See chapter 1 for the full disclaimer.
"There's no way we can get a warrant by that deadline." The DA said.
Freddie walked in waving a paper; "I got one. Tell Roger to be ready to hit that house in 10 minutes, let's go." He grabbed his laptop. "You need to make me a tech specialist or something; I'm the only one that can stop him from spamming that video."
"Give him a badge." The DA motioned to a cop.
"Carly, are you sure that you wanna do this?" The cop was taping a wire to her back.
"Sam's my friend. Do you think I need a bullet proof vest?"
"You think he has a gun?"
"I would rather be paranoid."
He handed her a vest. "Be careful and let him do all the talking."
"You guys remember the code word?"
"Dippity Doo."
"Just be ready to hit that door."
Roger walked over; "I got 150 Marines on stand-by." He lowered his voice. "After I told them what this guy did, they were ready to launch an air strike."
"A little much, but I like their thinking." Sam joked, secretly she wished for an air strike.
Carly knocked on the door; her watch showed 9:50.
"Hello there Carly. I didn't think that you would show." Nevel stepped to the side to allow her in. "I figured that Sam would make some sort of desperate plea to my better side to spare you. Shows how much of a friend she is."
"You don't have better side. Can we just get down to business." Carly had been briefed on what to say. "You have the tape?"
"Yes, and you will get it tomorrow morning."
"How do I know that you haven't copied it and plan on spamming it out anyway?"
"I did copy it, but give you my word that I will delete it tomorrow."
"And you expect me to trust you?"
"You have no choice." Nevel smirked, "I'm holding all the cards."
"Then I think we need to reshuffle the deck." Carly knew what she needed to do. "DIPPITY DOO!" She threw herself face down onto the couch. Nevel didn't have time to comprehend anything; every door and window on the first floor exploded in as 30 Marines stormed the house.
"Nevel Papperman?" The only man not carrying a rifle asked,
"Yes." He saw several guns pointed at him.
"You are under arrest for conspiracy to distribute underage pornography, accessory to rape after the fact, soliciting prostitution and blackmail. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in court. If you do not have a lawyer, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand your rights as I have explained them to you?"
"Yes, sir." Nevel drew in a deep breath, "DAD!"
"What is it?' An overweight man asked, walking down the stairs. Several men pointed their weapons at him. "Nevel, is there something I should know about?'
"Your son is under arrest for blackmail, and conspiracy to distribute underage pornography among other charges. Are you his father?"
"Yes, and a lawyer." He held out his hand. "Let me see your papers."
"I have an order to check all computers in the house for the video; is there anyone else here?"
"My wife is upstairs."
"My Technical specialist will be here in a moment. He will check all computers in the house."
"Not my work one."
"The warrant is for all."
"I wanna watch him, to make sure he doesn't see something he shouldn't"
"Sorry, I was having trouble with my Wi-Fi connection." He walked up. "Hi Nevel." Freddie had to resist the urge to beat the hell outta this nub.
"You'll never get past my firewall."
"Bet me." Freddie handed a $10 bill to Roger then opened up his laptop and took a deep breath; centering himself. He tapped a key on his computer, starting playback of a heavy metal CD and quietly counted down "3-2-1."
Freddie began typing faster than the group could see. He was in his own world; "Password, I got your password bitch!" Freddie dismantled Nevel's security; they heard his system shut down piece by piece.
"You feeling the rue yet?" Freddie never looked at Nevel. They couldn't hear the answer. "Nevel?"
"Yes." Nevel answered meekly.
Freddie looked at the DA. "I shut down '' and everything he has. I also scanned all the other computers in the house; they're clean."
The DA spoke up, "Nevel, I have a deal for you…"
'No." Sam cut him off, "He gets to suffer just like I did. Simon never offered me a deal."
"Okay." The DA headed for the door, "Bring him down to the station."
"Wait, what's the deal?" Nevel's dad wanted to keep his son out of prison.
Sam spoke up; "You turn over every copy of that tape you have. You shut down '' and never start another site ever and you testify against Simon."
"What do I get?"
"4 Years probation, then we will seal you record. You have until I get to the door to decide." The DA only had to extend his arm to get the doorknob.
"I'll take it." Nevel handed him the tape. "That's the only physical copy I had. The other is in my computer." He headed for his tech-cave.
"I already have that one." Freddie said. "I also shut down your system. is mine."
"That's my site!" He started to protest.
"The deal was you shut it down, you backing out?"
"No sir." He was beaten and he knew it.
Sam looked at Nevel, "When you kick a tiger in the ass, you better have a plan for dealing with their teeth."
Simon was easier to arrest; he was passed out on the floor. At his arraignment, he took the deal offered; plead guilty to Statutory rape and accessory to distribute pornography and serve 20 years before he could be considered for parole. The judge ordered that he be held until sentencing in three weeks. As they watche the police drive away with Simon, Sam spoke up.
"Freddie, can you drive me somewhere?" Sam looked scared.
"Sure, where?"
"I need to go to see my dad."
"Hi daddy." Sam hugged the middle-aged man.
"I thought I asked you never to visit me here?" William looked at Freddie, "Who's he?"
"That's Freddie, my boyfriend." Sam smiled. "I needed to ask you something and I wanted to do it in person. If it wasn't this important, I wouldn't be here."
"What is it Sammy?"
"There's a man coming here soon, Simon Langer." Sam had to keep it together, "He raped me."
"Done." He said without blinking.
"NO, That's why I came here. I want you to leave him be." Sam pleaded with her eyes more than her words. "You're up for parole in, like 18 months?"
"15."
"Yeah, and I want my father more than I want revenge." Sam wiped her eyes. "When I get married, I want you to walk me down the isle. I want my kids to know their grandpa. If you didn't have a chance of getting out, I would let you have him, but I want you in my life. Mom signed me over to Spencer and hasn't tried to contact me since then."
"Prison's a rough place, honey. Lots of bad men here."
"I know, but promise me that you won't go looking for him. If he comes at you…" Sam couldn't finish the sentence. "I just want you home." He heard the pain in her voice.
"Alright, As long as I'm here, he's safe."
"Thank you."
"All rise." The bailiff shouted as Judge Clinton entered.
"Be seated. In the matter of People v. Langer, on the Charges of Statutory rape and intent to distribute underage pornography, how do you plead?"
"Guilty, your honor." The lawyer answered for him.
"Does anyone wish to speak before I pass sentence?"
"I do, your Honor." Sam stood up.
"Come forward young lady." He motioned to the witness stand. "Please state your name for the record."
"Samantha Puckett." Simon leered at her, trying to scare her. "Simon Langer nearly ended my life. After he raped me," Sam glanced at the index card in her hand. "I was sitting on my best friend's window sill, nine stories up with a bottle of sleeping pills, a bottle of whiskey, a gun with one bullet." She looked at him. "I got lucky, I have some of the greatest friends in the world. Then, after I rejected him again, he got someone to threaten me with the release of a tape he made of the rape." Simon looked away, "LOOK AT ME! You don't have the power here, I do! You will listen to me." Sam appeared a little bigger, "I used to hate you, but I've learned that hatred leads nowhere, so after today, I'm going to forget I ever heard the name 'Simon Langer.'" Sam stood up and walked back to her seat. Freddie rose to open the swinging gateway for her. Simon was sitting nearest the isle and lunged at her.
"SAM!" Freddie charged her, pushing her backwards as Simon swung.
Freddie's back flared in white-hot agony; he couldn't breath. He thought he heard firecrackers, then his world faded to black.
"FREDDIE!" Sam scrambled to his side. She saw the silver spike sticking out of his back. She reached for it…
"Stop! That's keeping his lungs sealed." The bailiff pulled her back, gun trained on Simon's unmoving form. "Ambulance is on the way."
