CHAPTER 20

“Thank you for your service Mister Trucks,” Helen said on her phone while sitting behind her desk. She further went on by saying, “if you deliver as promised I can possibly even see too a bonus.” Helen added as an afterthought, “the kind that do not show up on the books. Does that tell you exactly how important this is.”

When the Governor hung up her phone she looked at the man who was sitting across the desk from her. Hal Summers looked unusually energetic today and not the least bit annoyed. He never stopped playing with his hat and that giant chiseled jaw of his never stopped twitching. Helen thought it was a perfect state of mind for him to be in, particularly on a day like this. It more than suited her purposes.

She remained calm and told the Chief of Police, “it would seem that Barbara Reilly has done more than I ever supposed she was capable of.” While Helen’s attitude greatly overstated her confidence in Barbara, it was best that Summers think otherwise. Putting a bur up his ass and reminding him that someone else was capable of his job was a good way to motivate the man who, was more accustomed to serving other people more than he was Helen. “The Rangers have somehow managed to locate and apprehend all of the members of EarthSucks.col.”

Hal snorted in anger, “that’s just down right impossible and you know it Helen.”

Helen flipped the attitude right back in his face, “well they’re on the way to somewhere, right now, Hal. Apparently all of them too. I doubt very seriously she chose a day like this to have a company picnic. The fact is Hal, one of the people on that list is her niece.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Hal replied. “Just another Canadian scumbag.”

Helen went on, “that means Barbara will not hand them over to the Germans. They will shoot those people at the airport if she doesn’t.”

“So,” Hal replied. “We got plenty of people getting shot on the streets, right now.”

“Yes, Gangsters who chose to be in a gunfight,” Helen snapped back.

Hal took his hat out of his lap, stood up, and put it back on his head. He then told the woman, “so what. Whatever they’re doing, I doubt it’s important Helen. Even if it was, who cares. Do you have any idea what‘s going on out there right now. The street gangs are going at each other‘s throats and I don‘t mean just with bullets. They‘re setting fires all over the city. There‘s not a single one of Blake Tippet‘s fireman in the stations! We got more fires than fire trucks! Emergency services are overwhelmed Helen! My duty is to the city first. I don‘t work for you.”

Helen took off her glasses. She calmly stood up and then leaned forward on her fists. After taking a deep breath she told Hal Summers, “ Yes Chief, there is most certainly a lot of gunfire on the streets today and,” she gave a strategic pause and then continued, “Norman Scoggins will undoubtedly be with them.”

Summers checked the time on his phone and then calmly replied, “I’ll have my SWAT teams on the move in fifteen minutes.”

As Summers left her office, Helen mumbled to herself, “and I’m sure Hyrum Kingsley will know in ten.” She put it out of her mind and sat back down. That wasn’t her problem at the moment. She had to make sure all of her bases were covered. She actually stared at the phone for over a minute before she finally decided to pick it up. She hit the button that directly dialed the airfield. Helen was quite surprised when Horst, personally answered.

He actually sounded chipper and even bored, “yes Helen. What can I do for you?”

“I didn’t expect…” Helen put it aside and just told him, “the Rangers have located the people you want.”

He sounded upbeat when he told her, “well that is certainly good news. Once we have taken custody of them you may have your taxpayers back. I am a man of my word.”

“Johan,” Helen pleaded with the man, “all I need is a little more time. They are gathering them in one place. I don’t know how but, they’re on the way there right now.”

That seemed to end his good mood. Helen was not exactly sure what she was hearing but, it seemed as if Horst suddenly became concerned when he replied, “what do you mean, all in one place? Why would they do that?”

Helen exploded, “I don’t know Johan! Why don’t you go there and ask Reilly yourself!”

He threw the attitude right back in her face, “maybe I should Helen! Where are they going?”

Helen was now squirming and debating on what to say next. She finally told the man, “it’s some warehouse not far from you.”

It was quite obvious that the man became even more concerned, even to the point of panic, when he asked his next question, “what’s the address of this warehouse?” When Helen told him, whatever remaining good will he had left was completely gone. He sounded very ominous when he asked his next question. His normally neutral sounding English was covered thick with a German accent, “who else knows about this?”

Helen cracked. She would never admit it to anyone but, she was suddenly very frightened of this man. It was a new experience for her, “um, no one. I promise.” She almost squeaked when she asked her next question, “Johan? What do you plan on doing?”

He was just plain angry now, “Helen, my dear, I plan on killing every last one of them.” He hung up.