Author's notes:
Thank you to two great writers and friends, make-mine-a-kiaora and Sue Shay, for their help. Be sure to check out their stories - I have favorited them in my profile for easy access.
I do not own the TV show The Mentalist and get no compensation from it. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 14 - "Something's Gotta Give"
Teresa Lisbon saw the concern etched across all the faces in front of her.
"What's happened, Henry?"
"More drones. Bigger drones. Drones flying in broad daylight over the park!"
"Tell me what's happened."
"Look over there, Chief." Henry pointed to the sky above the city park.
In the distance, three silver objects circled in the air. All three were much bigger than the captured one. Sunlight reflected off their bodies as they made turns along their paths. They looked like horses on a carousel as they bobbed up and down in the air.
"When did they show up, Henry?"
"We started getting reports just a few minutes ago. Warrick Albury is the patrol officer at the park, and he says people are flooding in to look at the drones. The crowd is overwhelming him."
Teresa saw Officer Michaela Hinks approach so she waved her over.
"Warrick says things are getting wild at the park. Several hundred people have shown up. He needs help," Michaela said.
Everyone stood around Teresa looking at her to decide what to do next. Teresa closed her eyes to collect her thoughts. After a split second, she opened her eyes and focused on Michaela.
"We're all going to the park. Before you go over Michaela, call in everybody you can to come to the park. On-duty and off-duty. Hurry."
"Yes, ma'am." Michaela sprinted back to the police station.
Teresa looked at her own crowd that surrounded her. All awaited what she said next. With a nod of her head, she motioned to the parking lot.
"Let's all go to the park."
As soon as she and her husband got to her squad car, Mayor Brookins called her. Pulling the car keys from her pocket, she hesitated. She stared first at the keys, then at her husband. With a sigh, she threw the keys to Patrick and motioned for him to drive.
"Chief, what's going on? People are calling city hall. Apparently the 911 service overloaded so they're calling here," said Brookins.
"We're on it, Mayor."
"Tell me what's happening, Teresa."
As Patrick drove them to the park, Teresa briefed the mayor. She couldn't decide what concerned her the most: the drones flying over the park or the distress of an I'm-up-for-reelection-this-year mayor - or Patrick Jane behind the wheel of her squad car. It didn't help matters one bit that her husband barreled the car down Maple Street at 60 miles per hour, lights flashing and siren blaring. As she talked to the mayor, Teresa glanced at Patrick. Why did he have to grin at her like a teenager driving Dad's car for the first time?
Jane would always be Jane. Some things never changed. Amid the chaos around her, Teresa sighed to herself.
Once they arrived at the park, Teresa got a better sense of the scale of the problems - both those in the heavens above and the one on the ground below. The three drones glided around at an altitude of several hundred meters. Some people still went about their earth-bound business - jogging, fishing, picnicing. But most people cast their eyes skyward to watch the show. Many lifted up cameras to film the spectacle.
People are already posting video to social media thought Teresa.
What concerned Teresa above all else was the onrush of new people who thronged into the park. Many students from Deverell College across the street poured onto the park's baseball diamond beside the lake, and other people overflowed the parking lot as word spread across town. A few end-of-the-world nuts chanted out slogans as they bowed down and held their arms aloft toward the drones. People came for the drones and stayed for the bedlam that could erupt any minute.
Teresa saw flashing lights as one, two, then a half dozen more police cars arrived. Officer Hinks did a good job of rounding up officers, but they'd still be outmanned if - and when - the scene turned ugly. To her left, she saw Patrick glance at the sky, then at the crowd, then at her.
"We could lose control here, Hubby. I don't have enough officers if things go bad," she said to Patrick.
Patrick touched his index finger to his lips. She could tell that somewhere in his mind an idea was blooming. In a moment he patted her arm, a look of triumph plastered over his face.
"I'll be back." With that, her husband pivoted and ran across the street.
Capp's voice to her right got Teresa's attention.
"These are some more EvaCorp drones. I recognize the shape."
When Teresa turned to Capp, she found herself surrounded by the same crowd from the police station. Henry stood beside her, his body tense as he awaited any command she might give him. Wayne, Grace, and Kimball looked like they did back in their old CBI days - ready to help her however they could.
"How can one person control all three drones at the same time, Capp?" Teresa asked.
"I've watched their movements. They circle in patterns. Someone programmed them."
Teresa slumped her shoulders.
"Trumble's behind all this. Hubby and I figured that out when we visited him. If there was only some way to control these things."
Capp put her hands on her hips as she stared at the drones.
"Anybody got binoculars?" Capp asked.
"Yes, ma'am." Ever-at-the-ready Henry pulled a small pair from his utility belt and handed them to her.
"Give me a second to get a better look at what model these drones are, whether they are XG71a or XG71b," said Capp.
"That'll make a difference?" Teresa asked.
"Yep. Both are military models. When EvaCorp released the 'a' model, they had a software glitch. It allowed a third-party to capture control of an airborne drone with the right equipment. Not something you want your enemies on the battlefield doing. The company fixed the problem with the 'b' model."
The sun came out from behind a cloud to shine brightly on the sides of the drones.
"Well?"
Capp chortled.
"They're all 'a' models. We're in business."
"Can you get control of them, Capp?"
"Yep. Piece of cake. I've got three control boxes in the trunk of my car. Just give me a few minutes."
"You carry control boxes for drones around in your car?" asked Wayne Rigsby.
Capp scowled at him.
"Well, yeah. I always carry stuff that might come in handy. Along with them I've got two guns, four flash grenades, and a pair of black high-heel dress pumps."
"In your trunk?" asked Wayne.
"Yes. And don't judge me like that. Every once in while I do go places where I need a fine pair of shoes." She shot a glance at Kimball. "Not just diners."
"Can you bring them down without hurting anyone?"
"I'm on it, Teresa." Capp said. She turned to Kimball and pinched his arm. "Come on, Rascal. Let's get the control boxes."
"Anything you say, Nymph."
Capp and Kimball hurried to her car, while Henry left to coordinate the newly-arrived police officers. Teresa found herself alone now with Wayne and Grace.
"Where did Jane go?" asked Grace.
"I wish I knew," said Teresa.
At that moment, a commotion began at the edge of the park. People who had gazed upward at the drone now pointed and stared at something around the bend of the sidewalk. Hooting and hollering commenced, and the crowd surged in that direction.
Waving to the crowd as he walked into sight came Patrick Jane. Three figures flanked him - a giant furry creature tap dancing, a neon-green humanoid pointing a ray gun, and a man wearing a pastel blue polyester leisure suit.
Teresa's jaw dropped.
"Jane always did have the most unique friends," said Grace.
To be continued.
Author's notes:
Johnny Mercer wrote "Something's Gotta Give" in 1954, and Frank Sinatra recorded my favorite version on his album, Come Dance With Me! Another favorite version is Ella Fitzgerald's on her album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Johnny Mercer Songbook.
Up next: "They Can't Take That Away From Me"
