The Crucible Boxed Set

By Robert Stetson

The President, the Cabinet and the Congress merge to form the Council of 12 known as the Galactic Empire.
Follow the classic journey of the Spencer family and discover the elusive Crucible.
This epic adventure begins in the near future and blossoms out from Ritz Village to Moon City.
The government secretly converts the cost of housing prisoners to a lucrative source of income by converting prisoners to lobotomized unisex Goons and then putting them to work.
See how the government tricks the people into demanding their own enslavement.
Can the Spencer family use the very government oppression designed to enslave them to set themselves free?
Watch for Crucible II as you keep this incredible secret ending close to your vest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Stetson
• Release date: Aug 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781498950466

Robert Stetson

I am a retired person living in Massachusetts. My background is extremely diverse. I have worked a Computer Systems Design Engineer, an Auxiliary Police Officer, and many other jobs. I have been a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer working for 3 different fortune 500 companies, served as a representative at ANSI, ECMA and other standards organizations.. I was/am a licensed Private Detective in two states, a Licensed Real Estate Broker and now write as my full time occupation in books on a variety of fact and fictional topics.

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THE CRUCIBLE BOXED SET

Robert Stetson

Published by Robert Stetson, 2014.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

THE CRUCIBLE BOXED SET

First edition. August 9, 2014.

Copyright © 2014 Robert Stetson.

ISBN: 978-1498950466

Written by Robert Stetson.

THE CRUCIBLE BUNDLE

Robert Stetson

THE CRUCIBLE BUNDLE

Text copyright © 2014

Robert Stetson All Rights Reserved

TABLE OF VOLUMES

THE CRUCIBLE

THE CRUCIBLE II

THE CRUCIBLE III

THE CRUCIBLE

Robert Stetson

THE CRUCIBLE

Text copyright © 2012

Robert Stetson All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 OUR STRUGGLE

CHAPTER 2 LOSING LEO

CHAPTER 3 RITZ VILLAGE

CHAPTER 4 MOON WALKING

CHAPTER 5 VET IN THE HOUSE

CHAPTER 6 MOON CITY

CHAPTER 7 WHAT TERRORISM

CHAPTER 8 SEE NO EVIL

CHAPTER 9 MOOSE AND MOUSE

CHAPTER 10 WHAT OF RAMSEY

CHAPTER 11 HELLO DERECK

CHAPTER 12 MALL to MALL

CHAPTER 1 OUR STRUGGLE

It’s amazing what I have to put up with lately. My people are all a bit weird.

I’m reminded of the Devil and how he looks around at his staff, Sloth, Anger, Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, and Pride.

The Devil shakes his head in despair and says, It must be the wages.

Take Leo for example, we once, went undercover as street people and Leo showed up with the filthy ragged costume I gave him. The clothing was freshly laundered and pressed.

Leo lamented, I thought I’d never get all those stains out.

I stood there just looking at him in amazement and said, You look great, Leo. Go home.

Doug Ramsey, on the other hand didn’t need to be issued street rags.  He fits right in with the homeless crowd.

When he’s in a hurry he often forgets to shave. He always exudes a slight, but pleasant clean soapy aroma.

His clothes are a mess and if anything ever happens to him, we’re going to donate his wardrobe to the blind.

I never figured out how he can be so clean and look so scruffy.

As for me, my name is Clark Spencer. I’m a Private Detective working on my special project called the Polygon.

It’s a new day and waking from my slumber, I claw at the night stand seeking to find the clock and check the time. My groping is answered by a thud.

Damn, I grumble. Now I fumble around on the floor to locate the damned clock.

The search ends in success and I pull it up onto the bed. Finding the top I press down. The dial lights up.

The time displays in big blue numerals but before my eyes can fully focus, the clock speaks in a flirtatious woman’s voice, Six A.M.

You tend to think of a Private Detective as being a person with a rough exterior, both muscular and tall, with a commanding bark.

I am none of these things. I am short and slim. My hair is a soft red and thinning fast as the years go by.

My voice is somewhat soft, sounding more like a monk than a master.

My skin is smooth and of light complexion from years of avoiding the sun.

These meager attributes make me the perfect Detective, as you would never suspect me to be one.

As for my project, the Polygon, it is well on the way to being a secret society formed by companies owned by the members.

Our group consists of individuals who are pooling our few remaining resources to overcome the hardship of our times.

Nigel Eats and Warren Buggs are Lawyers with strong backgrounds in business and finance.

Since graduating from law school and hanging out their shingle, they have been wildly successful.

Nigel calls me and says, "Times are becoming more difficult every day with new gun legislation that only effects the legal owners of firearms.

"Now the insurance companies are clamoring for money from every gun owner and sharing their ill-gotten gain with the government as payment for raping the legal gun owners.

"They have passed a law mandating liability insurance on every gun.

"Like car insurance where every car is insured even if only driven by one driver, every gun is insured even if ten of them are owned by a single owner.

Criminals do not insure their guns, so what’s the point.

The government has mutated into a strange dictatorship.  They claim to be a benevolent dictatorship, but it’s killing the common folks.

Our nation has mutated and is being governed by the cruel and greedy megalomaniacs known as the Council of 12.

The identity of the 12 people who comprise the Council is a secret.

The Secrecy surrounding the identity stems from the election process that has mutated from the Electoral College who circumvents the popular election process into a process that is more like the election of the Vatican Popes has been through the ages.

The anonymity of the Council members has mutated from the concept of the Secret Service guard that watches over the head of state. It was determined that if no one knew the identity of the heads of state, no one could attempt an assassination.

The President, the Cabinet and Congress merged to form the Council of 12.

From this group came all the laws by which we live.

I’ve been in the gumshoe business for twenty two years.

My company is Metro Net Investigations which was doing fine until the banks started falling like dominos and I, like so many others, have now lost all of my investments and savings.

No one can pay the cost of investigative services any more.

It takes a difficult downturn of events in life to reveal who your friends really are. The ones you take for granted can be the first to go, much like my recent divorce.

Although I’ve lost all of my cash reserves, my most valuable assets are my loyal people, Leo and Ramsey, who are the only two employees left at Metro Net Investigations. They remain steadfast. Their loyalty is unquestioned.

Leo Sardis and I go back to our college days when we would sit around and talk about the evils of organizations.

Leo was known for saying that companies and governments do things that a person could never do.

He would say that, "With organized evil, there is no accountability.

With organized evil, there is no forethought, and or guilt. Everyone is just doing their job.

The other guys around campus nicknamed Leo the braineac.

Leo is brilliant in every way, except where keeping a low profile is important.

He has always been one to stand up and be counted. This is an admirable trait, but not in the stealthy business of underground investigation.

Leo is the quintessential geek from his big black rimmed glasses to his messy black hair. He is athletic and graceful when in motion.

If not for being one of my investigators, Leo could have been a dancer. While his hair is always a mess, his clothing is immaculate, neat and tidy.

In the business of taking control of your finances, you need muscle.

Doug Ramsey has always been a bit of a bull in a china shop. When a bad situation threatens to develop, you can always count on Ramsey to escalate it.

On the surface you might think Ramsey is a bit of a dullard. He is big, in both height and girth. His hair is cut, standing about a quarter inch from his scalp all over. I’m not sure what color his hair is, it’s too short to tell.

His saving grace is that when things go very wrong, Ramsey springs into action. When the smoke clears there is no one left standing and we realize Ramsey is on the job. He’ll be the big guy with the stupid grin.

Ramsey has been my friend for as long as I can remember.

I like Doug Ramsey because he is genuine. He puts it on the line and stands by it.

I’d bet he could singlehandedly clear out a whole biker bar in short order if it came down to fisticuffs.

Metro Net Investigations is acquiring and hiding the wealth and resources required for the betterment of the group.

The mission is to each maintain our balance of ownership while not creating a public record.. For this we need the skills of no nonsense legal professionals, such as the likes of Buggs and Eats, Attorneys at Law.

Their specialty is circumventing some seemingly impossible legal nightmares by artfully finding alternative legal solutions.

Nigel and Warren have been friends of mine since we met at the university.

We would exchange talk about the implications of new legislation and how it can be legally circumvented.

Sometimes Leo and Ramsey would join in on the conversations and it would become an electric experience.

We were young idealistic college kids who were voted the most likely to be arrested at a rally. For all the madness we portrayed we never actually ever attended a rally. Our cause was too serious in nature to protest openly.

We prefer to quietly plot ways of circumventing the obstacles in our lives.

These strategies were devised for fun. But now, in today’s economy, they are life sustaining.

The first time I saw Buggs and Eats I would have sworn they were twins. They are always together and don’t think people didn’t wonder about that.

I can only wonder how they manage to be married with infant children and spend more time together than with their families.

They are both rotund with ruddy complexions and they walk with a slight waddle. They dress in suits, white shirts and ties which all tend to be a bit unkempt.

Their appearance could have impacted their business over the years but there is no evidence that it ever did.

Members of the Polygon don’t partner with these men for their stylish exterior. Their success is entirely linked to their ability to take hopeless legal situations and turn them around.

Al Akken of Akken CPA Financial Services is in no danger of going under even though all of the businesses around them are disappearing fast.

They are victims of the economic disaster that is plaguing the world. The economic recession is deeper than ever before. Banks, are failing.

Akken CPA has managed to hang on with no seemingly visible way to sustain the company even though investments are drying up without warning.

Everyone seems to be aware of Al’s genius when it comes to handling and manipulating money.

I know Al very well. He and I have been friends for a few years and in that time I have watched Al perform miracles. The problem is that almost no one has any money to manipulate.

Al is a funny looking little man that passes very well as a CPA with his immaculate manner of dress and fussy personality. He is small, blond and wears the stereotypical horned rimmed glasses.

He always has a snow white handkerchief that he uses to periodically clean his eyeglass lenses. He drives me crazy with his fussy neat nick personality.

He is essential to our success and I have learned to tolerate his personality quirks.

Metro Net Investigations is being kept afloat with the financial ashes of the Spencer estate.

I am selling off everything including real estate holdings which drop in value as a natural consequence of bank failures.

I’m selling at a loss, but when you look at the financial trends, I seem to be liquidating my assets just ahead of the falling economic curve.

Property is a financial anchor. It holds you down. When the wolves are at the door, you need to be mobile and have plenty of liquidity. Cash is king. If they can’t find it, they can’t take it.

The process of forming a secret society consisting of companies is easy. It has to be conducted so that to an outward observer it would appear to be a simple business alliance.

When pooled liquid resources such as cash and other holdings are kept under wraps, it becomes a secret society.

We’re looking for legal ways to circumvent the damage we’re suffering at the hands of new legislation.

We did this for fun back in college, but now it has become serious business.

There is a saying among the wealthy, When they change the rules we change the game.

The Polygon is a microcosm of the Japanese strategy employed just after World War II which galvanized the people. By using the tactic of delayed rewards they turned the entire country into a single synergistic empire.

They worked hard and asked little in return. They were perceived as willing to live on a bowl of rice a day and they put in 16 hours of hard work.

The Japanese beat the world bloody with their work ethic.

As a result America lost its manufacturing edge.

After the Japanese people became westernized they lost the work ethic that created their great nation. Then the Chinese took over and became the world’s biggest economic empire using the same time honored strategy.

It’s early morning and my hair is a mess. Leo Sardis and Doug Ramsey are occupying the living room. They are locked in quiet conversation preparing for today’s mission.

The TV is spouting more bad news, as usury laws were just recently modified and are now eliminated, allowing national credit card institutions to charge upwards of one hundred percent interest and one hundred dollar penalties on late payments.

Leo cries out in a rage, What the hell! Why don’t they just take everything from everyone and be done with it?

I look over at Leo and say, "For crying out loud, Leo. The best revenge is living well, but we need to work quietly and pool our resources for now.

Stop complaining and keep your mind on the job at hand.

For today’s mission, we have located the meeting place of the rich and politically powerful Council of 12 and it has been identified as an affluent local Village. This is one of many gated and fortified communities that cater to the upper class.

The tension in the room is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Now Leo is griping about his wardrobe.

We aren’t going out for or ordering in breakfast because we don’t want any sign of activity at this hour of the morning. We go down the back stairs and move quietly to the car.

The parking garage is semi-dark. The air stinks of mold. We close the doors slowly to eliminate any sound.

The general public is not allowed inside Ritz Village and we have to try and find a strategy to get inside and map the layout of the village. We need the identity of the participants along with the time and location of all the various government activities.

I slip my key in the ignition slot, but the electric car doesn’t respond.

Damn! It won’t energize, I say. I exited the car and popped the hood. It is clear the battery cables are cut clean through.

Ramsey yelled, They found us!

We are surrounded by twenty men with weapons all aimed at our heads.

The authorities can find anyone with the tracking devices they implant in our forearms.

They insist that the tracking devices are for our own protection and emit both vitals and Cartesian coordinates so they can measure heart and respiration rates along with location.

The real question here is how they knew enough to watch us today.

Perhaps they know what we are up to. They can’t track everyone all the time. Matters are made more difficult by the devices required in our cars that keep track of velocity, time and date information along with detailed GPS tracking info.

The insurance companies use these to ostensibly calculate the discounts on our car insurance by monitoring our driving habits.

They monitor the roads we drive, and they maintain a log of the neighborhoods we visit, time of day and the frequency of our travels.

The government has direct access to the data base mandated for these tracking devices for our protection, and to quickly locate stolen cars.

With twenty men with weapons all aimed at our heads surrounding us, the Squad Leader steps forward and speaks, "Leo Sardis.

On behalf of the Council of Twelve, you are under arrest. Take him to the holding area.

It is then that I notice four big black 4X4 SUVs with license number C12 on black license plates surrounding our car. How did I miss that?

We are made to lie on the ground face down.

I watch them take Leo to a large white semi also bearing the council’s familiar license number C12 on a black license plate. The side door opens and an elevator ramp comes down.

The inside of the truck emits an eerie green glow. It has the strange quality of frosted green glass, while the outside is metallic looking. The ground is crawling with a cold fog and the fog glows sympathetically green with the light from the trailer.

Two of the guards have tasered Leo and are carrying him upright like a big lifelike ragdoll. His big black rimmed glasses are on the ground. No one bothers to pick them up.

Then they fire their tasers at us even though we don’t resist and we are paralyzed for about twenty minutes.

Each member of our newly formed Polygon has a personal tracking device planted in the small of our back under the skin much like the government devices planted in our forearms.

These company devices are planted by our company doctor, and are about the size of a grain of rice. They also track location and vital signs in the same way as the ones planted by the government.

I check my watch and press the monitor code for Leo.

I report, Leo’s vitals are looking strong.

Ramsey groans, Doesn’t look as though they are intending to kill him so they must be after information.

Leaving the rest of us behind suggests that they don’t realize that we are on a mission.

We had better scrub today’s mission, I announce.

CHAPTER 2 LOSING LEO

Ramsey is just looking back at me and nodding. His face is beet red and I can see his anger and frustration mounting.

It would be too dangerous to bring Ramsey on such a delicate reconnaissance mission in his current state of mind.

Let’s regroup and figure out what to do, I say, not verbalizing that I recognize Ramsey’s state of mind.

Ramsey says, We had better stay clear of the apartment for a while.

We lay low for several minutes and then leave on foot.

We do not return to the apartment.

It seems morning will never come as I don’t sleep most of the night pondering the meaning behind the abduction of our comrade.

We are gathering for a staff meeting in the hopes of coming up with a plan of action.

Discussions turn heated as we each share our opinion of the government vehicles destination.

We have to find Leo and get him back somehow.

Based on the level of the gated community security the most logical location for Leo’s detention would be Ritz Village.

The only way to link the origin of these unique Council license plate codes to Ritz Village would be through a scouting mission.

Their medical facilities are huge and well equipped, even for a potential Council Village. It suggests that there is much more going on than medical activity considering the population density.

"The medical facility there is restricted to outsiders. Only the occupants of Ritz Village are allowed to enter the facility.

Most other hospitals are open to the areas they occupy", I say, pondering the uniqueness of the facility.

As Ramsey and I enter the Staff meeting I announce, "Something has come up and Leo has been arrested.

Ramsey and I are not going to attending today’s meeting.

I also tell the group, Go ahead and share your reports and we’ll catch up to you all later.

The sky is clear and there is a slight breeze. I’m on the phone and order a taxi to a hotel close to Ritz Village.

Ramsey asks, What are you doing? We have a car.

I cautioned Ramsey with, If we are going to spy on Ritz Village then we might not want our vehicle traced to that location, right?

Ramsey’s eyes get bright for a moment and he responds, Gee. I never thought of that.

Ramsey and I are on our way to Ritz Village to gather information and maybe find out where in the village Leo is being held.

Ramsey and I sit on a bench in the entrance park that provides a good vantage point for the main gates to Ritz Village.

With the wide open spaces provided by the park we are not successful at keeping a low profile. It is difficult to stake out this location without being rather obvious.

People just don’t lounge at the parks here especially since it is located just outside the village.

The parks are for aesthetic value giving the village entrance area a wealthy ambiance.

We brought coffee and sandwiches to tide us over.

Security here at Ritz Village is extremely tight and with the exception of the parking lots the area surrounding the village gate is rolling meadow.

It’s been a long day and the sun is starting to set.

As much as I enjoy Ramsey’s company, you could fall asleep and he would probably not notice.

Ramsey isn’t much for small talk. In the absence of excitement, his brain sort of goes on standby.

Looking at Ramsey, I can see we’re both tired and I lament, Looks like the day is just about over. It doesn’t look as though today would be a good day to venture inside.

Ramsey whispers, Clark. I feel a vibration.

Looking down at my coffee resting on the bench, it has ripples in it. I also hear a dull rumbling sound.

Yes, I hear something coming I reply.

Our view is somewhat limited by the village walls. We move behind the only cover, some sparse nearby shrubs.

We are aware that they are probably using infra-red along with stealth cameras to detect people out here.

We wait for the convoy to stop and the troops to swarm our location, but it doesn’t happen.

The village gates open wide as four large black 4X4 SUVs round the outside wall and turn to enter the village followed by two white semi-tractor trailer trucks.

All six vehicles have the same distinctive black license plates we had seen the previous morning.

We make out the plates, and do manage to snap a couple of photos with our low light cameras.

That’s all we’re going to get for now, I say, Time to pack up.

Our rental car is parked in an open parking area and the security seems to end just short of the lot. I wonder, is this lack of security outside the Village confidence or vanity?

We sauntered back to the car slowly making sure not to display any sense of urgency lest we arouse suspicion.

The drive back is done in silence. I let Ramsey drive to keep his mind busy. I’m concerned he may fall into a depressed slump. He is very close to Leo.

In some ways the members of the field unit at Metro Net Investigations are like a commando team.

We each vow that if anyone in the group is in trouble the others will come. We will never leave a fallen or wounded comrade behind. It makes the job more tolerable.

I would trust either of these men with my life and they share that expectation with me.

As we arrive back at the local hotel we turn in our rental car and see our taxi waiting.

The final leg of our journey takes us back to the office.

We load the photos into the computer, zooming in on the license plates of each. Sure enough, they are all the same black license plates bearing the distinctive C12 marking.

Ramsey blurts out, The Council of 12! You can’t tell one vehicle from the other by the license plates.

Ramsey and I start working on a strategy to get inside Ritz Village.

Ramsey suggests in his usually flamboyant way, We can blast our way in, get Leo and then blast our way out.

I reply, We can also sneak in, determine where Leo is being held and then escape undetected.

Our plan is taking an agonizing week of pros and cons.

Ultimately, Ramsey and I are in agreement that we’re not sure how to find Leo, so it will possibly need to be a scouting mission.

If we can accomplish his rescue it will have to be decision made on the spot.

I leave Ramsey with one last nugget of information, Ramsey, the most perfect strategy goes out the window the moment the first shot is fired.

Ramsey looks back at me, smiles and winks.

Things are developing very quickly and we decide to proceed with the rescue mission as soon as we can conjure up a legitimate reason to enter the village.

My mind is racing so it’s important to think things through. It’s times like this when a person makes the most mistakes. Leo is in deep trouble and I mean to get him back.

I realize we need a reason to enter Ritz Village, but when do we plan to get Leo? Ramsey asks.

I respond, I told you, we have to set the mission aside until we find a legitimate reason to go there.

Ramsey is getting frustrated, I can tell. I stopped walking and moved in closer.

I speak softly, "Look, my friend, I have a possible solution to the problem and you’re going to have to trust me.

"The problem with our rent and the problem of rescuing Leo may just play together to our advantage.

"The owner of the building lives in Ritz Village.

We need to set up a meeting soon.

Ramsey let out a long breath and seemed to relax a little. He looked at his shoes and replied, O.K. I’ll be patient.

We retire for the evening.

The sun is up and it’s a beautiful day.

All of the principals of the Polygon are gathered together to share information.

After getting coffee and a roll we enter the meeting room and gather around the table.

We learn that the savings and loan bankers have defaulted on all savings accounts and have called in loans amounting to billions of dollars.

This has left us strapped for cash and put us in a negative cash flow situation. The money is tight and we’ll have to come up with some solutions.

Back when the news of the savings and loan scandals first broke, an examination of our leases uncovered a legal flaw.

The cost of renting an apartment is nearly doubling our overhead and we don’t need to maintain a separate floor space for work location and our living area.

Between ordinances that zone property between business and residential and the self-renewing leases, I think we need to sever the financial bind between us and the residential leases first.

After eliminating the residential leases, we have to work on a way to incorporate the business addresses and our living arrangements.

There are also reports of pending legislation to eliminate cash as a means of commerce, limiting the duration of currency life by imposing an automatic void on all currency at the end of one year.

Ramsey and I sit for a while and ponder the situation until I break the silence with. "Our resources are already strained.

"Leo is still being held. We suspect he’s in Ritz Village.

"Our landlords both live and work in Ritz Village.

"We suspect that Ritz Village is the central location for the Council of 12.

"Ritz Village seems to be a focal point for all our issues.

If we can’t get an appointment with our landlord and they don’t release Leo soon, we’ll have to break into the village and go looking for him.

I tell Ramsey, "Buggs tells me he’s drafted a court case that should eliminate the residential lease and free us from our burden.

The idea is to get to court in the next six months and eliminate our residential addresses.

"Zoning was a problem prior to the savings and loan scandal. With the civil unrest concerning the loss of all savings, the cities and towns have loosened up on enforcement.

The whole zoning process has been abandoned.

Buggs comments, "Our funding is limited. We are forced to decide which of these leases to keep intact.

We can’t afford both, and the residential lease is the most oppressive.

Eats says, "Clark’s residence is currently in a building owned by Socco Belkin. Socco is a wealthy real estate Barron with ties to the mob.

Octave Coderre owns the Metro Net Investigations building where we conduct business and is aware of our financial plight. Octave Coderre is prepared to keep our lease intact by ensuring a victory in severing our residential lease.

I say, "Socco plans well ahead and this situation isn’t going to find him asleep at the switch either.

"With Al Akken, Buggs and Eats working on background information, we might be able to use some legal techniques for the laundering money for the Polygon.

We need to discuss a survival plan that will enable us to last long enough to recover from the losses incurred by the theft of our savings as soon as we deal with the problems with our leases.

Buggs and Eats leave to work on the case for having the leases declared null and void.

Nigel Eats exits the Clerk of Court’s Office and approaches us as we stand in the foyer.

Nigel says, I barely had time to file our case when the Clerk of Court notified me that our trial will be on the docket in one hour.

This is unheard of, Buggs says, The courts tend to grind on for months. Apparently they are not allowing for any depositions in this case.

We file into the courtroom and in about an hour the Bailiff calls our case.

The Judge looks sternly at us and says, I understand you want to terminate your residential lease with Socco Belkin?

Nigel replies, Yes, you’re Honor.

The Judge drops the gavel and declares, Your lease is hereby terminated.

We are dumfounded.

Our office building owner, Octave Coderre is the richest men in the city and we have considered the possibility that there may be some sort of manipulation going on here.

Someone has a great deal of influence to get our case fast-tracked on such short notice.

We think Octave Coderre was forcing a quick outcome to ensure termination of our residential leases with Socco so we could afford to pay our lease on the office we’re renting from him.

Just to show the power one man can possess, we actually won our case because Octave Coderre provided us with a Lawyer from his staff.

The orchestration was so artistic that the Lawyer already had our case all drawn up.

Our legal strategy won’t be needed. Socco has no time to prepare his side and a continuance is not allowed. Also, I’m sure Octave has the judge in his pocket.

The Judge was prepped by someone and it isn’t clear how we won, but we actually won without any testimony being given."

Nigel Eats speaks out in complete disbelief, How is it we could watch six trials and be the only ones who win their case?

Buggs responds, It is clearly preordained. The whole thing is a setup. Isn’t it odd how such kangaroo courts don’t seem so bad when you are the kangaroo?

I start to wonder how best to measure the severity of the situation and ask Al for some clarification.

I ask, So, Al, how deep does a recession have to be to be regarded as a depression?

Al looks thoughtful for a moment and says, "There is no precise metric for that, but I can tell you this much, when your neighbor is out of work you are in a recession, and when you’re out of work, you’re in a depression.

At least, that’s the indicator I use.

We all laugh.

We leave the courthouse late because we are watching the outcome of so many other trials.

It is clear that we would have lost for sure if not for Octave Coderre. Now he is assured that we can more easily pay his rent. Also, with me both living and working there, everything I own is in the building.

If I lose my business, I lose my home. The banter continued as we made our way to the car.

We climbed into the shiny black Lincoln Town Car. This car is my pride and joy. We head out onto the highway and begin to accelerate.

The front passenger window suddenly explodes in Ramsey’s face and draws a trickle of blood.

I press on the accelerator and the Lincoln Town Car bolts forward just as an old dented Buick painted to look like a squad car flies out of the alley and comes in hot pursuit.

The bandit Buick turns on their mock red and blue strobe lights.

The sound of an illegal electronic Police siren fills the night.

We pull our 38 specials and start to fire at the rapidly approaching Buick.

I had Buggs reload for me while I drive and curse the snub nose 38 Special for only having a five shot capacity.

It’s hard to shoot and drive at the same time, so I ask Ramsey to be ready to aim and fire when I slam on the break.

I punch the break hard causing the car to nose dive and swerve slightly.

Just as I had suspected, we catch them by surprise.

When they go by, Ramsey has less than one second to draw a bead.

I ask myself, Did he nail their shooter or not?

At that moment they break off the chase and we escape down Haley Avenue.

Buggs draws a handkerchief from his breast pocket and starts to wipe the blood from Ramsey’s face.

Most of the street lights are out. The city is seeing the hardship of budget cuts brought on by general poverty.

I continue on with my mind totally focused on the task of driving.

Buggs rolls his eyes in disbelief, Doesn’t anything slow this guy down? The bleeding is superficial but Ramsey should be at least a little shaken up, don’t you think?

We all ignore Buggs comments. There is no time to reflect on Ramsey’s lack of reaction to his near death experience.

Ramsey looks over at me asks, Was that an attempt at a hit, or was that an attempt at a robbery?

Looking briefly back at him I respond, Better keep our guard up for a few days.

I take a second look back and see that Ramsey is busy reloading his 38.

We actually won freedom from the residential leases. The ordeal with the phantom squad car where Ramsey’s car window was shot out is over and we are still alive.

I curse under my breath. Angry, I cry out, I can’t believe they actually shot up my car. Damn!

Buggs has his cell phone out and he’s dialing.

Who are you calling? I inquire.

Buggs puts up his hand to stifle me.

He asks, Is there any way we can get a message through to Octave?

He is talking to one of Octave’s henchmen.

He goes on talking, Octave told us if there is ever a problem with the outcome of the court case, let him know. I think we just got a visit from a hit man.

The door to Octave Coderre’s office blows open with such force it sounds as though it might come off the hinges.

Octave Coderre exits the elevator and makes his way down the corridor lit by luminous walls. His face is crimson and he is walking fast.

Octave has two of his best men in tow and they are not smiling.

Their weapons are detected as they approached Socco’s office and the weapon drawers open automatically.

The sign indicates that they must surrender their weapons before entering the office, but the two body guards then crash through the outer door paving the way for Octave to continue without breaking stride.

Octave raises his walking stick which is old and gnarled. It is an old Irish shillaly handed down through his family for several generations.

Two men bearing sawed off shotguns round the corner and snarl at them to get lost. Then, they recognize Octave and immediately lower their guns.

The color drains from their face and they begin spouting humble apologies.

Octave speaks, Cut the crap. Where the hell is that worm, Socco?

The two men stand aside as Octave storms up to a pair of 16 foot tall double doors which open before them.

Sitting behind his large antique oak desk is a figure which appears small in stature given the immensity of the desk and the room.

Socco’s body guards begin to announce Octave Coderre who cuts them off