Defense of Our Way of Life: Chapter 2 – Hidden Actors and Ambushes

Chapter 2 – Hidden Actors and Ambushes

Ever since the police and SIB have been publicly arresting members of the Slavic political party more than those of the Vorfahren, certain members of the public and those in office have turned against us and the administration we serve. There are protests happening all across the city, from City Hall to the police headquarters and even the Mediterranean district of the city, since they’ve been known to work with us. There have also been clashes between the two political ideologies of Vorfahren and Slavs in the city, with vigilante groups like Astorre’s men of honor and the police doing their best to keep the peace. Currently, my squad and I are waiting for word from the SIB and our leaders in police headquarters to tell us what to do next, and we're just sitting around our office.

“Who even is our contact in the SIB anyway? He never gave us his name, and when I asked him, he said it wasn’t important,” Cole says.

“It’s not important. Not to people like them. They keep their secrets, get what they want, and vanish as if they never existed,” Max says.

“Xander, what are your thoughts on all this?” Cole asks.

“I just like to go back to simple traffic duty and guard duty at events at this point rather than see the city in chaos,” I say.

“No, I mean in terms of the Vorfahren, the Slavs, and the SIB.”

“Eh, he gave a good answer. I’d like the simpler duties of what we were doing before, too,” Max says.

“I prefer this. There’s more action and more criminals are being punished,” Cole says.

“I thought you wanted to live in a more peaceful country with fewer people ruining it,” I say.

“I do, and that’s best done by arresting or putting down all the criminal scum in it.”

“You should listen to your peers, Cole, but I understand where you’re coming from,” Kurtis says as he walks out of his office. “I heard from our friend in the SIB about what they found yesterday. The most interesting thing was that many of the suspects were official government workers and ballot counters, and the ballots themselves weren’t entirely fake because they were made from the same machines that the legit ones are made on.”

“So, the problem is more internal than we thought?” I ask.

“Yes, but that also means that the SIB itself is going to handle it while we still have to handle the outside of it.”

“How can we trust them to do it? How do we know that there isn’t an internal issue within the SIB?” Max asks.

“We’ll have to trust them to deal with that.”

“This is why we need another organization, or more power in our own, to check other law enforcement and government organizations. I don’t think they should be the only ones who can check themselves,” Max says.

“There are laws that allow it if we can find the evidence,” I point out.

“But in this situation, they’re keeping the investigation to themselves, and we can’t interfere with their work. Doing so without evidence of our own would disband our squad, and our badges would be nothing more than useless metal.”

“Alright, alright, you know what to do, Max. Get your friends on it and have them find our probable cause,” Kurtis says.

“I’m already on it.”

“Then there’s nothing else to worry about.”

Our office receives a call from police headquarters. They say the SIB knows another violent protest is about to happen and want us to go to a certain area to keep it under control. My squad gets in our truck, heads out to the location, and gets there just in time as a riot is breaking out. It’s another group of Slavic rioters who are wearing colors associated with the political group and gas masks, medical masks, and cloths to cover their faces. The rioters are starting fires, throwing over trash cans and recycling bins, breaking car windows and store windows, and being a general menace to the public.

My squad and the other squad we’re with are wearing gas masks, medium armor, and are armed with riot shields and batons, and have tear gas, guns loaded with pepper balls, and a lethal pistol and rifle, just in case things escalate further. We yell at the rioters to go home and cease; however, they start getting crazier and turn their attention toward us.

“We should be using more force. They’re attacking people and their livelihoods,” Cole says to Kurtis.

“Not yet. We’ll knock some sense into them soon enough,” Kurtis says.

The rioting crowds start pushing against us, and we give them one last warning. They don’t listen to us, so we shoot out tear gas and start using our batons and pepper ball guns on the crowd, especially the ones attacking us. This pushes the crowd back a bit, but then one of the people from another squad notices another crowd of rioters coming from behind us. Now, all our squads are surrounded by groups of angry rioters who really want to try to fight us.

“Do the gloves come off now?” Max asks.

“They’re about to,” Kurtis says.

Just as Kurtis finishes speaking, people in the surrounding crowds start firing their pistols at us before others in their crowd charge us with knives and bats.

“You have the green light to use lethal force!” the familiar voice of my squad’s SIB contact says. “Put down those rabid dogs and bring order to the streets!”

All officers start taking out their lethal pistols or rifles and start firing at everyone who attacks us. Officers like Kurtis and I try to take out the rioters non-lethally by shooting them in the leg or lower body, while officers like Cole and Max have no mercy on them and execute them with head and body shots. After dropping more than twenty rioters, the crowd finally disperses, and most of the officers cheer.

“That’s right! You better run!” Cole yells out.

“Professionally done as always, gentlemen. Secure the wounded. EMTs are on the way,” our SIB contact says.

As we check on the civilians and cuff the rioters who are still alive, one of them stabs the officer cuffing them with a hidden knife. Cole is about to shoot the rioter in the head, but Kurtis stops him.

“Why not? He wants to martyr himself for his stupid cause, so let him!” Cole says.

Kurtis shakes his head and uses the butt of his rifle to knock the rioter out before cuffing them and walking away to care for everyone else who is injured, whether they be a cop, civilian, or criminal.

Max walks over and says, “He may be a bit different now, but he’s still the same Kurtis we know and love.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand when he kills and when he spares. If you want to fight till the death, that’s what you get. Live by the sword, die by the sword, and all that,” Cole says.

I understand when Kurtis kills and spares, and I employ it myself. Kurtis has also explained himself multiple times as to his mindset and way of enforcing the law, so I don’t say anything and try to let my actions speak louder than words, just like Kurtis does. After the EMTs pick up the injured, my squad barely makes it back to our truck before Max gets a call from Astorre.

“Go ahead,” Max says with Astorre on speakerphone.

“I’m glad you guys are still alive and kicking. I heard police squads everywhere got ambushed by rioters,” Astorre says.

“Everyone was ambushed?” I ask.

“Yes, which leads me to a lead I want to inform you about. You may not like what I’ve discovered.”

“Tell us where to go and what to look for,” Kurtis says.

“I’ve just texted the address to Max. Who you’re looking for are cops and people with SIB badges.”

“What about them?”

“The Slavs have insiders in the government who want to bring down its law enforcement, and given what happened today. Well. You can put two and two together. My people and I will be there to assist you. This is something that requires our attention.”

“No. You keep your people away from this. It’s too serious for-”

“The Mediterranean people don’t back down from what we know is right, especially when the lives of people we care about are in danger. We’ll see you guys there.”

Astorre hangs up and the phone and Kurtis tells us to rush to the address he sent us. Cole drives us as fast as possible to the location, but when we get there, we see Astorre and his men of honor already confronting a group of police and people wearing SIB logos on their shirts.

“Excuse me, officers. I have an issue I’d like to report,” Astorre says.

“And that is?” one of the SIB agents asks.

“A flock of birdies told me you guys are working with the Slavs to rig and influence the country to be like the Slav Federation, and I’d like you to stop it whether you’re willing to or not.”

“Heh. It’s funny you say that, because we have proof of our own that you and your so-called men of honor are corrupt. Do you want to see the proof we have of your murders, theft, and pushing people to vote for your side? Ah, here come your most ardent defenders. Good afternoon, Angel’s Trumpet squad. Are you here to save your friends in crime?”

“We’re here to bring peace to this situation,” Kurtis says. “You both can fight it out in court instead of with violence.”

“That’s the thing, though. They have judges and people in the courts on their side. This needs to be dealt with and settled here and now.”

“I can say the same thing about you. The difference is in our positions and responsibilities. You’re supposed to know and be faithful to the laws, whereas I need to use the new ones to get my friends here to arrest you,” Astorre says.

“We’re not going anywhere. You are, though.”

The SIB agents and police pull out their guns, forcing Astorre and his people to do the same. Both sides are pointing their guns at one another with their fingers on their triggers. My squad and I also have our pistols out. Kurtis and I point our pistols at both groups, while Max and Cole point their pistols at the SIB agents and police.

“Pick your side, Sergeant,” the SIB agent says.

“You can’t shoot them without due cause. There’s not even a single warrant out for their arrest!” Kurtis says.

“Come on. Both you and I know their crimes. We can write the report later.”

“They’re just going to turn on you, Kurtis! They’re the reason why the police walked into a trap today, and need to be stopped before they can corrupt the system further!” Astorre says.

“You say that while the president, who is a man of honor, twists the system in his favor. He, along with the rest of you, needs to be stopped.”

“Kurtis!”

“Sergeant. Do your duty, and bring this criminal scum to justice.”

Looking at both sides to see who shoots first, Kurtis seems unsure where to point his pistol until he suddenly points it at an SIB agent and pulls the trigger. We don’t have long to sit with the shocking decision as both sides start shooting at each other, and we, along with Kurtis, shoot the other SIB agents and police. After the smoke settles, Kurtis immediately moves to care for Astorre’s wounded and dead, while I just stare at the people we’ve just killed.

“Xander!” Kurtis yells at me. “Help me over here with these people!”

I run over to help Kurtis patch up a wounded man, and Cole and Max do the same.

“Thank you for trusting us, Kurtis. I know it was an impossible choice to make,” Astorre says.

“Not really. I saw one of them about to pull the trigger on you, and no one who believes in due process resorts to violence as the first course of action,” Kurtis says.

“But this’ll have ramifications for you and your squad. You may have your badges taken away from you.”

“I didn’t sign up to be a police officer to enact the state’s laws. I did it because I thought it was the right thing for me to do. Because when I lost my friends to criminals and prayed to God, I felt the pull of the calling. If this is where it ends, then so be it.”

“Same goes for me. After the war, I wanted to continue to protect this country,” Cole says.

“I don’t need to be an officer to protect my friends and family. They can take my badge if they have a problem with me doing the right thing,” Max says.

Everyone looks at me, expecting an explanation for me becoming an officer, so I say, “I became an officer for the same reason Kurtis, Cole, and Max did. We’ll clean up this mess, Astorre. Just be sure to make your testimony to the public about the corruption within the police and SIB.”

“I will. This whole mess has to go deeper than these few people, and they’ll pay for it.”

My squad and I agree with Astorre: get EMTs here to take care of the wounded and dead, write our reports, and get ready for the next few long days.

Defense of Our Way of Life: Chapter 1 – The Enemy of Civilization is its Civilians

Chapter 1 – The Enemy of Civilization is its Civilians

“Officer Xander Storge. Are you ready?” our SIB contact asks over our radio.

“Yes, sir,” I say, radioing back.

I’m armed with my standard pistol and have a regular policeman’s loadout with pepper spray, taser, extra ammo, and cuffs, and I’m wearing basic body armor and boots. Right now, my squad is sitting in our black police truck, waiting for our contact in the Secret Intelligence Bureau, or SIB, to give us the go-ahead to arrest the suspects we’re after.

“Sergeant Kurtis Thomas?”

“Roger,” Kurtis says.

Our squad leader, Kurtis, wears a helmet, body armor, armor on his shoulders, arms, and legs, and uses an old-school revolver, powerful enough to take a man’s arm from his body.

“Corporal Cole Belmont?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t,” Cole says.

Cole, a veteran of the Great War, is dressed head to toe in blue-and-black armor like a modern knight. He’s wielding a submachine gun and a bulletproof riot shield.

“Detective Max Marlowe?”

“Do we really need this checkup before deploying?” Max asks.

Unlike the rest of us, Max is dressed up in his usual detective outfit with a long coat, dress shirt, pants, shoes, and tie. He’s armed with a throwing knife in one hand and a standard pistol like mine, but slightly smaller so he can conceal it.

“Yes, Detective Max. I need to know that you’re all here and ready. We cannot mess this up.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Max says dismissively.

“Stay focused, Max. We’ll get through this, and things will go back to business as usual after,” Kurtis says.

“Will it? We’re attacking a group of Slavic criminals for trying to influence the country in their favor?”

“Trying to rig the election of our mayor and governor is a serious offense that can land them in jail for the rest of their lives.”

“What about the rumors that the Vorfahren are doing the same? Why aren’t we going after them?”

“Because the SIB has actual intelligence that the Slavs are doing it, whereas there’s no evidence that the Vorfahren are doing the same.”

“I have actual intelligence that they are.”

“Are you talking about the people from the ‘Family’? We can’t always rely on your friends, especially when we have to work together with the SIB.”

“What? You don’t trust me, Kurtis? I thought you grew past your biases toward the men of honor.”

“I have, and I trust that the information your friends got is good. I don’t even like doing this favor that feels like preferring one political party over another, but the SIB wants to work with the police to get rid of a pressing threat to the country, so we have to address this first. We can bring up the next one later to them after this is finished.”

“Besides, the Slavs are worse than the Vorfahren,” Cole says. “At least the Vorfahren value order and tradition. All the Slavs want to do is use the government as a weapon against their enemies and enrich themselves and their backers with the excuse that they’re helping the poor and middle class. It’s all a load of crap.”

“No politics on the job, Cole. This is a job of black-and-white justice, not arguing over political ideologies that are two sides of the same coin. We’re going to go in there once we get the go-ahead, kick some ass, and bring some criminal scum to justice. Am I right, boys?” Kurtis says.

“Yes, sir,” Cole, Max, and I say.

“Damn right I am.”

“You’re clear to go, Angel’s Trumpet. The suspects are all in the same building, and our agents are covering the exits,” our SIB contact says.

“Roger,” Kurtis says.

Our squad heads to the suspects' location: an indoor marketplace filled with vendors selling food, drinks, toys, clothes, and collectables. The people in the marketplace move aside and greet us as we move through the area until we get to the back area. Entering it, we see workers who tell us we shouldn’t be back here.

Kurtis shows his badge and says, “We have a reason to be here. Please, do not get in our way.”

“Put the gun down!” Max yells at someone behind us.

Cole raises his submachine gun and riot shield up, and yells the same thing, while Kurtis and I raise our guns toward the other workers, who have now raised their guns at us. We try to get everyone to lower their guns, but they don’t, forcing us to shoot first.

“Engaging suspects! Keep an eye on the exits!” Kurtis radios over to the SIB.

“My guys are engaging them as well! Get that evidence before anything happens to it and take those suspects in alive,” the SIB contact says.

“You hear that, Cole?”

“It’s not wrong or illegal to kill them in self-defense, especially in this scenario,” Cole says.

“Alive, Cole! Take them in alive!”

I try to do as we’re told and shoot at the suspects’ arms, legs, and lower bodies. My squad and I break into each room, finding mostly products for the marketplace; however, there is one door that contains guns, knives, bats, and crowbars, and another hides a basement door. Going into the basement, we find more suspects, who try and fail to shoot at us. There, we find the fake voting ballots, lists of names, and voting machines that look tampered with.

“We found and secured the evidence,” Kurtis says.

“Good work, boys. Mine are heading in to retrieve it and look it over,” our SIB contact says.

“Are we seriously not going to handle any of this?” Cole asks.

“No. Let the SIB and whoever they chose handle this. We have our own part of the job to deal with.”

Before we leave the basement, we make sure all the suspects are secure.

One of the Slavic suspects says, “We’re only doing this because the Vorfahren are rigging the election in their favor! You better make sure they don’t get away with it either!”

I tell him, “We won’t. I promise you.”

The suspect seems to trust me and doesn’t resist arrest or say anything else. My squad and I leave, go back to our office to drop off our armor and weapons, change into casual clothing, and go out to dinner after a job well done. We eat at the usual Mediterranean restaurant that Max’s friends own. Astorre, well-dressed restaurant owner and leader of this city’s men of honor, stands by our table and helps serve our dinner. He wears a fedora, a striped suit, a dress shirt, a tie, pants, and shoes typical of a man of honor.

“It’s always good to see our city’s protectors here. How was work today? I heard you snagged some scum that was interfering with our honored elections,” Astorre says.

“You heard right, but we didn’t get everyone who is trying to rig the election,” Kurtis says.

“Oh? I heard every criminal at the marketplace was snagged.”

“You know what I mean. The other political party of criminals is still up to something with our election.”

“I know. I already have my contacts working on that. I know you don’t-”

“Thank you.”

“Huh? I thought you wanted the police to handle matters like that.”

“Not in this situation when our hands are tied by the SIB.”

“Who are you, and what have you done with Kurtis?” Max asks.

“I’m going to need your friends more than ever, Max. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. It still feels like a dream to me.”

“Then wake up and get your friends and you to work. We need to find out what the two foreign political parties are doing to influence the election and the country to change it in their favor.”

Astore says, “The Vorfahren have been slowing down ever since they saw that their Slavic opponent’s choice for office has been taken out of the race. They seem to only want to play dirty when they think the Slavs are a threat. Beyond that, they’re playing the long game, trying to get people on their side by talking to them, making videos, influencing our culture through art, and trying to be charitable to the poor and middle class.”

“So, they’re a non-issue?” I ask.

“As long as the Slavs are a non-issue. They want to make it seem like they’re on our side and we’re the ones who are two sides of the same coin rather than them and the Slavs.”

“Focus on the Slavs then. I trust them less than the Vorfahren anyway,” Cole says.

“I agree, and let us know what you find,” Kurtis says.

“Yes, sir. Oh, and I’ll do my best to keep an eye on the SIB as well. They have a history of being infiltrated by foreign influences,” Astorre says before leaving the table.

Some officers enter the restaurant and approach our table.

“Is there something we can help you with?” I ask.

“Nah, I just wanted to see if the rumors were true. You really are in with those vigilante criminals, aren’t you? Those so-called men of honor?” one of the cops asks.

“Excuse me?”

“We’re not talking to you, kid. We’re talking to Kurtis,” the other cop says.

“Please, give your fellow officer some respect,” Kurtis says as he stands up. “What are you talking about?”

“We’re talking about you working with criminals. We get using insiders to help you catch bigger fish, but the people you’re working with are still committing crimes. Care to explain yourself?”

Several servers with Mediterranean desserts and coffee approach the officers, with Astorre leading them.

Astore bows his head, raises it, then says, “Welcome, officers. As a token of appreciation for your service to our city, can we interest you in-”

The officers push aside the food and coffee that the waiters are carrying, causing a mess and bringing the attention of everyone in the restaurant to us.

“We don’t need your bribes, criminal scum. We-”

Kurtis steps in front of the officers and says, “You better have evidence to back up your claims. An officer of the law doesn’t judge anyone without solid evidence.”

“You know what these people do, Kurtis. You should know better than anyone how they kill and manipulate the country for their benefit.”

“Do you remember the vigilante threat to our city called For the People? Those people attacked the people you’re accusing of being criminals, and these people threw themselves into danger for their family and friends. No one who is out for themselves puts their lives on the line for others.”

“It’s still vigilantism.”

“It’s not illegal or immoral. Do you think they were just doing it for show? Do you think selfish people with bad intentions put themselves in front of a gun for their neighbors? Do officers cause trouble for people they suspect to be criminals without a warrant?”

“No…”

“Damn right. So, get out of here and don’t come back unless you have a good reason to.”

The officers leave the restaurant, and Kurtis starts helping clean up the mess they left behind. Max, Cole, and I are astonished by Kurtis’ defense of Astorre and his people. Even Astorre is shocked, but he quickly joins Kurtis in cleaning up. They go back and forth about who should be cleaning up, not the other person. I start helping, followed by Max and Cole. Once the mess is cleaned, we leave a generous tip and then leave the restaurant.

My 370th book is done and out today!

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The Angel's Trumpet squad, composed of Xander, Kurtis, Cole, and Max, is a police squad with differing views on how the law should be enforced. They are pursuing a new public threat called By the People, For the People, a group of vigilantes and self-indulgent criminals who use violence to get their way with those they think deserve it. This vigilante group is surprisingly more than the police can handle, forcing them to come to terms with relying on their vigilante contacts, who are men of honor and considered criminals in their own right, so peace and order can return to their city.

The Arms of Order: Chapter 4 – Order and Orderly Revolution

Chapter 4 – Order and Orderly Revolution

The criminals who attacked the Mediterranean festival who are taken alive are interrogated; the results reveal that some are part of the vigilante syndicate, For the People, and some are vigilantes from other cities who came to our city to avenge them. They tell us that their motives are to punish the criminals who are corrupting the government with their agenda and to punish the servants of the same government. They thought that they could change the country for the better, in their view, by being a syndicate like the men of honor, and that they’re justified because they think that every group uses violence and the sympathizers in the city’s businesses and government to influence laws and how the public views them. This syndicate thinks they’re the real good guys, but as far as the public is concerned, they’re just self-absorbed criminals who are only out for themselves, and not the greater good of the country. Despite not all of them giving up the location of their allies, we get enough information from them and Astorre’s contacts to find the last in their group.

With the information gathered by Astorre’s men of honor and concerned citizens and their personal help, the police go after the remainder of the vigilante group. Some of them shoot themselves or are shot dead in a vain attempt to escape jail. Others try to run on foot and are caught by police, some with the aid of civilians and Astorre’s friends and contacts. The final batch of criminals join up and try to escape the city together. In pursuit, my squad and I get in police pursuit cars and chase them down.

“Remember to take them out only when the road is clear. The city has enough damage it needs to take care of,” Kurtis says on the radio that we use to communicate between cars.

Max, Cole, and I acknowledge what Kurtis said, though it’s a bit hard to do, as he said, when the vigilantes are shooting at us.

“Screw it. I’m heading in!” Cole says.

Driving ahead of us, Cole takes the brunt of the incoming gunfire as he races to take out one of the fleeing vehicles and manages to do so, forcing the vehicles he targets to crash into the side of a building.

“Good job, Cole,” Kurtis says before reporting where the crashed vehicle is.

“I’m not going to let him take all the glory,” Max says.

Max drives ahead of us and deploys his grappler to force another fleeing vehicle to slow down to a halt. In the rearview mirror, I see other police pursuit cars surround the car Max stopped, and officers step out to help arrest everyone inside.

“We got these guys! I’ll catch up with you guys later,” Max says.

The chase takes us to a highway where I see an opportunity and take it. I speed up and hit one of the fleeing cars that spins into another one of the fleeing cars, and both start to lose control until they roll around and crash.

“Great work, Xander! Now, I have to step up myself,” Kurtis says.

We chase the remaining cars out of the city and into the nearby farms, where Kurtis takes out the remaining cars by ramming one into another, just like I did, and then crashing into the last one and forcing it to crash into the fields with the others.

“That’s how it’s done, boys!” Kurtis says before getting out of his car.

Max catches up to us, and my squad surrounds the criminals. We draw our pistols and yell at them to come out with their hands up. At first, they come out shooting, but after we kill a few of them, they drop their guns and raise their arms. Before we can arrest them, another two cars crash into the field, with two fancy sports cars behind them, and who else but Astorre and his people. They hold up the criminals they crashed into on their side and take notice of us.

“Good morning, Sergeant. It’s a good day to hunt, isn’t it?” Astorre says.

“It is, and we’ve just caught some fresh prey,” Kurtis says.

One of the criminals says, “This is why we’re vigilantes, and you people think we’re in the wrong for what we do! I’ll bring this up in court.”

“They already know.”

“Should they even be given the chance to speak, Sergeant? This should be the last of them.”

“You can’t shoot us! We’re surrendering!”

“Hmm. You did flee arrest and try to shoot us after fleeing…”

A few seconds of silence pass until the criminals try to pick up their guns, forcing us to shoot them. Astorre and his people do the same to the people they forced to crash.

“If anyone asks, I would’ve spared them if they didn’t try to shoot us again,” Kurtis says.

“Mercy is given to those who honestly ask for it. How about I treat us all out for dinner?” Astorre says.

“I’ll be the one treating everyone.”

“That will not be necessary. You won’t even see a check.”

“Then I’ll leave a very generous tip.”

It seems like Kurtis and Astorre are really starting to get along now, as if they’ve been lifelong friends this entire time. My squad and I call in an EMT for the dead criminals and quickly write our report before heading to dinner at Astorre’s restaurant. On the many TVs in the restaurant that are usually playing Mediterranean romance and crime movies is the news that talks about what happened today. Everyone involved with the For the People vigilante group is arrested or has been killed in the joint effort between police and law-abiding vigilantes, which includes members of business, the government, and even schools, hospitals, charities, and the police force. The mayor thanks everyone involved in the final destruction of the notorious vigilante group and goes on to speak about the unity and self-sacrifice of the city’s people being its greatest strength and that it’ll continue to be an example of what the best this country can be.

While we’re all talking with one another, I hear Astorre say to Kurtis, “Do you think the mayor means what he says?”

“Eh. Who knows? He’s just saying what the people want to hear to appease them. It’s not like what he says affects how I do my job,” Kurtis responds.

“Here I thought the veteran, by-the-book officer would care more about those above him in the chain of command.”

“I do respect his office, and as far as I know, he’s a good mayor, but I don’t care what happens in local or national politics since little to nothing happens in it. The people with the most power and influence do what they want, while the people under them just go about their daily business as long as none of it bothers them.”

“Things did change in this country when Vincenzo Campione got elected. Look at what happened today because of the new laws he enacted.”

“Ah, you’re just happy with him because he’s one of your guys.”

“Because he’s a Catholic Mediterranean with traditional values?”

“You know what I mean. I need a break from all this.”

“You going on vacation soon to anyplace special?”

“The boys and I are taking our families to the Sunshine State.”

“Will you be going to the casinos there?”

“Maybe. Why?”

“If you do, tell the people there to give me a call, and I can get you a special deal on chips or a hotel room.”

“What? Does your ‘family’ own those?”

“Heh. We have our connections.”

Kurtis and Astorre laugh and joke about things as we all enjoy our dinner. I can’t help but silently thank God for the peace between the men of honor and us because without our joint effort, this city might not have been saved from our mutual enemy. Speaking of which, some masked men burst into the restaurant with guns, yelling at people to give them their money and valuables.

“Tch. There’s no rest for the wicked,” Kurtis says.

“Looks like that vacation might have to wait a bit,” Astorre says.

“We’ll go on it after we give these scum a beating.”

“You’re damn right about that.”

“Hey, that’s my line.”

My squad and I, along with Astorre and his men, draw our pistols and fight the masked criminals, bringing them down, and then call for help to take them away before going back to eating and talking to one another as if nothing had happened. I guess the mayor was right in that our unity is our greatest strength.

“To unity and justice,” I say aloud with my glass raised.

Everyone at the table raises a glass to toast, all the while thanking God for His many blessings, including our newfound friendship, a bond that keeps peace and order in our city.

 

The End

The Arms of Order: Chapter 3 – Law Protectors of Differing Sides

Chapter 3 – Law Protectors of Differing Sides

Over the course of the night, most of the city’s police force has been arresting and questioning people associated with the vigilante group, For the People. Kurtis appears to be visibly angry during the entire night, probably not because he’s tired, but because he knows he’s helping people who are vigilantes. Meanwhile, Cole and Max are unbothered by it all and are just happy to be bringing criminals to justice. On the side, Kurtis keeps whispering to me to me to not completely trust the men of honor, not even Max or anyone who may be associated with them. From my point of view, I do want the police to protect all of the city without having to get another group involved, if they are just neighborhood protectors or have ulterior motives and may be committing crimes behind our backs, as Kurtis thinks. I’m not the kind of person who can talk them into changing their mind, so all I can do is play both sides until I’m forced to choose one, which I hope doesn’t happen.

Nothing that the men of honor do is illegal, nor do they seem to be up to anything. I trust that Max would tell us if they did, since he has a high opinion of them, and they do give up their own if the traitor goes against their code of honor that seems to match our shared Catholic faith. By the end of the night, my squad sleeps at the office on standby and awaits any possible, but nothing comes. We sleep from eight in the morning until one in the afternoon, and none of the phones ring. Kurtis stayed up the entire time, went out to get us breakfast, and after hearing that we didn’t get any calls, decides to call police headquarters for an update on the situation.

After Kurtis hangs up the phone, I ask, “What did they say?”

“The operation was a success. Max’s friends didn’t even get involved,” Kurtis says.

“I’m telling you they’re completely trustworthy,” Max says. “If they weren’t, they’d lose business, and no one would want their help.”

“Yeah? Well, they’re not going to get a good review from me unless they continue to stay out of our way.”

Max agrees to disagree. I mention to stop arguing before they start, and they agree so we can all enjoy our breakfast in peace.

“The police will get a nice boost in pay and honor from the government, and I think things will be peaceful for a while, except for the idiots here and there that try to mess with the law,” Kurtis says.

“I could use a vacation. I wish I could go over to a country in Proavus, but all of that is controlled by the Vorfahren, and I’d rather not make a mistake that lands me in one of their camps, so I guess I’m going back to the beaches and amusement parks in the Sunshine State,” Max says.

“It ain’t a bad place to be. My family loves going there every year or every other year,” Kurtis says.

“I’m fine going to local places I can drive to. After being shot out of the sky in the war, I never want to get on a plane again,” Cole says.

“I’m with Cole. I like driving places, even if the drive takes several hours,” I say.

“We should go together then, Xander. We’ve worked together all this time, and have never hung out anywhere together besides eating during or after work.”

“How about we make it a squad vacation? I’ll front the bill for the place us and our families can stay at,” Kurtis says.

“You serious?” Max asks.

“Why not? With the pay raise I mentioned, it’ll be fine.”

Cole, Max, and I thank Kurtis and plan our vacation. Before then, we still have a job to do, so we go about our business for the next few days in a quiet city with little to nothing happening. A Mediterranean festival is happening today, and the city is having the men of honor speak at it as a way of thanking them for protecting their community. Kurtis says this is all politics to push their pro-vigilante agenda and to please them, since the men of honor also have many politicians in their pocket. Regardless, my squad and several other police squads help out at the Mediterranean festival to make sure nothing disturbs it.

Just like these past few days, it looks like nothing is going to happen and everything goes to plan. Astorre goes up on stage with his people to talk, and that’s when trouble starts. A group of masked people steps out from the crowd, pulls out their guns, and aims them at Astorre and his people. Seeing the threat in front of them, the men of honor quickly react, pulling out their pistols, and a gunfight breaks out. We spring into action as well, helping Astorre; however, more masked gunmen come out from the crowd and start shooting others and throwing explosives and Molotovs into several Mediterranean stores and restaurants, including the one where we frequently meet Max’s friends. My squad goes over to Astorre, who has now taken cover behind the stage, and has been wounded with them.

“Stay here and keep your head down! I’ve already called EMTs for your wounded,” Kurtis says to Astorre.

“I’d agree with you, but I can’t, not while they’re attacking my family and all my neighbors and destroying our livelihoods,” Astorre says.

“You’re just going to get in our way!”

“And you’re wasting your breath on me, while others are suffering!”

While the two argue, I gun down several of the criminals, who refuse to stop shooting people and destroying their property.

“I thought we were supposed to protect these people, not argue with each other, so stop arguing and do what you both say your jobs are!” I angrily say, having had enough of them going back and forth, even in this situation.

Kurtis looks at Astorre, who picks up his pistol and makes sure it’s completely loaded before getting up and joining the fight. Not wanting him to do anything, Kurtis backs up Astorre and his people and tells us to protect them all. During the fighting, both Kurtis and Astorre tell their respective men to try not to kill any of the criminals and try to take them in alive for questioning.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Max says to himself as he watches Kurtis fight with the men of honor.

Both Kurtis and Astorre fight in such a way that they’re both trying to throw themselves into danger to save the lives of innocents and everyone around them without thinking for themselves. They even pull and push each other aside to save the other from gunfire, explosions, fire, and criminals with bats and knives. By the end, they’re back to back as if they trust one another and moving in a way as if they practiced this all before. The two come across one more criminal who is holding a mother and child hostage. Before the criminal can make any demands, Kurtis and Astorre thankfully land both their shots in the criminal’s head, killing her.

“Why did you shoot her in the head?” Kurtis asks.

“Why did you?” Astorre shoots back.

“Some people deserve mercy only in the form of death.”

“Agreed. If you have to hide behind a mother and child for your own safety, you’re worse than scum.”

“Scum is the least thing she was. You don’t know half of what that woman had on her record. I’ve arrested her before in worse situations than this that involved children.”

Astorre and Kurtis look at one another as if a bond of brotherhood has just been formed.

“It looks like all the criminals are dead, injured, or being arrested. Let’s help out wherever else we can,” Max says.

Astorre and Kurtis agree. My squad and I arrest the injured criminals and help the ambulances take away the dead ones, while Astorre and his men of honor help the injured civilians get to the ambulances and console the families who have lost friends and loved ones. With everything mostly done, we go back to Astorre, who looks over the destruction that’s happened to the festival and his neighborhood.

Kurtis puts a hand on his shoulder and says, “I’m sorry this happened to you. I promise you that justice will be served.”

“I don’t need sympathy, Sergeant. The grieving do. What I need is to do the next right thing,” Astorre says.

“…Alright. I see that there’s no stopping you now, but I also see you’re better men than I thought you were. If you need any help, you know who to call.”

“Thank you, sir. You know who to call for the same. We are forever indebted to you for putting your lives on the line for us.”

Kurtis and Astorre nod to each other and shake hands. I thought Kurtis was going to rub it in Astorre’s face that his actions against the opposing vigilantes caused this, but instead Kurtis shows sympathy and understanding. Now, I hope it’s time we finally work together instead of working in parallel, so that this criminal threat in the city can finally be erased from it once and for all.

The Arms of Order: Chapter 2 – The Chaos of Civilian Justice

Chapter 2 – The Chaos of Civilian Justice

We’ve been arresting more people associated with the new vigilante syndicate, and not much has happened since. The only new thing we know is that the group calls itself By the People, For the People, or as some call it, The People. The criminals associated with it admit it’s a generic name, and each has their own idea of what it should be called, but since the ones we caught are going to jail for quite some time, their version of what the syndicate should be and be named will be erased forever. With all the arrests made and vigilante crime down, the police headquarters is thinking about shutting the case down and having our squad move on to a new assignment.

“Well, that was fun while it lasted,” Cole says as he stretches at his desk after hearing about what police headquarters wants us to do.

“Not really. It was irritating hearing those people complain and justify their actions,” I say.

“Get used to it. You’ll find that their cries and complaining can be an entertaining part of the job.”

“You’re just saying that because there’s a sadistic part of you that enjoys punishing the guilty,” Kurtis says.

“Who says I can’t enjoy what I do?”

“The satisfaction comes in doing God’s will, not seeing sinners suffer.”

“That’s where I find my real satisfaction. It’s just that I also find their crying morbidly entertaining.”

“I’ll pray for you on that,” I say.

“Please do, Xander,” Kurtis says.

Max bursts into the office, saying, “My contacts have told me the vigilantes are going to be holding people hostage to get what they want and also going to be hitting people they hate! We have to get out and warn everyone!”

“You mean the men of honor told you?” Kurtis asks.

“It doesn’t matter who exactly did! Let’s just get out and do something before people get hurt!”

“Info is info, and Max’s informants have never let us down, Kurtis,” Cole says.

“Alright. Let’s split up and let headquarters know what’s about to happen.”

“Thank you!” Max says as he gets on the radio and tells police headquarters what he knows.

The four of us split up, two in each police cruiser, and head out to the location that police headquarters tells us to go to. Kurtis and I head out to the mall outlets and get there just in time as a group of active shooters starts taking hostages. The civilians point us in their direction as we run through the fleeing crowd. We thank them and head off in the direction of the shooters and get there just in time as the criminals start raising their guns at some people in a music store.

“Police! Put your guns down!” Kurtis says, with his rifle pointed at the suspects.

I also have my rifle pointed at another suspect and repeat what Kurtis says, but as we’re telling them to put their guns down, they look at us for a second before opening fire at the people in the store. Kurtis and I immediately start shooting the suspects, some of whom manage to dodge out of the way of our shots in time while others are taken down. Flanking them from the side, Kurtis and I keep shooting at the criminals as they peek out from cover and try to move around, only for us to get a shot on them and take them down.

“I need EMTs here right now! We have down suspects and civilians!” Kurtis says as he rushes to stabilize the civilians. “Xander! Make sure the scum over there are stable!”

I do as he says, and most of the criminals deny care for their wounds.

“I die knowing I did the right thing,” one of them says.

“You don’t know the kinds of people you’re saving,” another says.

I don’t argue with them, and instead treat their wounds as best I can until EMTs arrive. With the civilians and criminals taken away, police headquarters tells us to head to another location, a bank that’s currently being robbed. We’re with other officers, including Max and Cole, who are part of the entry team, trying to find a way in, while the negotiation team tries to get the criminals to surrender.

Joining up with Max and Cole, Cole says, “It’s good to see you guys here. You ready to put these pieces of trash six feet under?”

“No, we have to take them in alive for interrogation and proper trial,” Kurtis says.

“I already know why they’re doing it,” Max says.

“We can’t always rely on your sources, Max. We need to do things ourselves, rather than depend on so-called good criminals.”

“Why do you think the Mediterranean part of the city is mostly untouched by what is happening? It’s because my friends have it under control and protected.”

“We’ll go there next and remind them why they need us and only us.”

Max unlocks the door into the bank with his lockpicking skills, and we go in.  Cole leads our squad from the front; Kurtis is behind him; I’m next to Cole, and Max is behind me. We quickly search the building as fast as we can, while also trying to be as quiet as possible so the criminals don’t know where here. Eventually, we make it to the main entrance where all the robbers are held up, and there are a few civilians who are already dead.

“Bastards!” Cole says.

“Cole! Remember what I said,” Kurtis says.

“Remember that the law says that if criminals kill civilians, then taking them alive is optional.”

“Let’s head in before they kill anyone else!” I say, breaking up the argument.

Kurtis and Cole agree and radio for the other squads to move in. All the squads converge on the criminals, and before we can tell them to put their guns down, they start firing at us, forcing us to fire back. None of them survive because everyone is shooting at them, but at least the rest of the civilians are safe. Kurtis is a bit disappointed; however, Cole is visibly satisfied.

“See? You shoot first in situations like this, or else someone is going to get hurt, or worse, killed,” Cole says.

“I’m the veteran officer of this squad, while you’re a veteran of a war. We do things as officers, not soldiers,” Kurtis says.

“Whatever. This is still done by the book, as far as I know.”

Ignoring him, Kurtis radios to police headquarters, asking for permission to head to the Mediterranean district, and permission is granted.

“Angel’s Trumpet, be aware of civilians defending themselves against the suspects. Be sure of who you’re shooting,” someone from police headquarters says to us.

We acknowledge what’s said, and my squad heads over to the district in our separate police cruisers. Getting there, we head towards the sound of gunfire, but we arrive too late, as Max’s friends in suits have the situation under control, with most of the criminals injured on the ground with few of them dead.

One of the men of honor says, “We know how you like them taken in alive, sergeant. It’s a good thing you got here just in time to take them away.”

“Don’t go anywhere. We need to talk,” Kurtis says.

“Yes, we do.”

EMTs are called for the wounded and dead criminals, and then my squad and I go into the private backrooms of a Mediterranean restaurant to talk to the men of honor. In the meeting room is a private bar, a TV, and some tables. One of the suited men tells the waitress to bring in desserts and a pot of coffee and a few plates filled with pieces of cake, cookies, cannoli, and biscotti.

“Please. Drink and eat as much as you want,” one of the men of honor says.

Max and Cole thank him and indulge in the desserts; however, Kurtis and I don’t.

“Do you always have these on standby?” Kurtis asks.

“We make a fresh batch every day. You never know when family or friends come over.”

“What’s your name? Are you the speaker for your gang?”

“My name is Astorre, and yes, I am the speaker for us, but we prefer to be called a family rather than a gang.”

“I call you how I see you.”

“Are we guilty of any crimes?”

“None that I can prove.”

“Kurtis, there’s no reason to be hostile toward them. Let’s just get to business,” Cole says.

“Yes, we should. It’s important that we do for the sake of the public’s safety,” Astorre says.

“Okay. I just want to make sure I can trust you and aren’t going to be doing anything behind my back.”

“Trust me when I say that we both want this syndicate of amateur vigilantes in jail or dead.”

“The police will handle the jail or dead part. Just tell us what you know about them.”

“They may be amateurs, but they do have a general idea of how to act in secret, and yet, they’re still idiots.”

“So, they’re a danger to themselves and other people?” Max asks.

“Yes, and they’re a danger to people who they don’t intend to target. Today is an example where they got innocent civilians caught in the crossfire while they went after people with past criminal records or who were accused of some crime but never convicted.”

“Is that why they were after you?” Kurtis asks.

“These people live in a fantasy,” Astorre continues. “They think they can do what they think is right and will either be thanked by the public or will act like misunderstood and undervalued heroes and pat themselves on the back. From what we know of them, they’re all prideful individuals who have no God but themselves or think that God approves of every action and thought they have.”

“How did you come across this information?” I ask.

“We ask and hang around their communities. They’re spread out all over the city, and even reside in this district.”

“Do you know any of them personally?” Kurtis asks.

“Some were traitors who have been kicked out of our family for wanting to radically break the law and cause chaos for the sake of their own gain and being a hero. In this family, we respect the law and only do what God would want us to.”

“Do you have the locations or names of these traitors and the collaborators in the syndicate?” Max asks.

“Some of them acted in today’s atrocity, but we still have a fair number of names that you can go after.”

“Hand them over, and we’ll handle it from here,” Kurtis says.

Astorre waves over a woman who gives Kurtis a list of names, faces, and locations.

“It’s impressive. It’s like you have your own files on these people,” I say.

“We try to be neat, professional, and organized. We’ll handle the rest who still may be hiding,” Astorre says.

“No, you won’t need to. The city’s real protectors can take it from here,” Kurtis says.

“After what happened today, this so-called The People gang will have a bounty on their heads. It’s not illegal for us to take action against them.”

“You’re uselessly getting yourselves in danger. As far as I can see, your gang is hardly any different from them.”

“Let me ask you this then, Sergeant. If your mother were being attacked by criminals on the street, would you not try to risk your life to save her, or would you just sit by and wait for help to arrive?”

Of all the questions to ask...

“I know my mother wouldn’t want me getting myself killed for her sake,” Kurtis answers.

“Tch. Our way of thinking differs in that regard. In my culture, it’s truly noble for a man to suffer and die to try to save his friends or family, even if he fails in doing so. It’s the thought and intention that matters, not the result.”

Kurtis stares at Astorre in silence, and no one in the room says a word, though a shift in Astorre’s eyes makes it look like he’s noticed something.

“I feel like my question was personal to you in some way, Sergeant. My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you,” Astorre says.

“You didn’t. I can’t stop you from getting yourselves killed or your families targeted by criminals if that’s what you want. I can only hope and pray that you’ll be content with the consequences of your actions. Let’s get out of here, boys.”

My squad and I leave the restaurant and give the information we got from the men of honor to the police headquarters. Because of what happened today, all police squads are ordered back into action so that the For the People gang can be stopped before they act again. From how it started, I should’ve guessed that this was going to be a long day.