It was exactly as Sam and Gary had described to him. Curiosity pushed him toward it. Standing at the entrance, he looked in and was mesmerized by the striking beauty of twinkling crystal and glowing colors. As much as he was compelled to, he remembered the kid’s story and knew better than to walk into the fatal glow. A soft droning hum like the singing of enticing female mermaids of legends sitting on a rock was beckoning him to his death. It was hypnotic but understanding the danger, he tried with all his strength to dispel the allure. Just as he was weakening and about to comply with the beckoning, one foot off the ground and ready to step in, he was snapped out of it when hearing a voice from behind.
“Looks pretty don’t it Sheriff?”
Snapping out of his stupor, thinking Isaac had finally turned up he took a step back and slowly turned around. He was surprised to see a pistol pointed right at his chest. It was Rick Calhoun and he looked insanely mad. Strapped over his shoulder was a heavy duffle bag. He hissed through an evil sneer,
“I wish you could understand my pleasure at seeing you down here. You cost me a lot sheriff. If it weren’t for your meddling, I’d own the Maple Mall and many houses by now. You’ve pried in my affairs for the last time. Now it’s time for revenge.”
Walter’s eyes slowly lowered and focused on the pistol. To his horror, he saw a tense finger pull the trigger and a bullet tore into his chest. The force of the impact reeled him around and from the waist down his feet fell into the crystal cave. Snapping electrical fingers reached out to feel who had dared enter their domain. Like grasping hands, they prepared to pull him into their deadly trap.
Walter gasped for breath and every effort shot excruciating pain through his chest. Quick short gasps were all he could muster. Rick stepped forward and pressed one foot down hard on Walter’s chest. Breathing was now almost impossible. Rick then bent over and pointed the barrel of the gun inches from his forehead and again snickered,
“A bullet proof vest isn’t going to save you from this bullet Sheriff.”
Again, bulging eyes focused on Rick’s trigger finger and saw it start to squeeze. Walter closed his eyes and thought of Edith. Why didn’t he listen to her? In all his years of duty to Twin Rivers, he prayed she would never have to come to the morgue and identify his dead body. Her grief would be so great he knew he would be able to feel it even in death. This was not the way he wanted it to end. His sadness was not for him but rather for Edith’s grief. Walter’s quickly approaching death had now reached a point where he was supposed to harvest courage and look the inevitable straight in the eye. He was supposed to convince himself that he was not afraid. He was very afraid.
It had been discussed many times between his deputies and among those who risked their lives to protect others. When shot in the head would the victim still have enough life left to hear the gun shot? With eyes closed, he heard the shot and the question was answered. Strange that he didn’t feel the pain though. There should have been a flash of pain. Something wasn’t right. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Rick on the floor in a pool of blood but at least it was not his.
Slow eyes drifted over to see Isaac running toward him with gun in hand. Recognizing the deadly situation of his legs licked by the zapping electrical charges, Isaac quickly pulled Walter out of the cave and out of danger. Bending over to help him up, Isaac seemed almost pleased to say,
“Even with a bulletproof vest, it hurts like a son of a bitch doesn’t it.”
A groan escaped from a painful chest and Walter admitted,
“Yeah, glad to have it on though.”
With Walter now on wobbly legs and doubled over in pain, Isaac added,
“Next time don’t buy the cheap ones okay.”
All Walter could do was gasp and say,
“Okay, just remind me.”
Rick was not dead. Isaac’s bullet tore into the back of his left shoulder and sent him staggering into the crystal cave. His gun skimmed across the floor and was attacked by predatory zaps of plaza bolts as if feeling and wondering what it was. His duffel bag filled with money flew off his shoulder and it too was explored by probing plasma lightning bolts. It started to disappear.
Still on the floor and bleeding, Rick saw what was happening to his fortune and so with desperation borne of greed, lunged after it. Walter turned around just in time to see the fatal lunge and knew what was going to happen but the pain in his chest would not allow a warning to stop. He was not sure he wanted to anyway. Both stood helplessly watching the horrific sight of Rick zapped and lifted off the ground screaming in horrific pain. Then in a flash both duffel bag and Rick were gone.
Although still in great pain and stumbling just a bit, Walter followed Isaac to the elevator. He asked,
“How did you know where I was?”
“I didn’t. When it was time to turn around and come back to meet you, I turned and was shocked to see a solid stone wall right where I had just come from. I followed another tunnel and it led me back here.”
After what Walter had just seen, he had no right to question what happened to Isaac. However, in a very sceptical tone he said,
“So you think you simply walked out of a solid stone wall and into another tunnel.”
Not understanding that he was kidded, he seriously replied,
“Yeah, I think that’s exactly what happened.”
“Sure, maybe you can make me believe that later.”
Isaac was indignant and so countered with,
“Yeah, like what just happened back there made a lot of sense.”
Walter wanted the last word.
“If you tell Edith about this shot to the chest I’ll put you on permanent night duty.”
“Oh, that’s the thanks I get for saving your life.”
“Don’t tell her about that either.”
He then sincerely added,
“Thank you.”
At the elevator cage, just as Isaac was lifting the steel gate, Walter looked down a dark tunnel and saw five small silhouette figures struggling toward them. As they came into the dim light, he saw Sam helping Amina and Gary was having trouble with the two boys. Both men ran forward and helped Gary by grabbing the two boys. Making their way back to the elevator, Walter said to Sam,
“You are struggling a little bit. Let me take the girl.”
Sam may have been weak of body but was strong of determination. She was not polite in her response,
“Amina is my friend. I can save her by myself.”
Chapter 61
Up on the main floor, Collin and Dean were having trouble holding back the mob of determined parents. While many citizens were running around the outside with flashlights looking in dark corners, many were also at the elevator determined to get past the two deputies and down into the tunnels. The Ellsworth parents were screaming, pleading for mercy to let them down and look for their boy. Mrs. Green was right beside them and there was a chorus behind her yelling for the same mercy. Both Collin and Dean had their backs to the cage and starting to sweat. In desperation Dean yelled,
“Get back, let us do our job.”
Collin tried to alleviate the tense situation by pointing outside and saying,
“If they are here, they would be held outside in the sheds. Go and search the sheds.”
Only a few concerned citizens fell for the ploy and ran out into the rain.
Suddenly the hum of the elevator was heard and the wheels started turning. It was on its way up. Dean again yelled,
“It’s the Sheriff coming up. Stand back. Get back.”
When the elevator stopped and the gate lifted high, there was a sudden hush in the crowd. The first out was the Sheriff carrying the Graham boy and the parents charged forward to greet him. There were no words for the looks of relief and joy on their faces. It was the same for Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth and Mrs. Green when seeing their children step forward. In response to the joyous moment, the crowd cheered and clapped their hands.
However, while holding tight to their c
hildren, it only took a second to realize that something was very seriously wrong with them. They were so weak they could hardly stand and their expressions were blank as if not knowing that they had just been rescued. Dark and empty eyes looked straight ahead. The parents looked to Walter for an explanation. Speaking loudly for all to hear he said,
“They are physically okay but have been seriously traumatized. I want the parents to drive them to the hospital for evaluation right now.”
As the crowd made room for the parents holding tight to their child and making their way to the cars, Walter looked to Isaac and said,
“Call the hospital and let them know three trauma victims are on the way.”
“Already on it sir.”
He then pulled Isaac close to him. Through pain and difficulty he said,
“I can’t yell Isaac. Just saying what I did damn near knocked me over. In a nice way, tell the crowd to disperse and go home.”
Isaac took the request to heart. He held his hands high and yelled,
“All right everybody, listen up. It’s over. Thanks for your help this evening but now it’s time to get the hell out of here so we can do some police work.”
With a job well done, the mob slowly left the Factory. Soon a long line of cars was driving down Copper Mountain Road through the heavy rain.
Walter called Ed and Collin over.
“Good work. When we have cleared this area of everybody, because you are both on night duty anyway, I want you to stay here and make sure nobody comes back. I’ll send coffee and sandwiches up for you later on.”
Although not pleased at the assignment, orders were orders and they nodded in reluctant compliance. Walter then phoned the Coroner and told them about the two bodies on level four. The Coroner was given strict orders to stay close to the elevator and the bodies. It was to be retrieval only, not an investigation. He already knew who the murderer was and how they died.
When it was all done and the Factory was clear of civilians and scientists, only the Sheriff and his deputies were left. Edith had driven her truck out of the rain and into the shelter of the Factory. As she stepped out of the truck, she noticed that occasionally Walter flinched in pain. With quick and concerned steps, she marched to him and saw the hole in his shirt looking suspiciously like a bullet hole. She flipped the jacket aside, pointed and demanded,
“What’s this then, a bullet hole?”
Thinking fast and not wanting to cause undue stress to his wife he said,
“It’s nothing. I fell against a steel rod that’s all.”
Not fooled by a lame excuse, for a better explanation she looked to Isaac who was standing beside the Sheriff. Isaac shrugged and said,
“Sorry Edith, he threatened me with night shift for the rest of my life if I told you it was a bullet hole and what really happened.”
When she saw Walter’s defeated eyes lift to the ceiling, a curtain of strength and determination to do what was best for her husband grabbed her tight. She took control and called Dean over. Her tone implied that she was not suggesting or asking but rather giving orders.
“Dean, you are the senior officer here. I’m taking Walter to the hospital in my truck for x-rays of his ribs and possible lung puncture.”
Walter tried to protest, saying,
“Now look here Edith, I still have lots of work here. The Coroner is coming and the place has to be sealed off properly.”
Undeterred, she pointed and sternly demanded,
“Get in the truck.”
Defeated by a greater power, on his way he passed Isaac and cast scornful eyes at him. Isaac smiled.
Chapter 62
At the hospital, it was discovered that Walter’s only injury was his demotion at the hands of his wife. A large bruise on his chest hurt almost as much as the humiliation. After being dismissed from the hospital, it was his intention to drive back up to the Factory but Edith beat him to the driver’s seat and drove home. He was about to protest and blurt out good reasons for returning to the Factory when Edith exercised her dominance.
“You have a good crew. They can look after the cleanup. You are coming home with me.”
He recognized that tone and knew no matter the defence, she would knock it down with cannon fire.
It was just after midnight and the rain had not let up. Walter was in his pajamas and sitting on the edge of the bed when the phone rang. It was Judge Roy Clemens and it was not the late hour that made him irritable. He yelled into Walter’s ear,
“You are finished Walter. I warned you what would happen to your career and pension if you went up there. I tried to be nice about it but you went up there anyway.”
Walter still held four Aces and remained calm. He said,
“Did you also hear that I rescued three children from what amounted to a torture chamber?”
Judge Clemens screamed into the phone,
“That’s not the point. The point is that the Factory was protected property. They had government sanctioned amnesty. You interfered with a top secret National Security project.”
Walter continued with his unconcerned tone, one touching on insolence.
“Although traumatized, with professional help they should recover from their ordeal soon enough.”
The Judge was not pacified and continued his rage.
“I don’t give a damn about the kids. It’s what you did against orders and what you cost the government that I give a damn about.”
Continuing with his tone of indifference, he seemed pleased to say,
“I cost them lots of money I bet.”
And then added,
“Everything worked out well. The children are safe with their parents now”
There was a long pause on the irate end of the line and Walter thought he could hear the judge gasping for air. He didn’t think he would be lucky enough for it to be a heart attack. When gasping had returned to a semblance of normal, Walter heard,
“You fool. First thing tomorrow I’ll be contacting the Governor and he will demand your dismissal. From this point on, you are now just a citizen with no pension.”
He screamed the last sentence.
“You are finished, do you hear me, finished!”
Walter calmly said,
“No, I don’t think so.”
He said it so calmly that Judge Clemens was temporarily stunned to silence. Walter continued in his soft tone,
“Here is what you are going to do. Phone the Governor and tell him I am demanding his so-called National Security boys come and visit the great town of Twin Rivers and seal off all the tunnels in the Copper Mountain mine at State expense.”
Once again, insolence toward the Judge flowed down the pipe.
“Did you get all that Judge, or should I repeat it?”
Stunned, what else could the Judge blurt out but,
“You ignorant fool. You just put a noose around your neck.”
“No Judge, the records I have curtesy of a certain Doctor is a noose around your neck. I also pulled an interesting ledger from Warric’s office listing all the people bribed to keep the kidnapping and torture of children from the public. Do as I say, get the army down here and seal every tunnel and close the Factory down and I might not deliver that book to higher authorities.”
Stunned at the possibility of extortion, the Judge somewhat calmed and counter threatened,
“You just don’t get it do you Sheriff? You are nothing more than a small man in a small hick town. The Factory laboratory and its importance to the security of the country go all the way to the top. There is no higher authority you can go to with your puny little book of bribes.”
Still calm and sure he was holding the best poker hand, Walter seemed pleased to push all his poker chips in and say,
“There is one authority higher than your corrupt office and that is the public. If those tunnels are not sealed and the factory closed forever, I will release the ledger to the internet. It lists the amount of the bribes, to whom and to what sec
ret off shore accounts they were sent to.”
Although Walter did not need to add what he said next, it just felt good saying it.
“Are you still chairing the Governor’s re-election campaign?”
It could not be proven for sure but considering the sudden slam of a phone crashing down hard, he thought the Judge might have broken it. Edith was in bed beside him and said,
“You don’t even know how to put something like that on the internet.”
He knew that. He leaned over, kissed her good night and said,
“No, but I’m betting my office receptionist knows. Do you?”
“You bet your skinny ass I do.”
“My, my, do you kiss all the sailors with a mouth like that?”
As she turned off the light and cuddled into her husband, careful not to touch his chest, she coyly said,
“No, just all the Sheriffs.”
A week later, Judge Roy Clemens suddenly retired from public office and disappeared off the face of the Earth. Walter hoped that he had escaped to some tropical island rather than the ICC or some secret branch of the government permanently closing the book on him. The Governor had promised to run for re-election but at the last minute, he too suddenly withdrew from public office. The last anybody saw of him was at the airport boarding a flight to Switzerland and as Walter thought, to his secret Swiss bank account. Higher up the totem pole, other influential people quietly pulled away from the project or as Edith and her sailor mouth might have said, scrambled to cover their asses.
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