TALES FROM THE CITADEL CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Battles
(Witchy Woman Eight)
The tension was high in the precinct as the wait for the federal teams to arrive. Castle, Kate, Esposito and Ryan were the only ones who seemed calm. Captain Dumaine was pacing, constantly listening to his phone or walkie-talkie. About an hour later Superintendent Jesse Tomlinson walked in, wearing full uniform. (He usually preferred suits.) He walked up to Castle.
"Commander Rodgers, I'm Superintendent Tomlinson. I usually go by chief. Don't worry, I'm just here to observe."
"Pleased to meet you, Chief."
"And I, you, Commander, but I must admit to being quite upset at one of my senior people being arrested without my prior knowledge."
"I had nothing to do with that. The FBI handled the arrest. Didn't any of you find warren's lifestyle beyond his means? IAB should have investigated, at least." Tomlinson hung his head.
"Dale was a long- time friend. I've known him since grade school.:
"So, it was the good old boy network.
"Not entirely, Commander. His wife is a very successful real estate broker. Most of us just thought that the money was coming from her. After all, other than the house they didn't have a particularly luxurious life style. Yeah, she drove a new Cadillac and he had a GMC Denali and a 20- foot speed boat, but all those would easily be affordable with their combined income. After all, River Ridge isn't Beverly Hills."
That may all be true, but I'm sorry to say, Chief. This is going to put your whole department under tight federal scrutiny."
"I know that, Commander. I only hope that there are no more bad apples." There probably are, you'd just better hope that they are not high- ranking ones. Rick thought.
Rick went back to planning and about twenty minutes later a large group of federal officers arrived. A man taller than Rick and even broader, said;
I'm Special Agent Ted Bronson of the FBI. I am relieving Commander Rodgers of overall command. I command the FBI counter-terrorism group we have ten agents present.
Special Agent Mario Vincente leads the DEA contingent. He has a ten- man team with him.
NOPD SWAT and the detective teams will report to Commander Rodgers."
Chief Tomlinson, I want a solid perimeter surrounding that warehouse. Patrolmen armed with shotguns and patrol rifles. Between Commander Rodgers and myself we've come up with a new plan. We will not go in directly as first planned. We'd like all the rats in the trap before we trip it. Therefore, we'll not openly deploy the perimeter until 09:00. The officers will be there, but out of sight. We think that the leaders will want as many of their people in as they can get, to hold us off then the key. people get out by water, after dark
It's going to be a very hot day, over one hundred degrees, with high humidity. We will rotate the patrol officers at one-hour intervals. Arrest and assault teams will stay under cover, until the order to move in is given. That is all for now. Individual team briefings begin in one hour. Anyone who hasn't eaten a good breakfast, do it now. Dismissed."
Rick, Kate, Esposito and Ryan went to a small waffle house about a block from the station and ate a hearty breakfast, knowing that it would be a long, taxing day and they would need the energy.
Rick assembled his team, ignoring the angry looks DuPres was giving him/
"Okay, everybody listen up. Intelligence tells us that between fifteen and twenty individuals have entered the warehouse. None openly armed, so it is surmised that there is a cache of weapons inside the warehouse. With the people already there, we may be facing upwards of forty individuals. At 09:00 the officers will openly take position. At o9:30 the first demand to surrender will be made, which we fully expect will be rejected. The demand will be repeated at half hour intervals. At 13:00 all power to the warehouse will be cut, rendering any air conditioners and electric fans inoperable as well as lighting. With the heat and humidity, the conditions in the warehouse will become unpleasant, fairly quickly. A couple of canisters of tear gas and CS gas should move things along nicely. Or. To be honest, not so nicely for them.
They may come out peacefully to be arrested, but I doubt it. SWAT will have point with our detective teams flanking them. My team on the right, DuPres on the left. Rules of engagement are weapons free, but do not initiate a firefight. Are there any questions at this point?"
DuPres temper flared. "Yes, there are. This is MY case. What the hell do you think gives you the right to come in and take over? I'm not going to stand for it!? Rick's voice was as cold as ice.
"What gives me the right? The federal government gives me the right. This is not your case it is a federal case. Much larger than even a string of murders. Something that is clearly beyond your capability to handle. If you hadn't noticed DuPres, I'm not in overall command and there are a large number of federal officers involved. So, sit down, shut up and obey orders. Or be arrested and charged with hindering a federal case." Sputtering, DuPres sat down, but continued glaring.
Ten minutes later, Agent Bronson called everyone together for the final briefing and sector assignments. Finishing, he said;
"Everybody gears up and prepare to deploy. I want everyone to drink a bottle of water now and take two with you."
When they were in the SUV, Kate leaned over and kissed Rick, passionately.
"Always remember that I love you, Rick and I can't lose you. Promise me that you'll be careful." "The same goes for me, Kate." The two turned and bumped fists with Esposito and Ryan.
"Let's do this thing." Rick said.
They drove to the staging area and parked the SUV, got out and moved up to the point where they could get a good view of the warehouse. There was no activity outside, but they knew that the gang members and terrorists were observing them and making tactical plans of their own.
Large speakers and a powerful amplifier had been set up. Precisely at nine-thirty, Agent Bronson picked up the microphone.
"Inside the warehouse, this is Special Agent Bronson of the FBI. The warehouse is completely surrounded. There is no chance for escape. Lay down your weapons and come out with your hands on your heads."
He was answered by a burst of automatic weapons fire and a shout of F*** you and another shout of "Allihu Akbar."
"Just as we figured, Bronson said. Stubborn, stupid and delusional." Castle's team and the SWAT officers retreated to the shade of a large tree and sat on the ground. At ten o'clock and again at ten-thirty, Bronson repeated the order, receiving the same reply, minus the gunfire at ten thirty, Castle, his team and the SWAT officers left the tree and went into the lobby of an office building that had been commandeered for the purpose of the officers resting and cooling off.
At noon several local sandwich shops and hamburger shops brought free food and cold drinks to the officers.
Castle knew that the pistol caliber carbines were inadequate for what they were facing and by dint of some hasty arguing, acquired M-4 carbines for Beckett and Ryan. He took one of the SCAR-17's, Esposito took the other, each of them adding four spare magazines to the one in each rifle.
At 13:00 power was cut to the warehouse. Multiple curses being voiced at the loss of lighting and air conditioning. Even the big air circulating fans were out. At the same time the water was shut off.
The warehouse was very old, built at the tail end of world war two. Sturdy brick walls, but a tin roof. The sun beating down on the tin roof, without the use of air conditioners or fans made the interior very uncomfortable, rapidly becoming unbearable. Another tactic was to bring up more stadium speakers and play loud, discordant music
At 17:00 Castle and his unit entered the staging area as all the teams got ready for action.
Agent Bronson made his last appeal, with the same results. The order was given. Tear and cs gas cannisters were launched. This was it, the final confrontation. They deployed and began the advance. The area was near the river, adjacent to the docks. Crates, some hastily abandoned machinery and moving equipment provided cover for the law enforcement personnel. Unfortunately, it also provided cover for the criminals. Most of the criminals burst out of the warehouse, firing as they as they came. A couple of fanatics obviously equipped with gas masks, had taken position at second story windows and tried sniping. It didn't work well. The police snipers were far better shots.
The Islamic terrorists led the charge out of the warehouse, most of them firing from the hip as they came. The larger number, untrained fanatics, not realizing that you couldn't hit much as an automatic rifle's muzzle climbed with repeated shots. Most of them simply held the trigger back.
A few of the smarter ones, took cover and fired properly. The gang members were armed with a motley collection of submachine guns, shotguns, a couple of AK-47's and AR-15's
Castle looked on in horror as both Kate and DuPres went down. The horror only lasted a split second and he charged forward, grabbing Kate and pulling her to cover. She gasped.
"It's okay Babe, took one in the vest, knocked me down. "Castle looked her over.
"You took one to the leg too, Babe but it's through and through. No femur or femoral artery"
He pulled a first aid pouch off his belt, tied a triangular bandage around her leg and called for a medic. Detective DuPres wounds were more serious. Detective Rivers dragged her to the same cover Kate was behind. DuPres had taken a rifle found that penetrated her vest, low on the right side and a second in the lower leg. She was cursing a blue streak.
Amos Williams exited the warehouse and fell to his knees. Locking his hands behind his head.
Contrary to the movies, fights like this, between well trained troops and law enforcement with criminals don't last long, usually minutes at most also, contrary to the movies, all the bad guys aren't killed,
Hideki Konga as violent as he was, wasn't stupid. He had no intention of giving his life for a cause. Nor did he intend to rot in a federal prison for the rest of his life. With his right-hand man, he slipped out the backdoor to a speed boat hidden under a tarp. Using a remote starter, he started the boat while his partner removed the tarp. They hadn't got far when Rick spotted them
He fired three bursts, one hitting the gas tank. Seeing the spray of the gasoline, Rick grabbed a grenade launcher from a cop and launched a flare. To coin a phrase, Hideki Konga went out in a blaze of glory. Or at least in a blaze.
Rick was frustrated in having to debrief the staff and write an after-action report before he was allowed to visit Kate in the hospital. She was fuming that they were keeping her over night for observation. At least until Castle got a bed large enough for both of them moved into her room
He would pay his respects to DuPres in the morning after she recovered from surgery.
The warehouse yielded over eighteen million dollars- worth of cocaine and heroin as well as another fifteen million dollars- worth of illegal arms, in an office, a manifest was found listing the arrival of a ship engaged in human trafficking. Their part basically over, it was time to visit DuPres and settle things with her. Kate accompanied Rick to the hospital, but waited outside the room.
Somehow, the woman in the bed looked small and defeated. Large dark circles under her eyes were emphasized by her pale skin. The room was loaded with flowers and balloons, but they didn't seem to be cheering her.
"Good morning Detective DuPres. How are you feeling?" Somehow, the words felt hollow, even to Rick's ears. It seemed that all the anger and fight had gone out of her. There were tears in her eyes as she looked at him.
"As well as can be expected. She said Rick, I'm sorry. I was way out of line. I came on too strong and too fast, but I really wanted you. Can we at least part as friends?"
Rick nodded.
"I'm sorry too, Chantelle. I should never have agreed to go out with you. There was never any real chance. Despite our problems, Kate's had my heart for a long time. You are still a beautiful woman, next time, don't confuse want with love. Good bye, Chantelle."
Relaxing in their hotel two days later, Kate said; 'Well, I'll nave an interesting story to tell our kids about my scar." Ric quipped: "At least it's not on your gorgeous ass. They needed a couple of more days to wrap up the details of the case
Then Captain Montgomery sent a message. "Stop eating pralines, drinking Sazerac, and playing with gators and get the next flight home. You have work to do.
Just an epilogue to go. Please review
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