Page 117

“Jesus Christ,” he swore loudly.

“And Mary and Joseph,” I added.

Sixty-Four

MADDOX

It was several hours before it was all over. Before every last suspect left in the back of a police car, or worse, chained hand-and-foot and dragged off by the Military Police. The LVMPD wanted us to follow them back for statements of course, but the Chief got us out of there by claiming we were ‘hi

s people’.

Eventually, only one of the choppers was left.

“Full debriefing,” Rogan barked, as he walked back to the transport. “My office, all of you. When I’m good and ready.”

Kane replied with a curt nod. It seemed to satisfy the man.

“For now,” the Chief said, “get some rest.”

He disappeared into the transport, two men shifting quickly aside for him. I marveled at how he seemed almost totally surreal. Like a character out of a movie.

“So this was your doing, huh?” I poked Kane. It was the first actual conversation we’d had since the chaos started.

“Yup.”

“Alright, then. How’d you pull it off?”

Austin and Dietz inched forward. They were both pretty interested themselves. Dallas was already by my side, hanging off one shoulder. Probably already trying to make amends for the truck incident.

“Well I touched base with Woodward first,” Kane said. “Told him the shit was about to hit the fan, and he was standing way too close not to be splattered.”

The analogy made me laugh. “So why didn’t he just move?”

“I didn’t give him the option,” Kane replied. “I told him if we went down, he was next. Without question.”

“And he believed you?”

“He had to. Especially when I told him Dietz was hearing things. Bad things. Namely, that he was flapping his gums to us back in New Orleans.”

Austin rubbed at his jaw. “God, that’s dirty.”

“Dirty times,” Kane acknowledged.

“So then what happened?” asked Dallas.

“Woodward got in touch with all new superiors. Between the both of us, not to mention Dietz on the inside, we rattled the tree hard enough to shake a platoon loose.”

“And we ended up with Rogan.”

“Yup,” Kane said again.

“We got lucky,” said Dietz. “Lucky that he’s good people.”

“We sure did,” Kane agreed. “Because this almost didn’t happen. There are officers involved who aren’t even here right now. People that were trying to squash this every inch of the way.”

“If not for Rogan,” Dallas theorized.

Kane nodded slowly. “Yeah. If not for Rogan.”