This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.
Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.
This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.
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Part 1 - Prologue
"Y'all really had the Police Boxing Matches on my wedding day?" Commander Cindy Ross asked as we drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room at 6:50am, Monday, June 8th. Everyone broke out laughing.
"No." I said. "I wanted to see the Matches, too. So we had them yesterday, on Sunday. And to that point... why aren't you on your honeymoon?"
"We're going to go later this summer." Cindy said. "Maybe the July 4th timeframe. We got married so fast that we didn't have time to plan a honeymoon."
"That's what my hometown calls a 'shotgun wedding'." Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle said. "Seeing as you're pregnant, and all." Everyone broke out laughing at that.
"That was a contributing factor." Cindy said with a wan smile. "I wanted to fit in my dress before I begin showing. Another factor was that my father and 'The Vision' people are beginning their Empowerment Camps and Enlightenment Camps, so we got the wedding out of the way rather than wait until the July 4th weekend."
"I for one am glad yoo diddddd." drawled the Chief. "You kept it sweet and simple, it wasn't too crowded, and it was too hot yet. And no chaosssss."
"Oh there was chaos." I replied. "Chief, maybe you didn't see Carole, Marie, and Tasha doing what they do best... getting into trouble?"
"Did they get into trouble for trying to cross the River to get to the other side?" asked Captain Tanya Muscone, "... without using the bridge?"
"Yep." I said. "Their mothers had a few words for them for that."
"What happened?" Teresa asked.
I said "The girls thought the River was shallow, and found out that it was a little too deep for them to walk across without using the bridge. After their mothers were done with them, I had a 'teachable moment' about safety in situations like that, and the end result is all the kids, including Pete and Tasha, are getting swimming lessons this summer."
As everyone laughed at that story, the Sheriff expertly used the remote to turn on the television monitor, and to Channel 2...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, June 8th, from the rooftop of the building at Riverside and College, with the State Office Building in the background. "The City has sued the Governor for his outrageous encroachment of their sovereignty!"
Bettina began: "City Mayor Lucian Phelps filed suits in both State and Federal Court, accusing deeply unpopular Governor Val Jared of abuse of power in attempting to send National Guard troops into the City to stop peaceful protests in the Ferguson Park district. The troops were sent in Saturday night when two buildings caught fire, which Mayor Phelps said was coincidental, and not set by any demonstrators."
Bettina: "Federal Judge David Herbert of the Eastern District of the State dismissed the Federal lawsuit, stating that the Governor was within his rights to call up and deploy the National Guard in his State, and that Mayor Phelps did not have standing to challenge that in Federal Court.
Bettina: "Mayor Phelps stated that the City has semi-sovereign status within the State under longstanding laws as well as agreements over time that now constitute Common Law. However, State Superior Court Judge Mario Cruz, considered a rightwing extremist judge, ruled that the Governor has jurisdiction over every inch of the State, and especially the City, and that Jared could send National Guard stormtroopers to violently suppress peaceful black protests."
Bettina: "Civil rights groups demanded that Judge Cruz resign from his seat on the Bench, and State Senator Corey Coons, the Democrat nominee for Lieutenant Governor, filed a Civil Rights complaint against Judge Cruz and Governor Jared with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division."
Bettina: "And congratulations are in order, as Police Deputy Chief Cindy Ross married actress Callie Carrington over the weekend at 'The Vision' compound in Coltrane County to our south. SBI Inspector Brittany M. Maxwell officiated the ceremony. The State Right to Life Committee and other Republican groups expressed outrage that Town & County Mayor Daniel Allgood attended the lesbian wedding ceremony..."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Leave it to Bettina Wurtzburg and KXTC to find a way to use my wedding as a way to attack someone." Cindy said, seeming to be calm on the outside.
Teresa said "I'm a little surprised that Bettina didn't just say 'CIA Officer' Callie Carrington... or 'porn actress' Callie Carrington."
I replied: "They can get into serious legal trouble if they identify a CIA Officer without that Officer's and the CIA's consent. And I think Bettina didn't call Callie a 'porn actress' or 'porn star' because she wants to highlight that it was a lesbian wedding, and use that to turn around and attack Mayor Allgood."
"In fairrrrrr-nessssss," said the Chief, "the Reverend Ikea of the State Right to Life Committee did come out with the condemnation of the Mayor, so Bettina is just reporting the news, there. He also came out with a statement saying the lesbian wedding was corrupt and sinful in the eyes of Goddddd, but Bettina chose not to share that part with us."
Cindy said "Daniel told me he'd officiate the ceremony if we had it in the Town & County, but I already had Britt lined up to do it. And it's ridiculous that in this 21st Century, a Mayor is politically attacked for attending a friend's wedding."
"Oh, I wouldn't have gone, if you weren't my first cousin." I said to Cindy. A wicked twinkle in my gray eyes gave it away that I was needling my first cousin. Cindy still glared at me.
"How do you feel about lesbian weddings, Commander?" asked Teresa Croyle, taking advantage of the huge opportunity to start 'trouble'... and succeeding. Cindy turned and affixed her ice-blue eyes upon Teresa, who just looked back with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"Cindy's not dating me," I said, "so she can date and marry whoever she wants."
"Surely the Red Crowbar agrees that anyone has the right to marry whoever they want." Cindy said levelly.
"And don't call me Shirley." I replied. Then I exhibited a slight grin, and said "My answer is 'Yes and no'."
(Author's note: Here we go. Don't say I didn't warn you...)
Then I got philosophical: "Seriously, my philosophy is that 'rights', such as Constitutional rights, can only be given to and claimed by individuals, and must affect and be equally applicable to all as individuals."
Your Iron Crowbar: "The concept of 'group rights' is a contradiction in terms, and contradictions cannot exist. The Media has once again bastardized terms and outright lied, by saying that 'group rights' exist, that 'civil rights' apply to groups, allowing one group to be treated differently than others. That's not true, or at least it shouldn't be. For example, a Black person should not be discriminated against... as an individual. Nor should a White, Asian, or Hispanic person be discriminated against... as individuals. ALL individuals are equal as individuals in the sight of God and the Constitution."
Your Iron Crowbar: "And attempting to apply 'rights' to one group that don't apply to another is not only not 'rights', it is discrimination. The Media and politicians attempt to use so-called 'group rights' to advance a certain agenda, but what they are advancing is not true 'rights'."
"And gays and lesbians?" Cindy asked, again levelly.
Your Iron Crowbar: "I have a theory, that I won't try to prove nor get into the weeds over academically, that humans, and indeed all animals, have two basic instincts: to survive, and to reproduce and propagate the species. Everything else is learned."
Your Iron Crowbar: "Some learning comes from those instincts. We have to eat to survive, and we get hungry. That's instinct. But good cooking technique is learned. We have sex to reproduce, and that's instinctive. But good sexual technique is learned. At least my wife says so. And higher order mathematics are not needed to survive, and have to be purely learned. Heck, 2 + 2 must be learned; we don't require that knowledge to survive nor reproduce."
Your Iron Crowbar: "Heterosexuality is instinctive; it reproduces the species. Homosexuality, however, does not reproduce the species. It's learned. And I know the academicians say that one is born homosexual, but I don't agree with that. My point is that both homosexuality and heterosexuality are behaviors."
"But we were talking about marriage." I said. "I just gave that background to round out the picture. My point here is that marriage between persons cannot be a 'right'. An individual may claim a right to marry whoever they want, but the institution of marriage by definition is between at least two people, and therefore it's not a 'right'... it is a contract."
Your Iron Crowbar: "And because it's a contract, per the Constitution it can be regulated by the State. And the US Supreme Court has ruled that marriage between persons of the same gender is a legal contract, and they are the Constitutional authority of the Land and their ruling is binding. Ergo, gay marriage is Constitutionally legal."
Yeah, that started up some conversation.
"So," Cindy said "you're saying that if they passed an actual Constitutional Amendment outlawing gay marriage, that would be legal?"
"It would be Constitutional." I said. "And let me be clear that I'm not judging right or wrong. Many religions adamantly consider gay marriage to be 'wrong'. But it's a legal contract. An Amendment that regulated that contract a certain way would be legal... because its the Constitution."
"Not all laws are good, but they are laws." said Tanya.
"Yes." I said. "And that is why there's a difference between 'the law' and 'Justice', but I digress."
"So let me see if I get this straight, pun not intended." said Sheriff Griswold. "By your definitions there, a marriage between a man and two women could be legal?"
"Yes, Sheriff. Or a man could marry multiple women, or vice versa." I replied. "The Mormons did that for a while, but gave up polygamy later on. And practically speaking, most men have trouble dealing with one wife, so IMHO they'd be crazy to have more."
That drew laughter, then I said: "But to your question, Sheriff: yes. If the SCOTUS said such marriages were legal, or if a law were passed legalizing polyamory, those marriages would be legal, per what I just said..."
Sheriff Griswold said "Jack Muscone is right about you, Crowbar. And what's more, I think you're trying to be burned at the stake.." That generated more laughter...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"There she is!" said Theo Washington happily as Joan Laurer came into MCD to watch the news with the other Detectives. "Ladies and gentlemen, Police Boxing Matches finalist Joan Laurer!"
Everyone applauded Joan, including Julia Rodriguez, who had been soundly defeated by Joan in the semi-final match the day before. Julia had not lasted the full first round, and Joan had mercilessly turned Julia into a pretzel before taking her down. In a related story, SWAT Team member Robert Kalsu barely beat his fellow SWAT Team member Daniel Patrick in the other semifinal match, which went into an overtime fourth round. Only the now-famous match between the Red Crowbar and the Green Crowbar the year before had gone longer. (Author's note: 'A Death In The Family', Ch. 01.)
"Thanks, guys." Joan said, unable to hide her happiness. "I was motivated. I'm too poor to buy lunch if I lose the bets."
"That's the worst of it." Julia said. "Not only did I get my fourth point of contact beat down, I have to buy her lunch, too."
"None of us have any grounds to be talking." said Teddy Parker. "We've all been beaten down now."
"And my money is on you, Joan," said Vice Lieutenant Micah Rudistan, " to take the title for the honor of the Detectives." There was an acclaim for that.
"Where's Lieutenant Davis?" asked Joanne Warner. "He's always at the coffee klatches with us."
"He's in his office, I know that much." said Rudistan. "Maybe he's busy with something."
"Maybe he broke up with Inga Gunddottar." said Roark Coleman. The room fell into silence, and all eyes were on him.
"You know something I don't know?" asked Theo Washington, with a tinge of harshness.
"Not specifically." said Roark. "But rumors are going around that they've been having problems recently." Seeing the eyes still on him, some connoting hostility he said, "Hey, I'm not trying to start trouble, but the Lieutenant isn't here on a Monday morning... after talk have been going around."
"Not my business." said Julia. "Not yours either." Detectives turned to their duties at their desks...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hello and welcome to Fox University Sunrise!" said Catrina Pierce at 8:00am. "I'm Catrina Pierce, and with me as always is Meredith Peller. Good morning, Meredith!"
"Good morning, Catrina." said Meredith. "It was an exciting weekend, and here's what's in that news: FBI Agent Tim Jenkins, who was shot and wounded while protecting other Federal Agents in a murderous attempt by unknown perpetrators, is recovering well at University Hospital. Doctors tell Fox Eight News that he could be released from the Hospital sometime this week."
Catrina: "Commander Donald Troy of the Town & County Police issued a statement exclusively to Fox Eight News that they are following several leads obtained by examining the evidence at the crime scene. Commander Troy also said he believes the perps have fled the Town & County area, and that the TCPD and Nextdoor County Police are working with the FBI to apprehend the criminals."
Meredith: "In State news, Governor Val Jared ordered the State's National Guard into The City to end violent demonstrations in the Ferguson Park and Badlands districts. Rioters were setting cars and buildings on fire, throwing rocks and bottles at Police and other people, and two people were struck by gunfire. Eight persons, including two Police Officers, were seriously injured, and as of this morning two persons had died."
Catrina: "Governor Jared is being praised for his strong law-and-order approach to what he terms as 'seditionists' and what Lieutenant Governor Sharon Marshall called 'anarchists'. Ms. Marshall is the Republican nominee for Governor, and has said that when she is elected Governor, she will be at least as forceful in restoring the Rule of Law to the City and the rest of the State, while her opponent, Hoyt Stenson, is too weak to lead in crises like the violent protests."
Meredith: "City Mayor Lucian Phelps, a Democrat, sued the Governor for sending in the Guard, but both the Federal and State lawsuits were dismissed. State Senator Corey Coons, candidate for Lieutenant Governor said, quote 'the Gestapo tactics of rightwing extremists Val Jared and Sharon Marshall to suppress black voices and the rights of peaceful protesters is typical of racist Republicans!', close quote."
Meredith: "And Ruby Russell, the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor, issued a statement saying, quote 'Val Jared's heavy-handed actions are too harsh and will only lead to lives lost'. State House Minority Leader and Establishment Republican Wilson Hammonds also issued a statement condemning Governor Jared and demanding that Jared resign immediately, saying, quote, 'Val Jared's brutality towards People of Color does not reflect true Republican values, but the racism of Rightwing Extremists!', close quote."
Catrina: "Let's bring in Peter Dwayne Gordon of Clear Call Polling." The camera panned out to show Peter sitting in the Fox Eight 'hot chair'. "Welcome, Peter. What are the most recent numbers?"
Peter: "Thank you for having me, Catrina and Meredith. First, all of these polls are a rolling three-day polling of likely voters, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points. And the data shows that while Governor Jared's overall popularity has risen from 39% to 45%, his job satisfaction numbers skyrocketed from 40% to 55%. His numbers of his handling of the riots shot up to 57%."
Peter: "Sharon Marshall's numbers also shot up amongst all likely voters as well as Republican likely voters, but in what may be a warning flag, Ruby Russell's numbers dropped significantly among Republicans. "
Meredith: "Peter, how are their numbers among Democrat likely voters?"
Peter; "Governor Jared's job performance raised from 5% favorables among Democrats to 10% favorables. But Sharon Marshall's numbers went up from 10% to 19%, while Hoyt Stenson, her opponent for the Governor's mansion, has not moved in the polls. Corey Coons increased his already overwhelming lead against Ruby Russell."
Meredith: "So coverage of the violence in The City and other cities across America are helping the Republicans?"
Peter: "The coverage appears to be helping Conservative Republicans the most, as they are either calling for or implementing strong law-and-order measures. If you look at Sharon Marshall as an extension of Governor Jared... a third term for Jared, if you will... the violence that people are seeing on television and the strong response is helping Conservative Republicans like her greatly, and hurting Democrat candidates..."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*Whirrrrrrrrrrr*
Captain Tanya Muscone drove into the Main Conference Room at 9:00am sharp. Waiting for her were her 'Lieutenants Three'... Jerome Davis, Mary Milton, and Micah Rudistan.
"Everyone have a good weekend?" Tanya asked as she parked her wheelchair and took out her tablet.
"Liquor available at a wedding?" replied Rudistan jovially. "You know it, ma'am." Tanya and Mary chuckled. Jerome was oddly silent, and seemed distracted. Tanya glanced at him; he looked like he hadn't had much sleep, either.
"Don't ask Commander Troy about lesbian weddings." Tanya said. "We got a lecture this morning worthy of a Philosophy class at the University."
"He's opposed to them?" Mary asked unbelievingly.
"Quite the opposite," said Tanya, "but he went through a whole spiel on individual rights, instincts and learning, marriage as a contract. My head was spinning... okay, I've distracted you. What's going on? Anything on these bozos that tried to kill Tim Jenkins/"
Mary said "Nothing new, ma'am. Nextdoor County, Coltrane County, and the counties around them are really watching out for that black Buick, but so far it's 'no joy' on that. I think that if the perps have tried to get back here, or they're going to, they'll get another, different car."
Tanya nodded. "I agree with that. I know Commander Troy thinks they were going after Callie Carrington, and we can't let our guard down. But she's on full alert now, as are we all. Whatever their motives were in going after her, or after Tim, I really wonder if they still want to waste energy pursuing it. Okay, what about the quadruple murder? Anything new, Jerome?... Jerome?"
Jerome Davis seemed to come to with a start. "Oh... sorry ma'am. Uh, nothing new on the murders. Julia, Theo, Teddy, and Joanne all think it's very likely the perps that shot Toddler's crew were the same guys that tried to get Callie Carrington. And we've had nothing else big in the last week."r"
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