SNOWSHINE

Chapter 14

       Justin emerged from the conference room, which they had converted into a studio. His forehead was shiny with sweat and he was stooped over in exhaustion. The manic energy and adrenaline had worn off and he was exhausted.

       He was immediately surrounded by helpers and well-wishers and someone gave him a bottle of water and helped him over to a chair near where Blake was monitoring the website.

       "So - how did it go?" Justin asked. "How many did we lose when Stockwell wormed his way onto the show?"

       "Are you kidding!?" Blake exclaimed. "That was our biggest spike in viewers! And then it just kept going!" He pointed to the graph chart, showing Justin where Stockwell had called and then to another, higher jump. "This is where Luigi called in. Hey, do you think we can get both of those guys to call back tomorrow!?"
       "Keep dreaming," Justin smiled at the technician tenderly.

       "Hmmmmmm.......maybe we could get them on together....OH WOW! The fireworks that that would generate!" Blake obliged him.

       "Blake! NO! I was kidding! Besides there's no way! And if I hear Stockwell's voice again, it'll be too soon."

       "Oh! Of course Justin! Of course..." Blake trailed off half disappointedly, half still dreamy.

       Chuckling at Blake's expression, Justin sat back in his chair, sipping his water and breathing heavily. He was still exhausted. He couldn't imagine doing this again tomorrow night...and the next...and the next...but he must...and he would.

       He watched the graph chart on Blake's screen in joy. This was the first night and if the numbers were this high, he could count on higher ones tomorrow. If this trend continued, the hits to the site would be astronomical.

       As they watched, the line showing the hits went slowly but steadily down as the many viewers logged off the site.

       Justin got a brainwave. "Blake, can you post a vid of tonight's broadcast that anyone can stream at any time? Like a rerun? Like a kind of vlog?"

       "Absolutely! Good idea Justin! It'll be up within the hour!" Blake's fingers flew over the keys.

       Within the hour...within the hour...within the hour... Justin frowned. Hmmmm, that reminded him. Brian was due home by now. Justin closed his eyes and tried not to worry. He hoped nothing had gone wrong.

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30 minutes earlier...

       Outside, Stockwell had found his key. The key slid into the lock.

       Brian stood there, frozen, a lump of ice. If he didn't do something, anything and NOW!...he would be caught!

       The lock clicked open. The knob turned. Slowly, the door began to open...

       "Chief! Chief!"

       Stockwell turned toward the annoying voice and yelled, "What is it!!?"

       A young and handsome, dark haired officer was running up the hallway but stopped before he got close to the Chief. He wondered if this was such as good idea after all. "Uhhh....I just thought maybe you should come back. There's an Italian on the skype now! He seems to be talking about you! I thought you'd want to hear."

       "I see...I see...And I bet you thought you could gain my favor for bringing me this news, didn't you my boy?" Stockwell purred. He took a step toward the younger man who was caught in his manic gaze like a deer in the headlights. Stockwell caressed the young man's throat in an almost loving way. The officer was creeped out but he dared not move. "Hoping for a favor from the new mayor when I win, is that it?"

       "Uh...I didn't have anything specific in mind....but yes, I guess so Sir," quavered the young and handsome officer.

       In a lightning move, Stockwell grabbed the officer around the neck and squeezed painfully. He slammed him into the wall. With his other hand he unfastened the officer's badge.

       Brown noser! Fool! Did you think you could deceive me! Did you think I would fall for such obvious pandering!?" He indicated the badge. "I'm keeping this! The number and symbol of your authority! In essence, I've taken the heart of your profession from you! And it belongs to me now! Now, I'm going to watch whatever it is in my office. If I like what I see, I'll find you by the number that is inscribed on your heart! You'll be my pet! My flunky and slave! You'll do anything I say, and obey without question or I'll finish the job I'm doing now! (The man was turning blue.) And if I find you've betrayed me or failed me in any way, I'll kill you as well! If I don't like what I see, I'll fire you and make sure you're blackballed! You'll never work in law enforcement again! You won't even be able to get a job as a mall cop!" Stockwell finally let go of the officer who dropped in a heap on the floor, half conscious and gasping for air. The blue tinge finally began to recede from his face.

       Laughing maniacally, Stockwell went into his office and slammed the door.

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       Inside, the office was quiet, orderly, empty. A sanctuary from all the stupidity and disorder of the outside world and especially from all the stupid grunts who worked for him.

       Still chuckling softly at his own perverse jokes, Stockwell sat down at his desk and booted up his computer. He was too late to understand what was going on; just that the excitable Italian chef was ranting in a manic way and Snow White was being his usual mealy mouthed self. Stockwell muted the sound and took care of a few paperwork tasks while he waited for the broadcast to be over. Then he waited. He kept his eye on the site and refreshed it regularly, waiting. At last it came up. He smiled cruelly. He had known Justin would post a vlog simply because he knew that that is what he would have done if he were in his position. And Stockwell would never admit it to anyone but in his heart of hearts he considered Justin his equal especially in the cunning and intellectual department.

       Stockwell brought up the recording and moved the pointer forward to the broadcast to the time when Luigi had called in. He watched the events unfold, his face black with rage. His hands were balled into fists. And then Snow White was cheerily saying good bye and plugging the fat chef's restaurant to boot. Stockwell reared back to punch in the offending computer's screen.

       With incredible control, Stockwell's fist stopped an inch way from punching in the screen. His face smoothed out a little and he grew contemplative. He sat there in his silent office, thinking furiously. He drummed the fingers on his desktop as he thought and thought.

       At last he picked up the phone and the badge he had taken off his new toy. He called the directory and punched in the badge number. When the officer picked up, Stockwell ground out:

       "Well, I've decided not to fire you, so you know what the alternative is. You belong to me. And I have your first assignment. I want you to take a squad of men and go to the restaurant of that fat chef, this...Luigi's Palace. Raid it. Smash the door in. Destroy the place and kill whoever you find there! Spare only the fat chef and this...this Guido person whoever he is. Bring them to me! Succeed and you will keep your job and earn my favor! Fail and it will cost you your life!

       There was a pause as he listened to the other man's frightened whining. "Hmmm. You're right. I guess you will need it back. A pity. I was kind of hoping to keep it close to me, but you will need to show it. In fact, I think I'll come along and keep my new toy in line!" he snickered nastily. "OK, meet me at the front desk in five!" He slammed down the phone and went out of the office, slamming the door behind him. The lock clicked.

       Quaking in his Armani shoes, Brian crept out from his hiding place, behind the heavy drapes that covered Stockwell's large ceiling to nearly floor windows that sported a spectacular if not ostentatious view. The drapes themselves reached all the way to the floor and had covered him completely.

       When Stockwell had first been distracted, Brian had sprung into action, knowing this was Providence and his only hope. In two steps he had reached the curtains and in a few more seconds had positioned himself behind them. And by the time Stockwell had finished threatening the young officer and slammed his way inside, Brian was invisible.

       Of course, he had heard everything. Once more he was the sole witness to the man's depraved and medieval atrocities. But this time, he was going to be damned if he lay down and took it.

       Reaching into his pocket, Brian took out and affixed the small earpiece into an ear and turned it on.

       "Exterminator! This is Prince! This is Prince, calling Exterminator and Snowshine on a 911! Come in! For the love of God, come in!"

       "Prince! This is Exterminator!" Blake answered in his ear, using his code names as they always did while on the air. "Snow White's been worried! What happened!? Are you all-"

       "Never mind that now! There's no time to explain! This is a Code Red emergency! You must call up Luigi and tell him to evacuate his restaurant IMMEDIATELY!! Get everyone out and close up! He and Guido must RUN and not walk to the Liberty Diner where they must be taken down into the hiding place! Make it happen! NOW!"

       There was a about a five second pause. Then: "OK Prince! Things are processing! Now, what's this all about!?"

       "First, tell Snow that the target was acquired. Second, Stockwell heard Luigi's broadcast. He's going to raid his place any minute! Anyone there will be shot without warning and Luigi and Guido taken as prisoners! Get everyone out! I'm on my way back! Over and out!"

       Brian switched off and dashed to the door. Unlocking the door, he opened it carefully and made sure the coast was clear. Once he saw it was, he relocked the door behind him and got the hell out of there.

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       Unfortunately, as it is with most things, things did not go as smoothly as they wanted.

       Justin phoned up his friend and tried to warn him but due to Luigi's poor English, he did not fully understand the situation. And by the time Justin thought to switch to Italian, it was too late.
       Meanwhile, Blake dispatched Vixen, Swish Stick and Red to pick up Luigi and Guido in the van that they affectionately called the Fag Wagon or the Fag Wag for short. Red would be the Wheel Man (uh...Person) and the other two were trained in martial arts if things went bad. Kiki took over for Red in the Diner.

       As it was, things went very, very bad.

       Luigi was still trying to figure out what Justin was yammering on about. ("Get out?? What you mean, get out? You mean take out?? Oh si, si!! Luigi fix you up some nice cannoli!") Luigi heard Justin groan in frustration and suddenly Luigi's ear was filled with the clear, smooth sound of his own dear native language. Justin was telling him to pull fire alarm and to get all his customers out of the building and to leave by the back door where a van would be---

       At that moment there was a deafening BOOM!!...as the front of the restaurant exploded inward thanks to a few quietly placed plastic explosives. The entire building shook, dishes and pots and pans fell off their shelves. The phone went dead.

       Luigi grabbed Guido and pushed him behind him. He peeked out of one of the round windows in the kitchen doors and what he saw chilled him to the very bone. Police officers waded in, too many to count and kicked over chairs and tables and ground them to pieces beneath their jackboots. They carried machine guns.

       Many of the customers, especially those near the beautiful picture window were already dead, cut to ribbons. The rest were cut horribly or dazed and in shock. The officers swept the place for survivors and before Luigi's horrified eyes, shot them all dead. There were a few horrified screams and then silence. The sound would haunt Luigi for the rest of his days.

       Fortunately, Luigi could see where this was headed. He didn't wait for them to make their way toward the back. He shoved Guido forward in front of him and hissed: "Out back! Out back! Hurry! Hurry stupido!" At the same time, he swept a stack of white dinner plates aside from a lower shelf. The plates smashed onto the floor as they would have anyway. Behind them, Luigi grabbed the lockbox he kept the petty cash in, (the rest was in the bank, Luigi, he wasn't stupido!) and ran after Guido to the back door. On the way he snatched up his meat cleaver.

       Just as they opened the door to the alley, the kitchen doors smashed open so hard one was ripped off the top hinges. Officers flooded the kitchen, sending everything flying, smashing and crashing down. "FREEZE!! YOU'RE UNDER ARREST! SURRENDER OR YOU WILL BE TASED!!" yelled the first officer on the scene.

       "Me no think so!! Luigi thing you should try some of Luigi's special sauce first! Luigi grabbed the last intact pot still simmering on a nearby stove and threw the entire simmering contents into the nearest police officer's face. Then he threw the pot with deadly force at another.

       The man sloshed with hot spaghetti sauce had a face of instant second-degree burn. He screamed and fell to the floor. The pot hit another with a resounding "GONNNNGGGG!!!!!" and was knocked out. Both were trampled and tripped up many officers before they surged forward again.

       "Ohhh....You no like!!?" screamed Luigi, "Maybe I not use enough Olive oil! Here!" He snatched up a glass bottle and threw it at the floor at the feet of the nearest marching soldier. The glass smashed and spilled it's slippery contents all over the floor.

       The advancing officers slipped and slid and fell as they tried to move forward. Two officers tased each other. They fell in a heap causing yet another backup.

       Luigi slammed his way out and barricaded the door with a couple of trash cans. He turned around to a nasty shock.

       More cops were already there, in the back.  A couple were there, holding Guido hostage, a slick, leather glove over the frightened boy's mouth to keep him from crying out and warning the chef.

       "All right old man! Give up! No-one wanted to hurt you! Submit to a tasing and we won't need to use any other force! Come on now, we have orders not to kill you!"

       Luigi stooped his shoulders and adopted a quavery voice making it sound old and frail. "Si! Si! Luigi give up! Luigi give up! Just no hurt Guido! Guido like son! You no hurt Guido!"

       Behind them, the back door began to boom as it was begun to be battered open from the inside.

       The officer not holding Guido moved forward, his mouth in a sneer, his eyes glinting with cruel triumph. He reached forward with the taser.

       "YAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Just before he was tased, Luigi brought out the cleaver from behind his back and buried it in the officer's shoulder, right where Luigi knew it would be meatiest.

       The officer screamed and was driven to his knees and then his side with pain. The officer holding Guido was shocked and thrown off enough guard for Luigi to grab Guido's arm and pull him to safety.

       BOOM! BOOM! Went the back door.

       Luigi kicked the other cop in the crotch. Down went the second one.

       "LUIGI NOT SO OLD!!" screamed the chef.

       Still holding onto Guido's wrist he pulled the younger man along as they ran down the alleyway.

       "Run! Hurry, Run! Luigi out of tricks now!" The two men ran for their lives.

       BOOM! BOOM! BOOM and CRASH!!! The back doors exploded open and Gestapo-esque cops streamed out into the alley and after them. They were slimy with oil and bruised from being trampled and mad as hornets.

       "When we get through with you, you are going to WISH you had just been tased!" screamed someone insanely, "GET THEM BOYS!"

       There was a furious rush towards them. The two Italians ran for their lives.

       ZAP! ZAP! Tasers were shot out. Luigi dropped and rolled and the taser missed him. Guido wasn't so lucky. He was hit and spasmed wildly before falling to the ground, unconscious.

       Luigi got up and kept running. He dashed for the corner and made it just before he heard another ZAP! The taser missed him by inches.

       Luigi wanted to peek around the corner but he heard things like: We got this one, keep after him....and: Hurry! Get that fat fuck!...so he kept going.

       But he only made it about halfway down the next alley before cops, dozens of them ran around the corner after him. They quickly and systematically flooded the alleyway so there was only one way to go...out onto the street where more cops and their cars waited for him.

       "Give it up old man!" the lead cop yelled.

       "Luigi...Not...so....OLD!!" yelled Luigi. But his shoulders slumped forward in defeat. There was nowhere else to go. "But si...si...Luigi give up! Luigi give up!" The fat chef huffed and puffed in exertion.

       The corrupt cops advanced on Luigi with evil smiles and their tasers outstretched. The fat chef trembled. Things looked hopeless.

       And then, out of the alley about a half block down, headlights turned on, illuminating the scene in stark contrast. A motor roared to life. And out of the dark alleyways, just in the nick of time, a van jumped its way forward, a van with a woman at the wheel, a woman with bushy red hair and manic, determined eyes.

       The Fag Wag roared its way forward and mowed its way through the sea of cops. The big, strong men screamed like little girls as the van either whacked them out of the way or forced them to jump to the left or the right, much of the time having to press themselves flat against the slimy brick walls to avoid the oncoming van.

       The side door slid open. A figure aimed. With deadly accuracy, two sharp, silver hair pins whizzed through the air. The pins struck their targets, the tasers that were nearest to Luigi's soft flesh. The tasers sparks and short circuited and zapped the two officers holding them. They slumped unconscious.

       The Fag Wag continued to advance. The police turned to face this new foe and a bit of panic and confusion began to fill the crowd.

       The Fag Wag's headlights went out. Two figures blacker than black flipped out of the side door. They were dressed in skin-tight black and masked ninja style but out of the bottom of one head mask, flowed some wisps of blond hair.

       The two ninjas began a deadly attack, knocking heads together, kicking butts and throwing cops over the van and into dumpsters. One ninja seemed to be all arms and legs and seemed to be doing a monkey style type of kung fu.

       Now the policemen were filled with real panic as they were crowded into this small space in the dark, fighting a seemingly unending foe. They began to yell and panic and fight in earnest and yet they never seemed to make any headway.

       The ninjas reached Luigi and grabbed his arms and began leading him toward the van. With systematic punches and throws they easily cleared a path toward t he van.

       "Don't worry! We're here to rescue you!" assured the blond ninja, throwing a big cop backwards over her shoulder.

       "Just get in the van! We're going to take you to Officer White," said the long limbed one, cleverly poking two cops and causing them to start fighting with one another.

       "Officer White!? From the website? OK, Luigi go!" Luigi agreed. Besides, there was nothing he could do here anymore. Oh...but poor Guido!

       Finally, they reached the van and Luigi threw in the lockbox and clambered aboard after it. The two ninjas hopped nimbly after and the sliding door slammed. Luigi began to feel safe for the first time since the phone went dead.

       "Punch it, Red!" Emmett said breathlessly.

       Red punched it. The headlights went on, revealing a sea of cops all fighting each other. The tires squealed. ‘Squwweeeeeeeeeeee!!!' as they jumped forward and through them. They hit the street and turned away from Luigi's Palace and were away.

       Even before they were a half a block away, there was a shockwave and the streets quaked for a full block in diameter as Luigi's Palace exploded in a firestorm. Anything inside and even a bit of the stores flanking it was completely destroyed.

       Luigi was heartbroken. "Oh no! Luigi's restaurant! It gone! Luigi have to start all over again! All over!" And then he remembered. "Oh no! Guido! They capture Guido! We have to go back! Oh no! What if they throw him inside before it blow! Guido, he might be dead!"

       By this time, Lindsay had ripped off her mask. "Oh, I'm so sorry Luigi! We can't go back for him now! There are too many of them! But if he is still alive, I promise, we'll do whatever we can to rescue him! I promise!"

       Emmett poked her. Linds! You shouldn't make that kind of promise! Not till we talk to Snowshine!"

       "Don't worry! I plan to! Time to check in anyway!"

       She switched on her headset. This is Vixen calling Exterminator! Come in!"

       "This is Exterminator! What the haps?"

       "Snow White was right. The big bad wolf blew in the house of wood. It's completely destroyed. We are all safe and headed back to the house of brick with one pig in custody. Second pig named Guido was captured. Recommend immediate rescue attempt! I can go now! I'll just hop out! Over!"

       "Negative! My instruments show enemy wolves all over the scene! Too dangerous! Rest and regroup and we'll plan a rescue for tomorrow when we know where he's stashed. I'll inform Snow White of the developments. All right!? Vixen....All right!? Over."

       Vixen sighed but she knew it was the only way. "All right. Over and out." To Red she said, "Back to HQ, stat!"

       Red pushed the pedal to the metal and took a hard right. Again the tires went SQUUEEEEEEEEE!!!!...and they zoomed away toward home.

TBC