Teresa's Christmas Ordeal Ch. 02

There were two men inside. One was young, dressed in the red shirt and black pants of 'The Vision'. The other was a taller, older man, graying hair, and spectacles. He was wearing all black like me, but was wearing tennis shoes and a light jacket.

I showed them my badge as I came in, though the Vision acolyte knew me. I whispered that I was just checking on things and would watch from here without disturbing them. They nodded.

My clear earpiece was plugged into my Police radio, and I heard occasional chatter. Everything seemed to be secure and moving along. Everything was going according to plan...

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

The last part of the evening was the "one-hundred-dollar-bill exercise". Every attendee had been told to bring in a $100 bill, and now they were being told they were going to burn them.

As they stood and formed a snake line amongst the rows of chairs, they chanted "I rule money. Money does not rule me. I rule money. Money does not rule me." Vision acolytes were at the stage; left, right, and center. One acolyte held a lighted candle, while another stood by with a cigarette lighter in case the candle went out. In front of each couple was a trash can with water in it for the attendees to throw their $100 bills into after they were lit and consumed by fire.

Tommy and Candy were the acolytes at the right side of the room. Candy was holding her candle and Tommy standing next to her, both looking like the happy Vision acolytes that they were. Teresa was behind the curtain at a point where it parted, peering through the thin slit at the audience...

Cindy was nervous. Dr. Eckhart was going around, positioning the acolytes, and very unprotected at the moment. He'd been pretty unprotected all day on the stage, though Dennis Cole had led some of the training. She was watching everywhere, looking up at the ports near the ceiling where lights and cameras were. She didn't see anything...

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

He got ready. Making sure he did not appear in front of the large light, and therefore be visible to those on stage, he aimed his rifle. A laser sight on the scope would be turned on at the last second. He targeted his prey in the crosshairs of the scope.

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

The Vision acolyte had said he needed to go help with the hundred-dollar-bill exercise, leaving me with the older man.

"You're not with the Vision?" I whispered quietly.

"Oh no." the man said. "Our A/V company is contracted by The Vision. Our other guy is off for the night; I'm doing this last segment."

"How long have you been working with the company?" I asked.

"A couple of months with this company." he said. I just nodded and looked out the pane of glass at what was going on in the room.

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

"I rule money. Money does not rule me. I rule money. Money does not rule me..."

As the inexorable chant went on, Dr. Eckhart came over to Tommy and Candy. He looked up and adjusted the water-filled trash can, looking up at the ceiling as if to check on the sprinklers overhead.

Watching from behind the curtain, Teresa Croyle saw the merest flash of movement in the porthole window to her upper left, actually the right side of the back wall. As Eckhart moved away from Tommy and Candy, Teresa saw the red dot of a laser. It all went through her mind before she even realized it, and she was already in motion.

"GUN!" she screamed as she flew out from behind the curtain, rushing up towards Tommy and Candy.

*POW!*

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

"Officer down! Officer down!" came the call on the radio. "All units, secure the building! Search the third floor! Medics to the stage! Medics to the stage!" The voice was of Captain Cindy Ross.

She had barely heard the sound, but she saw Teresa flying and tackling Tommy and Candy. She also gasped in horror as she saw something else; flashes of red on Teresa's hip... first of a laser beam, then of blood!

Acolytes and security had already tackled Eckhart to protect him. As people in the audience screamed upon recognizing what was happening, the group of people moved like a ball of ants, protecting Eckhart as they took him behind the curtains and backstage.

"I'm hit!" gasped Teresa, who was lying on her belly on the floor. Seeing that her father was safe, Cindy ran to help her fellow Officer. Tommy and Candy were evacuated by Security and fellow acolytes.

The bullet had struck Teresa in her side, in her hip just forward of her ass. Officers rushed to her aid as Cindy got on the radio and made the call.

A couple of Medics from the University's ambulance service had rushed up, as had Fire Marshal Zoe Singer. After the first triage examination, Teresa was quickly lifted onto a gurney and transported out of the room.

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

Patrolmen Hicks and Johnson rushed up to the third floor upon the first alarm. Using their training, they carefully opened the door to the little closet.

*BANG!*

They had not put themselves in the door, so the bullet passed harmlessly through the air. Then Johnson, using the wall as shielding, pointed his gun inside. "Drop it!" he shouted.

Not having time to chamber another round, it was over for the shooter. He was swiftly captured, handcuffed, and made to move out of the room and down the hallway. Other Officers quickly surrounded him, and he would soon find himself in a TCPD Cruiser and on the way to Police Headquarters...

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

Many people had chosen to flee in panic. I had told Teresa long before, and she had relayed it to the Officers, that if something like this happened... to just open the doors and let them run, and not to create a choke point where people could be trampled. The Officers also had to watch for someone in that crowd that might be suspicious. I don't ask much of my Officers...

As the Police were securing the doors after the first wave of people had passed, and beginning to control the crowds that remained, Corporal Kirkpatrick and Sr. Patrolman Morton approached a youngish Officer.

"Let me see your ID, Patrolman!" said Kirkpatrick. The young man bolted, trying to run, but was quickly subdued before he could draw his gun. He was handcuffed, and provided transportation to Town & County Police Headquarters.

Part 9 - A Shocking Revelation

"Fingerprints have no match in either the local or FBI databases." I was informed as I looked into Interrogation-1 from the crowded anteroom. "No ID on him, either. We're running a facial recognition pattern." It was David Krueger telling me that.

"Good." I said. "Let me know of any results. I've called the FBI, and they should be here soon."

The man did not look very good; it is possible that he endured a few punches to the face and body as he was taken to the Police cruiser, then through booking. The TCPD was not taking well to one of their Captains being wounded by him.

"How's Captain Croyle, sir?" asked Sergeant Charles of the SWAT Team. The room got very quiet.

"I haven't had a chance to check." I said. "Last I heard, her wounds were considered non-life-threatening, but she's been taken into surgery." The room remained very quiet.

"Okay, clear this frickin' room." I ordered. "No one but any lawyer he asks for is to go in there. Do I make myself clear?"

"YES SIR!" came a chorus that extended into the hallway. I whispered to Sergeant Charles to make sure no one went in and tried to harm the man, who was handcuffed to the ring on the table. Then I went to the I-2 anteroom window.

The fake Officer was sitting in Interrogation-2, likewise handcuffed to the table. I peered inside.

"Fingerprints on him did come up." said Krueger. "His name is Ronald Rand, goes by 'Ronnie'. American, originally from the Boston area. Last known address is Nashville, Tennessee. You remember Ben Ellman, from the 'Point Hollow' case with those kidnapped students?"

"Yes." I said.

"We think Ellman may have stayed at Rand's home." said Krueger. "That would make Rand a possible Superior Bloodlines member."

"See if you can get something legally defensible on that connection." I said. "And that's good work, Krueger. Very good work."

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

Cindy practically flew into the office behind me as I stepped inside it. "THERE you are!" she all but shouted. "Where were you? We called on the radio."

"I heard you." I replied. "I had to take care of a couple of things, not the least of which was to call my wife and tell her to go to the Hospital. She might have to be part of the surgical team."

"Why?... oh, Teresa was shot in the area of her... reproductive system." Cindy said.

"That's some of it." I said. "How's your father?"

"He's fine. Completely unhurt, worried about Teresa. He wants to go to the Hospital, but his people are insisting he go home to The Vision."

"Contact them and tell them he can safely go to the Hospital." I said. "Where are Tommy and Candy?"

"They're also being protected." said Cindy. "They were the true targets, weren't they?"

"Yes, they sure were." I said. "The shooter was aiming to kill them, not Dr. Eckhart."

"But..." Cindy said, "... ten million dollars to kill them?"

"I'll explain it all after the FBI people get here, and I wish they'd hurry their asses up!" I said, exasperation in my voice. "I want to get to the Hospital, and I'm sure you do, too."

"Calm yourself, young man." said the Deputy Director of the FBI as he came into my office. "I know you're worried about Captain Croyle, and I got here as fast as I could. And of course, I'm here to take JACKAL off your hands before too much information about him leaks out."

Jack Muscone had followed his boss into my office. I noticed none of his team had come; they must be getting kept out of the loop, I realized.

"I have news for you, sir." I said. "That man is not JACKAL!"

"What?!" gasped the DepDirector. "Who... then who the hell is he?"

"Hired gun, but not JACKAL himself." I said. "Here, have a seat, all of you." The FBI Agents sat down in the hot chairs, looking totally stunned. Cindy sat on the sofa behind them, looking totally inquisitive. I sat down in my comfortable Command Chair, looking totally worried about Captain Croyle.

"What happened, sir," I said, "is that this man and his assistant Rand were hired as part of an overall plan. You may or may not remember the case of the Murdered Football Player, where Jefferson Davis Jackson was killed."

"I remember something about that." said the DepDirector. "You basically showed those kids had been hypnotized, and made it impossible for a jury to convict them."

"Yes." I said. "Well, Jackson's parents, Doug and Roberta Jackson, are from Springer, which I'm sure you remember is near Apple Grove and Providence Springs. They are also very much a part of white supremacy actions, and I believe we might can get Rand to admit to their involvement in order to save his own skin. The other man, who is known in the Underworld as 'Raoul', was hired to kill them."

"Don," said Jack Muscone, "you told me that JACKAL was after you. So are you still in danger?"

I grinned. "No." I said. "Mr. JACKAL has met his match in Team Troy. I took him into custody tonight, and took the liberty of handing him over to some people that wanted to... talk to him. You might remember that JACKAL tried to assassinate Takaki Misaki, and while he failed, Misaki-sama missed capturing JACKAL. Misaki-sama felt great shame at that failure."

"Yes, but that wasn't a big deal, nobody could capture JACKAL." said the DepDirector.

"You're such a 'nobody', Commander." Cindy quipped. I smiled back at her.

"All I will say for the moment," I said, "is that Misaki-sama's shame has ended tonight. And hopefully he will be able to obtain some very important information for me. If they leave him alive, I'll have them turn JACKAL over to the FBI, but I can't make any promises, and I will say nothing further about any of it."

Part 10 - Day of the Iron Crowbar

What had happened? When the shot was fired, one would expect Your Iron Crowbar to look out the pane of glass or go for the door to see what was happening. But Your Iron Crowbar knew the door was locked. And as the shot was fired and the screaming in the auditorium started, I saw the A/V man pull out a large knife, meant for my insides.

Yes, the A/V man was JACKAL. But I had anticipated him, and I beat him to the punch. I pressed my TASER into his chest, and 50,000 volts coursed through him, rendering him helpless. I quickly affixed handcuffs to him behind his back, put tape over his mouth, bagged the knife as evidence, then opened the back door of the A/V room. Corporal Kirkpatrick and Sergeant Rudistan were waiting. Yes, the 'Blood Order' was at work this night.

They helped me get JACKAL through the crowds and around the side to the back exit, whereupon JACKAL was thrown into the back of my Police SUV. Kirkpatrick went to arrest Rand, whom I'd spotted, and Rudistan and I drove to the Fairgrounds. There was some space at the far end on the north side, near Town Fitness Centers, for a helicopter to park. It revved up as we drove up.

Takaki Misaki and I bowed to each other, and I formally offered him a gift: the man known as JACKAL. In return, he promised me information, and also help for when I would desperately need it in the future. And that desperate time was coming all too soon...

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

Back to the present: I told my Officers to put the two prisoners in isolation cells, with three layers of security protecting them. That was code for an arrangement of Officers, requiring three checkpoints to get through. The prisoners would be arraigned in the morning. The FBI was not happy about that, but stopped protesting when I said I had to go to the Hospital and check on my wounded Captain of Operations.

Cindy was practically hopping up and down in impatience, so we got into my Police SUV, with Jack Muscone and the DepDirector in the backseat. We let the DepDirector off at the Federal Building, then headed to the Hospital.

In the waiting room was Sergeant Irwin, Sergeant Charles, Sergeant Hewitt, my mother Phyllis, Todd Burke... and Chief Griswold. Of course he was there.

"Cindy's mom is keeping the kids at the Cabin." my mother said quietly. "Laura went into surgery with Dr. Morgan. I don't know why she was needed."

"I do." I said forlornly. Cindy picked up on it.

"Spill it, Crowbar 1." she said.

"Not just yet." I said. "In due time." As I spoke, I happened to look down the hallway. There was a bench near the Nurse's Station, and upon that bench sat two men: P. Harvey Eckhart, and Dr. Leonard Cordell (Admiral, USN-Ret.) . I had Cindy come with me to greet them.

"Ah, young Donald." said Eckhart. He got up and gave me a warm hug. "I understand those despicable men were captured, and that you were instrumental in capturing them."

"My Officers did excellent work. Teresa did more than that." I said. "Hello, Admiral." I said to Dr. Cordell.

"Hello, Commander." said Cordell, shaking my hand. "How is she?"

"I don't know." I said. "I'll go find out."

"I'll stay here with my friend Leonard." said Eckhart, who could make a friend out of anyone in five minutes... except my mother. It was easy to understand why he was not in the waiting room. Cindy stayed with her father as I went to get a status report on Teresa.

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

"Okay," said Dr. Morgan, "no further bleeding. The bullet slid off the hip bone and right into her uterus. Dr. Fredricson, how significant is the damage?"

"Fairly bad." said Dr. Fredricson. "But we're going to go ahead and remove her womb, and her ovaries as well. We'll need to do biopsies on the ovaries." She explained by telling of her earlier tests on Teresa.

Laura went to work, with Dr. Morgan assisting closely. Laura had performed these surgeries often... but never on a patient who had been shot in the reproductive organs. That kind of trauma was Dr. Morgan's specialty. It would take both of them to make sure Teresa came out of this alive and well...

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

The one thing one does not want to see is a doctor coming out of surgery walking slowly, or not walking at all. So when the surgical team came out and Dr. Morgan was walking fairly briskly, I felt somewhat better. Then Laura came out... walking slowly.

"She's going to be fine, everyone." said Dr. Morgan in the waiting room. "Fortunately none of her pelvic bones were broken, and we think we've got all the bleeding. We'll continue to monitor her, of course, and it will be some days before she can move about." There was great relief in the room, especially upon the face of Todd Burke.

Meanwhile I went up to Laura, who was still down the hallway. She said "I took out her womb and ovaries. Her womb was all but shredded by the bullet, and it's likely she never would've been able to have a child. And her ovaries..." Laura paused, then rushed into it: "They'll run tests, but I could tell on sight that we got them out just in time. The bullet's damage sent tissue all over the place, which doesn't help our cause, but------" She stopped as Cindy came up behind me.

"Come on, guys, what the hell is going on?" Cindy asked. I nodded to Laura and whispered "I've got this."

Turning, I said "Walk with me, Cindy." I put my arm around Cindy's shoulders and led her down the hall. Finding an empty room, we went in.

"Before all this happened," I said, "Teresa came in for her exam to see about becoming a mother. Yesterday the tests came back. Teresa had ovarian cancer..."

"What?!" Cindy said. Her hands went to her face as tears sprang into her eyes.

"That's why Laura was in the surgery tonight." I continued. "Teresa probably would've lost her womb anyway, but Laura took out her ovaries, too. From what little I know about doctoring, Teresa will probably have to have at least one round of chemo to make sure the cancer doesn't spread..."

That was all that needed to be said. Cindy collapsed into me, sobbing. I held her for as long as it took for her to let it all out. And that took some time...

Part 11 - Purple and Playoffs

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" yelled the lovely redhead MILF from in front of the Civic Center at 7:00am, Thursday, December 29th. "We are bringing you continuing coverage of the attempt to assassinate Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart during his seminar last night!"

"Police Captain Teresa Croyle was wounded as she rushed to defend Dr. Eckhart." continued Bettina. "She is out of surgery and doctors say she is doing well. Her fiancé Todd Burke is with her now."

"The Police captured the gunman, and also another man who was acting as a lookout. Commander Donald Troy complimented his Officers, saying their quick actions led to the swift arrests before the perps could get away. He also said that Captain Croyle's bravery prevented anyone else from being wounded or worse."

"Dr. Eckhart also put out a statement expressing his appreciation for the TCPD's actions, and his wishes for Captain Croyle's speedy recovery." said Bettina. "He also said that the seminar would be postponed, but he promised to schedule another one within the next couple of months."

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

The helicopter landed at 10:00am at the now-empty Fairgrounds, and Cindy and I climbed aboard. We did not want to leave Teresa, but Dr. Morgan said he was going to keep her sedated for the day to let her get some rest.

We were flown by chopper to the City, by the same route that we took the night we went after Henry R. Wargrave. In the front seats were the pilot and FBI Special Agent Martin Nash, who had us tell him how Teresa was doing.