Big in Japan Ch. 05

"Whose side are you ON, Black Man?!" yelled Tommy John.

"I know I'm not on the side of a crowbar beatdown... brother." Newman said.

"I need to talk to my client alone." said H.J. Lynch.

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

4:40pm. Officer Kevin Buchannan and I walked into the Chief's office, wearing our Duty Dress jackets over our uniforms. Buchannan came to attention in front of the desk. "I submit myself for disciplinary action, Chief."

"Yezzzz." drawled the Chief. He looked up at Buchannan and said "Don't ever do that again. A note of this verbal reprimand will appear in your unit personnel file. Dismissed."

Buchannan was stunned, and I literally had to take him by the arm and walk him out of the office. Once back in my office, he said "What was that, sir?"

"That..." I said, standing next to him, "was a Police Chief covering his and the Police Force's ass. You've been verbally reprimanded, if the Press asks.. and we expect they will. Say nothing more of this, take the Fifth if the Feds try to question you, and drive on with the TCPD mission. Dismissed."

"Uh, thank you sir." said Buchannan.

As he turned to go, I said "Kevin... thank you." He knew what I meant.

"It's all good, sir." Buchannan said. "And after you and your wife saved my baby and stood by us, I owed you."

"And you were there to save my daughter's life.' I replied. "I owed you back; hence, the verbal reprimand. But the slate never wipes clean; I will not forget what you did for me and my family today."

"Thank you sir." he said. Our handshake turned into a full hug...

Part 29 - Issues and Answers (Solution)

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, September 21st, from the roof of the building at Riverside and College. "Breonna Bryant's father arrested by the Police over the weekend!"

Bettina began: "In a related incident this weekend, a man identified as 'Tommy John' attacked ADA Paulina Patterson's daughter Tasha on the playground of Eastside Elementary School." The school's video was shown, which was grainy and distant as Bettina continued: "The man was armed with a knife, but was subdued and arrested before he reached the child."

Bettina: "During interrogation by the Police, Mr. John admitted that he attacked the child after hearing Breonna Bryant's father calling for Commander Donald Troy's daughter to be taken away from him. Roll tape." Tape rolled, first showing the perp Tommy John giving his reason for attacking Tasha, followed by Bryant's father making those threats.

Bettina: "The District Attorney's Office, where the victim's mother Paulina Patterson is employed as an Assistant D.A., swore out a warrant for Mr. Bryant's arrest, charging him with felony making terroristic threats and inciting a criminal act. He reached a plea deal, whereby he avoids jail time in exchange for making this public statement. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Bryant saying "I made a statement in my grief and anger over the unjust verdict against my daughter. While I did not intend for those words to be acted upon in a violent or murderous way, apparently someone did try to harm that child, who can't help it that she's Donald Troy's daughter. I appeal to all Persons of Color to not resort to vindictive crimes in retaliation for the unjust verdict by a Jury that did not have a single Person of Color on it."

Back to Bettina live: "Tommy John also took a plea deal, accepting a ten year prison sentence with the possibility for parole. And now let's go to Jeff Hull for Sports. Jeff!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said Jeff Hull, shown with University Memorial Stadium behind him. "The Bulldogs will be playing Eastern State this weekend in what is becoming a hotly contested regional rivalry. Meanwhile, the Wildcats host Protestant. But the big game of the week nationally will be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as Auburn travels to LSU in a battle of Top-Ten Tigers in a game that could decide the SEC West..."

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

"Wowwww..." said Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle. "Not one word about those guys beating the shit out of that perp." She looked around at our faces, then said "Okay, what am I missing here?"

She, Sheriff Griswold, Chief Moynahan, Commander Cindy Ross and myself were drinking coffee in the Chief's Conference Room. The Chief had invited us to watch together because we'd expected to get hit with it, and we were going to discuss our response.

"First," I said, "they're just following the example of the National Mainstream Media. When a black Police Officer in Wilmington, Delaware beat the living crap out of someone, and his partner, also black, did nothing but laugh, the Mainstream Media buried it. Not one word, because it didn't fit their narrative. Methinks we're seeing the same thing here: it does not fit the Media narrative of white Police brutality to show black Officers beating down a black suspect."

"That's true." said the Sheriff before I could continue. "My sources, mostly the Governor himself, told me that the Hoyt Stenson Campaign asked Katherine Woodburn to have KXTC bury the story, and so did people close to Eldrick X. Weaver. If this had been April or May, they might've mentioned it, but it's full-bore Election Season now."

Cindy said "My source (Priya) told me that all the Media had been asked to bury it, partly because it was Tasha that was attacked, and the Media's political allies don't want people sympathetic to you, Don, nor to Paulina."

I said "That could well be. But there's a second reason, that I doubt many people know about. It is possible that someone asked Katherine Woodburn how KXTC knew to have a van right there at Eastside Elementary while my family was there. And he asked her why they didn't go to the playground to film, but stayed off school grounds and just happened to be well-positioned to get footage of our Officers taking the perp away. Katherine had no answer, and she got the hint, too: if KXTC had raised crap, I was going to raise crap."

"Wow, I didn't even think of that." said Chief Moynahan. "And yezzz, now that you mention it, that has to be beyond co-in-ci-dennnnnce. So was that attack arranged by KXTC?"

"Not directly, or else they would've had a camera at the playground to get the 'scoop' on it." I replied. "But I think they were told something would happen, maybe they were hoping I'd be there and would be the one that administered retribution, or that it would be white Officers that were at the scene. No joy on that, though."

I continued: "But to answer your question, Tommy John has ties to Stacey Jacobs, who has ties to the odious Lionel Carmela, who was arrested for almost assaulting my other daughter. Connect. Those. Dots." (Author's note: 'Jupiter Rising', Ch. 01-02.)

And while I didn't mention it, astute Detectives will realize that it was no coincidence that the Officers sent to Eastside, who had volunteered for the duty, were all black...

*Whirrrrrrrrrrr*

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

The door opened to reveal Captain Tanya P. Muscone. "Sorry to interrupt, guys," she said, "but Federal Agents want to meet with us here, at 8:00am. I'm not sure what it's about, but Jack said it was a 'BFD'..."

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

8:00am, Monday, September 21. Federal Agents Karina White, Nancy Harding, Dwight Stevens, Eduardo Escobar, Lindy Linares, Julius Jefferson, and Juan Alberto Morales came into Classroom 'E'. To my surprise, Kevin Pitts was in the group, as was EAD Owen Lange. But the biggest surprise of all was Jack Muscone's presence.

Representing the TCPD was the Sheriff, Chief, Deputy Chief, Police Commander, Operations Commander, and Captain of Detectives.

"Sorry, Cindy," said Owen Lange in his scratchy voice, "but Tim Jenkins is in Southport. He and Crenshaw are taking care of some things for me." Cindy nodded. Owen Lange then said: "Commander Croyle, has your cousin Jen Sakai tried to contact you recently?"

"No sir, not recently and not at any time." Teresa said. "We haven't communicated since I met her in Louisiana months ago."

"Okay, good." said Owen Lange. "It's important that if she does try to contact you, that you contact me, Jack Muscone, or Karina White. Her life may be in danger."

"No doubt." I said. "Why don't you tell us what it's about."

"Sure." said Owen Lange. "As you know, we were tracking a smuggling operation in Texas, and we believed Jen Sakai was running it. Well, there is a smuggling operation, and we're about to close it out."

Owen Lange: "You also may have noticed that Lindsey Black came down to this County with Martin Nash. Yes, Agent Pitts here also came down with them, but you can see that he is sitting here at my invitation, while Lindsey Black is not. And that's to show all of you that Agent Pitts is worthy of our trust, while Lindsey Black is not." I bit my tongue to stifle a biting reply. Teresa did not.

"Nor is Martin Nash." the Iron Wolf said with alacrity.

"No ma'am, he's not dirty." said Kevin Pitts. "Not like Lindsey Black is. Nash is the perfect OPR guy; almost too clean for his own good."

"Let's just work from our point of agreement." I said. "Lindsey Black is a Swamp Frog, and her loyalties are to them, rather than to the Nation or whatever Federal agency she pretends to be working for at any given moment."

I continued: "And with all due respect, EAD Lange, allow me to tell you what you're taking way too much of our time telling us: Jen Sakai has come here, to our Town & County, and she is doing so to avoid being murdered elsewhere by Lindsey Black and her fellow Swamp Frogs."

"Oh my God." Owen Lange said quietly. "You do know."

"Yes." I said. "Just as I know that part of this whole operation in Texas is to try to expose the Swamp Frogs so you can go after them. But I have to tell you now that they know that you know, and they're just trying to set a trap for you, and us."

"How do you know all this?" asked ATF Agent Nancy Harding, her voice more than skeptical... it was outright hostile.

"I've had the good fortune to be in the unique position to learn some things most of you haven't, and won't, at least not from the same sources." I said. "Shall I tell you all what's really going on, and you just correct me where I go astray?"

"I suspect we won't even know if you do go astray." said Owen Lange. "So go ahead."

I observed the Green Crowbar's ice-blue eyes sparkling as I started: "You've been right about one thing: Jen Sakai is a spy for the Communist government in Beijing, and has been for a long time. Her husband was a Japanese subject, but also a spy for Red China, though not a particularly good one."

Your Iron Crowbar: "And here's the rub, that I'm not sure you guys knew about: Easton Windham was recruited by Jen Sakai, and became a spy for the Red Chinese. He was working with Jen, using the assets of the oil company he worked for to smuggle drugs into America. There was a James Bond movie about dissolving drugs in gasoline to smuggle into the country, and he was doing something similar."

Your Iron Crowbar: "And here's the further rub: Weston Windham was also a spy.. for the United States of America. He was recruited by someone in the CIA, whose name I cannot mention here. He was trying to work his way into Jen's organization, and may have been succeeding when he was ratted out... by his own brother, Easton."

Your Iron Crowbar: "Easton saw Weston and recognized who he was before Weston saw Easton. A plane 'accident' (air quotes) was arranged for Weston, killing him and his wife. The only thing I don't know is if Jen Sakai was knowledgeable or a part of that murder, but Easton had his brother killed."

"But I digress." I said. "What you need to know in the here and now is that certain Swamp Frogs believe that being in their positions of Federal power means they can use that power for their personal enrichment as well as to control others. That's why one of the dirtiest Swamp Frogs went after Teresa, to try to grab her part of the Belvedere family fortune, that she subsequently gave to the Hospital."

Your Iron Crowbar: "He also was involved in the CHICAGO SPICE drug operations you guys had to shut down, and enriched himself by taking DEA drugs out of warehouses, selling them, and putting the money into his own pockets." (Author's note: 'Sugar and Spice'.) "As a high-level member of the Intelligence Community, he knew who Jen Sakai and her gang were, but rather than do the right thing and bust them up, he essentially blackmailed them and took a share of the profits."

Your Iron Crowbar: "So yes, you Federal Agents have been trying to work Jen Sakai, and get her to turn to our side... not knowing that your own Intelligence Community was working against you. But Jen now knows the heat is on, and that if she's captured alive by the wrong Agents, she'll be murdered to silence her voice. Ergo, she's coming here, because she knows that Teresa and I are her only hope to live."

You coulda heard a pin drop in the utterly silent room for a full 30 seconds. Finally, it was Jack Muscone who said "I can understand her trying to reach Teresa, but why you?"

"Because she knows something that none of you do." I said. "Something Teresa doesn't know, either. And you're just going to have to trust me, or not, when I say that I cannot and will not reveal that information."

"No, you shouldn't reveal it." Cindy said. I looked over at her, realizing she was 'hinting' that she also knew those secrets, and I knew how and from where she'd learned them.

"I agree. Don't say any more." said EAD Owen Lange, who did not even flicker an eyelash. "And I'll just tell all of you that it's something at security levels and pay grades much, much higher than anyone in this room's."

"Okay, I'll go along with that." said Jack Muscone skeptically. "But it sounds like our plans are blown. So what do we do now?"

"I say we continue the plan we came up here to execute." said ATF Agent Nancy Harding. "We find Jen Sakai, we arrest her, and we find out what she knows."

"And then you'll kill her?" Teresa said venomously.

Harding looked at the Iron Wolf with reptilian eyes, and said "She's a traitor and a spy. We put spies to death."

"Well, well, well." I said, staring hard at Agent Nancy Harding. "Your plan has worked, Mister Lange. I believe we've found our mole for the Swamp Frogs."

"Whaa?" said Karina White. "No! Come on, Don, I've known Nancy for years. She's a good Agent."

"She may be." I said. "But how many years has it been since you've worked with her... closely with her?"

"You son of a b------" Nancy Harding said, standing up, her hand slowly going to her belt line. Teresa also stood up, and her service weapon was in her hand and almost all the way out of its holster.

"What the hell?" Nancy Harding gasped. "You're pulling a gun on a Federal Agent?"

"I'm not going to allow another 'Dominic Ellis' incident." Teresa snarled, staring daggers at Harding. (Author's note: 'Only Time', Ch. 04.)

And to my surprise, Jack Muscone got up and went over to Harding. "Keep your hands up." he said as he deftly removed Harding's ATF service weapon from its holster.

"You gotta be kidding me." snarled Nancy Harding as Muscone cleared the weapon. "This is a mistake."

"No, we're not kidding." said Owen Lange. "And if it is a mistake, you'll be fully restored. Julius, Lindy, take her back to the Federal Building." Jefferson and Linares escorted Harding out of the room.

"I heard about the Dominic Ellis situation, where he shot you in the chest, Commander, yet you somehow stood right back up." said Kevin Pitts, remembering my feat that had become the Stuff of Legend. "So I understand Commander Croyle's reaction. But are you sure Agent Harding is the Mole?"

"No." I said. "But when Teresa asked that, Harding said it herself... spies are executed. And a few of us in here can sense that she wasn't talking about through the legal process. And it probably wasn't good to say that in front of Jen's first cousin."

Teresa said, with a wicked gleam in her eye, "What if someone had said that about your first cousin, Commander?" People began chuckling in the room.

"Gotta watch out for those sneaky first cousins with green crowbars and raging hormones from being pregnant." I said, looking right at my first cousin, Cindy. The room erupted in laughter...

Part 30 - The Spy Who Came In From The Heat

1:15pm, Monday, September 21st. I was in the Main Conference Room with Cindy, Teresa, and Tanya. We were in three because of the very large map on the wall, and I was staring at it as my Angels talked among themselves.

Cindy said "I would have to believe that if Jen Sakai comes up here, she'll try to contact Teresa in some way."

"But she knows the Feds are watching me, and expecting that." Teresa replied. "And if the Swamp Frogs are involved, Robin Isley is probably using NSA assets to track my cellphones and any calls or texts to them."

Tanya said "Well, if Jen wants to find Teresa, all she has to do is walk into this Police Station, and she will find Teresa. And she'd be a heck of a lot safer in here with us than anywhere on the outside."

"But she doesn't know that." I replied, still looking at the map. "And if she comes in here, she'll be placed under arrest, and she doesn't know that we know about the Swamp Frogs desire to kill her."

"Don," Cindy said, "you're really staring hard at that map. Do you think the location she goes to is more important than who she tries to contact, if anyone?"

"No." I said. "You were right. She came up here to contact someone, someone she either trusts or believes can help her. As I look at this map, I'm hoping it'll trigger something..."

And then my eyes wandered to the right of the map, where the University was. And I almost instinctively looked at the Psychology Building, where my wife was... where my wife was...

"Ohhhh, crap." I said. I fished out my Police iPhone and dialed Laura's number. "Crap, it went to voicemail." I looked at the clock, and said "Damn, she's teaching a class right now, and put her phone on voicemail."

"Laura?" Cindy queried, about who I was calling.

"Oh, shit." Tanya gasped, figuring it out quickly.

"Yep." I said as I took my personal cellphone out and dialed a different number... an extra cellphone Laura always kept in her purse, but never used.

The phone rang several times, then finally Laura answered. "Hello, Commander Donald Troy." she said.

"Laura, listen." I said quickly, not grasping the code she'd just used. "Jen Sakai is in our County, and may try to contact you. So be on the lookout for------"

"Yes, Commander Donald Troy.." Laura said. "I know."

And then it hit me. "She's there, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is." Laura said.

"And she's holding you hostage?" I asked. "Anyone else?"

"No, just me." Laura said. Then the phone line suddenly disconnected.

"Crap." I said. "Jen's with Laura, holding her hostage. Teresa, go suit up. Cindy, go advise the Chief and the Sheriff that there is a hostage situation on Campus, involving my wife."

"I'll call Jack------" Tanya said.

"No!" I said strongly, then said more quietly "The Swamp Frogs are probably monitoring both your phones and his. If you have a codeword that only the two of you know, then text that, but that's all."

Seeing the look in Tanya's eyes, I said "This isn't a matter of trust, Tanya. If the Swamp Frogs get there before I do, then both Jen Sakai and Laura will be murdered." Then I went to my office and got my armor...

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

Dr. Laura W. Fredricson had come into the classroom to teach her Criminal Psychology course. It was a combined Senior Undergrad/Graduate course, and both undergrads and graduate students in Criminal Justice as well as Psychology were taking the class.