Vengeance is Mine Ch. 01

Meanwhile...

2:40pm. Beverly's Flower Shop was in the Downtown District, south of Courthouse Square. Teresa's husband Todd Burke had bought it and hired Beverly to run it after Beverly lost her own flower shop as her young daughter Sarah became sick and then died. (Author's note: 'Centuries', Ch. 01.)

*ding ding!* The little bell on the door rang, and Beverly looked up to see two women and two men come into the store. The men were wearing suits and ties, and shades, and the women were also professionally dressed in slacks and matching jackets, and blouses. For some reason, they instantly made Beverly nervous.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"We're with the FBI." said Special Agent Lindsey Black, as she and Karl Coleman flashed their badges, but did not say their names. "We want to ask you a few questions."

"Okay." Beverly said uncertainly.

Lindsey Black brought up a photo on her iPhone and said "Do you know this man?"

Beverly looked at the photo, and said "No, I don't know him. I think his picture was on the news, but I don't know who he is." The photo was of George Aurus. Black and Coleman looked hard at Beverly, their mannerisms intimidating.

Then Lindsey flipped through a few photos, then showed Beverly one of them. "What about him?" she asked, her voice cold and harsh.

Beverly looked at the photo, then scowled. "He's my ex-husband."

Black said "Where is he now?"

"I have no idea." Beverly said. "He was abusive to me, so I left him. That was almost nine years ago, and I haven't seen him since."

"At all?" Lindsey Black said. "He's never visited you since?"

"No, and why would he?" Beverly said skeptically.

"Maybe to see his daughter?" Lindsey Black said, her voice nearly a snarl, hurling the words at Beverly as a trap.

Karl Coleman picked it up, making his voice sound as intimidating as his Teutonic looks as he said: "We know your ex-husband is an associate of the Black Velvet Killer, George Aurus. We know they were in the Wrangler Circus together. We know they're both here in this area now. So you're saying your ex-husband has not tried to visit his daughter, at all?"

Lindsey Black said: "Lying to the FBI is a Federal crime, and we can put you in prison for ten years if you don't start telling the truth."

Beverly now had her hackles up. She said angrily "I am telling you the truth. And my daughter has been dead for a year now, so he'd have no reason there to contact me. Now you need to leave."

"We'll leave when we're good and goddamn ready!" Lindsey Black snarled angrily. "We are Federal Agents, and we'll interrogate you until we get to the truth. And if you backtalk me again, you're going to prison for ten years. Ten! Years!"

Karl Coleman added: "And we'll have the IRS audit you to death, and maybe even seize your business here. You don't tell us what we want to know, and we'll bankrupt you! So... where is your ex-husband now?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Beverly yelled. "Now get out of here! I'm calling the Police!"

She reached for the phone, and Lindsey Black sprang into action. She ran up to Beverly, twisted her wrist to force her to drop the phone, then slammed her to the ground and violently pulled her arms back. Nancy Harding came up and handcuffed Beverly, and they roughly pulled her to her feet.

*ding ding!* "What the hell is going on here?"

The voice was Todd Burke's. He and his attorney Rudolph 'Bulldog' Lewis were standing inside the door.

Todd Burke was tall and broad-shouldered like me, though his hair was raven black while mine was strawberry blonde. He was 'ladykiller' handsome. Despite being less than 30 years old, he was the CEO of BOW Enterprises, one of the hottest up-and-coming technology companies in the nation and even the world.

He was also my nephew, my older sister's son, and he was Teresa Croyle's (much younger) husband. And as he'd come in and seen Beverly being violently mistreated, he'd pressed what looked like a pager on his belt.

Federal Agents Coleman, Harding, and Andrews whipped out their powerful handguns and aimed them at Todd and Rudy. "FBI! Get your hands up!" Coleman yelled. When they did not move fast enough to suit him, he yelled "GET 'EM UP!"

Todd and Rudy slowly complied, then Rudy Lewis said "What the hell are you doing?"

"SHUT YOUR GODDAMNED MOUTH!" yelled Coleman. "Put your hands on your heads, and get on your knees!"

"We're not armed, we're not a threat------" Todd started, but stopped when Cabe Andrews came up and shoved the business end of his gun against the side of Todd's nose.

"I said get on your knees!" Kurt Coleman yelled as he came around behind Todd and kicked him in the back of his knees, forcing Todd down. He did the same to Rudy Lewis.

"One more time, what is going on here?" Todd demanded to know. "Why do you have my employee in handcuffs?"

Lindsey Black went up to Todd. "We're taking her into Federal custody. And we're going to interrogate her until she tells us what we want to know."

"Where's your warrant to arrest her?" Rudy Lewis yelled out.

Lindsey got in Rudy's face and said "We don't need a warrant, you fucking asshole! We are Federal Agents, and we will do whatever we please! And if you interfere, we'll put you in Federal prison, too!"

"Then do it." Todd Burke said fearlessly. Like nephew, like uncle, he was. "Because one way or another, you are going to pay for abusing us like this, especially Beverly. If I don't barbecue you myself... my uncle will."

Lindsey Black said "Like I said, I'm a Federal Agent. You think I'm scared of your uncle?"

"You should be." Todd said in an excellent imitation of Jedi Master Yoda. "You should be..."

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

Our two-vehicle convoy tore through the streets with blue lightbars blazing. The second vehicle contained heavily armed and armored members of the SWAT Team. As we drove, Teresa said "Todd has a small device that looks like a pager, but it's more. When he presses the button, it sends me a text with his GPS coordinates. I tried to call back, but his cellphone didn't answer. Any idea what this is about?"

"Unfortunately, yes." I said. "I suspect we're about to encounter Swamp Frogs doing Swamp Frog things."

The Flower Shop was on a street that had restaurants and other shops, with spaces in front that could be used for parking or outdoor dining. I did not pull into the flower shop parking lot, but the dress shop next to it, stopping with a screech of tires.

Robert Kalsu of the SWAT Team came up behind us. With him were SWAT Team members Daniel Patrick, Taylor Hawley, and Eric Donald. They were in full heavy armor with helmets, and carrying M-4 rifles.

"We've got Officers blocking the street in both directions." said Daniel Patrick as they exited their vehicle. "And the EMS has been alerted."

"Is it a hostage situation?" Kalsu asked.

I replied: "I see two cars with Federal Government plates in the parking lot. I suspect it's the Swamp Frog FBI Agents at work. But I don't know what's going on inside."

Teresa said "The shop has videocamera surveillance, but it's a simple wired system that's not connected to a phone or wifi, so we can't tap into it. Sir, with your permission, I'll sneak over and look into the window."

I said "Permission granted. Have your iPhone or Officer-cam on, and hold it up to the window." Teresa detached her Officer-cam, holding it in her hands, nodded to us, and went towards the flower shop, which was relatively narrow, with the door on the right and an eight foot window to the left of it.

I got my iPad out of my vehicle and brought up what Teresa's Officer-cam was showing. She came up to the left edge of the building, and held up the Officer-cam so that it looked over the curtain across the lower part of the window and into the shop.

Observing what was going on inside as Teresa panned the cam side-to-side, I said "Four Agents... good, they're not wearing armor. They've got Beverly handcuffed near the back counter, and Todd and his lawyer Rudy Lewis on their knees near the front door."

As Teresa made her way back, she said "The Frogs don't have armor, but they could use Todd and Beverly and Rudy as human shields. We're going to have to breach fast, really fast. But the problem is... there's a bell on the door, and they'll hear that when we open the door. The only other thing to do is smash the window and fire through it, but Beverly would be right in the line of fire."

"No, that's not an option." I said. "And you're right about the bell on the front door... hmmm, the bell..." A plan formed in my mind within a second, and I put it into effect.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do..."

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

"All right," said Special Agent Lindsey Black, "let's get this bitch somewhere so we can interrogate the shit out of her until she tells us what we want to know."

"I don't know anything!" yelled Beverly.

*SLAP!*

"Shut up, bitch!" Lindsey Black said after slapping Beverly hard in the face.

"What do we do about these two?" asked Cabe Andrews, nudging his head towards Todd and Rudy. "Take them with us?"

"No." said Lindsey Black. "Karl, teach that arrogant son of a bitch what real Federal power is all about."

Karl Coleman reached down and produced a small .38 caliber revolver that was strapped to his ankle. He dropped it on the floor in front of Todd, then took out his service weapon and pointed it at Todd's head. "Pick it up, asshole... go ahead, pick it up."

"If you're going to murder me, you dirty son of a bitch, then do it in cold blood." Todd said calmly, exhibiting no fear. "I won't help you."

"Karl, what are you doing?" Nancy Harding asked, aghast at what she was seeing.

"Shut up, Harding." said Lindsey Black. "He's teaching that prick a permanent lesson on disrespecting Federal Agents."

"PICK IT UP!" Coleman yelled. Todd just stared at him, making no move. Coleman went behind Todd to push him over onto the gun, so he could say Todd was going for the gun when Coleman shot him in the back of the head------

*ding ding!*

Coleman whirled around, and all four Federal Agents raised their drawn weapons and aimed them at the front door... but no one was there.

Lindsey Black had a grip on Beverly's arm, intending to use her as a human shield. She felt Beverly move out of her grip, and whirled around to shoot her... and found that Beverly was now behind Your Iron Crowbar, and my own powerful handgun was right in Black's face!

I had gone around to the back alley. There was a key to the back door hidden in the brickwork of the building, put there by my nephew Todd. He had shown Teresa and me where it was. So I came through the back way, and texted Teresa to push the door with my red crowbar and make the bell ring...

"Drop it, bitch!" I growled at Lindsey Black. The other Federal Agents had whirled around to shoot me...

"BREACH! BREACH! BREACH!" yelled Robert Kalsu. The SWAT Team and Teresa poured through the front door and put the business ends of their M-4s into the faces of Harding and Andrews, and Kalsu had disarmed Coleman and slammed him to the ground in the blink of an eye as Teresa put her armored self in front of her husband.

*WHAM!*

Lindsey Black had raised her hands but had not dropped her weapon. I slammed her face-down onto the floor. "I TOLD YOU TO DROP YOUR WEAPON, YOU FUCKING BITCH!" I yelled. "NOW LET GO OF IT, OR I AM GOING TO SHOOT YOU! GIVE ME THE EXCUSE!"

Lindsey let go of her gun, and Hawley came over and kicked it away. Teresa came over and very roughly pulled Lindsey's arms behind her and affixed handcuffs to the all-powerful Federal Agent... all-powerful in her own mind, anyway.

"Hey!" Karl Coleman yelled. "We're Federal Agents!"

"Cry me a river, dirtbag." I growled as I stood back up, the red crowbar returned to me by Teresa as she effected the arrest of Lindsey Black. "I see four armed thugs holding three good citizens hostage."

"We're arresting a suspect!" Coleman said as he was pulled to his feet with his hands cuffed behind him.

"So show me your arrest warrant." I said.

"They don't have one." said Todd Burke. "And I want to file criminal charges against them."

"I want to file charges against them, too!" said Beverly, who was clearly shaken up but was holding on for the moment.

Rudy Lewis said "And the lawsuit I am going to file is going to set new records for the amounts we're going to get. Commander, will you preserve the videotapes?"

"Sure." I said. Other uniformed TCPD Officers had come in, and I said "Hawley, you and Johnson go secure the video recordings and take them to Headquarters under two-man control, as evidence. Have them put everything into evidence. Multiple copies, including burning a CD and a separate jump drive. Go out the back way and get that stuff to Headquarters as fast as you can. Go!" Hawley and Johnson moved out smartly to complete the mission.

"We want that video evidence!" Lindsey Black yelled. "We're going to subpoena it, and use it to put you under the jail, Troy! You've assaulted Federal Agents!"

*hawwwwk!* *Ptui!*

I went over and spit in Lindsey Black's face. "I don't give a shit who you are. Those worthless Federal badges do not give you the right to browbeat and threaten innocent citizens. And threaten to murder the owner of this business. Right now, I have no respect for the FBI, and I sure as hell have no respect for any of you------"

*ding ding!*

The door opened, and in came Jack Muscone's FBI team, wearing armor. Behind them were EAD Owen Lange and Sheriff Antonio Griswold, both wearing armor as well.

"All right, we'll take custody of them." EAD Lange said.

"What?!" gasped me, Teresa, and Todd at the same time. Then I said "These bastards assaulted an innocent woman, then were about to murder my nephew!"

"I'm taking them into Federal custody." said EAD Lange. "Let them go, and that is not a request, Commander."

"I officially protest that." said Todd Burke. "These Federal Agents abused their authority, and one of them was planting a gun and about to push me onto it so he could shoot me in the back of the head and murder me. I am going to sue the FBI, and I'm pressing criminal charges against these four! And I want them in TCPD custody."

"And I don't take orders from you, Lange." I said angrily, more than matching his stare at me.

"Crowbar, I need to speak with you for a second." said Sheriff Griswold. "You too, Commander Croyle."

He ushered us into the back room. "Look guys, I don't like this any more than you do. But we have to let Lange have them."

"Sheriff!" Teresa gasped. "That was my husband they just tried to murder!" She looked at me, and saw that I was glaring at the Sheriff like I never had before. But I didn't say anything... yet.

"I know, Teresa." said the Sheriff, his handlebar mustaches quivering. "And you know you're as much family to me as Crowbar and his family are. But I'm going to have to ask you to take a leap of faith, and to trust me on this one. Just let 'em go, for now. We'll get our revenge on them later."

I did not like it. I did not like it at all. But Sheriff Griswold was more of a father to me than my real father had been. And my children were like his grandchildren to him. And he was the only person in the world that could say that to me right now...

"If we had time, I'd demand you tell me why you're doing this." I said. "But we don't have the time. We've got a missing kid out there." To Teresa I said "Let's go."

We went back into the shop area, and the Sheriff said "All right, Lange. But this is the last time I'll ever help you. Guys, uncuff 'em. Let Lange have them."

"NO!" Todd yelled.

"We don't have a choice, Todd." said the Sheriff.

"Bullshit!" Todd yelled again, then looked at Teresa. Her angry eyes were downcast. He then saw that my beet red face was furious with anger, as well. It suddenly grew dead quiet in the room, and all eyes were on me.

"Kalsu," I said, "check these dirty Federal Agents thoroughly for weapons and ammunition. Clear their weapons, but put their magazines and ammo in a bag. We'll use it on the range for target practice. Give them back their guns, but make sure they have no magazines nor ammo. Get the witnesses's statements, and submit them into evidence."

That was done quickly, and I was handed a large, heavy plastic bag full of ammo and magazines. Owen Lange had the audacity to reach his hand out, wanting me to give him the bag.

"I haven't forgiven you for the insult to my Angel this morning." I hissed at him, thrusting the rounded end of my crowbar at his chest. "And this is strike two."

"Lange!" barked the Sheriff. "Get your people out of here! Before I change my mind and let the Iron Crowbar take them to County Jail!"

"All right, let's go." said Lange. "Muscone, you and your team take these four to the Federal Building. And if they try any stunts, shoot 'em." All of the Federal Agents filed out of the shop.

"This ain't over, Troy!" Lindsey Black yelled as she was escorted out by Tracy Stone.

"You damn right, it's ain't!" I yelled back. Then I said "Someone take Beverly to the Hospital, make sure she's okay. Everyone else, finish up here, and you can lock up when they're done, Todd. I'm going back to Headquarters."

"I'm with you, sir." Teresa said. "Kalsu, you're in charge." She said that knowing full well the Sheriff was still there. But neither he nor anyone said anything as we left the shop and went to my SUV.

As we drove back to Headquarters, Teresa said "You should've just shot her dead."

I replied "I wanted to, but I had to protect Beverly. And you hadn't breached yet, so Todd and Rudy were in danger. And the opportunity to kill Black passed me by once you guys breached and subdued those fucking thugs."

Teresa nodded, then said "Okay, the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Why did the Sheriff let Lange take those bastards? I know you had nothing to do with that; I've never seen you look at Sheriff Griswold the way that you did in there. So what's up?"

"I don't know." I truthfully said. "Well... I have a vague idea of what it might be, but let's put that into its 'compartment of the mind' for now. We've got a missing kid to find..."

Part 8 - Dog Days

3:40pm, Friday, April 9th. Teresa and I came into Police Headquarters. I took the ammo and magazines to the Armory in the basement, where the Armorer dispersed the ammo into the storage bins with our Police ammo, and the magazines with our stock of them.

Once I got back upstairs, Captain Claire Michaels came out of her office and corralled me. I had her come to my office with me and sit down in the far side 'hot chair' while I took off my armor and sat down behind my desk. Claire asked me to call Intel Lieutenant Mary Milton into the office. A moment later, Mary was in the near-side 'hot chair'.

"First, sir," said Mary, "we've copied the video from Beverly's Flower Shop into our evidence servers, made extra copies, and I sent extra copies to Commander Croyle and to Todd Burke and his lawyer Rudy Lewis."

"Good." I said. "So what's the status on the missing kid Jimmy?"

Claire said "That's what we're here to talk to you about, sir. Jimmy hasn't been found yet, despite a large Police presence on Campus as well as up and down University Avenue's west side. But Mary did find something that you need to see."

Mary said "Before I show you, sir, let me give you the background information we've obtained. You may remember Janelle, who was once one of Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart's acolytes at 'The Vision'?"

Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart was the founder and great leader of 'The Vision', a self-help empire that ran seminars all over the world. His Empowerment Camp, Enlightenment Camp, and Leadership Camp were world-renowned. His World Headquarters was in Coltrane County, which bordered my County to the south, and he had brought in many young people who were hopelessly hooked on drugs or abused, and helped them turn their lives around.