Vega's Voice

by Nature9000

After the tragedy, Tori's friends find it difficult to recover while watching the world around them continue to crumble. It is not long before Andre finds that something must be done, and in honoring their memory, starts a movement to combat the that took

Vega's Voice

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: This oneshot continues where "Good Cop" ended, essentially. The statement is still the same, but now I want to show a force rallying for good. Please read this, and enjoy. And if you haven't, you could read the last oneshot "Good Cop turns Dark". That one was emotional, and I hope the emotions carry over here as well. Although, it's not as dark as the last.

---

-LET THE VOICE BE HEARD-

"I should have done something more. Something should have been done…" Andre stood with Beck, Jade, Robbie and Cat, and gazed at the coffin with an American flag draped over it. "A good man, a good family, victims of senseless violence."

Tears poured down his cheeks, moistening his face as he moved his hand up to his forehead in a salute with everyone else. There were three fresh graves lined up to the right-all marking the man's wife and daughters.

A man stood before them, tall and dressed in police formal. As he lifted a trumpet to his lips, Andre slowly closed his eyes. The man played taps, and each sustained note felt like it would throw him into the ground. As he opened his eyes and looked around, there were enough people there to give the impression of the entire city, and not a single man-woman-or child had a dry eye.

Captain Vega had been more influential in his city than he ever knew, and in death, nothing showed more than those in attendance at his funeral. "Why did this happen?" He heard Cat whisper. "Who allowed it to get so out of hand."

"This was what the media wanted." Jade's answer came with a broken sob and hardened voice. "They wanted the people to fight in the streets, they wanted racism to get worse, they wanted people gunning down cops and their families."

"Why? Do they think they're solving anything?"

"In some twisted way, I think they do." David's coffin began sinking into his grave. Somewhere, somehow, Andre knew the man was at peace. After the violent murders that took his family, the man wasn't the same.

Trina and Tori often explained how hard it was for an officer to walk in on a murder scene, but for one to walk in on someone close to them?

Trina had been first, and David discovered her body, the man was broken enough then. Andre discovered Tori and Holly. Tori was the one who texted him, saying there was someone there and she couldn't get ahold of her dad. By the time he got there, it was too late.

Then the media tried to play it off like David was somehow to blame because he was a cop. They even tried to paint him racist against Andre.

He would be forever immortalized as the officer that got one up on the media, however. Andre admired David for what he had done, standing up for what was right by chasing down Reporter Pinchot during a live taping and laying out for the nation to see just how corrupt and nasty of a game the news media was playing.

David hadn't planned on killing anyone, but when cohost Diane announced that the gun he had with him had been empty all along, Andre and the others watching on could feel the sense of despair and utter shock as the man was gunned down by a SWAT officer.

He planned to die all along, just not before his message had been heard.

"People need to be reminded that the police aren't the enemy," Andre said under his breath. Beck, Jade, Cat and Robbie turned to him, each with a somber expression on their face. "White, Black, Mexican, Asian, L..Latina, I don't care. Protestors are rioting, people are literally killing cops now."

Beck turned his head to the sky and his shoulders fell. "Nothing like this has happened through all the 'protests' out there. All the rioting…it's the first time a cop's entire family was attacked. What they did to Trina, to Tori and Mrs. Vega…and now the media pretends it didn't happen."

"Everyone knows it happened," Robbie scoffed angrily, "Everyone that was watching television saw David storm into that studio. They saw him confront Richard Pinchot, they even heard the man say everything was for the sake of sensationalism!"

"That's just it. The media outlets don't want to acknowledge they screwed up. They started something and they created a situation that got out of hand."

Andre narrowed his eyes and closed his hands. "Enough. Let's give them a moment." The others bowed their heads and Andre watched as people began to throw dirt into the hole. His hand moved to his stomach, where a violent storm churned inside. "I might be sick…"

Nothing happened for days, at least not to the friends. Andre, on the other hand, was subject to comments from people that still didn't get it. They constantly congratulated him on surviving a police officer, and it was pissing him off.

Now anytime his grandmother had the news on, he demanded she turn it off, for it was nothing but more police bashing and stories intended to stir up racism. At the head of all the people that seemed to be leading the charge was none other than reporter Richard Pinchot-who amazingly had yet to be fired.

At the cafeteria table, things had been unnaturally quiet. The tense atmosphere had remained so since before Tori's death, when Trina had been the first victim. Tori took out a lot of her anger on them and stopped spending time with them for the week that passed until her own death.

"We cannot keep up like this." Beck slammed his fist down on the table and the others looked sadly at their friend. "Tori wouldn't want this. Trina wouldn't want it, and I'm sure their parents wouldn't either."

Andre studied the empty chair, imagining a thick layer of dust that replaced their good friend. "You're right," he spoke. His voice was calm and quiet, but the others stopped to listen as if his words had echoed in their very hearts. "They wouldn't. We shouldn't mourn their deaths, even Mr. Vega…he went out hoping he could change things. Things have gotten worse, and the media has been attacking the police even more…"

"Not just them." Beck's arms crossed over his chest and he looked to the street with an angry scoff. "Policemen don't wear their uniforms anymore. I used to go to this café once a week and would always be greeted by two sharing their break…I went there the other day, and guess what?"

"What?"

"They're gone." Andre noticed Beck's muscles tensing and a flash of anger shone before him. "The owner said the officers refused to go there anymore because they were receiving threats and statements of 'concern' from patrons that didn't like having officers nearby."

"You think that's bad?" Jade's voice pulled his attention. His nostrils flared as Jade poked her thumb over her shoulder. "At the mall, I saw a police officer trying to help a child find their parents. Well when they found the parent, the kid's mother starts beating the officer with her purse and telling him to stay the hell away from her child…and of course, he takes it. It's not like he could have arrested her."

"Sure. That's assault against an officer!"

"Nope, the media would have made a story out of it. Then you've got the mother who seems like she'd be the type to try and accuse the officer of ill will against either her or the kid."

Robbie was next, delivering his story with a low voice. "My dad saw a clerk at a gas station call the police after a shoplifter took some items from the store. He says the man was asked the race of the person, and when he said the person-"

Robbie lifted his hand up a bit and waved it in the air. "I think Hispanic or something-the police officer responding refused to help and said he'd call a Hispanic officer." Lines formed around the boy's mouth and he exhaled slowly.

"Turns out Mr. Vega was one of the few Hispanic or Latino officers in this area…by the time word got out to an officer of the same race that was actually on duty, it was far too late to salvage anything."

It was grim news indeed, and it was hard to stomach. As Andre continued to focus on Tori's empty chair, a small flame was ignited in him. "We're in a crisis." The others ceased their chatter. Andre took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "The nation is in a crisis. We need to do something-we can't let them die for nothing. Let them be heard."

"What are you saying?"

"Captain Vega tried to start something. By starting something, he tried to end something." Andre rose slowly from the table and walked behind the empty chair. As his hand fell to the top of it, his friends gawked at it. "Nobody's doing anything to stop these riots, these protestors-nobody is even protesting them. No one is getting congress to act, why don't we?"

They exchanged skeptical looks. Beck was the first to acknowledge his suggestion, but with a bit of doubt. "We're close to entering college, how can we possibly start anything?"

"We can, and we wouldn't be the first. Our voices need support and we can be heard-but it wouldn't be our voice." His other hand moved down beside the one on the chair and his fingers gripped it firmly. "It would be Tori's, Trina's. It would be Mrs. Vega. It would be Captain Vega. It would be their voice: Vega's Voice. Our goal? Simple…peace."

Jade laughed scornfully and answered with a doubtful sigh. "People don't want peace. They want to kill the police. They want lawlessness." She rose up and pointed to the chair. Her mascara ran down her cheeks and her angry eyes were shielded by her long, dark bangs. "All their deaths caused was further problems."

"They don't have to die for nothing, Jade. Our goals are simple." He stepped away from the chair and paced to the right a few steps. "We tell the media they're going too far-they lost their impartial ways decades ago. We find a way that we can live in peace with one another…maybe not peace, but cooperation. The people need to be reminded, we're all living on one earth, and it's about time we start treating each other with dignity and stop acting like animals that want to push down everyone else."

Robbie shrugged and glanced at Jade. "I think it's a good idea." She raised an eyebrow at him and he raised his hand up. "I'm in. I'd be concerned though; if the goal is to also quell the riots, they're going to think we're against them. They'll fight us tooth and nail, then we'll be victims."

"Let it happen." Andre narrowed his eyes as the others bowed their heads. Feeling inspired, and envisioning the Vega family in his mind, he raised his voice up with strength. "We're on the same side as the rioters, and we're on the same side as the police, and they likely won't see that at first. We're all that's left to stand up, we're the voice for Captain Vega and his family. Peaceful negation, that's what the rioters forget."

"You're beginning to sound like someone in history," Jade muttered, "But I get your point. The rioters won't be happy when we tell them to stop."

Andre chuckled at Jade's comparison. He knew who she was referring to, but he didn't want to begin thinking himself anywhere near such a person. "No they won't be happy." She crossed her arms and Cat lifted a hand. "Yes Cat?"

"They'll attack us."

"True, but we'll keep going."

"They might go after our families." Jade's eyes drifted to the chair and she took a deep breath. "You…remember what happened to Trina. You walked in on Tori and Holly as well."

"If we continue to stand strong, people will see our cause. They'll understand and we won't give in. Let the Vega's be heard loud and clear, let us be heard. All this violence that's been happening? It's needless. The police can be reformed, but the riots must end. The media must change as well, but we can be respectful of their rights. Respect, peace, and cooperation. That's our cause. We'll need to garner support, but-" His throat caught his breath for a minute and he turned his eyes down to the empty seat. "But let's never forget."

"Then I'm in," Beck answered, "God help us." Seeing Beck's approval, Jade answered the same and let out a distressed sigh while staring still at the chair. Robbie glanced over to Cat, who was also gazing at the chair.

"Yeah," she stated with a slow and wavering voice. Her eyebrows moved together and her body started to tense. "Let them be heard. Let's make sure nobody forgets."

It took a long time for things to pick up, but between Cat's bake sales, fundraisers and performances by Beck, Jade and Robbie, as well as many letters to the government, they began to gain some notice.

The fight against the police was continuing to grow out of hand, and officers everywhere were either turning in their badge or refusing to respond to distress calls. The media began to play it all out as though the police were now being intolerant and by refusing to help or giving up, they were doing a worse job than before in protecting the nation's citizens.

They could not win-nothing they did mattered-and protests grew more violent with each month that passed. Officers died, protestors died, and the media continued to focus on stories involving white cops and black suspects-baiting the race card wherever they could, even if the suspect were truly guilty.

But there was hope. After graduation, which had only been months away from the start of it all, and two years into college, Andre had taken multiple government classes and public speaking courses.

Vega's Voice had become an official movement with now hundreds of followers that wanted an end to the senselessness and immorality that was plaguing the nation.

In the first conflict to happen that put them on the national spotlight, Andre found a highly ironic moment that had not been planned. He was spending some time with the others in the university's cafeteria. They were seated at a booth near a television, discussing the latest news.

"Richard's still gunning for them," Robbie frowned. Richard Pinchot had become even more famous as the years passed, and had become one of the biggest anti-police leaders there was. "I wonder what his problem is."

Jade set her head to Beck's shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing with exhaustion. "I don't know." Richard was talking now about the same old story, an officer shot a minority.

Andre had been to the spot where the crime happened, he'd observed the police reports and gained enough intel to make a determination: The suspect charged the officer, he had a knife in hand. The officer had every right to shoot and defend himself, but protestors were rioting once more.

Cat looked away from the television and back to the book she'd been idly reading. It was a college textbook for one of her own government classes. Each of them were pursuing degrees in either public speaking, government, or law. "You guys know one of those boys is getting out?" Andre looked over and raised an eyebrow at her. "The one that gave the confession and pointed a finger at the other three…one of their killers. He's getting out on parole."

"I hate it," Jade growled, "the protestors want all of them out. They think they were wrongfully indicted." Her lips twisted into a sneer and her hand clenched into a fist. "Those four killed our friends, they don't deserve to be let out."

"The two that assaulted Trina, they won't get out. They're in for life because of the assault and murder. The other guy's in for fifty. I think the last one just got lucky."

"Yeah, well…"

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud and mocking voice. Andre glanced to the right and frowned at a group of students approaching them. "What's your problem?" Asked the man in front. He was well built and wore a jersey. "You think the police are in the right for their injustice? You're going around with your little 'movement', but you don't even understand half the point of what's going on."

"We think the violence is needless," Andre answered slowly, "The police can be reformed, the media must back down, and certainly there's a peaceful end to all of this."

"Bullshit." The man crossed his arms and the others around him started to laugh. "Cops don't listen to reason. They respond to one thing: Force."

"That is not true. We're all human beings, we all share the same air. The color of our skin, the type of gender or ethnicity, and the type of occupation we have should not determine our worth. Violence is not the answer."

"Hell, you're black, you should be on our side." He closed his eyes and turned his head away, unwilling to say any more. Jade started to protest, but when Beck nudged her, she reluctantly joined in their silence.

The man raised an eyebrow at them and scoffed. "What the hell is this? Now you're ignoring me?" The boy continued his rant for another five minutes, expecting an answer from them.

While Cat continued to read her book, Robbie focused on his meal and the couple seated beside Andre stared up at the news screen.

The man walked around the table and leaned forward, chuckling in frustration. "You think you're better than us? Is that it? We protest the police, we protest injustice and corruption. What the fuck do you protest? Huh?"

"We protest injustice and criminal activity as well," Cat whispered, "But rioting and assaulting the police is criminal too." The man snapped his eyes at her and growled dangerously.

"So now you're calling me a criminal?" Cat slowly moved her book upwards, concealing her face behind it. "Don't fucking ignore me!" The man slammed his hand into her book, causing it to jump out and strike her in the face. Andre's eyes widened as Cat screamed out and threw her hand up to her cheek.

"Hey, that's my friend! Stop hurting my friends!" Jade started to jump, but Beck grabbed her wrist before she could attack and destroy their cause. Unfortunately, her outburst made her a target as one of the people in this group grabbed her plate of food and slammed it into her face.

"Oh I'm sorry," the person remarked, "Were you eating that?" Jade gasped in shock and Beck started to examine her. Jade wiped some sauce from her eyes and straightened herself, sneering as she remained in place-resisting her natural instinct to fight back.

It wasn't long before the campus newspaper was there, snapping pictures, and the campus police had to come and pull the group off of Andre and his friends. While doing this, the people in that group started shouting and hollering that they were being manhandled by the police and were calling out for help because the police were 'hurting' them.

Needless to say, Jade nearly tackled Andre when they were in the privacy of their own apartments. He had to remind her of their cause, and said they would be at their most powerful without resorting to violence.

In this moment, he was taking a note from the great civil rights leader in the fifties and sixties. Vega's Voice was partially inspired by the nonviolent movement of Martin Luther King Jr.

The assault had garnered attention from Washington, and the story was being covered on all the media outlets-except for the one led by Richard Pinchot. What little he covered of it was meant to demonize the movement.

It wasn't long before the nation's president asked Andre to speak to the nation and deliver to them what he felt was the movement's goal and agenda. He graciously accepted and was followed by the leaders of his movement; his closest friends.

So standing before the podium and stage, he clung to a small photograph tucked in the glossy protector of his wallet. The photo was of the Vega family. As the President announced Andre's name, he gently kissed the photograph and approached the stage.

Every fiber of his body was on fire as his nerves were drunk on adrenaline. The lights and flashes from cameras was almost overwhelming, and his heart was racing at a mile a minute.

When touched his hands to the sides of the podium, he gazed at the crowd that surrounded him. "Now is the time. Your voice will be heard." He cleared his throat and mustered up a smile as the President of the United States turned to him.

"Andre Harris, tell us, you fell you have a voice. What does this voice say? What is your movement hoping to achieve?" He closed his eyes for a second, taking in the moment and listening to the furious snaps of the photographers.

His shoulders rose and his eyelids opened. "I do have a voice, this nation has a voice, and that is the voice of the Vega family." His brow furrowed as the images of death appeared in his mind. First Trina's, followed by her sister and mother, and finally that of David himself. His fingers grasped tighter the edges of the podium and he spoke up with a strong voice, letting his friends speak through him.

"Those of you may recall…nearly six years ago when all this rioting, this fighting and this war the media has started against the police got its start. A man and a very close friend of mine, Captain David Vega, lost his family."

He raised his right hand, gesturing as he spoke. "They were among the first victims of the senseless violence that now plagues our streets. The news media capitalized on this, and one anchor in particular profited off of him-not only slandering the man, but claiming through our interaction that he was racist. But I knew the Vega family well, and they were the furthest thing from racists as you can imagine."

Andre's hand lowered momentarily and he looked out across the sea of captivated eyes that his words held. "David saw what was happening to us, he saw what the media was doing and how we were committing crimes in the name of justice, and using a few corrupt officers to justify committing heinous acts."

Andre cleared his throat and shut his eyes, letting the tears that welled up beneath his eyelids build. "His oldest daughter. Katrina. Returned home to grab something she left behind when going on a family dinner date. She found rioters having broken into the home, they turned on her…they raped and murdered her." He could not spare any words, he needed to reach these people. "One of my best friends, her sister, Victoria…stood and watched as these same rioters shot her mother in the back of the head. Then they slit her throat from behind."

Among those in attendance, he saw the shock and horror in their eyes. His voice nearly broke, but he took pauses where needed and continued to speak loud and strong. "They left behind notes for Captain Vega, calling him a 'pig'. He was one of the good cops in this world, but it mattered not to the rioters using the terrible cops as a means to justify what they had done."

With a deep breath he brought his hand to his chest and narrowed his eyes. "I'm here because they died. Victims of senseless violence. You may remember when Captain Vega confronted Mr. Pinchot about the corruption of the media, he wanted to make a statement-he wanted his voice heard."

He removed the photograph from his pocket and lifted it into the air. "Now, their voices will be heard!" There was a roar of applause and he met it with a proud smile. "I am neither for nor against the cause of the protestors. I believe changes must be made in both the national media as well as the police force, but I believe these things can be obtained peaceful cooperation rather than violence."

He lowered his hand and waited for the applause to subside before speaking up again. "I believe the Vega's would have wanted reform, peaceful reform. My people are writing to congress as we speak, we are writing to the leaders of the media: To people like Mr. Pinchot and we ask them to return to their impartial ways! Free speech and free press is crucial, but how important are these core values when they destroy lives? Destroy families?"

"So yes. I have a voice, and it is not my own, but rather it is the Vega's Voice…Ask yourselves, do men like Mr. Pinchot go too far? Does the media go too far? Ask yourself, when protests turn violent, who is there to protect you when you turn the men and women of the police force away?"

"Police everywhere are giving up their badges, hanging up their uniform: The protestors say 'good', but their ways are leading to anarchy and chaos at the same time. It needs to end before we tear this nation apart at the seams! Why have we forgotten our defenders?"

"The days when our grandfathers fought in the streets was over, long gone, but now they've returned. Something must be done."

The roar of applause that erupted was heard by the nation, and more people were standing up to join the cause. Still, as time passed, Richard Pinchot continued to throw the police into shame by bringing nothing but negative press on them.

This led protestors who still hated the police to continue their uprising. Still, now the police officers of the nation had support and were being helped by Vega's Voice to keep their confidence.

They remained in their positions and worked towards reformation.

"The police are willing to change," Beck said as he stood at the debate podium. Finally after quite some time, Richard Pinchot broke his own silence and challenged Vega's Voice to a debate on the delicate matters. "Why isn't the media?"

Beck answered the call. He was the calmest before the cameras and had become one of their strongest speakers. Even on the stage under the heat of the lights, he stood tall and strong. His hair had been trimmed to look presentable, his shoulders were broad and his hands were folded over on the podium.

Richard didn't look as well as he did, the man was still shaky and constantly tugging on his tie as if it were still crumpled up after all these years. His eyes darted about the room anxiously and his hair was a grey, balding mess.

"The media does not need to change," Richard answered. Beck closed his eyes and bowed his head for a moment, then looked over slowly.

"No?" He made eye contact with the former journalist and pushed his closed mouth forward for a second, vibrating them to create a subtle hum of thought. "The news has stirred up animosity for, I do believe you said yourself, sensationalism. Ratings."

Beck remembered the deaths of his friends as if it were yesterday. The images still haunted him, even though he'd not personally seen them. This was the reason he wanted to champion the movement in this debate against Richard, because he blamed Richard just as much as David had done.

"Gone are the days of good reporters such as Walter Cronkite, famed CBS reporter." Richard frowned and Beck slowly shook his head. "Mr. Pinchot, I believe Mr. Cronkite said best: 'In seeking truth, you have to get both sides of the story.' Have you done so?"

"I'd like to think that I have."

"Then answer my charges. In your most recent newscast regarding a police that shot somebody, what was the full story?"

"A person was shot by a cop. The cop was not discharged and the assailant was convicted."

Beck took a deep breath and lifted a sheet of paper up. "Officer Landry was responding to a case of domestic violence." His eyes slid from the page and Richard scratched nervously at his hair. "The suspect grew belligerent when the Mr. Landry attempted to gain control of the situation, and he retrieved a small handgun from beneath a couch cushion. Officer Landry dodged a shot and fired back at the suspect, then proceeded to control the bleeding until paramedics arrived."

Richard waved his hand dismissively and rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, so maybe that one time. But what kind of story is that?"

"A good one?" Beck cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at Richard. "You told Captain Vega that day that the news media omits facts because the American public doesn't want to 'be bored', that they 'want a story'. Sensationalism, I think you called it, Mr. Pinchot?"

"It was your captain who walked into my studio with a gun."

"An unloaded gun. He had no intention of taking your life." Richard glanced away and shrugged.

"How was it my fault what happened to his wife and daughters? He was the police officer, surely he did something to upset the protestors."

Beck sighed softly and slowly shook his head. "Have you resorted to victim blaming now, Mr. Pinchot? What happened to the impartiality of the news media?"

He tapped his chin and tilted his head slightly as Richard snapped his gaze up to him. "You now omit facts, you speak your own opinion, and you stir up animosity as well as hatred. Why? What have you to gain?" He pushed his eyebrows up and lowered his hand. "Ratings? A 'story'?"

"Why do I feel I am on trial?"

"You are, Mr. Pinchot. The entire system of the news media is. You have yet to answer for four deaths which your media coverage may very well have caused." Richard pulled on his tie and started to chuckle. "My charge is a simple one: The news media must accept change. They must return to their roots of impartiality."

"You would challenge the right to free press."

"I am not asking that the news media go away, you should-no you must report. However, Vega's Voice asks that you reveal all facts-both sides of the story, Mr. Pinchot. In fact, while we are at it…" Beck leaned forward and cocked his lips up into a subtle smirk. "Why don't you give us the full side of what became of the Vega family? You seemed particularly interested in it."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You informed Captain Vega that you'd done your research on him. You knew of him, you knew what happened to his family, but you happily glossed over it." Richard pulled at the collar of his shirt and Beck looked down to a sheet of paper he'd pushed aside from his notes. "Do you recall your cohost? Diane Kern?"

"Yes."

"She recently sent us a document. Now, I know murderers like to brag, but Mr. Pinchot, maybe you can explain to the nation why you knew about the murders and did nothing about it?" Richard's eyes widened and Beck raised the document up. "I have in my hand a series of letters written to Mr. Pinchot's station. Days before the murder of Katrina Vega, the criminals involved wrote to Mr. Pinchot, bragging."

"Diane sent-"

"Yes. The station knew but did nothing. According to Mrs. Kern, your email was attached to a station email, they all got these emails but you said there was no use bothering with them-they were to be ignored. Shall I read?"

Richard scoffed and looked to the audience. They were staring at him with wide and confused eyes. The news media had betrayed them, they had failed their job, and now everyone knew.

Beck cleared his throat and read the first line of the first email. "We're going to do it, we're going to take a stand like you say Mr. Pinchot. The cause is just. There's a newly promoted Captain, we're going to tear him down a couple notches." Richard slowly looked over and started waving his hand at the camera. "We're going to tear his house apart, and if we find his wife or kids, we're going to kill them. Especially that hot chick that jogs around the neighborhood every morning, yeah we're going to have fun."

"Well." Richard straightened himself and cleared his throat. "You can't honestly believe I took them seriously! We get fan mail and hate mail on a daily basis."

Beck's lips pulled into his cheeks and he shook his head. The anger he felt was kept under control, but he couldn't deny feeling a sense of pleasure at witnessing this man squirm. "Mrs. Kern sent your responses in as well-and we have delivered these to the appropriate authorities." Richard chuckled once and crossed his arms.

"You still think the media must change, but you've not answered why."

"I believe my friends speak for themselves." Beck lifted the letters and sighed. "Vega's Voice simply wants the news media that cares about its citizens. The impartial media. Not the media that ignores and encourages the activity of criminals. Not the media that is willing to support a war against the very people that it should protect."

He raised an eyebrow and set the notes back on the podium. "In fact, answer me this…" Beck held the man's gaze and let his frown deepen. "Why do you hate the police so much? You know that you represent the news media, you're here tonight as a representative, but perhaps as a person you hate the police for whatever reason. Why? Why do you believe we cannot work together?"

He glanced at the letters and shrugged. "Maybe you're scared of the police? Maybe the rioters out there are afraid of the police as well. After all, criminal activity leads to legitimate arrests….and what the rioters have done is criminal activity. Criminal activity that apparently you have endorsed, and if the emails from those criminals says anything at all…"

"Yes, I received those letters and I responded to them, but I did not harbor malicious intent." Richard smiled slightly and lifted his hand, with his palm facing outwards. "I only gave the American people what they wanted."

"You used the Vega family as scapegoats to further a cause!" Beck's voice rose and he pointed a finger at them, losing his calm demeanor for a moment. "You exploited their murders, made their killers out to look like victims. You let an innocent family die and for what? Ratings?"

He brought his hand down and looked sharply at the camera. "You tell me, America. What are 'ratings' worth to you? The media tells you not to trust the police, but can you trust the news media? Have we let them get away with too much? Have they gone too far?"

"The media does not go too far! We report on what we have to!"

Beck clutched the letters in his hand, crumpling them as he closed his hand into a fist. He raised them up and shook them in the air. "You would let criminals get away with murder, Mr. Pinchot. Your ratings are matched by the blood that spills into the streets because of the protests that go on…and where is the media coverage on the protests? One negative cop case goes, another comes, very little positive coverage. Very little coverage on the protests as well. It's all anti-cop material."

Richard looked over his shoulder and gasped at the officers standing at the stage exit. One of which was the former Police Chief of Los Angeles-Michael. He was now a high agent of the FBI. They had their arms crossed and where glaring at Richard with anger and disapprovement.

"I think it's time for America to decide who they trust more: The media or the police. If these letters say anything, I wonder which of the two have our backs when push comes to shove." He wiped a tear from his eye and sighed heavily. "At the end of the day, you have made your case clear, Mr. Pinchot. The news media cares only about one thing: Ratings…evidently, more important than human life. Perhaps Captain Vega was correct? Maybe the news media did murder his family."

With that, Beck gathered his papers and stepped away from the podium. This debate was over, and he was feeling proud as hell. Surely, he thought, the Vega family was smiling down on him.

As time passed, their voice eventually reached the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court wasn't happy to hear it, but they did rule on the national media. A reformation was not only needed, but underway.

The police had begun to reform as well with the help of Vega's Voice. Their interaction with citizens became a higher priority, and slowly people were starting to regain a sense of trust in them. With this trust, riots and protests started to subside. They too felt like they'd won something, having come to understand that the movement spoke for them as well.

Richard Pinchot never worked for the media again, and the news eventually ceased their reports on police. There were still cops that did things, but they weren't treated as a cop committing a crime, but a person committing a crime. The supreme court ruled held that it was unjust to criminalize a person based on their occupation.

Every person, whether officer or doctor, or even lawyer to garbage man was a human being. If a trash collector shoots a man or woman, one does not blame the trash company, they blame the person.

Even as Andre Harris stepped up to the podium-a long and successful career in politics had led him to a run for President-he never forgot the Vega family or his promise to them.

He would lead the nation now with their voice on his mind. The country still needed help, they still needed reformation, and he would be there to guide them along every step of the way. He was joined by his running mate and former California state senator on inauguration day for celebration.

"You know," Beck said with a smile, "When you said all those years ago that you wanted to start something." Andre smiled at him and sipped on a glass of wine. "To honor Tori and Trina, to honor their parents memory-I never thought in a million years it would lead to President and Vice President of the United States."

"And I still do it for them. I'm glad we stood for something, stood for what was right."

"Maybe you can never bring them back, but I'll be they're proud."

"I hope so." Andre looked at the television and smiled at the news coverage that was discussing the inauguration. "We did it though. They're more impartial, there's less hatred geared towards the police and the media."

"Yeah." Beck pat Andre on the back and motioned his head to the door. "Come on, celebration's over. Let's get to our wives, shall we?"

"You go on ahead. I want a moment."

"Sure."

Andre made his way to a recliner and took a seat as Beck left the room. Across from him on the desk was the same photo of the Vega family, blown up and framed. His heart swelled and he smiled brightly.

The memory of Tori singing enchanted him. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, sighing as he visualized Trina's swift martial arts movements. Recalling David's constant reminders to every guy that came to his daughters that he was an officer made Andre laugh.

"What would you have become had you lived?" He opened his eyes partially and turned them skywards. "I have you to thank for this. Where I'm at now, your spirit drove me. God I wish you guys were here…I can only imagine…No, I'll never forget you."

From behind he heard a soft knock at the door, followed by the voices of his own daughters. Katrina and Victoria, he named them. Just as Beck had named a son after David. "Papa?" Katrina asked timidly. "Are you coming home?"

He turned his head partially and smiled at his girls. "Yes." They responded positively then scampered away. Andre looked back to the photograph and he breathed out slowly, then spoke in a whisper. "Your voice is with me…always. Farewell, and until we meet again…"

---

I hope that you enjoyed this, I think the statement was just as powerful, and I felt like the friends would want to honor their memory in some way. I felt they would want the Vega's to be heard, they would want to find a way to stop the madness that killed their friends. Tell me what you thought. What did you think about Andre's speech, or Beck's powerful debate? What did you think of everything?