CHAPTER 4 - SAGACIOUS INQUISITORS

18:53 Hours

"Central to Six-Three David, what's your status?"

"Central, call the groundskeeper and ask if anyone's supposed to be in the church."  

"Six-three Corporal groundskeeper started the call." 

I started walking towards the east window. I saw the flicker again. I rationalized that it was just the streetlight reflecting off the glass. Yet, as I approached, I heard an indistinct murmur coming from inside the church. 

I reached for my collar mic and pressed the PTT, and whispered. "Six–three Corporal to central. I have trespassers in the building. I need a backing unit. Come in from the east side.”

After my broadcast, I reached down to my left hip. My hand bent at my wrist as my fingers found the dial on the top of the radio. I turned it to its lowest setting to quiet the subsequent chatter. I needed the advantage and didn't want whoever was inside to hear me coming.

I took my phone from my back pocket and texted Max.

Need you. At the front door. People inside.

On my way. Wait for me. Be a minute

When I reached the doors, I knelt. They were ajar, and there was light inside.  For whatever reason, I didn't want to wait for Max. So, I drew my Forty Cal and pushed through and into the foyer. 

There were about ten people inside, four men and six women. They were squatting, holding hands around six candles. They sat in the middle of the sanctuary, surrounding a killed piglet. It was tiny and bled into the center of the candles and a cup.

The squatters dipped their fingers into the cup and drew symbols on their cheeks and foreheads. 

I stood there unnoticed by all except for one.

A beautiful girl. She had waist-length natural red hair and was soft on the eyes. She was very shapely; her tight jeans and tank top showed at least that. 

I made direct eye contact with her, and all she did was smile. Then, she turned to face me and widened her stance, so her bare feet were shoulder-width apart. She shook her head as her hair fell behind her shoulder. She opened her mouth and panted, then moaned. And with no warning, she shrieked as if being burned alive.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Or the right of the people peaceably to assemble."

She repeated it as if it was the dogma of some fanatic spiritual terror cell.

I felt a chill. I thought it was the woman's musings. It was from Maxine. She pushed the doors wide open and moved past me with her pistol drawn.

"I've got the girl. You watch the others." Max was very aggressive in her approach. The girl kept her hands at her side and refused any command Maxine had given.

Max told her a second and third time to turn around, but she refused.

"I'm not in the mood for you, sweetheart. Turn around!"

The girl didn't move, nor did the crew. So, I reached for my radio and turned the volume up. I heard units responding that they were on scene.

Max went for the girl's left arm. Instead of complying, she swung her right fist. I watched Maxine move in on her and grab her by the neck and shoulder. The girl tried to fight back. Maxine evaded another punch, slid underneath the armpit, and flipped the girl face-first onto the floor. Max pounced on her back and pushed her head into the floorboards.

One of the squatters jumped to his feet. I ran over to him and shoved him back to where he was sitting. As he fell, he scattered the symbols and elements in the center of the circle and spilled the cup that contained the pig's blood.

Another male squatter picked up the cup and threw it at me. Even though he missed, I felt the blood splash on my cheek and forehead.

I went for the thrower. He crawled and tried to stand and run. Before he could gain his balance, I grabbed him from behind. With two fistfuls of his shirt, I stood him up and then threw him back onto the floor.

He was facedown. I took his left arm, stretched it upwards, and twisted it into the small of his back. I reached down and unsnapped the cuff sling. With the hinged restraints in my hand, I locked it on his wrist. He tried to push up from the floor. I drove one knee into his ribcage and wedged the other near the crook of his neck. I pushed him back down and reached for his other arm.

"Stop resisting me." It surprised me when he complied. I secured the second cuff and looked at Maxine.

Max had the girl restrained and sat on her back. However, Maxine was still threatened. The man I had knocked down had gotten to his feet. He looked ready to attack her.

His upper body bent forward at the waist with clenched fists. She pointed at him and yelled.

"Don't even think about it."

Before I could react, our backup ran into the sanctuary. Marcello was quick to replace me on this guy's back. As soon as I felt his touch, I sprinted towards Maxine. The man was still crouched and now bared his teeth at her. He was going to attack. I wasn't willing to put Max in jeopardy. So, I smashed into him with my head and eyes across his chest. I wrapped him tight and drove through his midsection. When we hit the floor, he let go of a high-pitched squeal.  

I took hold of his arm and bent it behind his back with no resistance. With my second set of handcuffs, I could secure him. I looked to see if Max was ok, but it was chaos.

The squatters were like animals caught in a trap. They bared their teeth and bit the arms and hands of the arresting officers. They growled, screamed, and flailed around in a state of hysteria.

It took several minutes before we had all ten of them cuffed and in control. However, they continued to moan, wail, and ramble.

"Sagacious Inquisitors. The Dominican order must repent for their trespasses."

We needed to transport and separate them as soon as possible. Though secured, we were outnumbered. I didn't know if anyone was in the shadows.

I took a deep breath. "Six-three Corporal to Central, notify booking. We have ten in custody. Multiple resisting."

"You will pay Prophet! You will suffer the blood spilled by your ancestors."

I didn't know who was speaking. It was difficult to hear anything that wasn't screaming.

Then I saw her again. The woman was bent at the waist. When I first entered the church, she was the one. The chaos was her responsibility.

Maxine's right arm was underneath the cuffs. Her elbow was on the girl's spine. With a fistful of her hair, Max tried to push the girl towards the door. The more she resisted Maxine, the tighter Max's hold became.  

"You will pay for the inquisition and burn in your own fires!"

The girl continued to yell. In between obscenities, she repeated her dialogue over and again.

Max's eyebrows lowered and pulled together. Her lips tightened, and her cheekbones raised.

Her temper flared.

I knew it was coming. Maxine was fiercely protective of me, especially in these circumstances.

Max gritted her teeth. "You need to shut the hell up. I'm not gonna tell you again." The girl swung her foot at me and spat. She looked into my eyes and screamed.

"Sagacious Inquisitors."

Maxine still had the girl's hair clenched in her fist. She pulled the ponytail back and exposed the girl's face. Max slapped the girl's cheek and ear with an open palm and a loud smack.

Oh shit.

I couldn't believe it and didn't know how to react.

"Marcello. Take over for Max."

        When he took control, Max let go and walked to my side. She looked me in the eye. She understood I could not care less about what had just happened. I applauded her. I knew, though, that her lack of eye contact was because she was scared.

        I took Maxine by the elbow and touched her cheek.

"Let's get out of here. I promised you some tea."

We left the church. Smoke rose from the car's exhaust and engine. The RMP's headlights lit up the entire front of the building.

The girl moved into the spotlight. I saw again how beautiful she was. This time, though, I noticed a purple streak in her hair.

 I elbowed Maxine's arm. "Look, Kool-Aid."