"Do you have any idea who took these? And why are you showing them to me?" Mac sounded very calm given the circumstances.
"No idea who took them. But I'm showing you these because you should know that somebody was trying to give them to the boys. They would be terribly embarrassing for you, I would think. Not good for the boys either. Not good at all. Mother and Dad would have a fit."
"I'd probably need help stopping these. I don't know who could have done this. It certainly wasn't the boys because they weren't at Bubba's camp. Do you have any ideas?"
"Probably Wolf," Yollie said. "He's kind of sweet on you."
"I don't believe it would be him," Mac said. "But I don't know who else it could be. Since you were so helpful in bringing these to me, perhaps you could help me?"
"Well I could try, I suppose. But you know, in our meeting reviewing your appointment, people were kind of unhappy with some of the things you did. It could be anybody. It would be hard to stop these pictures being passed around while people were upset."
"What things?"
I started moving out of the group of three. It was going to be a group of two; realized what Yollie was doing; what she had done to all of her brothers. Blackmail.
"Well I heard there was some unhappiness with the military speak. You know, the Yes Sir, No Sir stuff. That didn't bother me, but the family isn't much into military orders."
"So if I backed off on that, people would be happier, and these pictures would disappear?"
I had the distinct impression that this wasn't going to work out too well for Yollie. She carried on oblivious.
"Yes, I believe that would probably happen. I certainly would do my best to put an end to it."
"Not sure I could agree to this," Mac said.
I waited for the Mac hammer to fall.
"These pictures are good! I particularly like the one of me unbuttoning my top. I hadn't realized that two buttons would reveal so much. Explains why Bubba was vibrating. I think I'll make copies of this one. Pass them out discretely. You know, so that nobody would know where they came from. I'd start with a boyfriend, I think. One who might be tempted by this small thin body because his girlfriend's body was so different."
Yollie's face changed into what Bubba Franklin's face must have looked like as he watched the Saskatchewan field goal kicker start her run-up.
"I'd probably forget about this though if I had the original images. I particularly would like to have the picture of me toe-punting Bubba. I hope that picture would be part of this collection. You think you could find out, Yollie?"
"Do my best," Yollie said and fled the kill zone.
"She wasn't kidding about the military speak?" Mac asked me after the dust from Yollie's heels had settled back to the ground.
"I had nothing to do with this, Mac. It was all Yollie."
Mac nodded. "I figured. The military speak?"
"Nobody was upset, but it did come up. Some discomfort is probably the best way to describe it. The family is much more into consensus building," I said. "Everybody contributing to the operation."
"I saw that. It worked well. My family wasn't that way."
"They loved the teams you created."
She nodded. "Tell them I'll take the job permanently, but when we're in the middle of a battle where I need immediate control, they can expect military speak orders. How they reply is up to them."
"And Yollie?"
"After I have the originals, you can tell her that I'm probably finished with her."
Back to the Table of Contents
Chapter 42
Narrator, Tuesday morning.
Franklin Franklin's trial took place under the giant dome of the prison. Doc wasn't sure what effect the sedative would have had on an old man so he made sure that Franklin was awake and able to understand the proceedings before bringing him into the open area where the court had been set up. Doc noticed that FF's copy of his father's Good Book was open on the sleep pad. The family picture was not inside, but that's because Mac took it out when she put the book in his cell.
The trial was going to be formal this time, not like in the Okanagan where a firewood wagon had been the only furniture. This time, the court room had tables and a set of folding chairs for the officers of the court. As well, they had found a chair for the accused to sit in and a section for the spectators. For spectator seating they had to make do with pads from the cages except for Granny who was sitting in the warden's comfortable chair. Everyone from the Wilizy family was there except Liset. Mac wasn't in the courtroom but she was watching from a distance. Doc accompanied Franklin to the accused's chair, bound his hands to the legs of the chair, and left the courtroom where he met up with Mac and together they'd keep an eye on Liset.
"All rise," said Reese. He had been given the role of bailiff. Izzy was serving as the prosecutor. Everyone except Franklin rose as the wire basket descended and Hank stepped out.
"My name is Hank" and Hank then terminated the sentence with what sounded like a coughing sound. "I am a member of the British Columbia detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The accused has seen my badge. That badge gives me the authority to detain suspected criminals, question them, determine if they have broken any laws, and apply justice as required within the Aboriginal Nation. By treaty, my authority also extends to B.C. I need a volunteer to serve as the court recorder."
Hank looked around and saw one outstretched hand.
"You, young lady. Can you write?"
"Yes," Winnie said. "Can I bring my pup to sit with me?"
"Will your pup harm the accused?" Hank said.
"Only if I want her to," Winnie said with a smile.
"Sit at this table and record the responses of the accused to the questions that the prosecutor poses. Franklin, we assume you will want to defend yourself. You're facing charges of kidnapping, espionage, murder, and accessory to murder. All are capital crimes and carry the death penalty."
"This is preposterous. You can't judge me – you're personally involved. I move for a mistrial."
"I don't intend to judge you. I have deputized a lawyer to hear the case." With that, Hank sat down in the audience and Stu walked up to the bench and sat down.
"My name is Stu," he said. "I've had 25-years of legal experience in B.C. During the time that the Wilizy family was searching for you, I was babysitting in a community in the Kootenays. I have not been involved in any of the matters coming before this court. Your motion for a mistrial is denied. Ms. Prosecutor, present your case."
# # # # # # #
Izzy had drawn up a set of questions for Franklin to answer. They already knew the answers to all but two of the questions. They had more than enough evidence to convict him many times over for his crimes; but these two answers would provide valuable information and they were worth the trouble of the trial. Besides, it was a valuable experience for the youngsters to witness.
As the trial progressed, Winnie had difficulty judging many of Franklin's answers. For example, to the question "Did you ever kill any of the convicts under your authority?" Franklin had answered, "No. My God made the decisions about the future of the heathens in my charge." Winnie mind-messaged to her mom. He killed them – I can see him doing it, but he's telling the truth. What should I write?
Put it down as T&L.
Winnie made a similar double entry when he answered, "They wanted me to touch them" when he was asked about molesting female prisoners. He told outright lies about being involved in the killing of law officers during the Biker Gang war, and of acting as an undercover agent for Alberta. Most importantly, he was definitely lying about not knowing where Alberta's sleeper agents were hidden or knowing anything at all about Alaska's secret spy.
He's lying and I can see their faces in his mind, but that's all, Winnie told Izzy.
"Your honour," Izzy called out as she rose. "This is preposterous. The accused is telling outright lies. The prosecution would like to enter the accused's own wor
ds into the record. I have a document that he wrote himself in which he gives a full accounting of his life and his actions. He called it his manifesto and he signed every page. We can prove that those signatures are his. In this manifesto, he admitted to committing numerous capital crimes. The prosecution will restrict its charges of capital crimes in this trial to those that he has already admitted to in this manifesto."
"Show the document to the accused. Turn the pages for him. Do not let him handle it."
Izzy did as the judge had instructed. As she neared the end of the manifesto, Franklin tried to grab the document with his teeth – intent on eating it, presumably. Patella had a similar appetite, but not for the document. Franklin lost his taste for paper sandwiches very quickly.
"Give me one charge that you can prove from this manifesto that is a capital crime." The judge instructed Izzy.
"The accused was directly involved in the murder of numerous B.C. police officers during the biker wars."
"Show me the page where he admits this."
Izzy stepped forward and did so.
The judge read out loud for the courtroom. I had thought that the bikers would take control of the battles in 2063. They were operating more intelligently – as a single group by that point, and had managed with my help to murder all the spotters in the towns.
"Did you write this?"
"No."
"Is this your manifesto?"
"Never saw it before."
"Is this your signature?"
"Forged."
Izzy stood up and said, "Rebuttal, your honour?"
"Granted."
"Perhaps this will refresh your memory," Izzy said. "The following conversation was recorded on Saturday, March 10, 2082 at the North Van Bistro. Your honour, the voice you will hear is that of Franklin Franklin. He is talking to Zzyk's Executive Assistant, a man named Rick."
I arranged to have all those police spotters murdered in the Biker Wars. And even before the war started, I was feeding Zzyk confidential information that his bikers used to find and kill police in the isolated detachments. He owes me. But he did pay me for stealing B.C.'s secrets, so I'll take them off the market and destroy them.
"Mr. Franklin, you have a very distinctive voice," the judge observed. "Do you realize that you have just confessed to espionage and accessory to murder?"
Franklin's face was now the colour of the suit that he was wearing. Gray. "Invasion of privacy, your honour?"
"Not applicable in a public place," Stu ruled quickly. "The accused is found guilty of Accessory to Murder and Espionage. Both of these crimes carry the death penalty. I understand that some people in the courtroom would like to approach the bench before sentence is passed. You may do so, now."
Izzy came forward. She put her pair of Zorro shoes with their thick heavy heels on the table and said. "I wish to use these on the accused's body, preferably on his hands but I'm not picky. He knows the reason why," she said.
Next to approach the bench was Yolanda. She carried a pair of rusty scissors. "I wish to use these on the accused's body. He knows the reason why," she said. She put them on the judge's table and left.
Hank came last and held up his two fists. "I cannot leave these on the judge's table, but I show them to the accused. He knows the reason why I want to be part of the sentencing."
"The judge will retire with the applicants to decide how the sentence will be applied. Everybody else should go home now."
Wolf was the last to leave and he paused by Franklin Franklin Franklin's chair on the way out. "You better start praying, you poor old fool," Wolf admonished. "I saw my dad demolish one man's nose with a single blow. He wasn't even angry at the time. You have no idea what's waiting for you."
Franklin prayed as hard as he could.
To his surprise, his God replied. Sort of.
# # # # # # #
"Franklin. Look at me. Come-on, boy. Look at me. Up here."
Franklin stopped his praying and looked around for the voice echoing in the chamber. It was somewhat familiar but he couldn't place it. However the face was very familiar, although he wasn't used to seeing it floating in the air up near the top of the dome.
"Father?"
"What have you done this time, boy? Tell me the truth or I'll lock you in an outhouse."
So Doc got to hear the answers to many of their questions, but he heard the truth this time. He let Franklin ramble for a bit, while he concentrated on not scratching at the beard that Hank had borrowed from an amateur theatre group and which Mac had applied with flour paste, using the family photo to make it realistic. Doc asked Franklin the two questions they were most interested in. "What are the names of Alberta's two sleepers? What's the name of the Alaska plant in the B.C. government?" Franklin answered the questions. Invisible Winnie said Truth both times.
"I heard 'nuff, boy. You disappoint me. I'll be waiting for you when you get here. Bubba's here too."
"Heaven, Father?"
"Not exactly."
# # # # # # #
About 20-years later, cultists who were determined to relive as much of the Wilizy legend as they could broke through the defenses of the Zeballos Regional Prison. Lights were duly turned on and a search was mounted. The wire cage was situated at ground level, high above anyone who might have been left in the cell block. All cell doors were open. The searchers found plenty of unopened bottled water and unopened food bars throughout the area. But they also found some bottles that were opened and some empty food wrappers. Those might have been from Will and Izzy's stay; they might not have been.
The searchers found a huge mine shaft, and they were able to descend with lights to the depths where they found a number of skeletons. But that's all they found. Skeletons. The top skeleton had a wind tunnel between his two front teeth. He also had injuries to both hands – but those were consistent with a fall from a great height. Other bones were broken too – again consistent with a fall from a great height. As to Yolanda's threat – time and rats had taken away what would have been needed to prove that she had been serious about what she would do to Franklin.
The searchers concluded that Franklin had received justice. Perhaps it was at the hands of the Wilizy. Perhaps Franklin had been left in the dark to wander around the prison and he died at the will of his God. They couldn't determine which. The reader can do some thinking on it.
# # # # # # #
Franklin's demise was the topic of discussion in another location far away from the Zeballos Prison that March in 2082.
Rick was delivering the news to Zzyk that Will and Izzy had undoubtedly escaped Franklin's prison. Rick had immediately sensed the danger as he and Franklin had walked deep into the prison searching for them. "Somebody was going to die there," Rick said. "I could feel it. All the Wilizy had to do was shut off all the lights and raise the elevator. I left the prison as quickly as I could taking Franklin with me."
"So he's safe?"
"He flew me to my copter and then the fool went back to get his money. I waited a couple of hours and flew over the prison, just to see. His copter was parked outside the main gates. I didn't hang around. The Wilizy could have had any number of weapons pointed at me from the hills."
"Franklin?"
"The Wilizy would have used him to enter the prison and rescue Will and Izzy. All they had to do was tape his eyelids open. The keypad codes would be easily obtainable from the old fool – either with chemicals or torture. Then they'd leave him there."
"Dead or alive?"
"Wouldn't matter. Leave him alive in the dark and he'd be dead soon enough."
"Who purchased Izzy?"
"Nobody. Franklin wanted her for himself. She duped him into releasing her from her cell, helped Will get out of his cell with at least one if not two hidden knives, and then hid somewhere in the dark tunnels when we came in. Other Wilizy were waiting outside for Franklin to return to the prison. It was an obvious place for him to store his retirement fund. An old man beguiled by
a young body. Happens all the time."
Zzyk looked sharply at Rick at that point, and pondered. "Yes, I expect it does," Zzyk said.
"Why did you want Izzy? Zurt would be useless to you. He'd be a danger if you left him alive. You couldn't use her to control him."
"I planned to personally supervise her long, slow death."
"Well, you still might get your wish. She's alive, but still vulnerable."
"Explain."
"I planted a few rumours that got the WZBN boards hopping with concerns that Will and Izzy had been kidnapped. Everybody jumped on board – worrying about Will and Izzy and besieging the WZBN for answers. That prompted a Wilizy response informing everyone that Will and Izzy were safe."
"Why did you do that?"
"A stupid old man captured Will and Izzy while they were making a public appearance. Obviously this was a huge hole in their security. I wanted to see if the Wilizy were still vulnerable to public pressure. They are."
"How is that going to help us? If we use public pressure to find them, we still can't defeat the defenses to their compound."
"Why would they only have one command center? You don't have one command center. Why would they? Their second command center has to be mobile, because we've seen how they can battle anywhere in B.C., the Aboriginal Nation, or in Alberta. Since it's mobile, they can't hide that command post behind defensive armaments. This means we can defeat them in a shooting war. All we have to do is find their mobile command center and then engage them in a battle away from their compound. It's out there somewhere. Perhaps disguised and in clear view."
"I'll do some thinking on it," Zzyk said.
Back to the Table of Contents
Chapter 43
Tuesday afternoon, March 13.
The Wilizy's debriefing meeting was scheduled for 1 p.m. in the community hall and by 12:45, all 19 Wilizy members were milling around – Patella now counting as one of the 19. Franklin's trial had concluded an hour earlier, so the buzz was all about the trial and how Franklin had looked so guilty. Some of the older members were trying to find out Franklin's fate, but Stu had issued a gag order because young children had been involved in the operations and he didn't want details of what happened to Franklin Franklin getting back to them. Izzy took the opportunity to ask Hank, Yolanda and Granny to meet with her at 4:00 that afternoon in the Wilizy.