It was a somber night for the city of Los Angeles. The streets were barren, devoid of the nightlife typical of the city. The immense thunderstorm passing through made certain of it. Its howling winds blew strong and fierce, bending trees towards the ground as if they were nothing. Doors and windows alike rattled in their frames. Meanwhile, rain poured down in thick sheets, battering relentlessly against the earth. Visibility had dropped dramatically. The line of sight lowered to nearly a foot in any direction. It was a squall so murky and pervasive, it had driven even the most adventurous Californians indoors. Any soul unfortunate enough to be caught in it would curse his luck. Which is exactly what Lieutenant Sami Abbas felt like doing.
His luck had taken a considerable downturn over the past week. First, he was reprimanded for starting an argument with a fellow officer. Then came the rather strange encounter with one of the Seamen aboard his ship. He'd been inclined to brush the experience off at first, but something of the Seaman's demeanor had kept nagging at him. Sami couldn't shake the feeling that the man was up to something. Something he didn't want others to know about, possibly illegal. The Lieutenant couldn't go to his superiors. Not yet. These were only his suspicions, a gut feeling. He didn't have any solid proof. The most he'd managed to scrounge up was an old court case involving the Seaman. It was on public record, so easy to find online but of little use. With nothing else forthcoming, Sami had tried to set the notion aside and give him the benefit of the doubt. He had managed it fairly well, until three days ago.
The Lieutenant was roaming belowdecks, on the starboard side of the ship, when he spotted the very same Seaman- Daryl Schaefer- acting oddly again. He was walking briskly down the passageway away from Sami, keeping close to the bulkhead. The man seemed fidgety, but less so nervous and more agitated. Even from his position at the ladder, the Lieutenant could hear him cursing and muttering. Things like "need time" and "merchandise" definitely piqued his interest. Schaefer's duties didn't include mess hall detail nor was he involved in requisitioning the ship's entertainment. Abbas could only assume then that the Seaman was referring to contraband. What sort of contraband, well, that had been the question.
He attempted to follow Schaefer. Maybe he'd finally be able to prove or disprove his suspicions. The deck was too deserted, however, and his footsteps carried in the stillness. Sami had taken just ten steps when the Seaman wheeled around and started yelling, storming up and getting into his face. The Lieutenant had heard many sailors curse, but Schaefer's tirade outmatched all of them. It took the executive officer (XO) passing by to prevent a full-fledged fight from erupting. That had led to yet another reprimand Lieutenant Abbas had to stomach. He steered clear of Schaefer after that, with the younger man following suit. So why couldn't he let the sleeping dog lie?
One of the Petty Officers confided in the Lieutenant during their weekly jogging routine the previous evening. They had been the only ones on the deck that evening, and she had been quieter than usual. It took a little prodding, but she'd finally opened up to him. She was afraid of the man. He'd made some passing remarks that were less than flattering and had also tried to become physical on a few occasions. When she rebuffed his advances and threatened to report him, Schaefer made his own threats, explaining what he'd do to her in vivid detail if she tried. She was too terrified to say anything to their commanding officer (CO)...afraid of retribution. Sami refused to let the Seaman get away with his dishonorable behavior. Contraband was one matter, but terrorizing one of the crew was inexcusable. Looking back, he should've encouraged her to go to the proper authorities instead of promising to take care of the problem. His pride and honor had gotten in the way. He wanted to be the one to confront Schaefer, to bring him to authorities. Of course, nothing was ever easy.
Their ship had recently docked in the Port of Los Angeles to undergo routine maintenance. It wasn't extensive maintenance but required downtime to do properly. This gave the crew shore leave time, including himself and Schaefer. Abbas had hoped to head off the Seaman before he could scurry off the ship. As his luck would have it, though, his quarry was already sauntering down the gangplank, heading ashore, when he caught sight of him. It'd taken every fiber of self-control for the Lieutenant not to chase after the man. Not only would it give others the wrong impression, it'd put the Seaman on edge. If Sami wanted to have any chances at figuring out what the enlisted sailor was involved with, he needed to keep a level head and tail him.
It'd been a good idea...at first. Los Angeles traffic hadn't been as nightmarish as he expected, and he'd succeeded in keeping Schaefer in view throughout the entire drive- a journey that spanned from the port to Los Angeles Plaza Park. The park was considered the central point of the Los Angeles Plaza Historic district. Trees lined the avenues leading to various shops and stands. Statues of historical figures stood resolute throughout the plaza while a large, Spanish-style building dominated the square. An ornate gazebo- now thoroughly enshrouded in regalia for Fourth of July celebrations- rested at the very center to complete the picture. He pulled into the entryway a minute after Schaefer, observing as he drove to the far side of the plaza and rolled to a stop under a palm. Sami chose to park on the opposite side of the plaza. The enlisted sailor hadn't wasted any time before hopping from his car, tucking a bag protectively under his arm as he walked towards the central colonnade. Twenty thoughts had flown through the Lieutenant's mind when he spotted the bag. If what he suspected was true, that bag either held contraband or money for contraband. All he needed to do was confirm the illegal activities and turn that information over to the authorities. Maybe his luck was finally improving!
Then the sun had dipped below the horizon, trading its watercolor skies for a darkening storm. Sami wouldn't have hated it so much if he'd been able to stay in his own car. Unfortunately, if he wanted that proof, he needed to trail Schaefer as closely as possible. Which meant out of the car he went. He was drenched in seconds. There was nothing to be done about it though. He didn't have an umbrella and there was no point in bemoaning his lack of one. Schaefer wasn't letting the weather bother him so neither could he. Beelining it to a row of trees, Abbas took cover behind the nearest oak and peeked around. Nobody in sight. He cursed under his breath. Despite the pelting rain, he should've been able to spot a solitary strawberry-blonde male waltzing through an empty courtyard yet he was nowhere to be found. That could only mean he'd already moved further into the park.
Sami had debated with himself on his next course of action. On the one hand, he could maintain his position behind the oak tree in hopes Schaefer would reappear. On the other, he could use the cover of the surrounding structures to locate and observe. Part of him- the irritating part in the back of his mind, the one that had warning bells going off- voted to stay put while the prideful, impulsive side pushed to follow. It was the latter of the two which had won out. He did his best to stick to the camouflage of the trees, statues, and structures. There were a couple of moments where he'd been forced out into the open, darting across a pathway here and there in search of his target. Each time he prayed not to be spotted. By the time the bell tolled the hour, the Lieutenant had scoured nearly three-quarters of the plaza with no results. His fear of having lost the Seaman had started to become all too real. If not for the sheer chance of the wind dying down, they would've passed within feet of one another and never realized it.
Two voices- distinctly male, based on the timber- had carried in the sudden stillness, resonating from a few feet to his right. Sami froze. Adrenaline flooded his system, bringing his senses alive and on high alert. Seconds ticked by. Tension settled over him like a veil as he waited and listened, ready to react to the first sign of trouble. Yet the conversation continued without interruption. Neither of the men gave any indication they were aware of his presence. The Lieutenant silently released the breath he'd been holding and relaxed. Apparently, a row of shrubbery had obscured him from view. The nearly eight feet tall foliage stretched between himself and the men, separating the walkway he'd been on from the gazebo area and providing ample cover to listen in. A visual would've been preferred but the thickness of the branches, while working wonders at camouflaging him, extended the same courtesy to Schaefer and his accomplice.
He'd eased as close to the shrubbery's ledge as he dared. It wasn't easy to discern what was being discussed. The voices were soft, and the howling of the wind combined with the booming thunder made it almost impossible to decipher anything important. Most of what he could hear came across as unintelligible murmuring, though Abbas managed to gather enough to get a general idea. That irksome feeling he'd had about the Seaman, that gut instinct telling him something wasn't right- it'd been accurate! Schaefer was involved in smuggling and, supposedly, he had a shipment ready to deliver. What the shipment consisted of was lost to the storm, but the Lieutenant knew he'd heard "Fourth of July." That's when the cargo was due to be transported.
Sami pressed closer, straining to hear anything more, but it was almost impossible. Their whispers were completely drowned out by the tempest. Wind and rain were all that could be heard...until a guttural shout rent the night. It was so forceful and unexpected, Lieutenant Abbas was completely taken aback. He backpedaled a step, staring at the bush as if it'd come to life. One of the men had clearly been angered by something. There was a distinct menace in his growling tone. Whether it was Schaefer or his companion, he couldn't tell for certain since the wind had picked up again. It didn't matter though. The Lieutenant had enough information to warrant an investigation. He would divulge what he'd overheard tonight alongside the sexual harassment allegations. Authorities would have to look into it. With luck, the Seaman would be caught red-handed and their colleague could move on without living in fear.
Creeping backwards, Sami stepped onto the walkway. He glanced at his watch, mentally noting the time- nearly ten p.m. Schaefer's little excursion had lasted two hours so far. If the Lieutenant left right then, he would make it back to the ship inside the hour, which would put him arriving around eleven. It'd be close but he should be able to catch the Masters-at-arms before their shift-change. The sooner he passed along his information, the less concerned he'd be. He had to assume he was the only one to know about the Seaman's illegal activities, and having that sort of knowledge could be dangerous. It was best he left before that was put to the test. Thoroughly soaked, clothes sticking uncomfortably to his skin, Abbas turned away from the conspirators' meeting place with the intention of going to his car. He would never make it there.
Lightning streaked across the heavens. Its brilliance mirrored in puddles and reflected in metal. A terrifying beauty to accentuate the looming peril. Sami had been too focused on Schaefer and his companion. The thought that there might be another accomplice never crossed his mind. It had been luck the third man hadn't stumbled upon him sooner, but that luck had run out...as had his time. Polished metal of a pipe glinted against the blackened sky before it was brought crashing down onto the Naval officer's head. The resounding crack intermingled with the rumbling of thunder. Abbas never had a chance. He crumpled instantly.
Tendrils of light once again snaked through the clouds, brightening the world below. The prone form sprawled on the ground, surrounded by three others, visible one second had gone in the flash of the next. In that instant, the flickering of a fateful moment, the dull metallic eyes of every statue within the park seemed to gleam with righteous fire. Their penetrating stares accusatory and condemning. They- the solitary, silent witnesses to the disappearance of Lieutenant Sami Abbas.