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.