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.