Chapter 7 - Watching

   I woke up, and the last thing I remembered? I was falling asleep while holding my first real council in my head. I could feel, and I mean really feel those feelings in that dream. It felt wonderful. I realize that I'm already feeling slightly better. Okay, I know, I know. I'm… doing slightly better, okay? How's that.

   I wondered about making out my own will letters. Idle rumination. I had time. Panic, first and foremost. Who else. My parents. I don't hate them, they were fine parents. They tried as best they could. Probably tell them there was nothing they could have done different or better with or to me. I guess say I'm a little sorry for not staying and taking over the family farm. Just couldn't spend the rest of my life doing it, not that there was anything wrong with it.

   Little Lightning. I'd have to explain things to her. See that she was taken care of, and if the only way I could do that was financially so? Then I would. I have money I'm not supposed to have. I could tell her its for her, and where and how to get it. Instruct her what its for, and more importantly what it isn't for. How to watch out for the moral corruption it brings if you don't know to watch out for it.

   The boys, and I mean the biker gang guys here. They never did anything to me. They're guilty of nothing by me. They only tried to protect and help me. I'd naturally see the cats taken care of, and I mean well taken care of. Spoiled for all they're worth and more.

   Mikey, of course. He's way more of a close friend than a boss, really. Some of the other former MP's. Target and Elise. The two state police guys in on that original dirty town case. Thanks for having me as family and adopting me, everyone. I treasured it.

   College team mates and room mates. Right is married to Target, do hers with his. Sunny. The center that replaced my original starting center, that had issues and committed suicide.

   Don't know that there's really anyone else, at first blush.

   Its strange of course, but nothing new for me in my world by this stage of the game. Thinking about my will letters just in case? Doesn't bring me down in any way. It feels somewhat liberating, in some way. Embracing possible death, instead of fearing it. And if I die doing karma work? That, is a good death. A death your ancestors and those you leave behind can be proud of. And, I'd go to Valhalla. To sit with Wiz and his mentor there before him.

   No wonder people enjoy embracing the code. It makes them feel better.

   He's still asleep, but he's stirring.

   "Mm. Good morning, honey."

   I'm wearing my signature half grin. The corner of my one lip slightly up.

   "It is."

   "Well. You seem like you might be doing a little better."

   "I am."

   "Can I ask how."

   "Oh, I don't know. Finally starting to plan doing something about it? Definitely part of it. Its like, just making that decision, starts it."

   Then I explained my dream. He liked it. I brought up the will letter thing. He shrugged.

   "Losing the fear of possible death. We're all going to die one day. No way out of that one. We're all mortal. Tomorrow, or fifty years from now. Its coming eventually. Embrace it. It frees you, to live your life without that irrational fear of what will happen one day, no matter what."

   "Is it okay if I hope its later rather than sooner."

   "Don't confuse acceptance of death, with a death wish. Self preservation is healthy and normal. You wish for a good death, not for it to happen sooner."

   "Okay. I can live with that."

   He giggled. He likes little puns and word plays. I caught it, it was cute. He kissed me good morning.

   "So. Professor Panic. Is it a class day? Or… what."

   "Hmm. I know one short little talk, that we need to get out of the way."

   "Oh. New topic."

   "Pride. Courage. Honor, and the different ways people use that word. Also? You're a woman. We need to have a frank talk about that."

   "Oh. I'm a woman? I'm flattered, that you noticed."

   He smiled at me caressing his cheek warmly.

   "Oh, there's no missing that. Trust me. I noticed."

   "Well? What about me being a woman. Am… I not allowed to be a full fledged warrior monk or something? Or are you tough guys, like the biker boys. I have tits. I can only be property, not a full fledged member. No matter what I do. Hmm? Is that how it is now."

   "If anything? I'm your property, hun."

   "Yes. You are, and don't you ever forget it. You're mine. You belong to me. Forever. And? I'll remind you of that little fact, anytime I feel like it."

   I grabbed his chin a little rough, as I do sometimes. My faux rough voice when I do it. He blushed, and looked a little away. I yanked him by the chin to look me in my eyes. I hissed at him in my deep voice.

   "Don't you look away when you blush. You know I like seeing it. That, is a very punishable offense. I'll remember that, the next little lesson you get."

   He blushed more. I stuck my tongue out at him.

   "Be that as it may. First? Courage and pride. And the use and misuse of the word honor."

   "Go on."

   "Courage. If you run from battle, you're a coward. There's a fine line that exists. Between courage? And stupidity. You fight smart. You fight hard, too. Don't get me wrong. But, you fight smart. Entering a fight, just because you've been challenged? If there's no way to win, you're not brave for standing there and taking it. That's stupidity. He who lives to run away, lives to fight another day. Now. If you run away and never fight? That's a lack of courage. But… getting killed because you're afraid of looking bad? Stupidity. Its a tactical retreat. You can't win, if you're dead. An enemy would love to challenge an opponent like that. They got you fighting when they want. How they want. Where they want. The enemy? Is choosing every last thing. Of course they're going to pick it so they win and you lose."

   "Go on."

   "Courage? Is keeping the fight up. Pride, goes along with courage. If you have too much pride to run away and fight when its a better place and time to make a stand? That's stupidity. The military does it all the time. A wise warrior? Chooses the place, the time, the weapons… everything he can. History does not remember who fought correctly. They only record who won and who lost. Which brings up another thing."

   "What."

   "Honor. Its not honorable, to not agree to fight when challenged. Its not honorable, to kick. You're supposed to stand there and use your fists. A bigger, faster, stronger opponent? That boxed a lot? They just love that idea. They got you playing their game, that they're better at. Fuck that puppy shit. If you find yourself in a fair fight? Your tactics suck. You kick, thumb an eye out, use a weapon when they don't get one. You don't just fight dirty when you have to. You always fight as dirty as you can. There's just a winner and a loser. Anything else you bring into that equation? Is just baggage, and stupidity. Why handicap yourself."

   "Anything goes."

   "Definitely. I know we've watched those westerns. Always that showdown at high noon. You know what? That's letting a boxer get you to agree to stand up and use your fists, instead of wrestling and kicking. The clearly better gunfighter? Loves the idea of that fair play. You're stupid if you agree to it."

   "The deadly gunfighter calls you out. What would you do."

   "Fuck all that noise. I'll tell him what he wants to hear. Let everyone make fun of me. I don't care. Then? I'll shoot him in the back. From the trees. On the trail. With a rifle. I'm alive. Him? Deader than a door nail. Problem? Solution. End of fucking story. There are no rules. The only… honor? Is that you pick and choose who to take out, based on a sound moral objective. That's it. How you go about it? Doesn't matter in the slightest."

   "Okay. Always fight dirty. Always fight smart. What's this all got to do with me being a woman."

   "Being a woman? Is a handicap, if you plan on walking up and going toe to toe with a man. You? Be the smart warrior, that brings the gun to the knife fight. Use being a woman. They won't expect it out of you. That a woman would… suddenly take them out, just like that. Did you know that a lot of women kill with poison, rather than wrapping their hands around some guy's throat, or even shooting them? Hell, women will get someone else to kill for them. You want, you need… a guy dead? You accomplish it the smartest way you can. The highest probability of success for the objective. The lowest chance of you losing, or having to pay for it."

   I didn't say anything.

   "Do you have a slight problem with this? Maybe this game isn't for you. I know that sounds harsh? Its the god's truth. Punch me in the face, if you feel insulted. I won't raise my hand back to you. But it won't make you right, and me wrong."

   I sighed.

   "What would your problem be."

   "He was shot in the back. By a coward, hiding."

   He pinched his nose.

   "Here it comes. I won't sugarcoat this. I can't sugarcoat it. You want to play this game? The rules are. There are no god damn rules. None. Now then, here we go. If you get angry? Fine. You need to get rid of anger, and let it go. Serves no purpose. Turn anger, into determination, and make it useful. But… punching me in the face for what I'm about to say? Won't change a damn thing. You ready?"

   I nodded.

   "I'll first go over, what that so called coward? Did right. First off, he accurately assessed he was outnumbered, outgunned, and probably outclassed. He tasked himself, with taking out a superior enemy. He sneaked. He hid. He brought a rifle to a handgun fight. All? Smart moves. If his only objective was killing your fiancee? He won. You two? Lost. He died, you took a hunting rifle in the shoulder. Eat it. Swallow it. Digest it. And learn from it."

   The rattlesnake look I gave him was something else. Not just my dropped face. My scary face. Worse, even.

   "That stung. That hurt. Good. I'll do it more often, until you don't have this… stupid reaction. You're about to start playing a very dangerous game. With a man? Who was a dirty cop. Cops don't do so well, in state prison. This one? Found some way to survive. By whatever means. He's not dumb. He was smart enough, to let the other dirty cop kill him. Egged him on, go ahead, do it. That's a lot of things, but dumb isn't one of them. This guy? Can manipulate, and survive. On top of it all? He more than likely learned a thing or two more, about survival and being ruthless. In state prison."

   I was positively seething.

   "We haven't even decided on the objectives yet? I can tell. You already ruled out shooting him in the back. Because you don't want to be a coward. That? Is stupidity. One on one, in unarmed combat with this man? You will, most likely, lose and possibly die. If the only objective, was to have him dead and out of the way? The smartest thing you could do, is just let me handle it. With no restrictions on my methods. That? Would be smart. But… you insist on handling it yourself. I respect that, I really do. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let you go off, all half cocked and get into some stupid showdown like… some B grade action movie. This is real life, not some action movie, with… titty commandos. There's no fucking script to follow. He's not a stuntman, who knows he's supposed to be winning, then suddenly you get pissed and whip out your really cool girly Kung Fu moves, and surprisingly take him out. While you repeat your awesome one line zingers, to be cool about it. This is real life. You try that shit? You'll die. You wanna play this game? The rules are. There are no rules."

   I was still beyond seething rage. Anger, is one of the only emotions I have access to. When all you have is a hammer? Everything looks like a nail.

   He looked like he was waiting for me to take a swing at him, but I didn't. He stayed quiet, and waited until I had composed myself. I quickly calmed down. When I looked sane and rational again? He continued.

   "I'd say I'm sorry? But I'm not. You need to understand the rules. Now. Here's what he did wrong. If you wanna hear that."

   "Sure."

   "He should have hidden himself better. He did it with very little planning, he could have planned it a whole lot better. Most likely got away, and possibly got away with it."

   "The shooter, followed up an immoral way of life, with an even more horrible and immoral act. The guy you're after? Is his bird of a feather. He's no better than the shooter. And, I doubt he got Jesus in prison and turned into a sweetheart. He probably? Got worse. You're target? Has zero honor and dignity. You, on the other hand? Have tons of both. It is a perfectly moral and honorable decision, to take your revenge. Just… do it smart, and serve it cold as ice. You need to get over anger, let it break down and metabolize into determination and will power. Just keep calm and use your head."

   I nodded along.

   "Okay. I'm not sorry I said the stuff I did, I'm just sorry I had to say it. We good again?"

   "Yeah. I need to hear this stuff, or you wouldn't tell me."

   "All right. Maybe we can be done with class for now. Can I hug you?"

   I nodded. He hugged me warmly. He whispered hot breath into my neck. That he was sorry that the rules of the game were harsh, but there was no other way. I told him it was fine.

   We did our morning rituals. Then did the coffee doughnut chief ritual, followed by the diner ritual. He melted the lead from out of the screened dirt pile. He skimmed stuff off that floated to the surface, with a ladle that had a long insulated handle. When it was clean, he fluxed it again and released it into molds to cool. I pulled the chain that dragged the molds into line to receive the molten, cleaned lead. One at a time. We left to wait for it to cool off before dumping the molds out and stacking up the lead. He periodically hugged or otherwise embraced me, apologizing for the nonexistent rules of the game I was learning how to play to win.

   I didn't hold any of what he said, or indeed anything further he might one day say in the course of all this… against him. I couldn't. He was a hundred percent right. He needed to get things across to me, things I needed to know. He clearly didn't like or enjoy saying those things to me, it was just the reality of things. I had asked for something, and he gave in and agreed to give it to me. Some women felt spoiled if they got for instance a Mercedes, or whatever creature comfort they wanted that made them feel special. A guy that can give them what they ask for, typically will. He balked at first, but when I was clearly serious? He gave me what I asked for. Well, he's still in the process of giving it to me, but still. I always point out, how strange my life is.

   This was my present.

   We walked a little on one of the camp trails to talk some.

   "So. Merry."

   "Hmm…"

   "Not that we're going through it, but. Just in case we are? I figured we're at the point that we could get some early preparations going."

   "A real start, huh."

   He sighed, but with a little thin smile. Not a fun smile, the other kind. He had a dropped face. I gave him my signature go to mask, one corner of one lip curled up a little. My dropped face otherwise back at him. If anyone saw this moment, they would see that we both had monster faces when we dropped our masks that we wore so as not to alarm the general public and many of our friends and acquaintances.

   "The beginnings. Sure."

   "How do we start, then."

   He quoted Sun Tzu. It had been my lost Wizzy's main bible. One gift from his oracle, to him. Panic had been mentored down at the equator during the equator nonsense, by Little Robbie. His oracle had given him the same gift. I already had my own copy. I inherited it when Wiz's will letter directed his father to treat me as his wife and give me his belongings.

   "An enemy prepared for? Is an enemy already beaten. An enemy unprepared for? Is victorious. Tell me what you think that means."

   I shrugged.

   "We need to know everything we can about him."

   "Correct. Where is he. Where was he. Where does he typically go. When does he go here or there. What days, what times. Schedules, even rough ones? Allow you to choose your ground and time. Which leads to another rule of war."

   "Which is…"

   "Choose your ground wisely, anytime you can. You want to fight on familiar terrain, preferably where the enemy is unfamiliar. Its an advantage to know the terrain. If they bolt and try to hide? You can maybe predict where they go, or even spook them and that's where you're waiting. If you can? You choose where. When. How. Everything you can get? You take. All advantages."

   "We want intelligence."

   "We do. We also? Want to get it… as quietly as we can."

   I looked up and out. Thinking.

   "Uncle Mikey."

   He pinched his nose.

   "I was going to ask about that. I have… something I never talk about. The last member of the Dirty Dozen. But you. You went to that dirty town. More than once. You've hinted around before about what went on. You said you… helped. Did you…"

   "I didn't. Someone else did. But yeah. I knew. I helped."

   "Question. How much did… everyone else know."

   "Oh. You know how we never talk about… a certain thing?"

   "Yeah."

   "I guess, kinda like that. I mean, pretty sure everyone knew."

   "Elaborate. We have all the time in the world."

   "I got the feeling, that… I was being felt out. To see if I'd be okay with… that."

   "They trusted you. That way."

   "I guess. It wasn't a quick thing. There were a lot of… little comments? I think I understood the little codes they were talking in, after that."

   "You once told me. That… him. I wasn't the first time, you saw someone deal in bad karma."

   "You don't understand things, until its hindsight. Then? You see it. They all… knew. Now, you remember the night of the Dirty Dozen?"

   "I do."

   "Remember, you and Rob, made jokes. I had to get my hands dirty, too."

   "Yeah. Wasn't really jokes, but yeah."

   "No one said anything, but later on, I realized. Me and my car? Was a plate that if the dirty cops ran the out of town plate, I was… safe. A cover. Just some unknown young girl. But, later on. It was more than that. I always signed for the rental car we switched over to on the way there. They had me sign for the cheap motel rooms we stayed in, on our little trips in, before the last time."

   "It wasn't their first night at the rodeo. They put your plate and your signature all over it. If you had a change of heart later on."

   "I didn't mind."

   "Did they make you get your hands dirty?"

   "Not really, but. I watched as other hands did. I helped."

   "The big question I have. How much did Mike know."

   My turn to sigh.

   "Mike? Was the guy the main FBI agent handling it, went and got at the end. To make it… official. You know Mike's a stagecoach driver. He manages long term cases."

   "His job."

   "Must have been his job even back then. They… at the end? They had a file cabinet in the basement. It was full of… intelligence. At the end? There were reams of… transcriptions. Like… they had been spending all year. Talking to a flipped snitch. Prepared statements. Then? Just before statements were about to be signed… boom. Mike and the two state police walk in. Hey. We were about to close on a quiet investigation, sign statements… and…"

   "And, before the statements got signed… all hell must have broken loose."

   "Yeah."

   "Question. Did… Mike just get brought in, bought the transcriptions and the ready to be signed statements? Or… was he in on it all along, and if not all along? Earlier than the very end."

   "Oh. You're asking, then. What did Mike know, and when did he know it."

   "Basically."

   "Welcome to Washington DC. Turn on any big hearings about any fiasco in that town. That's always the big question, and do you ever really know for sure?"

   "I see your point there. Can you guess?"

   "You know what I know. Mike? Was former military intelligence. He got out quietly, before the spook scandals. The FBI? Recruited a career military intelligence guy that had experience running things quietly. I mean, we both know. Mike? Was working on the Dirty Dozen case, long before even I realized that was what he had me working on. I was the asset? And even I didn't know what the real investigation I was on, was all about."

   "Military intelligence."

   "Yeah. So? Take your pick. Maybe it was all Mikey's idea, to cook up all those… transcripts of the snitch. Have statements that didn't get signed. That? Could have been his whole idea. Or? Maybe they did that, to make it look good when they went and got the stagecoach driver. Hey. Look what we got. Work's all done. Make this official, is this great or what."

   "I'm wondering…"

   "I know what you're wondering. Mike? Is the one that brought you the file, on the one that got away."

   "The more I think about it? That whole plan… doesn't sound like something the MP's that turned into cops came up with. I mean, that whole setup… just reeks of…"

   I finished it for him.

   "Like an intelligence operation. A spooky story behind the scenes. The exact sort of shit it used to be Mike's career, to be good at coming up with. Christ. Assuming that, he called state police and explained the problem he just found. Asked for their best state police investigator available, to come and help sort the big mess out."

   "He… managed his own… operation. Or, their operation. That he may or may not have known what was up. Or… Christ. We'll never know for sure. You have to guess and read between the lines on that kind of shit."

   "Uncle Mikey? He speaks spook. You? You, speak spook. What do you think."

   "Hey. Its your boss. Your handler. Your guess is as good as mine."

   "You speak Uncle Mikey's language. Your guess? Is better than mine, that way."

   It was funny. Classic DC fiasco. Who knew what. How much did they in fact know. When did they know it. Everyone had plausible deniability. There was a whole file cabinet of paperwork. All bullshit, but hey. It was great bullshit.

   He waited. Guessing.

   "Mike would be inordinately useful. He can get information. Quietly. Hell, he could even… design something, that…"

   "Yeah. He could. Its more a matter of… if he would."

   He looked at me, wagging his head slowly.

   "How do I even ask him something like that. What if he freaks."

   "We do the math. Mikey knew you were up there with me behind the bar that night. He knew, before he knew. He brought you that file on the one that got away. You going to tell me, he didn't know exactly what you'd want to do about it?"

   "It was… a convenient loose end to tie up."

   "Well?"

   "Merry. This, isn't a loose end. This? Is personal. Its not work. Its…"

   "Panic? Honey."

   "Yeah."

   "Who brought us the file. He recorded it off the computer screen, so there's no record of it. He even said that he called the guys PO, to lean on him."

   He calculated for a short moment.

   "You think, that's like… not the go ahead, but…"

   "You were there. He could have met with me privately. When's the last time he dropped a file, that was recorded off of the computer screen like that. Hmm?"

   "The loose end."

   "That's what I'm thinking. You want me to guess between the lines? I'm guessing. And my guess? Is that he figures you'd be the one to handle it. Its what went on last time."

   "You ever notice something? Uncle Mikey… knows what's going to go on, before it ever happens."

   "He ran military intelligence before the bureau recruited him to do it for them. Really when you sit and think about it? It would be more shocking, if he didn't."

   Naturally the next game? Became to figure out exactly how to bring this all up to Uncle Mike. While we were sitting around discussing this very item, we got a different text in. We were sitting up in bed, backs propped up on pillows. In sex afterglow, waiting for sleep to slowly settle in. Satisfied little smiles on our dopey little faces. If I can't feel love correctly, I can sure feel sex and what's more? The mechanics and chemistry of love I feel just fine.

   Panic wondered about the text beep aloud.

   "Is that speak of the devil?"

   I glanced.

   "No. Devil's little buddy. Junior."

   "Tell him I said hi."

   My thumbs worked the screen keyboard.

   "I am. He had a couple days. He went and checked on Little Lightning's work computer."

   "Anything there?"

   "Said he… threw two more hard drives on her… drive bank."

   He shrugged.

   "Normal."

   "And. He's stopping in."

   "Tonight?"

   "No. Tomorrow night."

   He answers to JG or Junior. He's like family. Young FBI agent that was sort of the young assistant agent to the senior agent that Panic and his state police friend used to get their big case they had at the time moving with the FBI. It had Panic staying in DC, put us together in downtown, and led to… basically us. JG ended up being instrumental for a young agent on both the main case, and the side case with me. He's a technical whiz and computers and networks and cameras are his domain. Him and Panic are like two peas in a pod with technical stuff. Uncle Mikey sort of stole him off of the senior agent that wasn't moving him up much, and his career at the bureau took a new and steady pace after Mike found him and appreciated him.

   JG's more or less like family. When we set Light up with her cutting house little business, JG gets a few bucks under the table on the side, checking on her computer network that feeds the video editing stations.

   I work a couple days a week at the local biker bar. Hey. What else would I do for a part time job. I generally open up and do the day and early afternoon shift. One of the other girls does the night shift on my days. If you want to buy a sack of weed? Stop in early on my days. Now, you want small sales of some coke? Well, that's her gig. I should be back around or after JG gets in if his schedule's his usual.

   "In other news…"

   I asked him what that meant.

   "Should we talk about your new friend?"

   I giggled.

   "Which one. I have so many."

   I know what he probably means. Some new girl in town has been giving me the raspberries. I honestly try to be nice about things, and I've been avoiding dealing with her. I have a reputation with the bikers to uphold. I don't want to have to physically hurt her. If it gets to the boys what's going on though? It'll look weird if I don't "handle it" my normal way I deal with such things. If or its looking more like "when" it finally comes down to it? She's going to get thrown around or a little more. I've dropped a few hints. Marnie says she just about drew her a picture what could happen. She's not good with hints, or its her plan. Neither one is going to come out good for her.

   Near as I got figured out? She's new. She just blew into town one day late in winter. She's one of those… workout girls. She's not a female body builder, but she's not a model either. I call them "fitness models", but I think the technical term is bikini competition. Instead of having a bodybuilding competition, they all get in bikini's and pose and everything in the same fashion. The girls get "points" for fitness, but unlike in bodybuilding, they get points for the obvious attributes male judges would award girls in bikinis. The better looking, the better fitness level? The better they score.

   I'm not impressed. I ran across her at a gym club not far away. I just grin and bear her. I don't know, near as I got figured, she's set her sights on putting me in my place or some shit like that, to improve her social standing. I'm sure she thinks she's big news, but honestly all she's gonna end up is embarrassed or hurt. Maybe both if the course of this doesn't change soon.

   The chief's breaking in a new part time young cop, and she seems to have picked up quick with him. Quiet young kid, seems okay. The chief likes his couple local flatfoots under him to act a certain way, specifically quiet, polite and helpful to all the locals. Its not a small town, its a tiny town. And, its a hunting town. Everybody knows everybody. Chief's big about "attitude", and specifically big about his cops not having attitude. While working or off duty, either one.

   Panic's relating he doesn't like the "looks" the new cop's been giving him and me from across the diner during breakfast ritual. He has kind of a sixth sense about that stuff. I wrapped it up with one of those "we'll see, won't we" kind of deals. Then? I got nestled down into his neck to get my first 4 hour somnambulism shift in. Sleepy time.

   We got up early. My mood's lifted now, that we took the first steps towards getting what I think of as my present. Its my present all the way around. Its in a way his present to me, and its also my present to myself. Its… the present.

   The diner ritual went normal, but for something new. The occasional dirty looks my "new friend" gives me and now us? Has the additional glances from her new quiet cop she's obviously picked up with.

   "Hey hun. Don't look now. Here comes the new guy."

   "Aw. He's a quiet kid. Probably wants to smooth this out before it gets going."

   "That would be nice."

   Yeah, it would be, wouldn't it. Wow. Like a whole new quiet young kid. You can see it in his body language walking over. All… seeming confident. There's nothing like throwing a girl into the male mix to see the boys change immediately. Really. You can have a group of guys all hang out, and things get normal. You suddenly throw just one girl into the mix? You can see the boys start acting different, and they don't even realize they're doing it. All of a sudden, the guys start razzing each other. Guys that normally don't? Start. Or they start razzing guys they normally wouldn't do it to. Take the girl out of the equation? They all instantly start acting normal again.

   "Hi guys."

   He looked up, and smiled nice. Most guys give you that nice warm smile? It indicates everything's swell. Not him though. It could be, it might not. He'll smile right up to the point things go bad. New kid doesn't know that. Pretty sure she's heard about me around town. Him? New young cop. Not like Panic's hard to learn about the same way, particularly being around the cops. He's the male version of me that way. Really quiet, really nice, really polite. Not to be taken lightly, though. Wonder if the kid's going to smooth things over, or maybe take his cop uniform out for a spin. Lets see.

   "You're the new guy. Louie, right?"

   "Lou's good."

   "Well? Sit down, Lou. Bring your friend over. Never really met you much yet, just hello and goodbye at the doughnut shop a few times. Take a load off."

   Guy diplomacy. He's being extra friendly. If this new kid wants to smooth things over easily? He's making it really easy for him to do it. No harsh words. No lost face.

   "Yeah. No. We have to have a talk."

   Great. He's acting stiff and formal. That military and police thing they all have and can show. Panic shuts that off around most people. The new kid? Turning it on now.

   "Okay. About…"

   He glances back at his own table, where she's sitting there. Little shit eating grin on her face. I can read another girl like a book, like I even need my psychology degrees to do it. She's started a problem with me. I'm a much bigger girl. I don't give her points she thinks she's entitled to by dieting and lifting little weights to "compete" prancing around in a bikini for older male guys to ogle and "judge" the girls doing the strutting. I played sports at a big ten mid-west university. I ran girls like her over for a job for years to pay my way through a top school. For my career? I rode around with a national enforcer and handled the girls while he handled the guys that needed handling. I'm honestly not impressed with some little girl has a hobby of wiggling 15 pound dumb bells around, acting like she's really something for it.

   "Stuff."

   "Stuff, Louie? Stuff. Come on. Why don't you two sit down, we'll all have breakfast. Talk nice. The girls can talk nice, maybe make up. Maybe… agree to disagree and stay out each other's hair. Me, you? We can see they work it out nice. Hell. We get to know each other, too. Why can't it be a good deal. For everyone."

   "Yeah. We'll all have a nice little talk. Privately. I'll stop by soon, so we can have our little talk."

   "Louie? I'm going to say this, and I'm going to say it quietly. Lean down here, I don't like to broadcast…"

   Lou did lean in a little, curious to hear it. He did it very quietly, so no one else could hear.

   "Look. I got a little… crystal ball. I'm going to say this real quiet and polite. So there's no lost face. You? Can go back over there, and tell your little girlfriend, how you told me how it is, and you can act like the man. Go on. Doesn't affect me any. I'm fine with that. I want you to enjoy it. Now. That? Is the nicest I can possibly be. But, that crystal ball. Louie? I'm the nicest guy you'll ever meet, under normal circumstances. Now. Am I not my brother's keeper. I'm giving you, what you want. My free advice? Just take the gift, and take the win. Go on, I meant what I said. Go back, and act like you told me off, and how you handled it. All I ask? Is that you handle her, and keep her, out of my girl's hair. Louie? Now that? Is a really good deal. I mean, I'd take that deal. Makes you look good. And I want you to look good out of it. Now. You can take my generous offer. My gift, to you. Please? Take the gift. Don't go down this road you're started down."

   He stood up, and smiled. Shrugged. Acted smug and nodded.

   "I'll be stopping by. Soon. And its Lou. Not Louie."

   "Hey Louie? Stop by without your uniform on, if you go that route."

   "Sure thing, bud."

   And, he walked off, again all smug and proud of himself. When he was out of earshot, Panic wiggled his head.

   "Well? There we go. I tried to be nice."

   "You think he'll stop by and try anything?"

   "Eh. Flip a coin."

   "I thought you already brought this up to the chief once."

   "I did. Chief was nice, and just made a little joke out of it. That was before her latest chess move she just pulled, though. I'm sure she thinks she sleeps with the new cop, she gets all kinds of special shit out of it."

   "Well? I guess mention it to the chief. Before he stops by."

   "Yeah. I'll stop in early for coffee and donuts soon, I guess. I'd rather the chief handles it. Its his new kid and all. Let the coach handle his own players, you know?"

   "Its a plan."

   On the way out, he casually walked past Lou and her at their little table.

   "Nice seeing you, Louie. Stop out anytime. Ma'am…"

   And we were off. The small town soap opera continues, and we got our own things to do.

   Its spring and its early yet for this, but we started working on the pool. Panic's one of those handy guys, and he's not the only handy one around the range him and his club frequent. He found a "pool package" for sale. Someone had ordered a pool package, and opted to either put it in themselves, or hire guys to do it. Out of the ground, but it came with some extras. The big extra size aluminum deck, and wraparound aluminum walking deck going 360 around to meet with the other, extra big aluminum deck on the other side.

   Normally, a 30 foot across circle is about the biggest out of the ground you normally get. You can special order other widths and depths though. At 48 feet across? This is one of the bigger special order pools. I guess normally, you wouldn't want a secondhand pool package like this. They sat around too long, parts might not all be there, they might have tried to start it and ruined things. No telling. He went and checked it out though, it was still all wrapped up in thick plastic on the shipping pallets. Him and the boys took two weeks late last summer, and got the thing in and humming.

   Now? We had trouble locating a pool cover for winter. So, its a 50 foot green pond right now, with some sticks and old leaves and all like that. He's in a wet-suit because its still icy temperature water this early in the season. He's getting a head start if we get hot weather sooner rather than later. I actually took my wet-suit off and decided to have a cold jump in. I can remember the first summer and fall we spent here, in the cabin. Jumping in the cold creek for a bath or to cool off.

   I get little flashes of emotions and feelings here and there. Fleeting, but to me its a rare special treat. I guess its like being in a dark house, all the lights off. No streetlights outside. Every once in a while? A car with headlights on drives past, and momentarily lights up the house through the windows. Its bright, but its quick and it passes as quick as it comes. And that's what I get now and again. Little flashes of emotional light in my otherwise dark world that way.

   Taking my wet-suit off and jumping in the icy green water? Gives me one of those little headlight passes. I remember and associate being in cold water with him, and it triggers a flash of it. We kept up jumping into the creek late in the season just for the quick bath, after it became far too cold to swim in it. As cold as I am now, I'm momentarily warm inside, just for a little flash of light. My skin erupts with goose flesh, my nipples do their thing. Odd that I think of flashes of real emotion that I can feel as headlight beams momentarily passing over my dark house I live in. He's making headlight jokes. I've got my arms around him, and I'm shivering. I'm curious how much cold water I can take for some kissing and making out, before I have to get out and get my wet-suit back on. Jokes now, are about keeping the hypothermia victim warm, and how best to warm me up.

   Wow. Just as I'm looking forward to maybe getting taken into the cabin for a quickie, again to warm up the hypothermia victim and save her life the fun way? Here comes coitus interrupt-us. Hey, Louie. Thanks for ruining my moment. Louie apparently decided Panic's nice offer was I guess he took it for a sign of weakness. He played the young cop role, Panic offered him a great deal. He acted quick on it. Couple hours.

   He smiled and waved all friendly like to Lou approaching from where he parked his car. Personal car, not a cop car. Civilian clothes, not the uniform. He's walking up slow, he's got that smug walk and look now. He whispered to me quietly out the side of his mouth.

   "Yeah. Here we go. You? Stay out of this. Get this recorded, in case it goes sour. And stay out of it, would you?"

   I got out and dried off. I went and sat at the little picnic table the boys put up here at the pool. His body language is all wrong for this going good.

   "Mr. Panic? This is going to be a short talk. In fact? I'm gonna do the talking. You? Just shut the fuck up, and do the listening. You got that?"

   "Well. If you say so. Louie."

   "Its Lou. Not Louie."

   "Whatever."

   Lou's first shot? Playing the role, acting confident. Panic's first salvo back? He's acting like its not a big deal. Calling him Louie even though the kid keeps correcting him? Is Panic being dismissive of him. He's hinting he's not scared, and Lou ain't picking it up or he's pretending not to.

   "You don't make the offers. I make the offers. I've been asking around. And… her? Biker gang babe. This shit ain't gonna fly with me. I'm a cop. I'm in charge. Not you. Your cunt sitting right there? Is a member of a criminal organization. She's intimidating and threatening a civilian. And I'm not putting up with this shit. That straight enough of an offer for you? Mr. Panic. Like I said. It'll be a short talk."

   Panic had been doing something strange. He'd been furrowing his brow. Turning his head back and forth. Acting like he's putting his "good ear" to better hear him talking, standing next to the pool addressing him in this cock sure manner he's using.

   "The fuck's your problem, bud. You got wax in your ears?"

   "Um. Actually, Louie? Water. This water's ice cold. I'm working in it, cleaning this damn thing out getting ready for the pool season coming up here at the range. Been on this a couple days now, I got water in both ears. I think I caught most of your little speech, but… if you could speak up? I'd appreciate it."

   Like an asshole, and he is in asshole mode now. Throwing his weight around. He repeated the little speech, a good bit louder. Because hey, the guy said he has water in both ears, and is having trouble hearing him. He repeated the speech. I'm chuckling. He's not on the pool for days, this is the first day. He doesn't have water in his ears. I'm thinking he wants him to say it louder, to make sure my phone gets him loud and clear, issuing his threats. But now that I think about it? That's only half of it. I'm starting to think now, he's luring him to come closer.

   "Louie? I made a really generous offer. You, well… you seem like you're turning the nice way down. Seriously? This… is your counter-offer. I get that. Negotiations. But. All I'm hearing? Is that you don't like it. Which is cool. Free country and all. So? You don't have to like it. You know, all I heard was a bunch of whiny shit. Which is neither here nor there to me, really. Now. You said your piece. I'm going to make you the same, very nice, very polite, very generous offer. Same deal as before. You came out. You put your little whiny spiel through you. Great. We did this privately, no harm no foul. You can go now, you did your thing you think you have to do. You can still have the nice deal, Louie. Go back, tell everyone how you told me how it is. And take the win. That would be the smart thing. Or… are you not going to just whine and complain. Maybe… you'll issue some kind of actual threat? Or… you just going to stay with that whining. I'm curious."

   He looked shocked. I guess as a cop playing his role, he's used to getting his pecking order out of wearing his uniform. With his bluff called? He can back off, or take the bait. Yeah. He's taking the bait and doubling down on his stance. He starts yelling. Pointing at him. Pointing over at me. Calling me the "biker cunt" several times.

   "We're not negotiating! I'm telling you how its going to be, from now on! She so much as looks at her sideways? I'm going to cuff her and run her in! I'm going to put her in county! I'm not putting up with this biker cunt bullshit! I? Am the cop! I'm in charge, not you! Not her and her biker buddies! That clear enough for you, asshole? Am I getting through the water now? Huh?"

   He lost his cool. He took the bait. And? He got too close. Close enough to jab Panic in the chest with his first two fingers, to punctuate his threats and try to intimidate him. Panic smiled. Then whipped his hand up and got it around the back of his head, and yanked him over the side of the out of the ground pool and the little walkway crowning the top of the side, violently. He shoved his head underwater. I honestly wasn't expecting that.

   With his feet off the ground and his head under the icy green water, he had no purchase of any kind. He started naturally flailing, and ended up clambering over the side and in the pool completely, to try to get his feet under him to get free. I doubt he's going to win this. I walked over to see how it was going. His face was blank, his body language non existent. He had him doubled over, holding his head down low. When he tried to get his legs under him? He stepped to the side of his struggling and wrapped his arms around the closest leg and his neck both, drawing tight. It kept him doubled over tight under water, prevented his legs from accomplishing anything. It also didn't take long for his movements to grow quite feeble.

   When movement stopped, and a couple big bubbles came up? He let him go. He immediately shoved him out of the pool, to crash onto his shoulder and lay in a cold wet heap. He immediately started coughing up water, and making spastic slow movement. While he laid there getting his bearings, Panic walked across the pool and came up with something. I guess he tossed the guy's gun out of his waistband before he could react. He dropped the clip into his hand, thumbed off the clip's contents, and cleared the chamber before tossing it and bouncing it off his ribs to land next to him.

   He sighed as he quite calmly climbed up and out the pool, then went across the big aluminum deck and down the main ladder. He got him up and moving, and bodily dragged him to his car. The girl was sitting in the passenger seat, clearly shocked. He bodily shoved him into the seat, and smiled and waved at her as he walked back before giving his parting shot. He tossed the gun into his lap through the open window.

   "Ma'am? Negotiations are now concluded. The gun's unloaded. Just don't want him doing anything really stupid. I want both of you? To have a nice day now. When he gets his shit together? You can tell him. My original offer? It still stands. I'm going to suggest? One more time. Why not do things the nice way, you know? And again. Have a nice day. Bye, Louie. Its been real, its been nice. Just ain't been real nice. Ma'am? You don't have a thing to fear from me. I wouldn't lay a finger on you. I don't hit girls. But me and her? We've been trying to keep you from getting hurt. Gonna ask you nice, one last time. Stop the shit."

   He walked back and more or less dismissed them. The car eventually started up and took off after a short time. We sat at the picnic table.

   "You get all of that?"

   "Yeah."

   He sighed.

   "I guess email the movie to the chief. Its his ball game. Let him handle it."

   The chief didn't waste any time once I sent him the movie. He appeared out at the pool in short order. Not like he didn't see the pool in the movie clip, and we were still here. He just sighed, and sat at the picnic table.

   "Merry. Panic. Can we have a talk?"

   I shrugged and sat down with a towel around my shoulders. Panic came out dripping in his wet-suit and stood to drip dry a little before he slogged into his picnic table bench seat, to be across from the chief.

   "Official talk, chief? Or…"

   The chief gave a wan little smile.

   "Not like I'm planning on arresting you. Now, him?"

   He indicated his own phone.

   "Dick-head's lucky I don't put him in cuffs for shit like that, Christ almighty. Honestly? I picked him for the next part timer, specifically cause I thought he had his shit together. Good looking young kid, all quiet and polite. Now? This bullshit. The hell."

   Panic shrugged, and upended his palms, appearing apologetic.

   "Anything I need to know, that ain't in the movie?"

   "You know what I know, chief. New girl. I don't know what her problem is with Merry. Keeps giving her the shits. She's been avoiding getting into it with her. Now? Well, you see where we're at."

   "Christ. I wish you could have brought this to me a little sooner. Before…"

   "Yeah. She picked up with him quick. This morning at the diner? He gave me a little speech. Said he wanted to have a private talk. Honestly? I didn't know it was going to be a couple hours later. My plan, was to come in early for donuts at morning shift change, let you know where we were."

   "How did the diner go. I'm afraid to ask. No one said anything."

   "This new attitude of his? Came out of nowhere. I guess right around the time he picks up with the new girl."

   "Christ. This happened quick."

   I tapped my phone a few times. The chief's phone beeped.

   "What's that…"

   "The diner talk this morning."

   "Oh."

   The chief watched and listened. He tapped his phone gently in his other palm a few times. Thinking. Deciding.

   "I'll handle this. You two mind stopping down the station anytime soon? And before you ask, you don't need a lawyer. I'm pissed, but I'm not mad at you two."

   "When do you need us there, chief?"

   "You need any time to… get finished up here? Maybe… dry off and get a change of clothes? Anything like that."

   "Opening the pool up, can wait. We'll be right out. Within the hour work for you."

   "Yeah. I ain't putting up with shit like this. Thought I made myself clear from the get go on that count. I ain't waiting around to see where this clown act gets to next. I'm putting a stop to this. Pronto…"

   The chief picked up his phone, and called someone. It wasn't hard to guess who he placed the call to, on speaker.

   "Steve."

   "Yeah, chief."

   "Hate to bug you on your personal time. Do me a favor?"

   "What you need."

   "Call all the boys. On duty, off duty. See if you can get them all down the station without too much trouble, would you."

   "Me too?"

   "Yeah, you too. We need to have a little… education seminar. Actually? I want you to go and put eyes on the new guy. Louie. Keep your eyes on him, until we have a little talk. Okay? He's either at his apartment, or… that new girl's place. Check both. Bring her down, too. Don't take no for an answer, but don't put cuffs on anybody. That okay?"

   Steve sighed audibly.

   "I'll get on it."

   "Thanks."

   Not quite an hour later, there we all were. Every cop but one, me and Panic both, the new cop Lou and the little bikini fitness girlfriend. Steve was sitting by the new cop, true to the chief's instructions, kind of chaperoning him.

   The chief walked in, and didn't miss a beat.

   "All right. Everybody? Cram into my office. You get a seat? You get a seat. Rest? Standing room only. I'm doing this one time, I'm not fucking around. Let's go…"

   We all piled in. The chief wasted no time.

   "All right. I see everyone, except… Joey…"

   Steve volunteered that one.

   "He's… visiting his grandma, chief."

   "Right, right. Well? That's fine. Steve? Just fill him in on what he misses. Never really had any problems with Joey off the top of my head. Okay?"

   Steve shrugged.

   "Sure thing, chief."

   "All right. Lets get this show on the road. This time around? I'll do pretty much all the talking. Everyone? Can just mainly do the listening. I need something? I'll ask you. Everyone clear on that?"

   Everyone either nodded or said something low. And either the chief was imitating Lou's language from the movies to tease him? I'll talk and everyone listens. Or? Equally possible that Lou picked it up off the chief. Imitating him to act like he was in charge. Flip a coin.

   "All right. You regular guys? This ain't directed at you. I just want you here, to kind of let Lou here know, this is my normal way to handle shit like this. Now, before we even get into it? Lou. What did I tell you, what do I keep telling you. Was… I in some way unclear about what I want? I don't think I left a lot up to interpretation. Now. Just to make sure. Guys? Am I not the chief?"

   No one could argue with that one.

   "I am the chief. And that means? I'm in charge. That also means, that I bear the responsibility for what everyone does. Not just the cops, the civilians too. I'm the poor asshole that has to answer for it all. To the mayor. To the council members. Hell, to the whole damn town if shit gets out of hand. Now… honest to god himself, I always thought I was really clear on a lot of stuff. Apparently? Not clear enough. Now. Every problem, has to get started somewhere. Merry? That would be you, and the little Missy here. I mean, its been kind of cute, shits and giggles up to now. Merry? Whats going on. In your words."

   "Uh. I really don't know what the issue is. I get the shits from her. Don't know really what the problem even is. The more I try to ignore her? The more she keeps it up. Been honestly trying to avoid her, I don't want the hassle."

   "All right. From what I know of you? You're easy to get along with. You. Little girl. The fuck's the main problem here. Everyone I talk to about this little situation? Impression I get, and that's nothing official, mind you. But… you don't like her. There some reason you can give me I'll understand it? Come on. Give me something. Or, you two just don't get along. Hey. Wouldn't be a first for any small town. Some people? Just like oil and water. Little girl? You're on. Give me some concrete problem, to go on here. Would you…"

   She started and stopped several times, and ended up more or less stammering and babbling under her breath and rolling her eyes.

   "Yeah. Nothing you can put into words. You? Just don't like her. That about it?"

   She gave some him and haw, and the chief cut her off softly again.

   "Sounds like a yes to me. So. Two girls, just don't get along. Hey. This goes on all day and night around here. Who cares. Its just entertainment, for the most part. Now. I gotta tell you, Missy. Merry here? She's lived here a while. Really, ain't been a lot of problems for the most part out of her. You? You been here, a little over a month or two? All of a sudden, I got problems. Wanna guess which way I'm leaning, on who the problem is? Don't answer that. Its rhetorical. However. We just went from entertaining, all shits and giggles? Now, we got a serious issue. Which brings us around to you, Lou. What do you have to say for yourself, about what went on earlier today. Hmm? Come on. Wow me with it."

   "Shut up. You sound like her there. You're mumbling, and you're not telling me anything. Lou? I want you to watch a little movie on my cell phone here…"

   He watched it and went to hand the phone back. It was his little performance in the diner this morning.

   "Keep it. Watch the next video. Go on."

   It was the entire proceedings from him pulling his car in, until he was thrown back into his own car, and politely told this wasn't a bright idea.

   "Lou? What am I missing here. Please, tell me what I don't know, that I might need to know. Cause here's what I got, so far. I got a girl that lives here. Really hasn't caused any problems. I got a new girl blows into town? All of a sudden, I got a cat fight brewing with the new girl, and Merry that lives here and gets along with everyone. That's all well and good, god bless. But all of a sudden? Near as I got figured, she starts tugging on your prick, and all of a sudden… I get this horseshit. I want you, to explain to me. What her tugging on your prick the last couple days, has to do with this shit I'm seeing. And, this better be good."

   "Mumbling. You know why? Because you kinda know, this is the exact sort of shit? I won't tolerate out of my officers. I'm going to make a list. Right off the bat. You had zero problems with the whole cat fight situation? Until she started tugging on your little prick for a couple days. Then… where's your cop cam video of whatever real problem there is. Were you doing something official, for work? Where's the logged call. Since when, do we go to people's private property, and start screaming and insulting civilians, poking them in the chest. Well?"

   Nothing.

   "Then? You're not working. I heard you on the video. I'm the cop. I tell you how its gonna be. I'm in charge here. Well? News flash, Louie. You? Ain't in charge. I am. I'm the goddamn chief. You? Honestly, you're not even a real cop here yet. You? New part time hire. You? Are still on probation! You're a glorified mall cop security guard, until you're off probation! Lou? You ask any one of these boys here. Hell, go around town and ask anyone you feel like it. I don't conduct secret police shit here. This shit on my phone? This, is the exact sort of bullshit, I don't want or need here! We're on great terms with the civilians in this town. They? Do over half the work for us! There's a problem? Someone comes running and tells us about it! If anyone sees someone doing kinky shit? Again, they come and tell us! You go pulling shit like this a couple more times? You'll fuck the whole goddamn system up royally, we got going on here!"

   "Which bring me right around to another thing. Little girl? That thing, is you. Until someone tells me otherwise? Things were fine, until you showed up. Now, its a free country. I ain't gonna give you the… I'm gonna run you out of town speech. Why? Its illegal, I don't do that kind of shit. But, I gotta tell you, honey. You? Are looking to be the whole problem. The start of the issue, and keep making it worse. If you really wanna get into it with Merry here? Gotta tell you, I don't recommend it. I mean, try it out, see how it goes. From what I know about her? You piss her off, you better bring a lunch. You're gonna be there all day. If I had to make a bet? I'll put twenty on Merry. Call it my hunch."

   "And another thing, Missy. I'd tell you to not try this shit with any of my officers again, trying to get them to fight your battles for you, cause you're tugging on their little prick? But, again… though I'd like to… I just can't tell you that, so… fuck whoever it is that's dumb enough to let you get them into deep shit. But, I can and will tell you this. You? Seem to be the start of the problem, and the whole problem keeping it going. So… if you keep this shit up, and Merry rips your head off your shoulders? I don't know what to tell you."

   "Back to you, Louie. I mean, where to begin. You initiated the conflict. You continued the conflict. You deliberate provoked a problem. You invoked police authority, that you don't even have. Can you cuff and pick someone up in town, if there's a serious problem going down? Sure. But, you better have a damn good reason. And like I told you from day one. My officers? Don't just file charges when they feel like it. I do. I'm in charge. I'm the one responsible."

   "Louie. That's not me being an asshole, you're the new guy, you can't file charges. Hell, ask Steve here. He's the guy been here the longest, he's my right hand man. Hell, I go on vacation and leave town? Steve, is acting chief while I'm gone. And? Even Steve doesn't file charges. Only me."

   "Now then. That bring me up to the whole… what did you call her? A… biker cunt, was it? Some shit like that. Let's get that clear, too. Do we have a biker gang that has their own bar just on the edge of town? Sure. I gotta tell you, its not illegal. To own Harley's. To wear funny jackets. And as weird as you might find it? I don't have as many problems out of those boys, down at their own bar? As I have with the rest of the civilians! I get less fighting calls down there, then I do at the regular watering holes! I don't seem to have any… stolen bikes, I don't have a string of assaults and bodies turning up, I don't have a bunch of… crack or whatever else bikers are supposedly into, in the big city. So? We don't go starting problems for no reason, with them! News flash, Louie! Civilians! You don't get a call? You don't act! And if you do act? I expect a goddamn cop cam video, showing me clearly what the issue even is! Christ almighty, I got civilians that know enough to send me a video of the problem, which right now? Is you!"

   "Do you have any idea, what kind of trouble you could be in right now, if this goes official, Louie? First off, these videos? Look just fucking horrible. This shit gets out? We'll have watchdog groups from here to the end of time giving me shit, about what my officers are caught on video, doing to the civilians. Then? You're a probationary, part time hire! You don't even get the benefit of union coverage yet! That means? No free lawyer to keep your cop ass out of the wringer! And god help me, I'd about have to side against you, based on what I saw and heard on these videos! I mean, simple assault. Conduct unbecoming. Abuse under the color. You can't even claim self defense? Because you initiated the conflict, and continued the conflict! Not even getting into the whole ball of wax, concerning violating people's civil rights. I heard you threaten to arrest and imprison, a civilian? Because your new girlfriend doesn't like her! I'd say you better get your head out of your ass, but you need to get your head out of her ass!"

   The chief sat there fuming.

   "All right. I? Am inclined to just… handle this. Right here, right now. Unofficially. Let's do a head count. Does anyone here, wanna do this the… official way? Merry. Panic… you guys, wanna do anything… official? Or…"

   We both shrugged. I wagged my head no, Panic answered for us.

   "Do your thing, chief. I just… I don't want a… you know, an encore performance, if you catch my drift there."

   "I highly doubt it. You have my apologies, you two. I got a handle on this. I can see I should have gotten a firmer grasp of this sooner, but. I'm on it. If you two wanna go? Have fun. Or? Better yet, if you wanna stick around and do lunch with me? That's fine. This won't take long."

   We sat outside, in the little waiting room. Listening to the chief raise his voice at Lou for a few minutes. He told him his 90 day probation period? Just went to 180 days. And that he has 30 days off, no hours and no pay. He can't be trusted with his badge, and if he catches him wearing his uniform around, he would break his foot off in his ass.

   He yelled at the girl, and told her he's not in charge of her? But god help him until he knows otherwise, she's the problem and she better consider learning to get along with people better if she intends to stick around town. She stormed and pouted like a teenager out the door and went off.

   Steve and the chief walked Lou to the door, and the chief reminded him that if he wanted to? Feel free to resign, and this was unofficial and would stay off his young record. But he should take the 30 days off with no pay, to seriously rethink following the chief's instructions in the future, and that if he does even stay? The chief intended to keep an eye on him, and keep asking around about him and how he interacted with his civilians in the future.

   Then? The other officers left, muttering and giggling, they knew what the chief was like about running things. We went to lunch with the chief and Steve. The chief turned into the wise ass we all knew and appreciated, making off color jokes about the whole situation. I was a little bit late to open the bar up, but no one complained. The boys thought the whole situation was hysterically funny. Wasn't a bad day after all that was out of the way, and what the hell the girl should most likely be a whole lot less of a problem now.

   When I got in after I handed off the bar duties to the night girl? I found Panic and JG sitting around the fire with the couple of range guys in at the moment. Squirrel was coming into season soon and they were mainly going fishing, target shooting some. Doing some skeet to get ready for squirrels. Junior only had one beer, and seemed to mainly be on iced drinks the whole night. He's not a big drinker anyways, but I thought he was a little not like himself. A hair more business like, than relaxing around the fire would generally get out of him. After the range boys retired to their bunkhouse, he stayed up with me and Panic.

   "All right, guys. First off. Here…"

   Panic grabbed it.

   "What's this."

   "I wouldn't know. Mike? Is busy. Confidential. I was told to deliver it to Panic, or Merry if Panic was unavailable. If you look at the seal? Would one or both of you verify that's Mike's signature, and that it appears to be unopened?"

   Panic looked at it, and nodded.

   "Sure."

   "Great. That's half my job. I don't know what's in there. None of my business. I can tell you? That's not a normal interoffice memo envelope. So? Whatever it is, I really don't care. Mike's been good to me. I did my part. Technically I didn't deliver a sealed envelope. And I won't recall delivering it, when I wake up tomorrow morning. Capiche?"

   "Okay. You said… that was half. The other half?"

   "Well. We're friends, right Panic?"

   "Sure. Great friends, JG. We go back. You need something?"

   "Well. Its personal. Nothing official. Mike asked me, in private? If I'd do him a little… favor."

   "Such as…"

   "Be trustworthy, making deliveries like this one I just made. Both directions, if you ever wanna send him something back. Its not illegal for close friends, to have personal communications, outside of work. And…"

   "And…"

   "I was asked, if I minded. Giving you some… tech help. Of course, I said name it. I mean, again not illegal for one friend, to decide to give technical expertise to another friend, right?"

   "Okay…"

   "I was asked, to get you some… stuff. Toys. I don't know. I guess you wanna… flap on something."

   "What kind of toys."

   "Some IP cams. High res. I was asked to set you up, with your own private little server. Got some GPS trackers, too. If you bring me something to put them in, or… whatever you need. All… one buddy, helping another buddy out. Honestly? None of my business. I'd just as soon not know what it was, anyways. But? Whatever you need. You want some other toys, just let me know. Mike gave me a… debit card. I handled it quietly. Overnight shipping. I had it shipped to an empty apartment. There's no records."

   "I don't know what to say."

   JG shrugged.

   "So? Don't say anything. Really none of my business. You've obviously got your own little side operation going on cooking something up, seeing about something. Confidential, is confidential."

   "Okay. You, uh… gonna loosen up some now? Have a beer."

   "Sure. Everything going all right?"

   "Yeah. Just… looking into something. Like you said, on the side. I mean, it probably won't amount to much. Just checking something out, on the off chance it pans out. I honestly don't plan on it going somewhere."

   "Hey. Good enough for me. You want help, I'll give it to you. You want secure communications back to Mike? I'm trustworthy. And, Panic? Its me. If there's any operational security leaks? It won't come from my end. I got boxes in the trunk, your toy box now. You don't have to sign for anything. You obviously need to watch someone, or something. I'll give you that, and show you how to set everything up. You just tell me where you want the private secure server? That's all I need. I can even run it remote. I got a high security solar powered box, armored to hell and back. Looks like… one of those data loggers, the highway departments monitor road traffic with? Honestly no one gives them a second glance. The fracking companies use them too. If you trust me what state its going in, I can get good looking highway department stickers made up, cute little scrawled signatures that make it look kosher."

   "Remote… server."

   "Yeah. Its basically a couple of those… high speed pucks that give you hot spots? Huge lithium batteries, solar fed. All you gotta do, is watch your hard drives don't fill up, switch out when they get close. Level one RAID, so you can't lose anything even if a new hard drive shits the bed. Its all encrypted, well… it will be? If you say so. Even if someone got a hold of it? They're not getting anything."

   "I'm sure you're curious."

   "Hey. None of my business."

   "Ah. Look, its like this. Mike heard… some crazy allegations. No one honestly thinks there's anything to it. He asked me, if I'd look into it. Quietly. Due to what it is, where it is? When it turns out to be… nothing? No one wants to be embarrassed they checked up on it."

   "I gotcha. Bureau?"

   "No. Outside LEO thing. Another state."

   "I get it. No sense making enemies, when its probably nothing. Makes sense."

   "Yeah. Mike asked me, If I'd handle it, give it the once over. If it ends up anything, which it won't… it was looked into. But… why keep a record of it and make enemies, for most likely, no real reason. Not like I don't owe Mikey a favor or two anyways, so. What the hell, you know."

   "No. Its all good. You need anything? I'll get it for you. Is the clock ticking? I can get started on bringing you up to speed on the toys now, if you want to---"

   "Ah. Nothing like that, Junior. Before the end of the weekend, is fine. Relax. Enjoy the weekend. How's DC treating you, anyways."

   "Its DC. It can be a barrel of monkeys. Now, some days? The monkeys are quite entertaining to watch them go through their antics, you know."

   "Sure, sure."

   "And? Other days… well, monkeys throw shit at you and screech their heads off and bite and scratch you. I mean, its DC. You never know if its entertainment or a shit throwing contest."

   "I remember. I gotta tell you, Junior. I really don't miss DC much."

   JG looked around him at the quiet calm out here in the country, the crisp cool air.

   "Yeah. I could get used to all this. My career, though. At the bureau, they have a saying. There's DC, then there's everywhere else they got a satellite office. I don't mind being the high tech agent, and lord knows ever since I worked with Mike? All good things came to me. I don't know. I told you before, maybe after I put my twenty in, I'll see about an early retirement, PI kinda thing. Just for fun."

   "Hey, man. I got my gun shop, I go shooting and hunting. If that's your gun shop? More power to you."

   "Yeah. And hey, I got over ten more years at least, to locate the PI secretary with big boobs. That's a deal breaker."

   "Eh. I'm sure there's a set of tits out there, with Junior's name on them. You're a good guy, JG."

   "I try."

   Later on that night, we opened up the confidential envelope. Panic looked at it, handed it to me. We both nodded to each other. I said it first.

   "Well? That settles that. We were wondering, how to bring it up with Uncle Mikey, huh?"

   "Once again. Uncle Mike? Knows what's going to go on. Before we know what we're going to do."

   I looked it all over.

   "Not a bad start…"

   "Not at all."

   We had his release dates. His summary of his state prison file. Known associates, what kinds of inmates he seemed to pal around with. Lists of visitors. Family and friends, from before. We knew where he had been released to. Who his PO was, and where we could find him. He had to have his address and phone number and email, all that… on file with his PO.

   Mike had recorded everything off of the computer screen, and printed it out privately at home, off of his digital recorder. No one knew him or anyone else so much as looked, let alone had anything.

   It was a go.

   Apparently? Uncle Mikey thought his "favorite niece" deserved a little Christmas present.