Chapter 21 Excerpt

Well, its March and I’m still going strong. I passed the 100,000 word mile marker and the ideas are still flowing. Writers block? What’s that? I hope I can continue to ask those two questions! Here’s the next excerpt. Sorry, but did not publish anything publicly from chapter 20. If you have any questions or need some fill-in information, please let me know! Enjoy!

If nothing else, Darin liked to be prepared. He and Jamie started making plans. If they were going in, they were going to go in with some knowledge. The aerial shots were a great help. The schematics of the compound were immensely helpful too. The schematic architectural drawings provided by the Mayor helped Darin and Jamie make their plans very precise. If they were possibly walking into a trap, everyone was at a loss as to figure out why the Mayor’s office was being so helpful.

After several days of planning and practicing, Darin felt that they were ready. Nobody was really sure who or what they would find, but that was not going to stop them from going in.

The Mayor tried, repeatedly, to get more detailed information about the timing of Darin’s plan and when he and Jamie would be executing the rescue mission, but he did not have much success. Darin did not even tell the Commissioner or Arnie that information. That made it easier on everyone’s part. Nobody had to lie about information they may have actually had.

Darin had a nagging feeling about this job. Something was not sitting right and he could not figure out what it was. As usual, Darin was worried about everything except for himself. The thing weighing on his mind at the moment was the welfare of the neighborhood. It would not take much for the rival gangs to turn the neighborhood back into the den of terror that it used to be. Darin had to make sure that it anything happened to him, that did not happen.

When Darin talked to Brandon York about his concerns, the Captain told him that he would take care of it since Darin was not allowed to leave the training facilities yet…

“Listen Darin, calm down.” said York “I can handle this for you. There’s no need of you getting yourself all wound up about anything.”

“If you could do that, that would be awesome.” said Darin. “I owe you one.”

“I believe it is I who is indebted to you and I’m not sure if I’ll ever get out.”

Brandon York tried to explain the situation to Mean Jimmy D., who, although he retained the name, he was anything but mean these days. His message was not coming through clearly. Worst of all, the Captain could not adequately answer Jimmy’s concerns about Darin and Jimmy wanted to know why any of this was even necessary. Unsatisfied with the Captain’s responses, Jimmy wanted to talk with Darin directly. Brandon York knew that the only way that was going to happen was if he took him to see Darin. He reluctantly took Jimmy to the compound to see Darin. He knew that Darin was already worried, so he couldn’t mess that one up.

When Brandon and Jimmy arrived, Darin, Jamie and Max had just finished a rigorous round of training. They were elated to have any visitors, but especially happy to see Jimmy. The Captain explained the concerns that Jimmy had and said that they couldn’t stay long. He would wait in the car.

Darin and Jamie took Jimmy for a little walk and talked to him about the neighborhood and how they were worried about things, but Darin didn’t mention why. It was then that he found out how much more, although still without a lot of detail, that Brandon York had shared with Jimmy…

“Oh, well the Captain wouldn’t tell me any specifics, like, you know. So you know,” said Jimmy, “I was jus’ kinda’ wonderin’ what all was up, you know?”

“Well in all honesty, Jimmy, there really is not a whole lot that I can tell you specifically. I just need to know from you that if anything happens to me you’re going to make sure everything we worked to established for the neighborhood stays in place.”

“Well, first of all, we been prayin’ for you, like every day. We know that God has his hands on you Detective. And, like I can’t speak for God; and I never would try, but, you know, if I was like able to do that, I would have to say that he’ not like finished with you yet,” said Jimmy. “You told me something one time that I’ve never forgotten. Maybe you should listen to it too. Don’t take on tomorrows worries today! Get through today first. Let God take care of tomorrow until it gets here and you’re actually able to do something.”

“Touche! Well, I was just planning,” said Darin.

“Two what?” asked Jimmy and they all laughed.

As they were walking Jimmy back to the Captain’s car the passed by the schematics posted up on a wall and Jimmy recognized them immediately.

“Man, you guys need some updated drawings, those things are old,” said Jimmy.

“What? You know this place, Jimmy?”, said Darin and he stared at Jamie with a surprised expression on his face.

“Oh yeah, we hang out there every so often. We kinda like all the stuff we can do there. Have lots of fun. Somebody’s been making lots of changes to the place though. It used to be deserted. Now there are guards posted all over the place and we can’t even sneak by them.”

Darin frantically waved to Brandon York to get him to come and join them and he called Arnie as well. When everyone was gathered around the schematics, Darin began to question Jimmy.

“So, Jimmy,” said Darin, “are you trying to tell me that this compound has been modified?”

“Oh yeah. Sure, it used to look like this and that was cool. But they’ve changed a lot of the entrances and stuff and it’s even like cooler now.”

“Jimmy, how many of those changes can you remember and can you mark them on the drawing for me?”

“That place is like a home away from home to the Wild Bunch, Inc. We know it like the back of our hand. You got a pencil? I can change this thing up for you.” Jimmy finished up the drawing and even indicated where the guards were posted; and said, “So when you going in? We want to help”

Everyone stared at Jimmy in surprise.

In answer to their stares, Jimmy said, “Well why else did you want me to update the drawing. I figured it probably has something to do with all of this stuff that you can’t tell me about. Jimmy D. might be dumb but he ain’t stupid!”

“Very astute, Jimmy.”

“Very a-what?”

“Never mind. Fact is, we’re not in full control of what is going on and I need you and your boys to stay away, OK?”

“You got it detective, just glad I could be of a little help.”

“Jimmy, could you go and wait for me in the car please?” asked the Captain.

“Sure. Don’t be long now.” answered Jimmy with a smile.

When Jimmy was in the car and out of earshot Arnie said, “Good gravy! The Mayor is feeding US mis-information! If we went with the old version of the schematics everything you trained for would have been nullified within 5 seconds of getting into the compound. Look at these changes. Now what do we do?”

“Nothing different,” said Jamie. Same plan, different layout.

“My thoughts exactly.” said Darin “As long as we learn the new layout, the plan will still work.”

“You two are amazing,” said the Captain.

“Ruff!” barked Max.

“Sorry,” said the Captain, “I mean, you three.”

“Rufff! Rufff!”

With that Brandon York walked back to his car and got in.

“Young man, you know what you just did?”

“If my guess is correct, Captain, I would say that I just like saved their lives.”

“You got that right,” said the Captain “Say, you ever think about being a cop?”

Jimmy paled visibly and said in a low voice, “I think we better go. I think you guys are great, but being a cop? I’ll check, but I’m pretty sure that like against my religion or something.”

Darin, Jamie and Max reset their training area so that they could practice with the new information that they had now and, sure enough, it appeared that their plans were still going to work.

When the Captain returned to the office, he had 7 urgent messages from the Mayor. “Get him on the line for me,” he told his assistant, “lets find out what he wants. Can’t be that urgent or he would have tried to reach me by radio.”

In a few minutes the assistant had the Mayor on the line….

“Yes, Mr. Mayor, what can I do for you?”

“Captain, I talked with the Commissioner, he said you might have detailed information about when our team will be executing their plan.”

“Sorry, sir, all I know is that in light of some new information plans have changed.”

“New information? What new information?”

“Unknown, sir,” the Captain lied, “and I also have no information on when execution is likely. I haven’t asked and, Frankly, I like to leave that decision in the hands of the people who are doing the job. I guess I still have that military mentality from my old Marine days. They’ll contact me when the deed is done. Hate to be rude Mr. Mayor, but I have a department to run and I can’t really talk right now. I’ll try to ring you back later.”

With that Brandon York hung up the phone without waiting for the Mayor to reply.

The Mayor called Mikey right away to give him an update, just incase things needed to change.

“Mr. Mayor, exactly what is this new information that they have?”

“Well, Mikey, I’m not sure.”

“Well,” said Mikey, “We don’t have any leaks on our side. We know how to stop leaks. Well, it doesn’t matter. When they walk into this trap, it won’t matter what information they have, they’re not walking out. They would need a small army if they even wanted to stand half a chance. They’re toast!”

“I hope you’re right,” said the Mayor, “it could be pretty embarrassing if you’re not.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Mayor, were you questioning me?”

“Uhhhhhh, no Mikey, of course not. I’ll call you if there are any updates.” With that the Mayor hung up the telephone. That was a close call. He better be more careful.