Doc Asks Around

"Okay so explain to me exactly what happened?" Doc asked Sheriff Chang at the police station.

"I just told you," Chang sighed.

"Tell me again," Doc said. "Please…"

"Okay fine," Chang said. "We got a call about a disturbance less an hour ago coming from your father's neighborhood. When our guys got there they saw your father standing over his first wife's body on the front lawn of his house. She'd been shot in the back and killed instantly."

"Did you find a weapon?" Doc asked.

"No, but we are getting a search warrant to search your old man's place," Chang said.

"Then why did you arrest him when you didn't have a weapon, a witness or a motive?" Doc asked.

"One, all the security cameras around that area were conveniently disabled," Chang said. "Two he was at the crime scene and three he had a motive."

"Motive?" Niko asked.

"The deceased was blackmailing Hartford for money," Chang said.

"What? How did you…?" Doc realized. "Oh don't tell me!"

"I had to tell them Walter!" Mina walked in with George. "I had to tell them what Mother was doing."

"I warned my wife not to do such a reckless action," George said. "I told her. If you need money sweetheart just ask me. But I guess she was just so desperate to stick it to your father that…"

"I don't believe this!" Doc said.

"I know," Mina sniffed. "Father's never been this stingy with money before!"

"I'd like to see the body if you don't mind," Niko said. "I want to get a reading."

"Oh great! Now we're getting a plug from the psychic hotline!" Mina groaned.

"Come with me," Sheriff Chang escorted her to the Morgue. Shane went with them.

"All right Mina, why did you really tell the police that?" Doc glared at her.

"Hey! I'm the victim here! I just want justice for my murdered mother!" Mina bristled. "If Father really is guilty well…Justice has to be served."

"And he obviously can't be trusted to run a billion dollar corporation now can it?" George smirked.

"That too! As his first born daughter and rightful heir I should be running that company!" Mina agreed.

"Is there ever a time when you don't see anything but dollar signs?" Doc yelled at her.

"Oh come on Walter! It's not like anyone else is going to take over the family business!" Mina huffed. "I mean you're obviously not interested because you have your career as a Galaxy Ranger. Eleanor is having the time of her life running Planet Hartford. And Giselle…Well come on. Giselle? In charge of the family business? I think we all know how that's going to end up!"

"At least Giselle didn't spend all her money away!" Doc barked. "She may be lousy at picking husbands but you can't say she's bad with her finances! If I recall correctly, math and accounting were the only two classes she ever got higher than a D in!"

"And that is what we should base the company's future on?" Mina shouted.

"She's always had a head for money even if she's a bit scatterbrained everywhere else," Doc said.

"You always did stick up for that little…" Mina bristled.

"Did you get anything?" Zach asked as Chang, Niko and Shane returned. "Because all I'm getting is a headache!"

"I didn't see who killed her but…" Niko said. "I saw what she saw. She was going towards the door. She was shot and as she fell she saw your father running towards her."

"So he did kill her?" Mina sniffed.

"Mina, she was shot from behind," Doc said. "If Niko saw him running towards her from the front, he couldn't have done it!"

"I guess you psychics are good for something," Mina grumbled. "Still I'm not so sure he didn't have something to do with Mother's death!"

"I'm going to need more than that for a judge," Chang said. "I'm sorry Doc but right now I have to hold your father as a potential suspect. He's too much of a flight risk."

"You have got to be…" Doc began.

"Hartford do you have any idea how many of these rich bastards skip town because of something as simple as a parking ticket?" Chang interrupted. "I can't take a risk when it's murder."

"You weren't this obsessive when Bobo was killed," Doc said.

"I didn't have any suspects or rather too many suspects," Chang said. "And for your information we're still looking into that. In fact I'd like to have a talk with you Mr. Pratton."

"Me? Why me?" George asked.

"Bling was on the polo circuit. You were a polo player and are still involved in the polo scene…"Chang began.

"Chang, there are hundreds of jockeys in this town," George said.

"Not that many Pedulant jockeys," Chang said. "And he was in the same stable you were."

"Oh come on Chang! He was an alien! Don't get me wrong I have no problem with them…"George began.

"You just wouldn't want one to marry your daughter," Doc finished. "If you had a daughter."

"I'm just saying that there are…codes," George spoke carefully. "Unspoken codes. We may work together and be polite to each other in social settings but outside work…Well it's not like they want to associate with us, now do they?"

"Sorry, Sherriff I'm afraid my mother's death takes precedent over some alien drug dealing trash!" Mina huffed. "Especially since you have a suspect in custody!"

"Wait, how did you know he dealt drugs?" Niko asked.

"I uh, just took a guess," Mina blinked. "There are always some of them that deal with drugs. Rumors get around."

"Wait, what about the diary?" Doc realized. "Did you find that?"

"What diary?" Chang said.

"The diary Mina's mother was using to blackmail not only our father but the Governor of the Islands," Doc folded his arms. "Mina didn't mention that?"

"No, she didn't," Chang gave her a look. "Interesting you left that little detail out!"

"Diary? I don't know anything about a diary! Mother just said she had information!" Mina said quickly.

"I'll bet," Chang said. "You know what I think we're going to have another little talk with the both of you. Come this way please!"

"You can't treat us like criminals!" Mina bristled.

"Mina…shut up," George glared at her. "We'll wait for our lawyers if you don't mind."

"Go right ahead," Chang said. "I can wait."

The Galaxy Rangers went to the side. "Let me guess, we're gonna be focusing on clearing your father for a murder he didn't commit?" Shane asked. "And I was worried that this was going to be a boring week!"

"I have to call Eliza and tell her we won't be back for a while," Zach punched the number in his phone. "Hello? Eliza? Honey you won't believe what Doc's got us involved in this time!"

"Guys do me a favor and keep Mina calm as well as keep tabs on what the police are doing here," Doc said. "I need to go out for a bit."

"Actually I was going to check out the crime scene," Niko said. "Maybe I can get a vibe off with my powers?"

"Good idea," Doc said. "Okay Zach can stay here and you can go with the Goose."

Zach heard this. "Great, I've been demoted again!" He grumbled into the phone. "I don't know why I let Doc do this to me! Probably because I don't want to be responsible for his family any more than I have to!"

"What are you going to do?" Niko asked.

"What every other cop does when he's stuck," Doc said. "Go to a reliable source of information."

Half an hour later on the other side of the island of Paradise Bay…

"Hello Walter," Jake Redd, local crime boss and casino owner smirked as Doc walked into his office. "I thought you'd come to see me sooner or later."

"How are things going?" Doc asked his old friend amiably.

"Business is booming," Redd smirked as he offered Doc to sit down.

"I can imagine. Dare I ask how little brother Moe is doing?" Doc asked.

"Yes you can," Redd smirked. "After last year's fiasco I sent him off to a job more suited for his talents."

"Which is?"

"He is now the head of the employee daycare at my casino in Connecticut," Redd smirked.

"Well at least he's surrounded by people smarter than he is," Doc laughed. "I take it you know why I'm here."

"Just heard from my people. I'm not so sure your old man is guilty," Redd said.

"It's not just a hunch is it?" Doc asked.

"Oh yeah. Maybe I'd better tell you a few things about some of the people your family is hanging around with?" Redd took out a large file. "You know for a whole bunch of society muckety mucks they sure do act pretty low. Hell I know criminals that have better manners and codes of conduct than they do!"

"That doesn't surprise me," Doc read the files. "But this information does! Holy…"

"That's some load of information on your brother in law isn't it?" Redd asked. "And that ain't all. Look at the files of some of the mooks he's running around with."

"Bobo the Pedulant, big surprise," Doc said. "Wait…That is!"

"Your family is getting mixed up with the wrong kind of people, Walter," Redd told him. "And that's me saying that."

"I knew Mina and her side of the family was broke but to resort to…" Doc gasped. "I don't believe it! This can't be true!"

"It is. Look Walter, you know me. I may be a lot of things but the one thing I am not is a traitor," Redd snarled. "In this business betrayal of any kind isn't exactly encouraged."

"Why didn't you take this information to the police?" Doc asked.

"Didn't trust 'em. Don't know who's loyal to who over there. Chang's a straight shooter but he don't know everything his men do when they are off duty. Even I can't buy everybody," Redd said. "And I figured sooner or later you'd come to me for something. Besides I also needed an invite to have a talk with your Commander Cain and I figured this was as good as any."

"Let me guess, does he owe you money?" Doc gave him a look.

"Nothing like that," Redd waved. "Besides this is a plan to help him make money for Earth. Wanna open a couple of casinos on the colonies. I got plenty of money coming in and I want to invest it. Besides with something this big I need a partner. And from what I've heard that Cain is a pretty sharp tack."

"A little too sharp sometimes," Doc said. "Jake…You have any idea how smooth Cain can be when it comes to money, profits and favors?"

"Can't be any worse than some of the mooks I have no choice dealing with," Redd told him. "Besides that Cain guy has standards. We both know that."

"Okay I'll arrange a meeting," Doc sighed. "But don't say I didn't warn you about him. If something goes down…"

"Yeah, yeah I know," Redd waved. "You had nothing to do with it. I just want a meeting. That's all. I know you can't promise anything."

"Oh I can promise something," Doc said as he got up. "I can promise once Cain gets a good look at your profit statement he'll go in and get more of your money than you think you're going to give!"

"I'll take my chances," Redd smiled.

It wasn't long before Doc showed up back at the station. "Well? Any news?"

"Nothing at the crime scene that I didn't already see," Niko remarked. "Sometimes I can't sense everything with my powers."

"Fortunately I have the superpower of good contacts," Doc took out the folder. "Where's Mina and George?"

"Let ten minutes ago with their lawyers," Shane said.

"Just as well," Doc showed them the files. "Chang may have jurisdiction over local crimes but we Galaxy Rangers have a larger reach. Especially when it comes to the Black Rose!"

"Black Rose? Holy…" Shane did a double take. "There's photos, original documents and everything! There's enough evidence here to convict…"

"I know," Doc nodded. "This is a good start. I have a feeling both murders are connected to this."

"Where did you get this information?" Zach asked.

"Let's just say I had to make a deal," Doc said as he started to call Cain. "Come on. We don't have much time."

"For what?" Zach asked.

"To get a search warrant," Doc said.

Several hours later…

"A search warrant at the governor's mansion?" Zach asked as they arrived at their destination with a platoon of Galaxy Rangers. "Are you sure Doc?"

"If the information Redd gave me is only halfway accurate, yes," Doc told him. "It was enough to convince Cain."

"I can't believe a major mob boss had all this information and proof about a Black Rose cell that includes the Governor!" Niko was stunned.

"Niko, how do you think a guy gets to be a mob boss?" Doc gave her a look. "It ain't always about shooting people. Man in his position needs contacts and allies as well as information on who is doing what in order to stay on top."

"I know Chang was stunned when we told him which two members of his department were on the Black Rose's payroll," Zach said. "Here we go. I just hope we're not making a mistake."

As they made their way to the front door of the mansion, suddenly it opened and several men started to open fire on the rangers. "Duck Doc!" Shane shouted as they got out of the way of laser fire. The Rangers scattered for cover.

"I guess that answers the question," Doc grumbled as he pulled out his blaster.

"Kind of well armed for just the welcome wagon!" Zach powered up his thunderbolt and blasted through the front door, knocking down the men who attacked them.

With Zach's firepower, Shane's sharp shooting skills, Niko's psychic abilities, Doc's hacking abilities and a whole bunch of other angry Galaxy Rangers it didn't take them long to overpower their attackers. Soon they had gotten into the Governor's personal office. "Governor's not here but there's stuff on his computer," Doc said. "Mostly e-mail messages. But one or two minor documents that will hold up in court. And a list of his staff members that are in on it."

"You think the Governor would have sense to delete them," Shane said.

"He did. I un-deleted them," Doc explained as a tweaker flew out back into his CDU. "Hacker's trick."

"This is Foxx, Cain we got some intel," Zach spoke on the communicator. "Turns out Doc's contact was right."

"Great," Cain said. It sounded like screaming was going on behind him.

"Sir?" Zach asked.

"I'm at the damn birthday party," Cain winced as a toy bounced off his head.

"It came already?" Niko was surprised.

"We were all so busy dealing with this it just snuck up on us!" Shane realized.

"Well the birthday girl is having a blast," Cain groaned. "Threw cake everywhere, scared some swans silly, threw up on an ambassador and set off a screaming match between her and several other infants you could hear to Venus!"

Cain was once again hit with a stuffed animal. "And she's one of the better behaved kids!"

"I'm glad I'm not there," Shane winced.

"You'd better get here," Cain said. "The Governor, half his staff and several other important people including Trembaly are here! And some of his staff are looking nervous."

"Can you keep him and any other human there?" Doc asked.

"Not a problem. Jenkins! Don't do anything yet but keep an eye on the Governor and don't let him leave," Cain ordered an aide next to him. "Or any of his cronies."

"Good thing we ordered extra security," Doc thought. "Just a thought, is George there too?"

"No, he's not here but your sister Mina is," Cain grumbled. "Why I have no idea!"

"Really? Interesting," Doc frowned. "My sister avoids children like the plague. Why would she be there?"

"Want me to try and keep an eye on her too?" Cain asked as another stuffed toy hit him.

"Along with any other human guests," Doc said. "Doc out."

"And here I thought I was the captain here," Zach grumbled.

"I just had a thought," Doc called his mansion on his private cell phone. "Hey. It's Doc. I need to ask you something. The other day when my sister and her mother came, who else was there? Who flew them there? Really? Are you sure? You have the records? Why didn't you say anything before? No one asked. Fine. Okay what I want you to do is get Mook and check all the starships. For bombs, weapons, anything! Okay…Fine!"

"Anything?" Niko asked.

"Just a hunch. Let's go talk to George," Doc punched in the numbers of the communicator. "I got a hunch…"

"I hate it when you get those," Shane said.

"No answer," Doc frowned. "Okay once we make sure everything is all set here we'll go see him in person. I know where he might be."

"Of course you do," Shane groaned.

An hour later they were on another apartment complex on Paradise Bay. "I don't believe this!" Zach groaned.

"Believe it. It seems Georgie boy has been keeping his own place to 'entertain' guests," Doc told them. He used his hacking skills to open the lock on the door. "Damn this place also has an old fashioned lock too."

"Allow me," Zach grinned as he used a small thunderbolt to break the lock.

"Well he's not going to get his deposit back," Shane remarked as they walked in. He then noticed the state of the luxury hotel. "This place is trashed."

"You don't think…?" Zach asked. They went into the bedroom and found George lying facedown on the bed. "He's been shot in the back of the head. Died instantly."

"Oh crap we're too late," Doc swore. "He's dead. Mina is going to be wearing an awful lot of black this week. Anyone see a diary?"

Shane looked over the drawers. "No, but I found something else…"

"Well that's interesting," Niko snorted when she saw what it was. "I guess it's pretty obvious who knew about this place too."

"Yes, but someone else also knew," Doc frowned. "Someone else who killed George. Call this in. Once we get the cops down here, we're headed off to a party at my place. But first we need to make a few calls…"

"Oh God…" Doc looked around at the mess and chaos going on around him. "I'm going to have cake stains on my floor and walls for years!"

"Among other stains," Zach sighed.

Children of mostly alien origin were running everywhere. There was screaming, crying, pouting, pleading and full out tantrums as far as the eye could see. And some of the kids were acting out too. Most of them were too busy running around playing, having imaginary fights, throwing toys and food or chasing animals or each other to cry.

"I'm starting to have flashbacks when Little Zach and Jessica were two," Zach sighed. "Yup this is exactly what happened."

"I've seen battlefields more orderly," Shane winced.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" A clown ran for his life, being chased by several rowdy kids, including Mata and Hari.

"WHAHOOOOOOOOOOO!" Noah was heard shouting.

"Who put the Slip and Slide in the dining room?" Doc blinked. "And why is it covered with whipped cream and silly string?"

"Hartford…" Cain wandered over with Stingray, Zozo and Waldo. All of them had whipped cream and cake stains on their clothes. "This is not the party I had in mind! There's not even any alcohol for me to drink!"

"Cain, seriously…Alcohol? At a kid's party?" Zach gave him a look.

"Not for the children obviously," Cain gave him a look. "For the parents and every other adult in order to survive this!"

"On the plus side the kids are enjoying themselves," Zozo sighed. "They loved the circus and all the animals."

"KITTY!" Several children chased a blue elderly tiger.

"Unfortunately the feeling is not mutual," Waldo sighed.

"Stingray are you all right?" Shane asked.

"I think I feel okay," Stingray had a dazed look in his eyes. "You know, I feel…stronger. If I can survive this, I can survive anything!"

"Okay baby! You are getting a time out!" Redarba stormed out of another room covered in juice and cake. "Just stay in that crib until you learn some manners!"

"I didn't know Redarba had any kids," Zach said.

"He doesn't," Zozo groaned. "He borrowed someone else's kid!"

"The odd thing is, apart from your children Zachery and young Billy there are no human children here," Waldo said.

"Maybe not that odd," Doc began. "Listen you guys there's something…"

"Walter!" Mina stormed up to them. Her expensive dress covered in cake. There was frosting in her hair. "You have got to do something!"

"Let me guess, the kids got you too?" Doc gave her a look.

"No! It was the mother of that godchild of yours!" Mina snapped. "And that Foxx woman! They are intolerable and what's worse is that those brats are tormenting my dear sweet baby!"

"Baby?" Cain blinked.

"MEOWWWW!" Napoleon the cat scampered by being chased by Bubblehead, Mata, Hari and the Kiwi Kids.

"Why did you bring your cat here?" Doc shouted.

"I couldn't leave Napoleon alone! He gets so lonely!" Mina snapped.

"HA HA HA HA! DIE KITTY DIE!" Bubblehead flew after the cat as they ran by again.

"MEOWWWWW!"

"I don't think loneliness is the greatest problem that cat has right now," Doc groaned.

"Get away from my baby!" Mina screamed as she ran after Bubblehead and the children.

"Doc…" Niko began.

"Never mind, she'll never catch him," Doc waved.

"AAAAAHHH!"

CRASH!

"Ouch!" Niko winced. "This is why I don't wear high heels that often. Especially around a floor covered in silly string."

"Cain what kind of insane party is this?" A tall man in his fifties wearing a Space Navy uniform walked up to them.

"Hello Captain Tremblay," Doc winced as he heard something break. "Sorry for the mess."

"I expected some kind of wild shindig to celebrate the end of the Forty Eight Hour Civil War but this is ridiculous!" Tremblay winced as something else broke. "How did that kid get up on the chandelier?"

"Captain we can use your help. We need to find a way to get all the aliens and kids out of here while keeping the humans in the place," Shane explained.

"Why?" Zozo asked.

"Because one or more of them might be a murderer with ties to the Black Rose," Doc said.

"WHAT?" Ambassador Redarba had snuck closer to hear them. "MURDERER? THE BLACK ROSE IS HERE?"

"Oh boy…" Zozo winced.

"EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! THE BLACK ROSE IS HERE!" Redarba screamed like a chicken with his head cut off. "SAVE THE CHILDREN! SAVE THE CHILDREN!"

"WHAT?" All the alien parents in the room yelled. Soon there was a mad scrambling of aliens trying to grab their children. "THE BLACK ROSE IS BACK! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

"Uh I gotta go…" The Governor tried to sneak out but was stopped by Shane.

"Where are you going Governor? The party is just starting," Shane growled. The Governor screamed and fainted dead away.

"All right! Get all the aliens out of the building! Darkstar! You and Eliza get our kids out back!" Zach barked orders. "Rangers! Don't let any humans leave! Stop that man! Put down the silly string mister! You're not going anywhere!"

"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE ALIEN LOVER!" The human yelled as he sprayed Zach with silly string. Zach punched him out.

"Not one of your better affairs Hartford," Cain snapped among all the chaos.

"Well that's one way to clear a party," Shane remarked.

It wasn't long before most of the alien ambassadors had taken off with their children. (Obviously the exceptions were Waldo and Zozo.) Most of the kids that remained were sent out back. Before the confusion Darkstar had put the baby down in the other room in a crib so she could sleep. Out of the humans that had attended the party, the Governor and most of his staff were cordoned off by other Galaxy Rangers and security because they had been identified by the documents and lists obtained.

Some of the party weren't involved. "How can you be part of the Black Rose?" The Governor's current wife shouted at him. She stood with her female secretary. "Galaxy Rangers I swear I knew nothing about this!"

"She's right," The Governor groaned as he sat down, completely broken. "She and her staff are innocent. They had no idea what was going on!"

"This is all your first wife's fault! Lousy cow…" The Governor's wife folded her arms.

"I believe them on this part," Niko told Cain. "I can sense they're telling the truth."

"Of course we are! Look you have to believe me! I only joined the Black Rose so I could move up in politics!" The Governor pleaded. "I had a friend of a friend get me in because he told me that being part of the Black Rose was the best way to get ahead! Half the Board of Leaders were on it! Why wouldn't I want to join? I thought it was just some kind of fraternity! I knew nothing about any plot to take over the Earth or other worlds until it got broadcast on Tri-D! I thought the best way to ride out the storm was to keep my mouth shut! Maybe people would forget about me!"

"But the Black Rose didn't forget did they?" Zach growled.

"No, I got some messages a month ago," The Governor collapsed in a chair. "Telling me I had to help organize the others still in hiding. If I didn't I would be exposed! By then it was too late for me to get out! The day after I got the message I woke up to a dead horse's head in my bed with a black rose sticking out of it! I had to do what they said!"

"So who are 'they'?" Cain asked.

"I never saw anyone other than some of the other junior members," The Governor confessed. "It was all done by e-mail and secret documents that disintegrated almost as soon as I read them! I was too scared to ask questions! You have to believe me!"

"Oh stop crying!" One of the detained men snapped. "You always were a wimp! So what if some of us believed in some of the things the Black Rose stands for? Humanity first is what I say! We didn't attack anyone! So why are we being punished?"

"Because one of you isn't just a sympathizer for the Black Rose," Doc said. "He or she is a murderer. This person was responsible for the deaths of at least two people! George and Helena Pratton." At this news the entire room gasped.

"But that's impossible!" Mina protested. "George is back in his apartment on Cedar Street!"

"You knew about his extra apartment?" Cain raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he likes to go there sometimes," Mina told him. "But George can't be dead! I just got a call from him not even twenty minutes ago!"

"Really? And what did he say?" Chang asked. He had been called in as well.

"He said that he would be late and for me to go to stay at the party," Mina said. "Then he told me after it was over to take the private airplane he sent for me off the island."

"Interesting," Doc said. "Well I think we have enough evidence to solve this murder."

"We do?" Shane groaned.

What will happen next? Who's the murderer? Find out next time!

Bubblehead flew out. "That's it? Pretty flimsy for a murder mystery Red!"

Hey! I've been busy! Give me a break! Thinking up stuff is hard! Next: The conclusion to this mad murder plot!