Red's CD Project Part 11

Note: While the chaos in the world starts to heat up, Hal's world starts to slow down as we wind down on our little tale. When I edit this out, I'll probably expand these sections some, but I think this conveys enough to get the point across. Three songs left after this to conclude this project. 


Disc 2
Track 13
What Sarah Said
Death Cab for Cutie
Plans

And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to father time

Hal stood before the window watching the parking lot as Agents Robinson and Mick escorted Abdul to the black SUV. Abdul’s arms swung back and forth at his sides, his chin was up. The SUV door opened and he disappeared into the backseat that was shielded by tinted windows. Hal had Agent Robinson’s business card slid between his fingers on his right hand. Lifting it up, he read it one last time before dropping it into a metal wastebasket next to a large gray file cabinet. He had spun a tale about Raheel being very dangerous for nearly a half an hour to Robinson while Abdul was being discharged. It was all lies, but it would focus the FBI on a dead man rather than staking out Abdul’s apartment. Not that they wouldn’t keep an eye on Abdul, but it was pretty clear after six weeks in prison that the man had neither the political clout to raise a fuss in the Muslim community nor the violent inclination to mastermind terrorist attacks. At least that last part Hal had made the agents believe. “A model prisoner,” Hal trumped and that the man seemed to learn from the follies of his past. Neither was really a lie. Abdul regretted a lot about his past. None of which had to do with any of his involvement in the Muslim community. As far as being violent, well, he hadn’t been that violent when he came to the Jacobs County Jail. He didn’t even appear violent as the agents took him away.

Hal knew that fact would change. For that, Hal felt a twinge of regret and guilt. He had done some terrible things over the last week or two. All of which were done to complete one goal – push Mr. Abdul Mushi over the brink.

Hal walked back to his desk and pulled out a white envelope from the top drawer on the right side. The envelope was sealed shut and addressed across the front. There was no return address. Inside were three Polaroid pictures and a small scrap of paper with one phrase scribbled across it.

“We’ve cast the first stone”

Hal turned the envelope in hands not worrying about his fingerprints. Knowing the man who received this letter would never turn this envelope over to the authorities. He wouldn’t trust them. In fact, he’d suspect them. While those thoughts brewed under his rage and grief, he’d concoct a plan. After that, Hal didn’t know what would happen. Hal’s role in the grand scheme of things was over. He had set the pieces in motion and now it was up to them to keep going.

He took the envelope over to the out-going mail bin located near the front desk and buried it a couple letters down. From there, it would be sent out to the world. Before walking away, he noticed another letter lying on top of the stack. The handwriting was scribbled and a little hard to make out, but he saw that it was addressed to her. Looking around, he grabbed the letter and placed it in the inside pocket of his suit.

When he returned to his desk, Hal turned his thoughts to another letter he was composing. The Word screen on his computer was blank except for one line.

“I, Hal Glock, am writing to inform the department of my intention to resign as Dectective for Jacobs County.”


Disc 2
Track 14
Days of Wonder
The Wallflowers
Rebel, Sweetheart

Days of wonder spent out there killing time. Now this may not leave a mark on me, but I sure as hell was there.

Three weeks later, Hal sat among brown boxes stacked sporadically around the living room of his parent’s home. It was late afternoon and his hands were black from grease. Planting season had hit full stride, but his Dad’s old tractor was still sputtering. Over the long winter, rats had made hash of the electrical system. Hal had fooled around all morning and the early afternoon before giving up. He called Evan’s Tractor Supply and they were sending a guy out as soon as possible, which could mean an hour or two days considering every farmer in the area was fighting with machinery to get the crops in.

He clicked on the old TV set, which amazingly still had a turn dial on the front and no remote. Hal would change out sets with the one from his house as soon as the crops were in. Despite it being only 4 p.m., a female news anchor’s face, which was straining to hold the most serious grimace, appeared on the screen.

“Again, the facts of this situation are not fully available,” the anchor said.

The screen changed to a scene of a pile of rubble and smoke.

“What you’re seeing now is the scene at Chicago’s largest police station. Earlier today a van drove into the front doors and moments later an explosion ripped through the building. We’re being told that hundreds of people involved in the daily operation of the station were inside including uniformed officers, detectives, clerks and countless other citizens.”

Hal reclined against one of the boxes he was previously filling with some of his parent’s old stuff.

“We’re being told that at least three other stations around the city have been attacked in a similar fashion. We have been trying to get crews to each scene but traffic around the city has been stalled and air-traffic has been completely stopped by order of the Governor.”

Hal was stunned. He didn’t need anyone to tell him who was responsible. Hal knew. He was just surprised how quickly Abdul had created a plan and found people to help him carry out the plot. Hal had picked wisely.

He remembered then the letter he picked off the pile from the outgoing mail the day of Abdul’s release. He hoped he could find it among the disaster scene that was his attempt at moving. He had never read and had meant to bury with her out in the field.

He rifled through a few of the boxes he had brought from his old place, but didn’t see it. He remembered putting it in his suit pocket. He just had to find the box with all his old clothes. Before he could find it, he heard the front door open and he forgot all about the letter.

Hal walked out to the kitchen to greet his visitor.

“Oh, have you seen the news,” Mary said while putting two paper bags of groceries on the kitchen table. When the bags were down, the small bump under her green blouse was visible.

“Yes, I was just watching it on the TV.”

“Isn’t it just horrible,” she said and wrapped her arms around him. “How could anybody do such a thing?”

“Sometimes they just do, baby. Sometimes they just do,” Hal kissed her forehead forgetting all about Abdul and the bodies buried out in the yet to be planted field.


Disc 2
Track 15
Carousel
Buckcherry
15

Baby you know that you saved me

They packed up more of his parent’s stuff that had accumulated over the years the rest of the day. No one came to repair the tractor.

They had cleaned out both bedrooms the day before and unpacked their own stuff from their former home. They both felt like the move was all about making a fresh start. Mary even liked the idea of him not working for the department. She always thought that the pressure is what led Hal to do some of things he did. She was sort of right, but mostly wrong.

About 9:30 they dropped down in front of the TV with bodies and minds too tired to do much else.

“You know Ma thinks I am crazy to come back to you,” Mary said.

“I bet.”

“She’s just looking out for me.”

“I know it, but she doesn’t have worry.”

“Doesn’t she.”

Hal turned to her and put his hand to her stomach. He smiled.

“Mary, my days of hurting people are over. “

She let a tear slide down her face. A news bulletin jumped burst onto the screen that had been showing a rerun of a sitcom and distracted them. The same anchor lady looking a little more tired and struggling more to keep her composure came onto the screen.

“The Mayor has ordered a curfew for the city of Chicago beginning immediately. He is pleading that citizens comply as the police force is currently decimated. The President has ordered in the national guard, but with roads still blocked with traffic they have been slow to reach the places they are needed.”

Scenes of the Chicago skyline with flames visible in several places came onto the screen. Hal guessed the news station had rented a boat to get the shot.

“Rumors are running rampant that an underground extreme Muslim group may be responsible,” the lady anchor continued. “Already, enraged citizens have congregated and retaliated. At least three mosques have been set on fire.”

The lady anchor paused then with emotion almost seeming to overcome her. The next brief look said that she thought they deserved it.

“I apologize, but my husband worked for the police department for 10 years before switching careers. We had a lot of friends in several of these buildings. I have hard time finding my composure and any sympathy for those responsible for this.”

The lady anchor shuffled papers on the desk in front of her hoping that most of the audience would forget what she just said.

“We’ll have more on this story on you nightly news at 10.”

“Oh Hal, I can’t watch this stuff anymore tonight,” Mary said resting her head on his shoulder.

He kissed her head.

“Let’s go up to bed then.” He got up and turned the TV off and the room went dark.