Co-written with Norseman
OOC: Two or three more posts to go. As per agreement with Stas, this takes place before CSR shoots up Astarian ports.
And boy, are you guys gonna be surprised
The Gill Estate, 21:00
Two PeZookians led Kasia upstairs, their rifles slung on their backs. One of them gave her his boots, so that she wouldn't hurt her feet on the shattered glass. They had to hold her tightly, since she still writhed, squirmed and babbled, though much less viciously than just ten minutes before. It seemed as if the drug was slowly wearing off.
Still, when the paramedics got to Kasia they had to restrain her on the stretcher, and even so she gasped, panted and twisted against the restraints. One of them asked, "What is she on?" When someone squeezed the bottle into his hand he looked at it, and grimaced, "Damn!"
"What can you do?" Nalecki asked.
"Get her to a hospital fast," the paramedic said, even as he picked up his side of the stretcher, and the two paramedics began moving Kasia out.
As they got out through the front door they spotted the psychologist from the Abolitionist Society. Somehow she'd managed to get inside the cordon, along with a few other members of the Pezookian team. The moment she spotted Kasia, she yelled, "Get her to James Stephen Memorial!" She couldn't get close enough to speak normally, but yelled again, "James Stephen!"
"Right..." the paramedic helped lift her into an ambulance, and looked around, "So..."
"James Stephen," Nalecki said.
"Right."
The ambulance doors slammed shut and it began to move, lights on, no siren, to keep people from mistaking it for an air-raid warning. Another ambulance took a heavily wounded BOSS stormtrooper, while medics tended to half-a-dozen others with only minor scratches.
Captain Nalecki sat down heavily on the mansion's front steps and took a deep breath, looking at the sky. He didn't feel okay after what he'd done, but none of his men seemed to think any less of him for that.
"Captain? You okay?", Whitcomb asked, walking up to him. Behind the BOSS officer, forensics techs and National Police officers swarmed into the manor.
Nalecki wiped the sweat and grime off his face and stood up.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Where's Gill?"
"In the basement", Nalecki said and walked off towards his men.
James Stephen Memorial Hospital
"We've put her in a private room, and she is receiving the best treatment available," Dr Gorman said.
"What's wrong with her? Other than the drugs?", Rebecca Robson asked
"I can't tell you that."
"You can't tell me?!"
"Doctor patient confidentiality, Ms Groc... wel... zk..." Dr Gormen's gargoyle like face twisted as he tried to pronounce the name, "Ms Groccy is a free woman and a patient of ours."
"Doctor, please. This is a matter of international importance."
"How so?", Gormann looked at his clipboard, seeming oblivious to Rebecca's questions
"That woman is a PeZookian citizen. My superiors want to know if she's going to be fine, at least."
"She'll live. That's all I'm going to tell you, now get out."
Black Night company headquarters, Montalba, the following morning
Gerhard Blanche walked into his office in the very earliest hours of the morning. His secretary, Ms. Reed, smiled at him as she prepared his morning papers and coffee.
"Good morning", he said cheerfully, sitting in his comfortable padded chair. He took the hot coffee cup and the morning paper.
"Good morning, sir.", Ms. Reed smiled and went back to her desk. She didn't make it four steps before she heard the coffee cup fall to the ground. She spun around and saw her boss, staring at the paper, coffee spilled all over the papers.
"Sir? What's wrong?"
Blanche stood up.
"Get me my car!", he screamed. The front page of the paper read, in huge letters, "OLIVER GILL KILLED DURING POLICE RAID"
Before Ms. Reed could call Blanche's driver, however, they both heard shouts and commotion from the office spaces.
"National Police! Everybody stay where you are! You! Move those papers and you're going to jail along with your boss! I'm not kidding!"
Montalba, Dixie Hotel Restaurant
"Augeros!", Whitcomb raised the glass, and for the first time, all PeZookians returned the toast.
"Augeros!", twenty throats shouted, and drank the harsh liquid. All over the country, arrests were being made. Even a cursory search of Gill's computers revealed many of the end-customers he sold the illegal slaves to, and others would soon be found as well. National Police was entering companies and private households, the news wouldn't shut up about the investigation, and lawyers all around Astaria were preparing their cases.
"Just like it should be when a case breaks", Sebastian commented and smiled.
"Indeed. There is still much work to be done, of course.", Whitcomb seemed satisfied as well.
"Yes...there will be trials, and we still need to take witness statements from everyone, and arrange psychiatric care...", Amanda started rattling off the things which still remained for them to do, only to be interrupted by Parkhurst.
"That is for tomorrow. Today, we should celebrate our success, and the fact that your people are going home."
Amanda looked at Parkhurst and, for the first time, smiled at the strange woman.
"Yes...that
is incredible.", she said, as the waiter poured everyone another glass. She fought down the thoughts which came to her mind, about the millions of slaves still living in Astaria.
"And that calls for another toast! Augeros!", Whitcomb shouted again, and again, everyone agreed.