A Death in the Family Ch. 02

"I couldn't reach Todd." Teresa said as they came in and sat down with us. "Barry Oliver at BOW Enterprises couldn't either. He knows what the Valkyrie Protocol is, and said he put BOW Enterprises on lockdown when he got that message and then couldn't reach Todd himself."

"Good." I said. "And you asked Myron to peek into Todd's cellphone metadata." As they nodded, I said "What did you get?"

"He got a message from what looks like his assistant Mariko's cell phone." said Myron. "He did not get a message of any kind from the burner that you guys did."

"Why not?" I wondered out loud.

Myron replied: "The message Todd got had a lot of metadata behind it, as if an image was sent with the text. But it may not have been an image, but malicious code that might've prevented him from getting the message you guys got."

Sheriff Griswold was peering at me, seeing the reaction on my face. "I never like it when I see that look on your face, Crowbar. What is it?"

"This is not good." I said. "We have got to find Todd, and quickly."

"Do you think he's in danger?" Teresa asked, worry creeping into her voice.

"I hope not." I said. "Teresa, keep trying to get hold of Todd. But don't leave this Headquarters building. And while you're at it, have a word with the SWAT Teams to get ready, just in case something is wrong. Go." Teresa did not want to leave the room, but did so.

"I tried like hell to not show it on my face." I said. "But obviously I did, Sheriff."

"Now that she's out of here," growled Griswold, understanding what I had just done, "tell us what's going on."

"I'm not sure." I said. "It may be nothing, but..." I went off into reverie land.

"But..." growled Griswold, bringing me back.

"Let me spell out my line of thinking, here." I said. "First, Takaki Misaki recalled his son and daughter and all of his people in this area of the USA back to Japan for some reason. I don't know what that reason is, but it would have to be huge for him to do that."

"Second," I said, "Trent Ridge tries to kidnap my daughter. Third: we got the Valkyrie Protocol message, that Todd should have gotten. Fourth, we find out that he got another message, that may have had some code blocking other messages from getting through."

"Tie it up with a bow, Crowbar," said the Sheriff, who was becoming impatient, which meant he was worried himself.

"Not only is Misaki compromised, which is a huge issue for Japanese Intelligence," I said, "to be able to block text messages on U.S. cellphones is a major eff-ing deal to do. And it's on the order of needing to be a Government, ours or someone else's, to be able to do this to both Japan and our cellular communications systems. To sum it up, sir... I think this may be the big move by the perps we've been waiting for..."

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

3:45pm. KXTC cub reporter Keith Madden came to the office of Bettina Wurtzburg, seeing her talking with Amber Harris. As he came to the door, they looked up at him.

"I just got a tip from a source at BOW Enterprises." Madden said. "They went on lockdown just over half an hour ago, but my source doesn't know why. The source also says that CEO Todd Burke isn't there, and may be missing!"

"Yes, we've heard that, too." said Bettina, seemingly uninterested. Amber had looked away from him, and was pretending to study her papers on the desk.

"So I can send a mobile unit out there?" asked Madden.

"No." said Bettina. "We're working on confirming everything, particularly the whereabouts of Todd Burke. What you can do is follow up with any sources you have with the Police, and see what they know."

Seeing Madden not move, and seeing him wilt considerably at being unable to follow up on this big lead, Bettina said angrily "Go, Keith! Start doing something!" Madden nodded sullenly, and left the doorway.

Determined to check things out for himself, Madden went out of the building and to the parking lot behind the building. When he looked over, he saw both of KXTC's remaining mobile vans being loaded with gear. They were being prepped for a field mission, he realized. He walked over.

"Where you guys going?" he asked one of the techs.

"Nowhere, yet." said the tech. "We were told to get ready, that something might happen."

The driver of one of the vans, who knew Madden well, came over. "Keith, over here." he said. When Madden walked over, the driver said quietly "I'm not supposed to say anything, but I was told an hour ago to get ready for a field mission, and that we'd be going to BOW Enterprises."

"Okay, thanks." said Madden. He walked towards his car, very angry. He'd developed the lead, and now Bettina and Amber were going to jump his claim and take the story from him.

And then another thought hit him like a crowbar to the gut: the mobile unit people had been told an hour ago... before BOW Enterprises had gone on lockdown!. He was realizing that something big was going on, and not only did Bettina and Amber already know about it, it was as if they had been given foreknowledge of it!

He got out his cellphone, and called the TCPD Public Relations Officer...

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

4:15pm, Friday, June 7th. Checkpoints at the County borders had gone up with amazing efficiency and quietness.

"Tell me again what this is about?" asked the Chief as we met in the Main Conference Room. "Why did you have checkpoints set up?"

Along with the Sheriff, the TCPD Command Group, MCD Detectives Davis, Warner, and Washington, we had FBI Team Lazarus and Tim Jenkins present.

Cindy Ross said "Captain Thompson got a call from Keith Madden, a KXTC cub reporter, asking about the BOW Enterprises lockdown and what the TCPD was doing about it. Captain Thompson didn't know anything about it, partly because I hadn't told him yet, and that was because you and Commander Troy were briefing me at that moment. Thompson told Madden he'd check and get back to him."

"When Thompson told me," Cindy continued, "I realized that KXTC already knew about it, and possibly in advance of us. I called Priya Ajmani and asked what she and KFXU knew, and Priya said she'd heard nothing. I told her to get cracking, that she might get a scoop, and we'd let each other know what's going on."

"See there, Mr. Crowbar?" said the Chief. "Good things can happen when we work with the Press instead of against them." He may have been teasing me, and yes, he was my boss. But my look at him properly conveyed that I wasn't in the mood for that discussion at this moment.

"To finish Captain Ross's story, sir," I said acerbically, "we're completely unable to get in touch with Todd Burke. At this point, we have to assume, as bad as that word is, that Todd has been captured by someone. The checkpoints are to try to prevent anyone from taking him out of the County, and possibly to capture any perps like Trent Ridge, who might be behind this business."

"I appreciate the speed and efficiency of your actions," said the Chief, "but we're not sure anything truly bad is happening."

"So why hasn't BOW Enterprises called us, Chief?" I asked. "Something's not right."

"Damn straight." Teresa said. "And if you hadn't've confined me to Headquarters, here, I'd be out there already, trying to find out what's going on?"

"We'll be out there soon, I suspect." I said. "Davis, did you guys find out anything?"

Jerome looked towards Joanne Warner, who said "I called BOW Enterprises, sir. I got a runaround. The receptionist put me on hold, I called back and said I was the Police and they'd better never put me on hold again, then I asked to speak to Todd Burke. The receptionist got vague, and said he might be in a meeting. I then asked for Barry Oliver, and she said he was in a meeting, and would I like to leave a message? She was really trying to get me off the phone."

"Did you namedrop," I asked, "and mention the CEO's uncle, the Police Commander, wanted to speak personally with Mr. Burke or Mr. Oliver?"

"No sir." said Joanne. "We try not to use your name in vain unless we have to." There were some chuckles at that, despite the gravity of the situation.

"Well, I did call, and I made that name drop." I said in reply. "And I got a similar runaround. Which irritates me."

"Irritates me more." grunted Teresa Croyle.

Jack Muscone said "We're monitoring communications to see if any unusual chatter is coming up among the Swamp Frogs that we know about. So far, nothing; but it's too early to tell. I can also tell you that you have all the help you need from the FBI and other Federal assets that I can bring in to help you with."

"Thank you." I said. I decided to take charge and get our asses moving, saying: "Okay, guys, let's act as if the worst has happened, and hope it hasn't. Deploy the SWAT Teams to the Old Mill, and get all of 2nd Precinct on high alert. Lock down County Jail, just in case. Get some drones in the air and survey BOW Enterprises, but do it from a distance and don't be conspicuous about it. Teresa, you're with me; let's get out there and knock on the front door."

"Belay there, Mr. Crowbarrrr." said the Chief. "Everything else, go ahead and do. But Captain Croyle stays with me... at the Old Mill. Her being Mr. Burke's wife, and all. I'm sure you understand."

I understood all too well; he easily could be harnessing me, as well. "Yes, Chief." I said. "Commander Ross, I have a special mission for Kato, if you'd like to do some extracurricular driving."

The Chief groaned. "Is this going to increase my paperwork, Commander?" he asked.

"I hope not, Chief." I said, then said more seriously: "I hope not."

Part 12 - Knocking on the Door

I had Lieutenant Davis in my Police SUV with me. As we drove down County Road 5 towards BOW Enterprises, we passed the Farmer's Market and its restaurant.

Jerome peered out the window, then said "KXTC had a mobile van parked on Riverside Drive, just across the River from BOW Enterprises. And their other mobile van is parked at the Farmer's Market, behind the restaurant building."

"Good observation." I said. I audibly exhaled, then said "Yeah, KXTC knows something. Something they shouldn't. I've long suspected Bettina and Amber have been helping the Swamp Frogs in order to hurt us, the Police, and specifically me. And I'm getting more sure of that every minute."

"Sir, between us..." Jerome said. I nodded and he continued: "I heard a rumor that the Chief is going to start getting more personally involved in Press relations. Word is that he thinks you go too far in your hatred of them, at times."

"I wouldn't be surprised." I said.

"I just know that if a reporter tried to murder my child..." Jerome said, but I didn't let him finish.

"Be careful, Lieutenant." I said, knowing what Jerome was thinking, and having to say what I had to say: "He's the Police Chief, not me. And he's Chief because he knows how to handle things like that, definitely better than I do. And I can't worry about that right now, because my 'spidey-sense' is tingling about this thing with my nephew and BOW Enterprises."

"Yes sir." said Jerome.

When we got to the front gate, which was closed, the guards said "We can't let you in, sir. We're on lockdown."

"We're the Police." I said.

"With respect, sir," said the guard, who I knew was an Auxiliary Police Officer, "we can't let you in, unless you have a warrant. Nothing personal, sir, just doing our jobs."

"Uh huh." I said. "Nothing personal. Now I'm going to do my job." I got on the radio and said "Iron Hornet to Kato."

"Kato here." said Cindy Ross's voice on the radio.

"Would you please open the gate, Kato?" I said.

"With pleasure." said Cindy's voice.

I looked at the guard and said "If I were you, I'd start running. As far away as you can, as fast as you can." With that, I began backing my SUV up along the side of the road.

A second later a dark green car with embedded blue LED lights blazing came roaring up. Cindy fired two small rockets at the hinges of the gates, which exploded, then she drove the Black Beauty right into the gates, which went flying. I followed her to the front entrance of BOW Enterprises, leaving the unharmed but stunned guards behind.

As we got out of our cars, Cindy said "I guess the Chief's paperwork just went up, all the same."

"Yes." I said. "Jerome, watch our backs." I observed the front of the building, which had a concrete front porch, and glass windows inset with the front doors in the middle. Behind the glass, iron bars had been lowered from the ceiling to the floor, and behind that was a sheet of metal like a garage door that had been lowered.

"The Black Beauty has the firepower to get through this," I said, "but it would cause extensive damage and possibly harm people on the other side." I then got out my Police iPhone and speed dialed Barry Oliver. It went to voicemail, and I said "Mr. Oliver, this is Commander Troy. We're at the front door. Don't make me blow it up to get in there. Come see me. Now."

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

Five minutes later, Barry Oliver was escorting me and Cindy to the underground Control Room that had been used during the time of the final confrontation with the Consultant of Crime. (Author's note: 'A Tiny Slip', Ch. 01.)

"At three o'clock today," said Oliver, "Todd Burke received a text message. He said it was from his assistant Mariko, who is in Japan with her family right now. He also said he was going out, and to put the facility on lockdown until he got back and texted me the 'all clear'. About ninety seconds later, Captain Croyle called about the 'Valkyrie' message."

"After I talked to her," said Barry, "I tried to reach Todd, but couldn't. I came down here, and we found this." He began playing a video recording.

"This is the back warehouse building." said Barry. "At first all looks okay, but then we realized it was some kind of recording that just shows the same still frame. I was about to send Security out there, but this came up."

The video suddenly switched to a lower camera. In the background, Todd was sitting on a chair, naked. His hands were bound behind his back, and he was gagged. Then a man in a black ski mask came from behind the camera to in front of it and said "If you call the Police before we are ready for you to, we will kill Burke. Don't come out here. Keep watching for our transmission." Then the video blanked out.

"They took over the cameras in the warehouse." said Barry. "I put out a full lockdown warning, which everyone knows means something bad has happened. I told the front gate guards to not let anyone in, even the Police, but you busted right through the gate, I saw."

"Give me credit for leaving the gate guards alive." I said sourly. "How many people are in that warehouse? And don't tell me you don't have some infrared, either in there or a drone flying over."

"Not much gets past you, Commander." Barry said. "Besides Todd, there are six men... I think they're men. Todd is pretty much in the center of the warehouse, with some kind of backdrop behind him, I guess to make him show up better on the camera."

Barry brought back up the video of the man talking, and froze it. I said "There is a door in front, nearest the building here and facing north, and garage doors in back to take in deliveries, and pallets of materials on the east side, to the left from the front door. You can see the garage doors about 60 feet behind Todd; they appear closed and secured. I also can see the manhole that we all know is the secret tunnel to the outside... hmm, they know about it, too. They put aluminum Coke cans on it. If we try to go up through it, we'd knocked the cans off and alert them. Simple, but effective."

"As I was saying, Commander," Barry said, "the cameraman is there in front of Todd, and the lights by the camera are giving off a big heat signature, which distorts things right in that area. But I could tell that the other men are near the pallets. They'll use them for cover and rake the door if you try to come through there. They've also been walking around, as if they're installing something. Maybe camera feeds."

"Or explosives." Cindy said. "They may be rigging the building to explode, with Todd in it instead of Carole."

"Barry, do you have cameras in the underground tunnel?" I asked.

"We do, and they're working fine." said Barry. "But if the perps are tapping into them, then they'd see it if we sent anyone in there."

"As long as they haven't gone in there and rigged that tunnel with explosives," I said, "we might can use it."

"Sir," said Barry, "we have to assume they've tapped into our security video coverage, and can see anything you try to do. They probably saw you crash the gate and barrel up to the front. They might've killed Todd already, for all we know."

"I'm sure they did see us." I said. "And I'm sure they've been expecting us to arrive---"

Just then the monitor screen lit up. We were seeing inside the warehouse. The man we'd seen earlier appeared again in front of the camera, this time without a mask. "Get those Police outside the gates." he ordered. "Now."

To emphasize his point, he moved out of the way. Another man, masked, was behind Todd. He raised his arm, and flicked a bullwhip across Todd's naked back.

*WHITCHOO!*

"AAAUGH!" we could hear Todd scream. Then the man flicked the whip again...

*WHITCHOO!*

Todd screamed again. I realized the chair had no bottom, and like what happened to James Bond in Casino Royale, the whip was lashing Todd's ass... and testicles.

"Tell them we're going." I said. To Cindy I said "Let's get the hell out of here."

As we were walking down the hall to the front door, Cindy said "That guy looked familiar. Who was it?"

"Quint Starr." I replied...

Part 13 - Siege

7:10pm, Friday, June 7th. We were set up just north of the front gate of BOW Enterprises. There were a lot of TCPD vehicles on the road leading to the front gate. The back of my SUV was the 'Command Post', and we had a video monitor there to watch any feeds that came out of the warehouse.

County Road 5 was shut off, but Press vehicles had somehow found a way through. I'd had them stopped well before getting to us and to the BOW facility, but the Chief had overridden me and allowed them to stay where we stopped them instead of forcing them to retreat. We'd also asked the Press not to send up any drones. KXTC immediately sent one up; I immediately had it shot down by a 'killer' TCPD drone.

I'd briefed all the senior Police at the scene on what we'd seen, and they'd watched the video. Teresa had insisted on seeing it, and I'm glad Cindy was there to stay with her; it was very hard for anyone to watch, and worse for the wife of the man being tortured in there.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff and the Chief were discussing with me and the SWAT Team's Lt. Hewitt to see what we could do. Cindy, Teresa, and Tanya were listening in.

"We can't do anything until it gets dark." I said. "They'll see us. And that's also why I expect them to make their demands before dark... they know they have to get out of there before dark, or we'll have a chance to sneak in there and get them."

"We're ready." said Hewitt. "My SWAT Teams are prepared to break in through the front door. There's also a door on the right side, the west side, that we think we can crash through. We don't think we can get through the loading bay doors on the south side."

"What about the tunnel?" I asked.

"I can take a team through there." said Lt. Irwin. "When the SWAT Team blows the front door, we can come out of the ground and we'll be behind them. We just have to make sure the tunnel isn't wired for explosives."

"You can use my Tank to drive something into the warehouse that can take them out." said Tanya. "Flash-bang bomb or something."