Under the Microscope

Chapter 12

Crawford POV

Crawford, Alice, Gen. Sanders, Skip, Coleman, Lt. Roscoe, along with two Seattle-based CIA agents, in one of the hospital's conference rooms, Michelle Huntington and James 'Jimmy' Winslow. Crawford only knew of them by their reputation like he did the majority of his fellow agents. Zach flew back commercially with Eleanor to Fleming to help him deal with Scott and the cops and Zach's other issues. Gen. Sanders informed Crawford and Alice about the plan he and Sheriff Hank Calloway had set to take down Big David Rutherford and Zach would play an intricate part in it, namely, to take care of Lil' Dave, who's at all not so little, David Rutherford, Jr.

"Listen up, everyone," began Gen. Sanders, "we have a great deal to cover here and not a great deal of time in which to cover it."

"So we're going after Pang then?" asked Crawford.

"That's correct." answered Gen. Sanders, "It was very wise of you to come out here so you could lure Marcus Pang, accompanied by one Fredrick Nichols, away from Fleming and away from any help he'd receive from David Rutherford and his ilk. While you were talking to Dr. Armisen, may he rest in peace, Zachary contacted Major McKay to come just as I was trying to convince her to return to you. At least until this portion of our mission is complete."

"What do you mean 'this portion', General?" asked Coleman, clearly unaware of the larger story.

"Do not that for now." said Gen. Sanders, "I'm sure Chief Detective Harris will fill you in, at his discretion, of course. Thanks to Agents Huntington and Winslow, as well, of course, to Special Agent Crawford's excellent tracking technology, we've been able to pinpoint the approximate whereabouts of one Marcus Pang aka The Janitor, and his crony Nichols. Agents Huntington, Winslow. I give the floor over to you."

"Thank you, General Sanders," said Jimmy, only 24 years old with a full head of dark hair, tan, matted beard and possessed the field experience of a seasoned vet. Very down-to-earth and dedicated to his mission, but had the reputation of being cocky and full of himself at times, like all young agents. "As I'm sure all of you are well aware, the primary goal of this CIA base here in Seattle, is to take down what remains of the Italian and Sicilian drug and crime cartels and who's been backing them and what they're keeping from prying eyes because there's something thats getting them to stay afloat and we mean to find out what it is and end it. Now, a great portion of their members, that aren't either dead or incarcerated, have migrated from the East Coast and Midwest to the Pacific Northwest and the Southwestern part of Canada. They've created a large stable of old-school no-games, no-frills 1920s Chicago and New York style gangsters that models itself after Al Capone and his philosophy on organized crime, aptly calling themselves The Ponelitios.

"Their boss is the aging Don Monticello Papageno, a long-time ally and supporter of Alfonzo Martinez V in Sin Desert Mafia, who used to help fund the Ponelitios. Papageno also happens to be a distant relative to Marcus Pang. According to our undercover agents within the Ponelitios, their main base of operations is in an old coffee brewery. They've been eluding us for years, but Pangs and Nichols' presence here now puts us in the very best position to, not only bring those two down, but also to find out what the Ponelitios are hiding and to finally, bring Monticello Papageno and the Ponelitios to justice once and for all."

"I don' get it," said Skip, "if y'know where dey awr an' who's runnin' de place, why don't you take dem' down? Betta yet, why da hell's de Agency ontopa dis'? Dis' is Bureau type stuff. Awlso, ya said some of us know dis', I been in dis bidness fa forty some years. I ain't neva heard of 'dis operation?"

"That's not important right now, Chief Detective Harris." said Gen. Sanders, "The point is, Agents Winslow and Huntington are have invaluable information that serves our cause and they're more than willing to aid us in capturing Marcus Pang and Fred Nichols so we can find out what Gustav and Martinez have planned. Especially regarding the possible connection they have with this new PSP of Todd Tonic."