Town & County Confidential Ch. 01

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The women were brought before the mobile Bench. They were not offered legal representation. Maritza was one of the group. Deputy Chief Cindy Ross came up with them.

Judge Harry Nance was white, short, slender, and he had gray hair and a prominent beak nose upon which were perched spectacles. His voice, even when raised, was barely above a whisper. He exuded a sense not of judicial fairness nor restraint, but malice with an agenda behind it.

"How do you plead?" Nance said.

"Your Honor," said Cindy, "these women have asked for political asylum. Their lives are in danger."

"I didn't ask you anything!" yelled Nance. "One more word out of you, and I'll have you put in jail for Contempt of Court!"

"My jail?" Cindy barked derisively.

"I am a Judge, and you are a piece of dyke shit." Nance growled. "Officer Hendricks, if this dyke says one more word, shoot her."

"Yes, Your Honor." Officer Hendricks said, knowing that if he tried, he'd die in a hail of Police gunfire. But he'd still try to do it.

Judge Nance said "Okay, I won't accept pleas now. I am remanding you ladies into the custody of your sponsors here until your hearing next month." He indicated four Hispanic men in suits and ties, whose faces also bore appearances of malevolence.

"NO!" yelled Maritza, followed by the other women. "They will kill us! Please! Help us!" Maritza turned to Cindy, her eyes pleading. "Save us!" she begged.

"I'll do what I can." Cindy said.

Judge Nance's face assumed a malicious smile. "Your lives are not in danger." he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "These men will keep you safe. You are in their custody now." He banged his gavel. "Next!"

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As the women tried to run, they were captured by Sheriff Deputies, their arms zip-tied behind their backs, and forced into the ubiquitous white van. Two men were up front, driving and riding shotgun. The other two men were in the back with the crying women.

As the van pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, one of them men pulled out a powerful handgun. "Ustedes, putas, eran muy estúpidas. Ahora pagarás el precio." he said. (You whores were very stupid. You will now pay the price.)

"Why are you going south?" the shotgun seat man asked the driver. "You should drive north, then west to the State Line." His name was Andreas Puerto, and he was one of the leaders of The Eighth Street Latinos.

"The cops are following us." said the driver, who was Barney, the white man that had been arrested while fucking Maritza. "They'll stop us if we try to cross the State Line with these whores. I'm taking everyone to the 'Fucking Field' in Nextdoor County, right past AGC Trucking, where I work. It'll be months before they're found."

"Good thinking." Puerto said.

Barney drove down Riverside Drive then east on MLK Jr. Drive, then east on the highway towards Nextdoor County, to the east. As they crossed the border, the TCPD vehicles peeled off and turned back for home.

Barney passed the entrance to the huge AGC Trucking property. He turned right onto a small gravel road, driving between the high grass on either side until they reached a clearing.

The first threads of dawn were casting the eastern horizon in a red glow as the van stopped. In the growing light, the women were forced out of the van and onto their knees.

"Yes, this is a good place." said Puerto. "Diaz, finish these traitorous, useless whores."

"Say your prayers to the Holy Mother." said the man with the gun. "You will be seeing Her in just a moment." He pointed his gun at the back of the first woman's head...

To be continued.