Just a Story Ch. 03

"I would ask why you're not using drones to investigate," I said, "but I think I'm about to hear about that."

"Very perceptive of you, young Donald." Eckhart said, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "Yes, we captured three drones by knocking out their radio communications, then shooting them out of the sky with shotguns when they went into hover mode. The drones were pretty standard, but the cameras on them were of the highest quality."

"Hmmmm..." I said, thinking about it. I felt Dr. Eckhart's eyes on me as I went into a small reverie. He seemed fascinated, and I could somehow feel his mental energy reaching into my head, either to probe or help.

"Uncle Harvey," I said, "is 'The Vision' compound the place you consider yourself to be at your safest?"

"Oh yes." said Eckhart. "I do have a couple of hideaways in the Rocky Mountains, and one in the Appalachians which is even safer, but I have no desire to run scared and hide while my young acolytes at the Headquarters are in need of my teachings and my therapies."

"I hear you." I said. "Do you have any seminar tours coming up?"

"None for myself." said Eckhart. "My excellent trainers are going to be doing those."

"Okay, good." I said. "I'll discreetly check around and see if there is any scuttlebutt in the criminal world about someone going after you. I'm also going to make sure Cindy is never alone, at least to the extent I can. I'll tell her that there might be a threat to her as opposed to you."

"That would be splendid. Let me ask this, young Donald." said Eckhart. "Do you think this is criminal activity... or the Government?"

"Sometimes it's impossible to tell the difference." I said. Eckhart laughed heartily, though I had not meant it jokingly in any way. "Seriously," I went on, "the Government has satellites and tools available to them so that you wouldn't be seeing them. And I don't think they'd test your defenses if they wanted to come after you; they'd just barrel right on in. So I think maybe some perps are messing with you. Do you need any extra help down there?"

"No, no thank you." said Eckhart. "I and my people will be fine. Please do keep my daughter safe and out of trouble."

"Geez, Uncle Harvey," I said with a groan, "you ask the impossible of me, especially the 'out of trouble' part..."

Part 10 - One Man, One Vote, One Time...

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" yelled the lovely redheaded reporterette from the Downtown Polling Station at the Veasley Community Center, at 7:00am, Tuesday, November 8th. "Election Day is finally here! Voters are streaming into the election stations, and the election process is getting underway!"

Bettina began her report: "Our final polls yesterday showed SBI Director Jack Lewis with a 50-46% lead over incumbent Val Jared, and experts say that we will have a new occupant of the Governor's Mansion on January 2d. The local races are not as easy to predict. Incumbent District Attorney Gil Krasney appeared to be solidifying his lead over Jenna Stiles, but late polling in the minority communities suggested a potential source of votes for Ms. Stiles."

"And Sheila Sorrells's surprise endorsement of Loran T. Michaels for the open Council seat vacated by the death of Pastor Raymond Westboro is probably going to send Mr. Michaels over the top. Spot polling showed him at 52%, with 40% for Sheriff's Deputy Scott Peterson and Ms. Sorrells still taking some 5% of the remaining vote. Deputy Peterson has called for an SBI investigation of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Sorrells's endorsement of his opponent Michaels, and Deputy Peterson wants the SBI to investigate Commander Donald Troy's role in that endorsement, as well."

Joanne Warner was mortally offended. "What the hell does Commander Troy have to do with any of that? And he makes it sound like the Commander did something wrong!"

"Welcome to politics, Detective Warner." I said as I came into the room and poured myself some coffee. "He's just doing what Katherine Woodburn has been trying to do to me for years, and it's just the last gasp attack of a loser."

"I see why you endorsed Mr. Michaels." said Teddy Parker. "I didn't understand that at first; Mr. Michaels is a pretty sleazy guy himself."

"Yes, yes he is." I said.

"I have a question, Commander." said Captain Teresa Croyle, who had just walked into the MCD room. "If Loran Michaels wins, who is going to be Public Health Officer?"

"You want the job?" I asked teasingly. "I'll put in a good word for you."

"You're making me re-think my no-crowbar policy... uh, sir." Teresa said. Everyone laughed.

"Well, in that case," I said, "withhold my endorsement." More laughter.

"I'm just glad," said Cindy, coming in, "that the Election is finally here and will soon be ovah!" There was strong agreement with that sentiment.

"Okay, Commander." said Joanne Warner. "Give us your official predictions!"

"Yes, I want to hear them, as well." said Chief Moynahan, bringing in boxes of doughnuts. "And you get first pick at the doughnuts if you tell us now."

"You have a deal, sir." I said. I procured the large eclair and a chocolate covered doughnut and consumed them as the rest of the doughnuts met their proper destiny at the hands of my Officers. Then I began:

"Krasney will win over Stiles, it won't be close." I said. "Michaels will win, but may need a runoff yet. And in the Governor's race, if there is no fraud, Governor Jared will win. But I won't be surprised if there is rampant fraud, and so obvious that it might take weeks and the Courts to decide."

"You really think Jared has a shot?" asked Theo Washington, sounding surprised.

"More than just a shot." I said. "In the absence of obvious fraud, Jared will win, and by a larger-than-expected margin." Everyone was stunned at that prediction as I ate my doughnuts and watched the television screen...

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

"All right." I said at the morning 'Angels' meeting. "What's going on today?"

"I heard a rumor that there's an Election going on in this country." Cindy said. "Seems to have not spared our County of its effects, either."

"Oh, those tricky Founding Fathers." I said with mock exasperation. "Actually putting an election day in the Constitution, instead of the British way of just calling snap elections."

"God save the Queen." Cindy replied.

"Her Majesty notwithstanding, we have plenty of security in all voting precincts, sir." said Teresa, trying to get the meeting moving along. "And I put all the SWAT Teams on standby or on call in case there's any trouble at all."

"I am hoping that most people voted early," I said, "so that there won't be any problems, including things like long lines."

"Are you going to Midtown, sir?" asked Cindy. "Chief Griswold and his wife are already down there, to be with the Governor tonight when the returns come in."

"No, I swore off being at any parties." I said. "But you guys can come to The Cabin and watch with us. Molly's coming with the boys."

"I'll have to check with Todd." Teresa said. "He might be going to someone's party, just to play the political game. Probably Congressman Condor, seeing as Todd wants some national contracts."

Cindy's eyes gleamed as she said in a tattle-tell voice: "But Teresa insists she and Todd are not a couple, sir."

I was trying hard not to break down laughing as Teresa gave Cindy the look of fire that only 'Teresa Cunt' could give. "You don't outrank me anymore, you know." Teresa growled.

"And she's reconsidering her crowbar policy." I helpfully added.

"She better be." Cindy said, not batting an eyelash. "The Police Boxing Matches are no place to be for anyone without a crowbar, and they will be here before you know..."

"And here I was, thinking these elections were getting intense." I said. "Okay, Captain Croyle, put out the word that no one is to be on a double shift where they cannot vote. I am putting out a text to all Officers as well, saying that I want them to vote today, either before or after work."

As the Captains got up to go, I said "Captain Ross, hold here for a moment." Teresa went on out and Cindy came back."

"Cindy, unless you have other plans, I'd like for you to bring the Chief to the Cabin tonight in your SUV." Cindy's SUV was bulletproof like mine, and had been mine before the TCPD gave me an upgrade. Teresa was going to get a similar 'weaponized' SUV, as well.

"Sure, sir." she said. "Er, can I speak freely and ask a question?"

"Sure." I said.

"Sir, I've noticed that since you talked with my father the other day, you've been making sure I travel in either your SUV or mine, you've not let me be alone while on duty, and I've noticed some patrol cars trying to be discreet but absolutely failing as they follow me around. Is there something I need to know?"

"Have a seat." I said. Cindy sat down and I said "Some concerns for your safety have reached my attention. Those Police cruisers are following you to make sure you get home safely, but they're also looking for anyone else that might be watching you. So far, no results, but I do want to err on the side of caution."

"So my father is worried about me, after seeing drones fly over his compound in Coltrane County." Cindy said.

"Not much gets by you, Captain." I said with a grin. "But as the father of a couple of daughters myself, I understand Dr. Eckhart's worry about his daughter galavanting with rowdy Police Officers in her family, not to mention driving green O65 Imperial Crowns at ridiculous rates of speed through my County."

Cindy was laughing as I talked, then the humor left her suddenly. "One more question: we're both Captains now, but structurally, who's ahead of who in the line, me or Teresa?"

Oops. The one question I really didn't care to answer. I stated my prepared dodge: "I'll just say this: if that issue comes up because the Chief, myself, and Commander Harlow come over all dead at the same instant, then I won't be worrying about it... because by default, I will be dead. Y'all can fight that out amongst yourselves."

"O-kay." Cindy said, knowing I wasn't going to give her an answer... and both of us knowing that the Operations Officer likely would be the one to take the lead in such a horrific eventuality.

Yes, I thought to myself, if push came to shove... just as I outranked Della by position, Teresa now outranked Cindy. And my cousin talks about male alpha-dogs?...

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

"Well, Mr. Crowbar," said Chief Moynahan as we watched the returns, "it will be an interesting evening."

"Yes sir." I said. "And I stocked up with booze, just in case." Indeed, I was drinking Scotch (neat) while the Chief drank rye and ginger. Cindy and Molly were both drinking Canadian whisky for some strange reason. Laura was having wine, while my mother was drinking cognac.

There was a TV mounted on the wall in the front room of The Cabin, on the wall whose other side was my office. I'd brought a second TV and placed it on a table, so we had both KXTC and KSTD bringing election returns, and could skip between Fox Cable and MSNBC for national results. But of course... the State is what had captured our interests.

At dinner, I told Chief Moynahan and Cindy that I appreciated how Chief Griswold had handled my Distinguished Service Medal presentation. "I know upper brass gets those higher awards, but after getting my second M.O.V., I was worried about how the Uniformed Officers would take me getting another high one so soon. But the way Chief Griswold explained it could not have been better."

"Very true, Mr. Crowbar." said Chief Moynahan. "But bee-lieeeeve me, the entire Force knows that was a well-deserved award, especially after you took Brownlee out."

"Don," Cindy said, "this Police Force loves you and will follow you to the gates of Hell and back. They know what you've done, and Teresa was telling me she heard some of them get really pissed when that bastard John Hardwood asked you about helicopter rides. And they know you had their backs on all the structural changes and everything else. We have the fewest Union complaints of any Police Force in the nation, much less the State." That made me feel better.

After dinner, we all settled down to watch. Todd and Teresa had indeed gone to the official party for Congressman Condor, who we knew would easily defeat his Republican opponent, at the Hyatt Hotel. Teresa had texted Cindy the word "Borrrring!" and Todd had texted me that the Katherine Woodburn had chosen to attend this party rather than the local one for Jack Lewis. Hmmm...

"And with the polls closing in five minutes," said Bettina Wurtzburg at the KXTC Decision Desk, with Dr. Romanov and Amber Harris as the guest panelists, "we will have our first projections! So, Dr. Romanov, Amber, what do we expect tonight?"

"It's going to big night for Jack Lewis, Bettina!" Amber Harris said enthusiastically. "And while we don't expect many changes in the State Legislature, Mr. Lewis's coattails might bring enough victories to give the State House back to the Democrats, and strengthen the Democrats' lead in the State Senate!"

"Exit polling has shown us that Mr. Lewis is well ahead tonight." said Bettina. "Dr. Romanov, how has Director Lewis accomplished this? Especially after his NTF Director Richard Ferrell threw a paraplegic woman out of her wheelchair, and after the deadly attack on a U.S. Marine and his family by SBI Agents?"

"The voters care about important issues, Bettina," said Dr. Romanov, "not the lies spread by Jared's despicable campaign team about those incidents."

"That's right, Bettina." said Amber Harris. "The voters have cast aside the aspersions and gone for the issues, such as climate change!"

Meanwhile, Priya Ajmani and John Hardwood were at the KSTD Election Desk. Hardwood was saying "It's going to be close and a long night, Priya. We might not know for sure until tomorrow morning, as the City, Southport, and Midtown have to get their vote counts in. And I'm sure the Republicans will cry fraud, like they always do when they're losing big."

"And there it is!" said Bettina. "The polls are closed, and KXTC Channel Two News, in conjunction with our State Fox team of analysts, can project that District Attorney Gil Krasney is the winner over Jenna Stiles in the D.A. race! Mr. Krasney is leading comfortably in every precinct of the County, including the Tenderloin District and Southwestern Districts, where Ms. Stiles hoped to get minority votes. But those have broken for Mr. Krasney..."

Cindy looked sad. "That's too bad for Jenna." she said. She sent Jenna a text, but no reply came.

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

At 10:00pm, I got a text from Todd. It read: "people here starting to get quiet". Another one followed about fifteen minutes later, saying "getting tense; condor telling us that Lewis is losing!".

"Oh my God." I said. "Todd says Lewis may be losing." The TVs were not saying anything. I texted Chief Griswold, saying "My sources say Jared is winning."

The reply made me laugh. Chief Griswold had texted "Nothing ever gets by YOU, Crowbar. How did you know?"

I replied that I had a mole up here and the Chief sent back a smiley: ":-)".

We turned to the TVs, where I noticed Amber Harris was not as enthusiastic as before. Bettina was reporting results: "Democrat Congressman Gary A. Condor has already been declared the winner in the U.S. Congress 1st District race, and Republican U.S. Senator Samuel Russell has apparently won re-election, as well. In the Governor's race, the rural southeast areas are coming in well ahead for Governor Jared. Any comment on that, guys?"

"Jared was expected to win the sparsely populated rural areas." said Dr. Romanov. "But it's the cities that are all-important, that count the most. Southport and the City. Southport is full of hard working Union people that care about jobs and know that Lewis is their answer. And the City is a cosmopolitan complex of millennials, professionals, and minorities that traditionally favor Democrats and will vote for Director Lewis."

"That's not what I'm seeing." I said as I got on my laptop and checked 'Crystal Clear Vote Counts', a web site that averaged various polls and was now giving raw vote totals. "Jared has the red counties locked up... and he's pulled even in Midtown, Jacksonville, Jamestown, Eastphalia, and winning in Westphalia and our Town here."

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

After going to Tim Sioban in the City for a Statewide report, Bettina was back, with only Amber at the desk with her. Amber looked sick to her stomach, I observed. Bettina said "Dr. Romanov is checking on the incoming numbers that our Decision Desk team have put together. Amber, it's shocking... Governor Jared has just pulled ahead of Director Lewis in Midtown!"

Just then, Todd texted me again. "Very quiet here; some people crying. condor said jared is kicking @$$ in southport."

I couldn't resist; I called Chief Griswold. "Hi Crowbar!" said the Chief happily, and perhaps not quite soberly. "We're getting the information in now. Too early to call, but we're not getting slaughtered. We might have a chance, here."

"I think you do, Chief." I said. "Any signs of fraud?"

"Not really." said Griswold. "The City and Southport seem to be clean. The Courts in the City refused to re-open the polling stations in the black districts, and the State Supreme Court shut down Judge Nance's attempt to re-open the Tenderloin District's voting precinct in our County."

We had a chance. I looked over at Cindy... and she nodded. She was feeling the vibe, as well.

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

"And this is just amazing... shocking..." said Priya Ajmani. "Governor Jared is leading in Southport. Let's go to John Hardwood in the war room. John!"

A very somber John Hardwood came on. "It's stunning, Priya. These results are nowhere near the exit polling data that KSTD and other news outlets were giving throughout the day. Right now, the projections are that Governor Jared has about 52% of the vote so far, and only the City can rescue Jack Lewis from a stunning defeat."

I was watching the computer again. "Folks," I said, "the Media people won't say it, but I think it's over, if these incoming numbers are to believed." I had two websites up: Crystal Clear Vote Counts, and the State Election Board's official site. Both aligned perfectly, and both had Jared leading Statewide, and tied in the City.

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

We got the news first. Todd texted me: "condor says lewis has called to concede. people leaving now."

I called Chief Griswold. "Jared getting any phone calls, sir?"

"Dammit, Crowbar, your mole is good!" said the Chief. "It's true. Jared is still on the phone now. I gotta go, they're about to announce something..."

As I disconnected, I looked around the room. All eyes were on me as I said. "Lewis conceded. Jared has won." We all cheered and more drinks were poured.

And maybe it was the alcohol that made me do it: I texted Bettina with the words "Jared has won. Lewis called to concede."

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

The News Media was totally stunned. Bettina was actually the announcer all over the State on the Fox channels, who patched her in as she said "...and Channel Two News has confirmed that SBI Director Jack Lewis called Governor Val Jared and conceded the Governor's race to Jared!"

Moments later, Bettina brought in a stunned Dr. Romanov, a near-crying Amber Harris, and a feed of Tim Sioban from the City. "Guys, we didn't have Southport called, we didn't have the City called... why is Director Lewis conceding?"

Tim Sioban answered: "Bettina, we're getting reports here in the City that Val Jared and Jack Lewis are split 50-50, and those numbers are expected to hold. And with Jared's lead throughout the rest of the State, Mr. Lewis realized he has no hope of victory; ergo, the concession call."