Dan Barns: Problem Solver

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Thanks for reading.  Please do not forget to vote and let me know what you think of the book so far.

I had been a lot of places, but the threat of going to a prison was more than I could handle. I hate being locked up and I hate being arrested for something that the FBI was to be taking care of.

Andrew left to make a few calls and while he was gone, a policeman from the town I stop to make my stand came in. "My name is Chief Bramlet. I need to get your side of the story for the report to close the case."

He said as he sat down.

"You mean to tell me that the FBI has not taken over the case and that it was not removed from your hands. Fascinating. I have to see clearance levels and a letter from the area supervisor of the Texas unit." I said as I looked him in the eye. "Or you could talk with my supervisor when he gets back here. I was the victim and because of your unit not listening, I was almost killed on home soil. I do not feel the trade is fair and me going to a prison for standing with my hands in the air and trying to get your men to stay safe as well as my own, blows my mind. I also do not think you have the authority to debrief me. I have to wait for the field agent to debrief. Now what I can tell you is that my boss was on the phone with local agency before I went out the door with my hands in the air. There was a call twenty minutes before to your D.A. office letting them know of the problem. But they still held a gun on me and did not want my ID or me to answer questions. FBI and my boss arrived after I was blown up. Now do I get to sue your department for lack of cooperation that seems to be prevalent in this area." I said because I knew that I was in the right and we had civilians safe out of harm's way. "We caught international terrorist and we are the criminals." I could see one of the FBI listening and watching for the reaction. He could come in at anytime but he was just standing there.

"I have my own investigations and anything in my town, I need to know about. This concerns some of my people and a car bomb going off needs more attention than out of towners. I want to know who did it." he demanded.

"Okay next time, I will have them schedule ahead so we can accommodate you and your rules. Hello, mercenaries do not phone ahead to let people know in advance that they are going to take a hit out on a target or set a car bomb. That is why they are called terrorist." I said as I dropped my arm to my side and rolled my eyes.

"Don't get smart with me boy. You could have personally told us as you were coming into town." the officer yelled back at me.

"Not with my phone tapped by them. This was not a cheap operation on the enemies part. I could not pull over, discuss their plans and then head to take care of it. What part of this are you having trouble with. The fact that I did not know their plan or that we had to improvise and it happened in your town." I said with almost a growling tone. I could feel my blood pressure rising.

"You had to have some warning. You were well equipped when you arrived." He responded.

"That was because a two minute call to a friend, whom I served with while in the military, had a stash of weapons and a few of my unit had stopped in for a visit during the time I called for help and the time I arrived they had everything ready." I said a little louder.

"That sounds like a set up." he announced.

"You want the story from the top. Okay, you see the men that were after me were there because I solved a problem on a mission overseas and he or she was mad that it did not go there way. I had went fishing and while I was fishing, my house got broke into, blown up, and burnt. So I was heading home and I noticed I was being followed. I call my boss, then I call a local team of men who I have worked with before, made arrangements to stand our ground. We had finished everything but car inspection and that is where your people got in the way, and I got hurt. Our ID's had been called in. I was out of cover and on the targets list, and I almost died. I was not on a mission across the ocean, I was here in my own state and almost died because of lack of following national protocol. I did not take them to my home town because at my house, all the youth that I help coach would be there and they do not need to develop a mental issues because they seen a murder or almost blown up. How does that sound and did you get the brunt of that Agent?" as I looked passed the door to bring him in.

"That solves it agent Barns. I am sorry for all the slowness that our team showed on arriving. Are you alright?"

"No, this one wants me to go to a prison hospital and I am ready to go to the home office or home. I hate all the bull and I really need to debrief in a different setting. This is to public and I have more information about a local cell that needs to be looked into. As Homeland as graciously hired me, one of their people may have to handle the op. I want to go home." I said as I laid back. "Besides, I thought when the letters took over local police department was out of luck on the criminal side."

"You have no business running an operation in my city without informing me or someone in my department." Officer Bramlet said as the FBI agent pointed toward the door.

"I was not running an op, I was trying to survive an attack by foreign mercenaries and your people made me a better target because they were not listening or following national protocol when you have a terrorist in your area. Next time we will schedule an appointment to be blown up." I said as I stood up. I headed for the closet and started looking through the items in there.

"I will take him outside, give him his report and work on getting you transferred to a better place. I am sorry sir. Next time call direct and we will be there sooner." he said as he motioned for the officer to follow him. They left the room. I was tired and ready to get out. I just laid back down there for an hour when Andrew came back in.

"He was going to send you to prison. I got a executive order of higher judicial person. Also, the transfer to the Colorado private hospital is being set up. There will be a new doctor on the case." Andrew said as we heard the doctor telling a nurse that the prisoner could be moved to a room on the floor this evening. He wanted her to make sure that the guards were with him. The nurse asked which room and he gave my room number. I got mad and got up. It caused alarms and attention.

"I am no prisoner. I am a government man. I work so you can have your freedom to talk bad about other people. Nurse get my discharge papers and I am leaving. Andrew, get my bag so I can get dressed. This is not what I fight for and You can find another agent if I am thought of as a criminal in the land that I protect." I was yelling by this point. 

Andrew got my clothes to quiet me down. I dressed and took out the IV and signed myself out and walked down to the car. I knew Andrew's car so I walked towards it. I seen the officer with the FBI agent. "Thanks to you, I am referred to as a criminal. Thanks. Find someone else to keep your country safe from foreign and domestic problems." I got in the car as Andrew went to talk to the FBI agent and that is when a hospital administrator came out to find out what had happen. After ten minutes I fell asleep.

I woke up and I was still at the same hospital and on a different floor. I had a nurse in my room and Andrew was asleep on a cot.

"I guess I needed one more night." I said in a whisper.

"Sir, your blood pressure hit really high and the doctor you had was fired. You are in a private room and your sugar bottomed out. I have you a lunch and some pills to take. You have been re-x-rayed and your friend has been cared for. You will be able to leave in the morning when you have eaten your breakfast and the nurse from upstairs is waiting to talk to you." The nurse said as she sat up my food. "By the way, you have been asleep for four days."

My job is not the least amount of stress, but I did not need the added irritati"I did get pretty mad the other day. Andrew was just doing his job. I do not like being down. I am an active person. I keep in good shape. I lost my temper, so I need to go to the mountains and find myself again." I said quietly as not to wake up my boss.

"The administrator ran your insurance card and about fell over. The doctor on that floor had charged you for pills you could not have taken and it was a long, long fight as the doctor was fired. This is normally the hospice wing, but you were moved in here because you need the quiet and a doctor who is not about status." the nurse said. "I have a few checks to make and the doctor will be in to see you."