September 18th, 1995.

Darick gave Sonata a ride to Redwood High school which has a lot of students a total of 2,045. Darick knows Sonata's classes are History, Physical Education, Arithmetic, Home Education, Lunch period, English, Art, and Music.

Darick remembers his classes which was Shop class, Music, Arithmetic, English, Lunch, Gym class, Art, and History.

***

At the Ninth precinct.

Darick used a 1980's computer and looked up Sonata's foster parents and they are a Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald. He found that they live at 841 Fifth Ave and Second Ave so he went to the apartment and asked someone if they know where he could find a Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald.

Someone told him in building three, apartment 18G but Darick has to take the elevator to the fourteenth floor and walk the rest of the way up to the central stairwell.

Darick did and knocked on the apartment door.

A caucasian woman opened the door and asked what Darick wanted.

"Police dept ma'am," said Darick, "We've received reports of child abuse, child neglect, and sexual abuse against minors,"

Mrs. Fitzgerald replied, "I know I told the housing authority and random cops on the street but they never bother to check up."

There was a knock on the wall.

"Sorry I got to go," said Mrs. Fitzgerald

There were seven loud bangs and one more towards Darick who was behind the door but was able to take cover before the other ones came.

"9-Lincoln-3 to dispatch," said Darick, "Got a 417, and 418M going on at 841 Fifth Ave, Second Ave, Building three, apartment 18G."

Dispatch responded, "Roger. All units, all units got a 417 and 418M at 814 fifth ave and second ave. Respond code three,"

Darick also drew his pistol and kicked open the door and saw Mr. Fitzgerald shooting his semi-automatic shotgun and didn't see he has an AK-74U on him but his wife too went up the fire escape.

Darick entered the apartment and saw eight kids aging from three-year-old to twelve years old. Darick thought they were all dead until he saw one's arms move so he checked the pulse which was there but faint and very weak. Darick then heard crying coming from the bedroom,

Darick got his walkie-talkie and said, "9-Lincoln-3 to dispatch. Got multiple dead bodies up to seven. Notify the Coroner and additional units to this location. Also, notify child services as well, notify the watch commander and roll an ambulance to apartment 18G, building three at 841 Fifth Ave and Second Ave. Notify responding units person or people are armed and dangerous,"

Dispatch responded, "Roger. 9-Adam-3, 9-Adam-12, 9-Adam-5, 9-Adam-22, and 9-Adam-43. Respond to multiple people sot at 841 5th Ave and 2nd Ave and Ambulance 45 person down by gunshot at 841 5th and 2nd Avenues, Apartment 18G, Building three."

Darick then climbed the fire escape and went through an apartment that the suspects are going through and up the central stairwell up to the room.

Mr. Fitzgerald fired his rifle carbine at a helicopter.

The pilot said, "This is AIr 9. We are taking ground fire from apartment building three,"

Darick opened the roof access door.

"Mr. Fitzgerald!" shouted Darick, "This is the Empire Police Department! The building is surrounded! Surrender now!"

Mr. Fitzgerald responded by firing his semi-automatic shotgun even though Darick is hiding behind a brick wall. But he soon switched over to his rifle carbine to fire at the cops below and they fired back with their pistols.

Unknown to Mr. Fitzgerald that more heavy weapons are on the way such as the X16 (M16A1), Semiautomat Service Garand (M14 Battle rifle), CT759mm (MP5A3), and Automat Service Garand (M14E2)

Mrs. Fitzgerald knows her husband is done for and she's done for even though she tried the best of her ability to alert the law even the E.O.D but none of them did anything. She just lowered her weapon and walked over to Darick.

He handcuffed her to the railing.

"Mr. Fitzgerald!" yelled Darick, "Surrender Now! The longer this goes on the longer your prison sentence is going to be! Instead of seventy years! You're going her several hundred years if not several life sentences! Who I'm I kidding what you did to those kids! You're going to be some big hairy guy's wife in prison if not dead!"

Mr. Fitzgerald fired at Darick even though he's still behind a wall but Darick soon got mad and walked up behind Mr. Fitzgerald, and shot him twice in the back of the knees but he also slid his guns away.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. If you cannot afford a lawyer life is unfair," said Darick

Darick then took the two down to street level.

***

Back in the apartment.

"You should be ashamed and disgusted at yourself," said Darick, "People like you wish the death penalty was given out more often to people like you,"

Darick then took the two and placed them in the back of a 1964 Americana-styled police van.

People like them make my stomach sick! Darick thought, They should all be rounded up and flogged. They also should pay for those children's therapy and hospital bills but the kids they or he or she if not both tormented going to have to testify in front of a jury and remember all the pain and hell they have been through.

Darick then went to go talk with the Paramedic, EMT, Medical Examiner, and Coroner.

"Sad what people can do with kids," said Darick

The African-Little Birden M.E replied, "Unbelievable what they can do. The seven-year-old had Rickets. That's where bones are soft and weak not enough sun and no Vitamin D. The twelve-year-old girl. Her reproductive organs were damaged enough that she wouldn't be able to bear children because she was raped so many times."

"Damn," said Darick, "That's just horrible! They got fourteen homicides here and all of them minors! Well, they can rest easy now,"

The M.E replied, "That's not all. The six-year-old boy. Stomach full of bleach. A five-year-old girl skull fractured with blood going into the brain. The four-year-old boy got third and fourth-degree burns all over his body, a Three-year-old girl she has smallpox, and the two-year-old girl had bones so badly broken and deep cuts with infections. A seven-year-old boy had collapsed windpipe aka a tracheal collapse from a botched tracheostomy, the Eight-year-old girl she had a dislocated jaw, broken nose, black eyes, and missing teeth from repeated strikes to the face and a punch to the central artery, and a Nine-year-old boy he has a degenerative illness that made him unable to walk, the ten-year-old girl she was raped to death not by one or two men but at least seven if not more, an eleven-year-old girl she was locked in a room with the heat on full blast locked in a dog cage, a twelve-year-old girl she died from scurvy where last time she had any fruit or veggies was around when she was three at the latest and four years old at the earliest, and a thirteen-year-old boy he died from blood loss because his testicles and dick were cut off,"

Darick ran over to an empty trashcan and threw up which was reasonable because he had never been through or seen anything like it before. He then saw the Coroner, EMT, Paramedic, and Medical Examiner place the children and teenagers' bodies into black body bags and bring them out one by one, and placed them in the Coroner's van.

***

Back at the Ninth Precinct.

Darick just sat at an empty desk in the Organized Crime Unit just staring off into space just thinking that he failed to protect those kids but he soon let out a little laugh. He remembered when he used to play Baseball his mother told him that he and his team isn't going to win every game and going to lose sometimes.

He just wished his father showed up to a lot of the games but understood why now because he had to work and he couldn't be there for his family all the time, especially on the holidays.

"Are you ok?" asked the OCU captain, "If you need to talk there are support groups that help what first responders and soldiers see to talk about it. There's no shame to talk about it. I'm not Captain Esposito and I don't expect my detectives to act like heartless people."

Darick replied sadly, "What I'm going to say? Is it "Hi. My name is Darick Ryan and I'm a fifth-generation Irish-Little Birden policeman. On September 18th I've seen fourteen dead children ranging from only a couple of years old to a thirteen-year-old where their foster parents abused them and not caring only caring about the check from the Government per week or per month". That wouldn't be much but I'll talk to someone about it,"

Darick then got up and went over to a 1960's vending machine where he placed a quarter in it and a medium-sized cup came out and filled hot coffee into it until it got to the top.

***

A few minutes later.

Darick had a talk with Mrs. Fitzgerald who told him everything she knew even told him and had the same story over and over that she told five different cops from the housing authority, and a few patrol officers on the streets but no one cared about child abuse happening.

She even told Darick that now that it's now that they're covering their asses to keep their jobs and all that and make her look like a bad guy. But Darick believed her where he can see it in her eyes that she didn't want to hurt the children and she didn't but her husband saw them as nothing but meal tickets because the County/Borough/State of Mountain paid them 1500 a week each child being around seventy-six dollars a week.

***

In the OCU captain's office

"Hey Captain," said Darick, "Do you know anyone over at the housing authority? Mrs. Fitzgerald says that she talked to some officers there and filed some reports to them but they didn't do anything?"

OCU Captain replied, "I'll make some calls,"

It wasn't even too long when the fax machine had a piece of paper come out. The OCU Captain grabbed it.

"It hasn't been twenty minutes since it happened," said OCU Captain, "Here take a look,"

She gave Darick the piece of paper.

"The Empire/Empire Bay Housing Authority has done a complete investigation," Darick read, "None of the officers were informed about the child abuse cases going on at 841 2nd and 5th Avenues in apartment 18G in building three. Signed by a Superintendent Remi Lavigne,"

Darick then crumpled up the piece of paper.

"How did they know it was child abuse if they claim that it isn't child abuse?" asked Darick, "Also this is the quickest report from a smaller group and the world's fastest investigation. I call bullshit you can't write a report and do an investigation at the same time and say everything is fine,"

OCU Captain replied, "What does it sound like to you?"

"A cover-up that's what," said Darick, "Hasn't been an hour and it takes about an hour to get a report from a city agency!"

OCU Captain replied, "Yeah it's only been 22 minutes since you left the apartment building and got here and only been about what? An eight-minute walk from here to there?"

"Eight minutes exactly," said Darick, "So sixteen minutes but the whole ordeal in between as well. But this letter looks like it was written within two minutes and then faxed!"

Darick then took a ride over to the EOD Building.

***

At the EOD Building.

Darick walked in and found Agent Mackenzie eating a scrambled egg sandwich with hardwood crispy bacon and Vermont maple syrup sausage links. But the sandwich was wrapped in aluminum foil.

Darick entered the room where was an interrogation room.

"Morning Darick," said Agent Mackenzie, "Want a bite?"

Darick replied, "Not in the mood to eat. Especially after a call this morning just made me sick on the inside,"

"That call at that apartment building on the intersection of 2nd and 5th Avenues?" asked Agent Mackenzie

Darick replied, "Yeah. How did you know?"

"I was listing to it on my way into work," said Agent Mackenzie, "It's horrible how people can treat children. Good thing my mother wasn't there or she take her pocket knife and shank someone and when I mean someone I mean the criminal,"

Darick replied, "Yeah well. Mr. Fitzgerald well it all points to him and he's sick of what he did. But his wife she says she told the housing authority and regular police several times but no one ever came by to do anything about it. But after I got back to the station not even twelve minutes later we get a fax saying the Housing Authority has cleared themselves from any wrongdoings. My gut says it's a bunch of baloney. A city gov't report usually takes what about an hour?"

"At least half an hour by one person to get all their facts together," said Agent Mackenzie, "But one gov't agency they need to get the reports from all, not just one saying "Everything is fine here now go away". That's what they're doing. And hoping for a full investigation not to begin, I'll do it after all it's illegal to lie during an investigation and I know they're going to lie their asses off too. Go Darick. I'll do the investigation but at least your sister can rest easy now as well. But get her prepared for the trial if he doesn't enter a plea bargain,"

Agent Mackenzie Smith did her investigation and every officer Mrs. Fritzgerald talked to lied their asses off which she saw through it

***

September 24th, 1995

At a restaurant.

Agent Mackenzie sat in a booth wearing her tailored suit without a fedora hat.

Darick soon entered and sat down across from her.

A waitress came.

"What can I get you two?" asked the Hispanic waitress

Both of them told her that they'll just have coffee.

The waitress went to go get two cups of coffee for the two.

"Well, I finished my investigation in the twelve officers that Mrs. Fitzgerald talked to," said Agent Mackenzie, "Well they lied as expected and I made multiple forms of it and I mean I'd just copy and scanned them ten times. I'm going to send copies of my investigation to the Mayor, the Governor, my mother who's the Deputy Director of the EOD, and the president. Also, I'm going to have my boss read it and see if we should get involved due to the case involved minors or not,"

Darick replied, "Your mother is the Deputy Director of the Elite Operations Detachment? Like mother like daughter,"

"Yeah well besides that," said Agent Mackenzie, "It's going to be awhile. But I'd suggest they be fired and tried for cover-up, and failing to report child neglect and child abuse."

Agent Mackenzie then slid Darick a photograph.

"You know her?" asked Agent Mackenzie

Darick replied, "No I don't. Should I?"

"She is one of the few that lived with them before finally escaping," said Agent Mackenzie, "She escaped and well trying to start a new life. I got her contact info in case if it goes to trial where she says and I quote "I want to see that bastard go down in a humiliating way!" end quote. I feel sorry for her. But I never had a dad because my father is the Fleet Admiral of the Little Bird Fourth Fleet and he always chose work over family. He didn't even send me a birthday card or anything he just pretends I don't exist. But when I was in High school I only saw him for the first time he wants me to join the Navy but I was in high school and I more or less told him to fuck off. At least my job is better than the part-time job I had while in High-school,"

Darick replied, "What part-time job did you have in high school?"

"I was a delivery girl," said Agent Mackenzie, "I worked in a convenience store. Yeah, the store made great money but when I was in training one day I went to do delivery and well caught my then-boyfriend having an affair. Let's just say I told him that if he ever came within ninety feet within of me then I would shoot him dead with incendiary rounds, Doesn't help he was screwing with my ex-girlfriend. Yeah, I swing both ways. I play for both teams. Yeah, I'm Bisexual so what,"

Darick replied, "I got nothing against the LGBTQ community. If you're Bi well good for you. But your father sounds like a bastard and hope your ex's go to Hell. Now we're getting off track,"

"Agreed," said Agent Mackenzie, "So well last night I talked to a prosecutor and she's an advocate against child abuse and child neglect. Now she supports parents doing corporal punishments against kids but I told her about Mr. Fitzgerald and all that and she's going for the maximum allowed under the statute which is maxed security for eighty years and fourteen life sentences. No fifteen life sentences because that baby you found died this morning. She died from malnourishment and she was so hungry and thirsty her organs started to shut down one by one,"

The waitress came back and placed two coffee cups on the table.

"What can I get you two?" asked the waitress

Agent Mackenzie replied, "Two lunch specials please,"

The waitress walked away and Agent Mackenzie pulled out a flask and poured something into her cup of coffee.

"Want some?" asked Agent Mackenzie, "Want an Irish coffee?"

Darick replied, "No thanks I'm fine. I prefer two tablespoons of cream and three teaspoons of sugar not alcohol,"

"So anyway as I was saying," said Agent Mackenzie, "The prosecutor I was talking to last night. She's going to also charge the cops who Mrs. Fitzgerald talked to as well. The prosecutor going to charge them as an accessory to the crimes."

Darick replied, "When's the trial?"

"Sometime in early October," said Agent Mackenzie, "At the earliest."