleased to use the information Commander Troy provided us to expose DNI Chapel and his deadly schemes for his personal enrichment, which also exposed the grave threats to the Constitutional rights of American Citizens posed by the Charrington Project. As a result of our inquiries, and other inquiries that expanded from them, DNI Chapel's resignation was submitted for him, and was (air quotes) 'reluctantly' accepted."

McGill: "What some of you may not know, to this point, is that U.S. Attorney General Derrick B. Harland was infuriated by our inquiries, and worse, he was even more infuriated by the actions of the Iron Crowbar in stopping the crimes and exposing Project Charrington. As you know, A.G. Derrick Harland has formed FBI units to investigate and harass parents that dare to protest to School Boards about the curriculum that the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union, and the Democrats were trying to force to be taught to children as young as first graders."

McGill: "Also, as all of you here know, the race riots ginned up by the Democrats and their Mainstream Media allies last summer were strongly... and correctly... interdicted and put down by the Town & County Police. The U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division deliberately failed the TCPD on a diversity compliance audit, and threatened to come in and force the TCPD into a Consent Decree."

"Which will never happen." I said, menacingly.

"Let her talk, Crowbar." the Sheriff quietly admonished me. I shut my potty mouth, for the moment.

McGill: "The US DOJ Civil Rights Division also threatened to take legal action against Mayor Daniel Allgood. But to this point, they held back from actually doing anything. Until now..."

Melina Allgood was a very beautiful woman, but the look on her face at the moment at the mention of the threat to her husband was an ugliness that rivaled the (in)famous 'Teresa Cunt' look that my Iron Wolf was capable of exhibiting. Senator McGill quickly moved along:

"Derrick Harland could not stop the forced resignation of DNI Chapel, but he vowed retaliation. Like the Media, we have our sources, and a source brought to my attention a classified, secret memo from Harland to the US DOJ Civil Rights Division. He ordered Ava Hinds to find a reason, any reason, real or imagined, for the US DOJ to come in and shut down the TCPD."

"Bring it on." I said, my voice ugly. "We'll give them that fight. You know I want to expose the true nature of their racism and what they're trying to do in the Court fight."

Senator McGill affixed her eyes upon me and exuded all the mental power she could muster as she said "You don't understand, Commander. Derrick B. Harland had no intention of letting this reach the inside of a Courtroom. He intended to come in and shut down the TCPD with the force of Federal Government Guns and his Gestapo agents behind him."

"Again, bring it on." I said strongly. "We are ready for the fight, be it in Court or in combat."

"Hell yeah, we are." Teresa added.

"Crowbar, Teresa," Sheriff Griswold said, "you know I love you like my own children. But I love my Police Force, too. I know you two would fight to the very death, and that's noble. But you have over two hundred Police Officers to think about... and their families, too. Like the Senator said, Derrick B. Harland has no intention of going to Court. He's a despot; he literally wants to wipe out the Constitution and impose Totalitarian rule. And he sees wiping the TCPD off the map, literally, as a first step towards that goal."

"The Sheriff's right." EAD Owen Lange said. "And we found out more. Federal Judge K.M. Landis is a staunch ally, but he's getting old. He is being pressured to retire or resign from the Federal Bench. And worse, we discovered a plot to assassinate him if he did not."

Lange: "When I informed my superiors in the FBI, Derrick Harland himself intervened, and said that there was to be no further investigation. And in spite of Federal laws, A.G. Harland openly said that nothing was to be done to protect Judge Landis. He actually said that if it were Judge Ruth B. Taney that was threatened, he'd act to protect her. But not Judge Landis."

"That's true." said Governor Marshall. "Derrick B. Harland is applying selective enforcement of the law, and in only one direction. I've had to send State Troopers to protect Judge Landis, since Harland wouldn't do it... and the US DOJ complained about that, but still sent no one to do the jobs they're supposed to be doing."

"The bottom line, Don," said Senator McGill, "is that the Totalitarians like Brendan Chapel and Derrick B. Harland are ready and willing to bypass the law and the Constitution, and they intended to destroy the TCPD first, and worry about the consequences and the Court cases later. And Melina, they intended to arrest and 'disappear' your husband the Mayor. They intended to kill him like they killed George Aurus."

McGill: "And Harland wasn't just looking at the TCPD. He intended to persuade the President, through the deeply corrupt Vice President, to fire the Army Chief of Staff, General Alexander McFarland, as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Marine General who is very fond of you, Commander Troy." (Author's note: 'Semper Fidelis', Ch. 03; 'Unresolved', Ch. 05.)

McGill: "And this was so he could cancel all the Government contracts and research grants that BOW Enterprises is getting, in order to hurt Teresa Croyle's husband after her endowment was not stolen. I don't know why, but they really, really hate that generous endowment. And they hate Todd for working with Israel, and for being the nephew of the Iron Crowbar."

In the ominous, tense silence that enveloped the room, I finally said "You're not just telling us this to hear yourselves talk. What's the endgame you're about to spring on us?"

Lorraine McGill gave a pursed smile, then said "After we began exposing Brendan Chapel, then learned of what Derrick B. Harland wanted to use the Civil Rights Division to do to you, a group of very powerful people in Washington got together to try to work out something to cool things down. An agreement was made."

McGill: "Chapel would be forced to resign, and Charrington would be scrapped, which has happened. The CJCS is going to retire anyway, but General McFarland would be allowed to remain as Army Chief of Staff, and the BOW Enterprises contracts would remain in place. And the Civil Rights Division dogs would be called off."

"In return," said Senator McGill, "Chapel would not be investigated further nor prosecuted. Derrick B. Harland would not be investigated nor asked (air quotes) 'embarrassing' questions during Congressional testimony. Further investigations of BigCommo and Charrington would stop, and the people arrested in connection with the Lost Greuze would be turned over to Federal custody. And you guys will stop killing or threatening to kill Federal Agents, like the way Curtis Halsey was murdered." (Author's note: 'No Way Out', Ch. 04.)

"Wow, they're not asking for much." I said. "And that's not sarcasm. They're really giving you a lot and seemingly wanting very little. So why do you trust them to keep their side of the bargain?"

"Because we can always bring Charrington back up." Lorraine McGill said. "Mr. Lange?"

EAD Owen Lange said "But that was before George Aurus showed back up, and Robin Isley sent her Swamp Frog team in to get him. They didn't know about the agreement, as you didn't know. I know you guys hated me at the flower shop when I had to make you give them back to our custody. And the Sheriff had to allow it in order to save his Police Department from Harland and the DOJ Civil Rights Division."

"I don't agree." said Todd Burke speaking up for the first time, and with anger in his voice. "Lindsey Black physically and mentally abused Beverly. And Karl Coleman was going to push me down onto a planted gun and then shoot me in the back of the head. He was going to murder me in cold blood."

I said "And he and Black would've murdered a ten year old boy if my armored back was not in the way. We've got the proof."

"I know." said Owen Lange. "But for the sake of the agreement, I'm going to have to ask you to let us handle it at the Federal level. And to give us your ballistics evidence and the flower shop video."

"No way in HELL!" Teresa yelled, her restraint finally breaking.

"Commanderrrr..." tried the Sheriff. It was a poor try.

"She's right, Sheriff." I said, taking up for my Iron Wolf. "No matter what, we're holding on to that evidence. It's our defense against the US DOJ Civil Rights Division, the only way we can force them to stand down."

Todd Burke said "And I already have copies of the videotape, and I am not relinquishing them. I am going to use that in my lawsuit against Black, Coleman, and the FBI. And I've already sworn out a criminal complaint with the Town & County Police and the SBI."

Owen Lange said "You realize that if you do, they may come in and strip you of your Government contracts and grants?"

"So be it, then." Todd said. He then stood up and said "If there's one thing I've learned from my mother's brother, it's to never give in to blackmail. I'm calling you out on your threats, and I'm ready to go public with this. All of it. This is not just about me, but about justice for Beverly after what they did to her, and probably many others like her. It's about the arrogant overreach of dirty Federal Agents with Government Guns."

"And you're okay with the Civil Rights Division coming and and shutting down the TCPD, where your wife works? Totally destroying it?" tried Lange.

Todd looked down at Teresa, who said with alacrity: "Don't let them blackmail nor intimidate you. Do what you need to do..." She turned and looked at Lange as she finished: ...no matter what."

Todd looked back at Lange. Lange was looking at Teresa with anger in his dark eyes. A full-bore 'Teresa Cunt' look was answering the EAD.

Senator McGill said "Mr. Burke, we are hoping for your cooperation, but you need to know that your lawsuits and criminal complaints will be dismissed with prejudice.. And they very likely will cancel your contracts. Think about your employees, Mr. Burke."

Todd stared into Senator McGill's eyes with an anger I'd rarely seen from him. "What I am thinking about, Senator, are my very generous contributions to your campaigns. Since I apparently need to start cutting back on expenditures, I'll start by withholding those generous contributions to you, and maybe instead give them to your primary opponent in your next election."

Looking up, Todd said "I neither accept nor agree to any of your Faustian deals. I'll see you FBI Agents in Court." He looked down at Teresa, his eyes silently asking if she were going with him or staying behind.

"I'll stay, to protect Don." Teresa replied. "If Lange tries to do anything to Don, I'll blow Lange's ass away." Todd nodded and turned and left the room.

"Allgood, stop him." ordered Lange, himself getting up. To his shock, both Teresa and I rose to our feet as we drew our service weapons. Jack Muscone also had risen from his chair, maybe to protect Lange.

"Won't be me trying to stop him." Melina said, remaining seated. "Teresa, we'll cover Don. Go protect Todd."

"Crowbar!" the Sheriff said, getting up and between us and Owen Lange. "Please, sit down."

"Go ahead, Teresa." I said. "I'll be okay." I holstered my service weapon and slowly sat back down as Teresa followed Todd out of the room.

"Todd is right." I said. "And why in the hell should I agree to one word of this putrid deal?"

Sheriff Griswold said "Because, Crowbar: some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you."

I nodded, feeling great anger and pain in my soul. I sifted through the quicksands of my mind the pros and cons of accepting the deal versus refusing to be a part of it. All eyes were on me as I finally decided.

"I want one thing, and it is not negotiable." I said. "I want the US DOJ Civil Rights Division to issue a formal report exonerating the Town & County Police Force and Mayor Daniel Allgood from any wrongdoing. I want them to state officially and in writing that the TCPD and Mayor Allgood have done nothing wrong, nothing racist, and were only doing our duty and our jobs."

I continued: "And I want that formal exoneration broadcast on every television and radio station in the State... especially on KXTC."

"We can't force them to do that." said Senator McGill.

"The hell you can't!" I fired back. "You're sitting there quaking in fear that Derrick Harland can illegally just shut down the TCPD by decree and by force, and then you tell me you can't apply pressure to the FCC to force KXTC to announce that or lose their broadcasting license? You are now a United States Senator, Judge McGill. You have the power; use it!"

"All right, we'll make it happen." said Senator McGill.

And then Owen Lange spoke up: "We still need that ballistics evidence, and the flower shop videotapes."

"Molon labe." I said. "We've already sent copies of it to this region's Special Agent In Charge, but we are holding on to it."

I stood up. "Decide whose side you are on, Mr. EAD. Oh, and by the way... I won't go after Lindsey Black and Karl Coleman. But if our paths cross, if I ever see them again, anywhere on earth and especially here in my State, I will kill them. That is a threat, and a prediction. Keep them and their fellow Swamp Frogs out of my State and my County. And if anything happens to my nephew Todd Burke or any of his family..." I just shook my head at the thought of what I would do to them.

I turned towards the door to leave. "Always nice to see you, Senator, Governor, Director Masters." I said by way of excusing myself from that hideous meeting.

"I'll come with you." said the Sheriff. We walked out together, and I did not need to be Cindy nor Carole to sense the Sheriff's relief... and pain at the shame of having had to convince me to accept that most very dishonorable deal...

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

4:00pm local time, Sunday, April 11th. Dr. Robin Isley of the powerful National Security Agency entered the office of the Director of National Intelligence. It had been significantly changed from the way former DNI Brendan Chapel had furnished it; totally new paint of a different and lighter color on the walls, new and lighter carpet, a different though still magnificent desk.

"Come on in, have a seat." said the current DNI, Dr. Susan Cameron Price. She was a light-skinned black woman, married to a white man that was a top Executive of one of the major National Networks, and a deeply committed Leftist.