SALVATION chapter 17

Salvation
chapter 17

Los Angeles

FBI Chief Jarold Dodd reviewed evidence files
piled on his desk in the Los Angeles office of the
FBI located on Wilshire Boulevard..
During a conference meeting between FBI and
local law enforcement Dodd felt satisfactory with the
course of action he'd chosen..
The magnitude of the case now being dubbed by the media
as 'The Mad Muse ' left Dodd with the opportunity
to create a Joint Terrorism Task force or (JTTF) drawing
from both the FBI-Counter terrorism Division and
additional available resources from local city police and
state Sheriff's Departments.

The JTTF had been originally conceived in New York City
after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a successful
project between federal and local authorities united in a
common goal..Since that time the program had expanded
to include the Los Angeles Region of the FBI, the
third largest Region in the country..

Dodd managed to stem the tide of concerns L. A.'s
Chief of Police Vincent Hernandez voiced on behalf of both
his office and the city Mayor's Office regarding the public's
view of the L.A. Police Department competency should the federal
agency force it's jurisdictional hand remanding the case entirely.

Personally Jarold Dodd didn't give two shakes about what political
shinny-ness Los Angeles elected officials maintained with their
constituents. He did however have a soft spot for L. A.'s finest
as he himself had begun his law enforcement career a rookie
out of the Rampart Division, what today seemed like twenty
seven life times ago..

Out of hundreds of pieces of documentation compiled over
the last twenty four hours concerning the Mad Muse case
only three swayed his decision to instigate the JTTF as
the best course of action.
One, there were no signs of forcible entry to apartment 12.
Two, the photos of the murder weapon prints on the walls
of the apartment..Murder weapons no person present at
the conference had any explanation as to their nature.
And three, the fact Inspector Hal Pigg was initially assigned
to the investigation.

It had been his long time friend and associate Hal Pigg who'd
sent Dodd the 8x10 glossy color photos of the blood
smeared walls of apartment 12..Photos sent as a message
between old colleagues who shared a common secret..
A secret dating back ten years to a time and place both
men would have preferred been the simple construction
of a nightmare..

Dodd had been a seasoned investigator close to the
promotion that would bring him into the ranks of the
FBI and ultimately to his current position in the agency.
Pigg at that time was still a beat cop Officer III
assigned to assist Dodd in the investigation of an
elusive serial killer who's exclusive targets where that
of elderly Oriental couples in the north west district
of Chinatown..
The district who's population are primarily ancestors of
original mainland Chinese immigrants dating back to
Los Angeles railroad workers of the early 1800's.

Following the killers trail originating from what was once
'Old Chinatown' now Union Station, Dodd and Pigg worked
relentlessly day and night over a three month period chasing
the killer who's identity had never been officially verified..

The method of operation always the same..Double murder
execution style slaying of both victims..
Their heads decapitated.
The traditional pig tails of long braided hair cut off and taken
like a trophy.

Science Investigation technicians surmised the murder weapon to
be that of a dagger..
The victims severed hair, dipped in their own blood, used as a
writing instrument by which the killer claimed responsibility for
the crimes. Like grisly paint brushes the consistent message
'Bushido' written in Japanese was left on the victims foreheads
for Dodd and Pigg to find.

Silk and leather fibers found at the scene were analyzed
by electron microscopy and energy dispersion x-ray at the physical
science forensic lab..Trapped within the silk fibers technicians
found residues of hair that were in turn subjected to chloroplast
and nuclear DNA detection through the biology forensic unit.
Conclusions found were that hair embedded in the cloth originated
from both horse and human leading authorities to believe the killer's
occupation may be one that involved some aspect of close
proximity with horses..
Further DNA mitochondria testing however proved to shed a
shadow of confusion on the entire forensic process as the
confirmed age of the hair specimens astonished the scientific
community dating at over seven hundred years to the
thirteenth century.

In many crime scenes the killer's outer clothing left scrape marks
where contacting metal objects such as stoves, refrigerators,
or metallic framed furniture.
Residue samples from the scrape marks later identified as iron,
layered with overcoats of lacquer in a variety of pigments including
white, pale green, black, and orange.

Do to the destructive condition of the crime scenes it had become
apparent from the start this killer worked from a state of fiery
rage..Slashed walls, ceilings, household decor, furniture, even
major appliances attacked and savaged as if the killer believed
it's self immersed in middle of a of battlefield..
Fragments recovered from a huge gash in a victims kitchen stove
were analyzed and concluded to be that of an iron core three foot
sword combined with layered overcoats of hardened steel..

The assimilation of physical and biological evidence coupled
with the Japanese terminology written in the victims blood led
authorities to conclude the killer to be a person of Japanese
descent under the grip of a psychotic break.

Liken to the deep intoxication of a method actor the killer
dressed in traditional thirteenth century Japanese military attire..
An authentic piece likely stolen from a museum of antiquity.
A complete set of Japanese Samurai Calvary armor and weaponry.

These conclusions explained the ancient horse and human hair
findings as preserved over the years embedded in the fabric
of the armor.

Police Department Psychologists and Psychiatrists were having
a field day..
One theory on the table was that the killer was both meticulous
and learned..A historian perhaps consumed by an ancient time..
Reliving centuries past Chinese and Japanese warlords battling for
land rights on a disputed border.
Another, that the killer believed himself in the service of a
ancient Chancellor. The act of killing Chinese elders in the present
time somehow back slashing the line of living succession..In the
killers warped reality the generation of offspring directly related to
his victims would subsequently disappear never having been
born..

Dodd and Pigg had developed a theory of their own based on
first hand experience..Twice they had cornered the killer
in small two room apartments just as the killer had
finished his grisly work..
On both occasions a short squat Japanese man flailed glisten
bright steel through a series of precision maneuvers..The hilt of
the sword wrapped in white silk then overlay with more black silk
tightly woven into a grip..White diamond shapes decorated
the hilt where the silk underlining wrap showed through in
periodic spacing along the length of the grip..A three foot
black lacquered scabbard hung from his full dress warrior armor.
A coating of blood covered a tanto dagger the man held in
his left hand..Fierce eyes glared through the openings
of a ornamented half-mask face shield or 'mempo'.
At first glance Dodd thought this must be where the inventors
of the Star Wars character Darth Vader got the idea for
his helmet and face mask.
The protruding nose plate and wide cut grimacing mouth
section lent even more weight to his fierce visage.
The top of the man's face hidden by a kind of metal
helmet domed at the top giving way to protective
plates of iron attached and falling over the ears
and neck line coming to rest on a under coat of leather
wear at the shoulders..An iron breastplate covered the
man's chest and mid rift. 3x5 inch plates of iron
laced together and lacquered in several colors formed a
skirting of armor around the hips and upper legs. The front
opened for ease of leg movement exposing the man's
legs and shins shielded in what appeared to be black lacquered
wood or bronze guards disappearing into the tops of orange silk
laced leather boots the base of which where almost completely
squared except for the front tip of metal soles abruptly forming
a menacing weapon themselves filed into sharp protruding points.

With guns trained both Pigg and Dodd warned the man of their
presence advising him to drop his weapons..
To their amazement the image before them began to fade from
their sight in a shimmering morphoses until what the men could
only describe as a semi-transparent apparition escaped them
simply walking through the nearest wall..

Dodd jumped as the desk phone rang..He swiped it up
in a pudgy hand and stuck the receiver under his double
chin.."Dodd"..He listened to the gruffly voice of a
Riverside County Sheriff Deputy routed directly to
him through the front desk..
"Would you repeat that again Officer?" He said
sitting upright in the desk chair..
"That's B&D auto repair in Desert Center...Got it.
I am sending a team out there within the hour
Deputy Pearson...Just keep doing what your doing
for me..I don't want civilians anywhere near the property
got that?"
He punched an open line and dialed The Parker Center
tapping in Hal Pigg's extension.

Samatha's unit was working in the Griffith Park area
patrolling streets and showing authority presence
as city, county and state utility repairs were in progress.
She'd just closed the cover of her cell phone after checking
in with Quentin's sitter Darlene Young..

Darlene lived next door and in addition to her success as a
Romance novelist she watched Quentin while Samantha was
working..Normally he would be in school today having started
kindergarten this year..
Today was not a normal day however and the two had been
busy baking cookies, cleaning house, and working on their
continuous re-modeling project of Quentin's bedroom away
from home..

Samantha and Darlene had become like sisters
over the years. Darlene, an endearing friend helped
Samantha through some rough times, and it had been
Darlene who'd been Quentin's nanny while Mom was
away from home..
Darlene and Quentin got along famously which was
another blessing. If Samantha's work schedule required
longer hours than she'd originally planned it had
never been a concern for Darlene..

Samantha sighed sipping at her can of diet Pepsi while
her team mates cracked jokes and dug at brown
bag lunches after taking over a picnic table just off
Crystal Springs Drive.
At times she felt a pang of jealously that as with many
working single mothers and fathers, Darlene seemed to
enjoyed more quality time with Quentin than Samantha
was capable..

She wondered if that same feeling of lonely separation
had been a factor in her initial response to Hal's request
that she not accompany him to Chinatown..
It had been a couple of hours ago she'd spoke with him
and as time has it's way of having it's way, she now began
to feel that maybe she'd overreacted.
He's decision was after all based on his desire to
protect her..In his way, to take care of her..
Maybe I should call him back and tell him it's okay she
thought..
She signed again letting the cell phone slip back inside
the front shirt pocket of her navy blue uniform..
"He needs to know it's important for me to take care
of him too," she whispered to herself..

The distinctive sound of an approaching helicopter
broke Samantha's thoughts and within thirty
seconds a black and white Jet Ranger settled directly
across the street in a Bank of America parking lot within
sixty yards of Samantha and her team.
A man wearing a gray wool suit, black wingtips, and dark
framed sunglasses exited the chopper ducking under the
churning props holding out identification as he sprinted
across the street toward the police.
"Lieutenant De La Cruz?"..The man had a pretty good idea
the pretty Hispanic woman with the raven colored hair was
who he was looking for."Lieutenant?"..
"I am Lieutenant De La Cruz." She answered..
"Lieutenant I am Special Agent Mallory of the FBI." Mallory
was tall lanky about forty with close cropped black hair. He
held out his credentials for her to verify.."You've been
reassigned Lieutenant to a special task force in conjunction
with the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI under
authorization of The Joint Terrorism Task force, Lieutenant."
Samantha's jaw dropped.."I've been assigned?"
"That's correct Lieutenant De La Cruz..I've been dispatched
to escort you to a current crime scene where you'll be briefed
by the rest of your team."
"I am assuming my Captain is aware of this reassignment Agent
Mallory?"
"That's is correct Lieutenant. Captain Delaney sends his apologies
he wasn't able to inform you himself. This entire task force
is still being deployed and a situation has come up that we
need to move on pronto..You have a ranking Officer III
Henry Stanton with you today Lieutenant?"
"I am Stanton." The team was huddling around Agent Mallory
everyone trying to hear and speak over the sound waves
the chopper was thumping out..
Mallory turned addressing Stanton an overweight middle aged
baby face of a man everyone loved for his easy manner and
constant joking..
"Officer Stanton you will be assuming command here..I am
advised to inform you call Captain Delaney for your orders
concerning the rest of your shift."
"Ok"..Stanton puffed up addressing the team.."You guys
hear that?..Your mine!"
Mallory then returned his attention to Samantha.
"If you'll follow me Lieutenant, I'll answer any questions you
have in route."
Samantha nodded handing her cruiser keys to Stanton.
"I'll see you guys later!"

Following Mallory's lead she ducked under the chopper's
accelerating engine as the pilot was already throttling up.
Samantha climbed in the back of the four seat helicopter
and buckled in..Mallory took the front passenger side
and turned handing her a credit card size identification card
previously prepared for her..Samantha's picture was embedded
on the card. The official seal of the United States Department
of Justice embossed on the right side.A black lettered heading
read FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
Under the heading her name and title where imprinted
SPECIAL AGENT SAMANTHA DE LA CRUZ.
She stared at the card in disbelief then spoke up to
Mallory having to shout above the choppers up thrust.
"Glad I got this!..My son would never believe it other
wise!"
Mallory grinned..
"Who will I be assisting Agent Mallory?"
Mallory thought a moment then responded.."You'll be
assisting the Director of The FBI Los Angeles Regional
Office..Chief Jarold Dodd."
Samantha nodded.."Right..But in the field I mean..Who
am I assisting in the field?"
"Assisting?"...Mallory didn't quite understand.."Oh you
mean in your unit?" He yelled back.
"Yes, that what I am asking, in my unit."
Mallory nodded and yelled over the engine whine as the
chopper lifted off.."Well, Inspector Hal Pigg has been named
head investigator on the case Lieutenant..But you won't
be assisting him."
"Hal is on the case?" Samantha asked incredulous.
"Mallory nodded.."He's been authorized by Chief Dodd to
pick his own team..He picked you as partner. The others
assigned to the team will be assisting you two."
Mallory grinned again as Samantha's eyes widened..
"Special Agent De La Cruz, "Mallory yelled as the chopper
did an abrupt left and headed east, "Welcome to the FBI!"