Media Matters

This story is part of an ongoing series.

The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography, which is currently not updating. Stories after Music Box Dancer are:

Return To Apple Grove, Media Matters.

Feedback and

constructive

criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 13 - Looming Disaster

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, July 11th, from across the street from the University, the Bell Tower in the background. "Fox Two News is bringing you continuing coverage of the Independent State Counsel's subpoenas of the University and Professor Laura Fredricson!"

Bettina started: "The Independent State Counsel has issued subpoenas to the University and Dr. Fredricson, and those subpoenas have been challenged in Court. State Attorney General Karl Handel made a blistering attack on Dr. Fredricson. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing AG Handel making a statement at a podium in his office: "It is imperative that we investigate Laura Fredricson for potential financial crimes she may have committed on behalf of her husband, Donald Troy. Dr. Fredricson has shown herself to be a woman of loose morals and low integrity. She has been allowed to teach sexual amoralism, pure filth, to the State's young women attending the University."

"Furthermore," said Handel, "the University is a State-funded Institution, and I fully expect for the University to comply with the law and to cooperate fully with the Independent State Counsel's investigation of Donald Troy... er, and Val Jared. Any refusal by any University personnel to not cooperate fully, including filing lawsuits against the Independent State Counsel, will be considered to be not cooperating, and will be investigated by my Office as criminal actions."

Back to Bettina: "Dr. Sidney P. Wellman, President of the University, says he stands with Dr. Fredricson, and that he has every right to file lawsuits for the redress of wrongs against him and his University. Some Republican legislators disagree, and say the University's funding could be reduced or cut off in the next fiscal year if the University and Dr. Fredricson don't fully comply with Robert Mullen's subpoenas. Roll tape."

Tape rolled. Wilson Hammonds was shown, saying "I am tired of this filthy sex professor and her immoral teachings being supported by the University. If she has nothing to hide, she need to testify before the ISE about her husband's abuse of Police power on behalf of Val Jared."

Lt. Governor Graham Collins said "Dr. Laura Fredricson is an untrustworthy woman teaching immoral subjects. We need a thorough investigation to determine if she is helping her husband cover up his crimes against those who accused the Governor of sexual harassment. The stench of corruption starts in the Governor's Mansion with Val Jared, but it now extends to the Police in the abusive tactics of Commander Donald Troy, and to our once-great University in the corrupt teachings of Dr. Laura Fredricson."

And Robert Mullen himself: "We need a thorough, complete examination of Laura Fredricson's activities, of her finances both through the University and through other means, and we may need to investigate her activities for the last twenty years to determine if there is a pattern of illegal behavior... what's that?... yes, I expect full compliance with

all

of my subpoenas."

Back to Bettina: "And in a sad note, former State U. standout and NFL player Terry Jones killed his girlfriend and then himself after what Police say was a domestic dispute. Fox Two News has learned that Jones was under evaluation by the NFL for mental stability issues. They leave behind a one-year-old child. Let's go to Nick Eastwood for more on this horrifying story..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"They can't force her to testify against her husband!" Joanne Warner exploded as the Bettina broadcast went to Nick Eastwood.

"She wouldn't be testifying against him." said Theo. "They're investigating Governor Jared."

"I don't think so." said Jerome Davis. "The Independent State Counsel's mandate says explicitly that they're investigating Commander Troy as well as the Governor. I think the Court will shoot those subpoenas down for that reason, if no other."

"What do you think, Commander?" Joanne asked.

Yep, I was in the room. I had watched with all of the Detectives and other Officers that had come into the now-crowded room. I'd sat silently through the broadcast, my face a mask of iron... but those who knew me saw my emotions as they watched me tapping my red crowbar into the palm of my left hand.

"I don't know." I said in the sudden quietness of the room. "It'll play itself out in Court."

"Sir," said Theo, "does it bother you that it's

Republicans

attacking your wife so personally?"

"

Establishment

Republicans, Detective Washington." I replied. "And I would say that '

the day of their calamity is near'...

"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

At 7:45am, three Angels presented themselves to me in my office. I had Cindy and Teresa sit down, Tanya sitting in her (normal) wheelchair between them.

I had talked to Laura on the phone. She was already at work, and a Campus Police detail was just outside the Psychology Building, and the Campus Police had sent warnings to the Press offices to remind them that the restraining order against them was in full effect. Carole and Jim were staying at home again.

"They must be getting desperate." Tanya said. "I wonder what they know, that's harmful to them, that we don't know."

"Sir," said Teresa, "A TCPD cruiser is at the entrance to your Mountain Nest home's driveway again. I've also issued instructions that any Press vehicles seen anywhere near your two houses or where your wife is on Campus are to be pulled over."

"Good, thanks." I said quietly. Cindy was peering at me.

"Spill it, Crowbar 1." she said in the silence. "You're not showing any emotion about this. You're not as worried about this as I would be if I were you."

I gave a brief, pursed smile. "I think Mullen has gone a bridge too far on this one... and he will find that out. Not from me, though. Okay... Priya is on. Let's watch some TV." I clicked the remote to turn on the television.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I was wrong. It was not Priya.

"This is Jenna James for SNN!" said a mane of blonde hair with a beautiful face somewhere inside it. "Republicans have ratcheted up the rhetoric against University professor Laura Fredricson, who is Commander Troy's wife."

All of the Republican attacks that Bettina had shown were presented, but KSTD had some extras: "Democrats are defending Dr. Fredricson and pushing back against the Republican attacks. The Democrats Women Caucus of the State Legislature issued a blistering statement, accusing Republicans of using Dr. Fredricson as a proxy to attack

all

women's rights. Patricia Iceland, head of the State Organization for Women, the SOWs, issued a statement saying 'AG Handel and Governor Jared are peas in a pod when it comes to the abuse of women's rights!'. But none were more passionate than State Senator Katherine Woodburn. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Katherine Woodburn giving a speech, saying angrily "These attacks by

Republican

Attorney General Handel and other

Republicans

, on both Paulina Patterson and the accomplished Professor Laura Fredricson, only show that Governor Val Jared's hatred of women is shared by the entire State Republican Party! Their holier-than-thou attitude towards morality is sickening, and all the more disgusting in the fact that they don't practice what they preach... from U.S. Senator Samuel Russell's cavorting with prostitutes to Lt. Governor Graham Collins's homosexual relationships, which he tries to keep in the closet!..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Holy shit!" Teresa exclaimed. "She just opened a can of whoop-ass on Collins!"

"And she has the photos to prove the allegations." I said. But I wasn't really interested in what Katherine had been saying. I was seeing the woman who was behind and to the right of Katherine as the Senator spoke her mind. It was Priya Ajmani.

"Yeah, you're right." Cindy said when I pointed that out to my Angels. She got up. "I'm going to go find out what that's about, if you'll excuse me."

"You certainly have my permission...

Commander.

" I said. A green crowbar was waved back in my general direction as its owner got to the door.

My desk phone buzzed. "Commander," said Joanne Warner after I answered, "can you come into MCD and explain to us what we just saw on KSTD?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Sir," said Teddy Parker when I got into MCD a few minutes later, "did you see what happened on KSTD after Senator Woodburn's tirade?"

"No." I said. "What?" Teddy nodded to Jerome to play the DVR.

Jenna reported on the murder-suicide of the football player, then introduced KSTD political reporter Brian Jennings. "This is Brian Jennings, SNN. As was just reported, an NFL football player used a

gun

to murder his girlfriend and then kill himself. We don't know what the reasons for his actions are, but I do know that if he had not had access to a

gun

, his baby child might not be an orphan now."

Jennings went on: "Gun violence in America has reached a level that is out of control. While uncaring organizations like the NRA make millions of dollars supporting murderous guns, innocent children, innocent mothers, and innocent families are being murdered by the millions of guns on our streets. It's like a war zone in our cities like Chicago, because too many people have too much access to too many guns."

Jennings continued: "Only well-trained, reputable law enforcement officers, and our military personnel, should have access to guns. Citizens do not need, and should not not have, unfettered access to guns. The Second Amendment was never meant to be a shield for rampant gun violence; it was meant to support State Militias only. If the U.S. Supreme Court won't do the right thing, then the States should call a Constitutional Convention to eliminate the Second Amendment, and then all guns in the hands of citizens should be confiscated by law enforcement authorities. When are we going to demand the killing of innocents stop? When are we going to do away with the guns that kill those innocents?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Make a copy of that little speech." I said to Davis. "Send one copy of the file to me, and put the other in the evidence servers, under the name 'Brian Jennings'."

"Yes sir." Jerome said, with some enthusiasm.

Just then, Cindy burst into the room. "Can I see you in your office, or mine, Commander?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We went into Cindy's office. She played a Youtube video on her television monitor on the wall. It showed Katherine Woodburn at the same speech we'd seen on KSTD earlier.

"I've been trying to get this woman to come work for me for a long time!" shouted Woodburn, with Priya next to her and next to the podium. "She is an accomplished and beautiful person, and I'm glad to finally be able to announce that Priya Ajmani has joined my team as Public Relations Officer and Press Secretary!" The audience applauded.

"That's the back half of the story." Cindy said. "Yesterday, the Media began colluding to orchestrate their attacks on your wife, which we're seeing now. Priya refused to go along. She said the attacks on Dr. Fredricson weren't true, and that as a reporter she objected to the propaganda hit pieces. KSTD's new Executive Producer, Gregg Berger, called her into his office, and she came out a minute later and stormed out of the building. It's not clear if she was fired or resigned,

but she's gone from KSTD

."

"Wow... random act of conscience on Priya's part." I said.

"Yes." Cindy said. "Katherine Woodburn is not lying that she's wanted Priya to come work for her for a long time, and she scooped her up immediately. I'm a little surprised Katherine is defending

your

wife so strongly, but she never wastes an opportunity to attack Republicans."

"And in this case, rightly so." I said.

"And I'll give you some credit for Priya's act of conscience." Cindy said. When I looked at her in surprise, she said "That time you got in her face for reporting the rape victim's name, and told her you wish you'd left her to die on the CIA's table... that really, really shook her up. I'm willing to bet that was when she started thinking about things."

"I'm

not

willing to bet against you on that." I said. "And if you talk to Priya, tell her I'm glad I saved her from the CIA... now that she's no longer a filthy propagandist pretending to be a 'journalist'."

"Wow, you really do hate them, don't you?" Cindy asked, a rhetorical question backed by a grin. The grin vanished when I stared her down, not a shred of humor in my eyes nor my features. Then she said "So... what are you going to do about the attacks on Laura?"

"First," I said, "are you game for the idea I made, about removing the chairs from the Press Room?"

"Yes, and I'm way ahead of you on that." Cindy replied. "I emailed Captain Thompson when I got here this morning, and told him to lock the chairs in the storage closet."

"Good." I said. "That is something they'll actually notice. As to what to do next... I'd like to go 'nuclear' on them, and if they keep up the shit about my wife, I'm going to do it..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hi Don." said Mike G. Todd, who'd called me on my personal iPhone. "The State Independent Counsel contacted me."

"Good." I said. "When do I finally get to appear and confront the bastard?"

"I dunno." said Mike. "They called me about Dr. Fredricson's appearance. I told them that there would be none, period. They just hung up the phone without saying another word..."

Part 14 - The Bridge Too Far

"Sir, there's someone to see you." said Robert Mullen's assistant. "A Major Martin. He says it's urgent."

"I don't know any 'Major Martin'." said Mullen. "Okay, send him on in.

Mullen might not have known Major Martin, but Laura and I sure did. He had been a Captain with the 3457th Signal Intelligence unit, and had visited us during the time of the crisis with the Consultant of Crime (

Author's note: 'Going Rogue'.

). I happened to know that Laura had recruited him into the CIA, and that his cock had gotten balls-deep in my wife's pussy a few times, which Laura had described as 'very pleasurable encounters'.

Martin came into the office. "Just who are you?" Mullen asked sourly.

"I'm Major Martin." the handsome officer said. He was wearing a civilian suit and tie. "I'm with the National Security Agency in Washington." He presented his credentials.

"So what?" asked Mullen, not bothering to look at the credentials.

"I'm here," said Martin, putting the credentials back in his pocket, "to let you know that the NSA considers your attempts to investigate Dr. Laura Fredricson to be a threat to the national security of the United States. We are moving to stop your subpoenas, and we are suggesting... strongly suggesting... that you shut down any aspect of your investigation that involves Dr. Fredricson."

"Are you kidding me?" gasped Mullen, as angry as he was shocked. "Why should I do that? And what business is it of yours?"

"You don't know?" asked Martin, surprised.

"Know what?" said Mullen.

"You need to fire your investigators, if they didn't come across it." said Martin. "It's not a big secret that Dr. Fredricson was a CIA Agent for three decades, that she recently retired as a Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Directorate, and that any investigation of her by you will not be tolerated by us."

"And if I don't stop?" Mullen snarled.

"Then your body will be found floating down the River towards Southport." said Martin. Seeing Mullen's look of shock, he said "Oh, I'm not kidding either. People might say that Commander Troy murdered you, and quite frankly, there are people within the CIA and the overall

Intelligence Community

that would not mind seeing him blamed for your death. But the bottom line, and the reason I came from Washington to tell you this, is that all investigations of Dr. Laura Fredricson will cease and desist. Immediately."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Robert Mullen called a meeting of his lawyers and investigators. "How far did you drill down in your investigation of Dr. Fredricson?" he asked loudly.

"Not all that far." said Brafford Bacon. "There's a lot of blocks on her financial records, especially the IRS records that we normally can obtain. That's why we subpoenaed them."

"Tell me about her career over the last three decades." said Mullen acidly.

"She's from Texas." said one of the investigators. "Her parents died when she was a teenager. She married an Army Officer, who eventually became a General. She was at Wildcat School as a psychology professor, took a sabbatical when her husband was assigned to NATO in Europe, then came to the University here as head of the Psychology Department, and has been there ever since."

"Thank you for reciting what I can read from a fucking press release from the University." snarled Mullen. "So, when her parents died, who took care of her? Where did she go?"

"Uhhh, that's not clear, sir." said Bacon. "We need warrants to drill down that far, and the Court has not issued them yet."

"And all your research," said Mullen, "the same

fantastic

research that didn't find Captain Croyle's plea deal with the Town & County... has now missed the fact that Dr. Laura Fredricson recently retired as one of the highest-level officers of the Central Intelligence Agency."

You could have heard a pin drop.

"And what's more," snarled Mullen some more, "that same

Intelligence Community

is more than a little pissed off at our public investigation of Dr. Fredricson. The kind of 'pissed off' that leads to people disappearing, if you get my drift."

"What do you want us to do, sir?" asked another investigator.

"I want all of you to cease and desist from investigating Fredricson any further." said Mullen. "Bacon, I want you to go to the Courthouse and withdraw the subpoenas for her records and for her to appear before us."

"But sir," said Bacon, "CIA or no CIA, she might have information that will lead us to busting Commander Troy and Governor Jared!"

"So this woman, who is used to keeping some of the Nation's highest secrets," said Mullen, "is going to turn on her husband and narc on him? Hell, I expected the subpoena to be overturned in Court, anyway; I only issued it to let Commander Troy know that I'll stop at nothing to get

him

. But he's just one man, and just local cop of a backwater jurisdiction. The Feds are a different story: I want no part of the Federal Government coming after my ass. So go now and withdraw the fucking subpoena, Bacon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"And this is the Reed Hudson Show, bringing you more of the news you

truly

need to know, on the Conservative Excellence Network." said Hudson as the second hour of his show began. "As we talked about in the last hour, there are two huge news stories in the State right now. One is the series of vicious attacks by Establishment Republicans upon Dr. Laura Fredricson, Head of the Department of Psychology at the University, and the wife of Police Commander Donald Troy; the other is the equally vicious assault upon your Second Amendment rights by propagandist-pretending-to-be-a-journalist Brian Jennings of KSTD." He replayed Jennings's anti-gun-rights rant over the airwaves.