Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 09:09:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Farrell Mc Nulty <brendanchenowith@yahoo.com>
Subject: Detectives Log Chapter Fifty-Four - Vengeance is Mine, Sayeth the Batz

This is Chapter Fifty-Four of Detectives Log - "Vengeance Is Mine, Sayeth
the Batz"

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR - Vengeance is Mine, Sayeth the Batz

MIKE - The session in Fletch's office gave me exactly what I needed - and
more. I now had the truth, as Eddie was always afraid to remember. To be
kidnapped, sexually degraded, and forced to ingest a dangerous drug, only
to be set-up for expulsion from the police academy, the end of his
life-long dream, introduced to a life of desparation, leading up to
contemplation of suicide. I'd always worn the coat when I was on the
case, but this time Eddie needed it more than I did. Poor boy was still
cold, still feeling the affect of the hypnosis. Now his secret was out.
Losin' his dream was the price he had to pay for doin' the right thing,
and that was not the right thing at all. That's where I come in. He
needed a hero to avenge the wrong brought down on him. He didn't deserve
this.

Back to the Academy we went. Eddie had to face the administration who
brought 'im down. We walked into the office. We had a score to settle.

"Good afternoon, I'm Detective Batz, this is my partner, Detective
Robinson."

"Robinson?"

"yeah"

"You were once a cadet at this institution, am I correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"After what you pulled, you have the temerity to show your face on these
grounds? I thought I had you expelled. You really have some nerve coming
back here. Please don't tell me you've enlisted this gentleman to try to
get you back in. It's men like you we try to keep off the streets."

I had to intervene. "Wait a minute, hold ev'rything here. We have ample
reason to believe that Detective Robinson was set up for expulsion."

"Oh, I see, that's what he told you?"

"That's exactly what he told me."

"How do you know he's not lying to you?"

"I have my ways." [The hypnosis thing was none of this dirt-bag's
business]

"I also have names - how do the names Murphy, Shaughnessey and Wilczek
grab ya, huh?"

"I'm afraid I have no time for such foolishness. Now, Eddie, you..."

"It's Detective Robinson to you."

[Good one, kiddo]

"Detective Robinson?" [a slight chuckle from this sleaze-ball] "so when
did you go ahead and do that?"

"I assisted my partner in a struggle with some crooks who were tryin' to
do 'im in. He saw my potential as a crimefighter and took me on in his
practice. Under his tutelage I took the detective's exam and passed with
flyin' colors, obtainin' my license. I'm now a full-fledged Private
Investigator."

"So, then, what brings you here?"

MIKE - I intervened, "my partner couldn't live with the secrets anymore,
he came clean with me and spilled all the beans about what happened.
Officer, with all due respect, when he was randomly positively tested for
drugs in his system, you never did get all the facts. My partner felt he
had to honor the Code of Silence, that unwritten rule among Police
Officers, or those who had aspired to such a life."

"To be fair, this young man had reported a few cadets for misbehavior and
they were reprimanded. His story checked out and the three were briefly
suspended, but they had learned their lesson and had gone on to be fine
cadets as well as, I believe, fine police officers."

"It may shock you to hear that these fine little mopes were responsible
for the substance appearin' in his bloodstream. His life was threatened,
he feared for his safety after they concluded he was the one who brought
their misbehavior to your attention. This cannot go unpunished. I want
any and all info ya got on these crumbs a.s.a.p."


The Director wasn't too pleased with what I had to say, but kinda
resigned to it. He saw how relentless we were. We weren't gonna let this
go on any further. We didn't take no for an answer.

"Such as?"

"The districts they're assigned to, addresses, things like that. I know
places like these have mailing lists, whaddaya call yer alumni
newsletters. I want you to take us to these three guys. Law enforcement
is the most noble profession there is and my partner has more nobility in
his fingernail than these three dopes have in their entire bodies. They
don't deserve to be on The Job. If they so badly abuse a fellow cadet,
God only knows what they might be doin' to innocent citizens."

"Well, if you wish, I can tell you that all three were assigned to the
same precinct and I can direct you to the House. I'll even put you in
touch with the Desk Sergeant, but he won't disclose a thing to you. There
is a Code of Silence as you mentioned. Perhaps if young Mr. Robinson...."

"I told you it's Detective."

The Director drew a heavy sigh.

"...DETECTIVE Robinson. If you had only abided by the Code of Silence. I
still believe you reported your fellow cadets to throw us off the scent
of your drug problem."

Seein' as this is goin' absolutely nowhere, "all right, ya said you'd put
us in touch with the Desk Sergeant at their precinct."

"I said I COULD, not would. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really have no
more time for this foolishness. These locked cabinets you see before you
house all updated alumni information, and that is exactly where they'll
remain. Now, good day, gentlemen."

Holy Sweet Mother of Crap, now what? Me-n-Eddie turn on our heels and
walk out. When we closed the door behind us, Eddie instinctively looked
behind him. He spotted the Academy Director opening up one of the file
drawers with the combination. He peered closely.

"34 LEFT - 6 RIGHT - 19 LEFT"

"Jeez, you can see that good?"

"Yeah, if only we could get in there somehow, when he's not lookin'."

"Eddie, you're a genius, but that'd be breakin' and enterin'."

Eddie realized where his head was goin', but held back and realized it'd
be the wrong thing to do.

"We're absolutely stymied, Boss-Man."

"Which is exactly why we're comin' back here later on."

"You mean...?"

"Uh-huh. Now, we're here to investigate a crime, a serious one.
Defamation of character, forcibly poisonin' a guy's system with illicit
drugs, kidnappin', several counts of assault. The end justifies the
means, my boy. Those jerks are goin' DOWN! C'mon, let's roll."

OUR HEROES HAVE NO IDEA THEY'RE BEING OBSERVED PLOTTING THEIR NEXT MOVE!
WHAT ON EARTH IS THE FATE THAT DOES AWAIT?

Hours later, we're back at the old stand. All the doors are locked for
the night. We skulk around for somethin', anything, to find a way in, an
open window, a door someone forgot to lock. We see a row of windows
leadin' to the basement. Holy Eureka, one of them is open. We crawl in,
creep quietly around the place. It's lights out - don't think anyone's
around at this time of night. We get back to the Director's office. Eddie
may've been slick and saw the combination bein' open, but I had a trick
or two up my sleeve, too. The ol' credit card trick. I know these kinds
of locks, the type that ya push a button on the inside of the door to
either lock it or keep it open. I slide a credit card through the slot
and somehow manage to press the button to unlock the office door.
Me-n-Eddie sidle in and very quietly, gently close the door and creep
over to the file cabinet. I give Eddie a flashlight outta my tool belt so
he can see what he's doin' with the combination lock. The drawer pops
open. We see a folder marked "alumni - 2005"

"Bingo! It's them!"

Eddie goes through the papers inside and sees that not only were they
assigned to the same precinct, but they also live at the same house.

"Gosh, how weird is that?"

"Hey, ya never know. Me-n-you live at the same address, and, well, ya
know..."

"Ya think they could be, uh, together?"

"Wouldn't doubt it. Better write down their stats."

"Gotcha".

Eddie jots down their address and the number of the precinct house. I
whisper to him, "we gotta get out the same way we got in. Okay, let's
roll."

We creep outta the office and were on our way back to the basement window
so we could get the hell outta here. That's the last thing I remember for
a while, 'cuz me-n-Eddie got hit in the back of the head and fell over,
passed out.

SOMEONE LURKING AROUND THE CORNER, SPYING ON THE DELICIOUS DUO, CONKED
THEM BOTH ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD. AN ACCOMPLICE HELPED BY PICKING UP ONE
OF THE BODIES AND DRAGGING THEM OUT. THE TWO OF THEM TALKED ABOUT
DISPOSAL. AND DO I MEAN DISPOSAL!

THE FIENDS DRAG THEM TO AN ALLEY, UNDO A PADLOCK HOLDING A CHAIN ACROSS
THE OPENING OF A DUMPSTER, CUFF THEIR HANDS BEHIND THEIR BACKS, SHACKLE
THEIR LEGS AND CHAIN THEIR HANDS TO THEIR FEET, WRAP THE CHAIN AROUND THE
DUMPSTER AGAIN, AND TOOK OFF, KNOWING FULL WELL THE NEXT DAY WOULD BE
TRASH DAY, AND OUR HEROES WERE UP AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING
MANGLED, MUNCHED AND MASHED INSIDE A TRASH COMPACTOR.

TO READ HOW THEY GET OUTTA THIS MESS - OR AT LEAST IF THEY GET OUTTA THIS
MESS, READ ON, READ ON, READ ON - THE ANSWER'S AT THE END.