Report #3270, Transcript Section #5
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998 Shane Ivey

KEEPER:  OK. It is June 1, around 11:00 am.

DANFORTH:  ok

KEEPER:  Rogers and Lundquist are at the safe-house. You've just received a delivery of GS slugs courtesy of a CIA courier.

KEEPER:  You called the 116th pct. to verify Lemonde's schedule for the day.

KEEPER:  Around this time, Danforth, you are reaching the house.

KEEPER:  Are you driving your own car, or a rental, or taking a cab?

DANFORTH:  i'll have an inconspicuous rental....ford taurus or something

KEEPER:  OK...

KEEPER:  Danforth, you've been in contact with an anonymous representative of the US Government.

DANFORTH:  ok....can i bring some computer equiptment to set up at the safe house?

DANFORTH:  ok

KEEPER:  It's weird, all right. Straight out of the X-Files, right? But this guy knew about the unusual cases you had been in a couple of years ago with the DOJ lawyer, Lundquist.

KEEPER:  And he said that they needed you to help out again.

DANFORTH:  ok.....

KEEPER:  Hard to tell if there was a veiled threat in there somewhere--your role in the events with Lundquist were questionable at best, criminal at worst. It may have been your imagination.

DANFORTH:  in what capacity am i here?....am i serving my usual function as a data analysis guy?

KEEPER:  Certainly the matters have not been raised formally in the two years you've been fully with NSA.

DANFORTH:  criminal maybe....but we got the job done ;)

KEEPER:  Your contact said they had an investigation underway, a very low-key (highly classified, in fact) task force between DOJ and CIA which needed communications security and possibly some "black bag" surveillance work.

DANFORTH:  gotcha

KEEPER:  He told you that Lundquist would be involved again--which was why they contacted you, despite your youth--and he gave you an address.

DANFORTH:  ok

KEEPER:  The house is one the NSA has used before numerous times. On the public records it is owned by a company that hosts travelling corporate executives.

DANFORTH:  is it safe to assume that i will have reasonable access to equiptment (surveillence stuff, computer eqpt)?

KEEPER:  "Lundquist and his partner will meet you there," the contact told you. " Go alone. Make sure you get your car sniffed for bugs or tracers beforehand."

DANFORTH:  i would naturally check the car thoroughly

KEEPER:  Yes. He basically gave you carte-blanche. Make a request, and they'll probably deliver it.

DANFORTH:  cool ;)

KEEPER:  So... you driving to the house?

DANFORTH:  yes

KEEPER:  Any special actions or precautions? Or just up to the driveway?

DANFORTH:  i;ll take a lap around the block and see if anything seems out of place

KEEPER:  It's as normal as can be. It is in a suburban area of Queens, very middle-class. Lots of grassy yards and tall hedges between the yards, lots of oak trees.

DANFORTH:  ok....

DANFORTH:  i'll park in fornt and knock on the door

KEEPER:  There house in question has a driveway that runs behind the house itself. One car is in the driveway.

KEEPER:  Rogers: somebody new knocks at the door.

KEEPER:  Beforehand, of course, the sensors did their usual announcements, and you got a fine view of the approaching vehicle and its sole occupant.

ROGERS:  Ready for anything I open the door getting Lundquiest to cover me of course.

KEEPER:  Young caucasian man, looks like. Maybe 25 years old, if that, in a suit. Does that sound right, Danforth?

DANFORTH:  hi.....would you like to help our school raise money by buying one of these delicious candy bars?

KEEPER:  LOL!

DANFORTH:  yes, that sounds right

ROGERS:  How much little boy?

DANFORTH:  hhehe

KEEPER:  Connor, the man at the door is a big guy, athletic looking, with paranoid-looking eyes.

DANFORTH:  i extend my hand and introduce myself

KEEPER:  It's definitely not Lundquist--Lundquist is tall and thin.

DANFORTH:  ....and you are?

ROGERS:  Rogers, Jt Rogers.

DANFORTH:  nice to meet ya, rogers

ROGERS:  Who are you?

DANFORTH:  i'm connor danforth

ROGERS:  Right. Hey Ludquist this the guy you know?

DANFORTH:  i hope you knew i was coming

ROGERS:  Well we did get some notification yes.

KEEPER:  Lundquist recognizes Danforth. "Danforth, right. He's our comsec man."

DANFORTH:  ok....relax then........i'm your communications/computer guy

ROGERS:  OK just never worked with you before. Got to be sure you are who you say you are.

DANFORTH:  i've read the breifing material on this case.....

DANFORTH:  seems like you guys are a little stuck

ROGERS:  Any suggestions?

DANFORTH:  i think we need to move along a more "proactive" path

ROGERS:  No, at least not yet.

ROGERS:  We need to get some more information before we do anything rash.

ROGERS:  I think Lundquest wanted to get a cetain religious location 'wired for sound'

DANFORTH:  i'm not saying "rash", i'm just saying we need to exploit the fact that we aren't local cops

DANFORTH:  .....and that we have alittle more room for lateral movement

ROGERS:  I think that falls under lateral movement.

DANFORTH:  i agree with lundquist there

DANFORTH:  we REALLY need to find peppy, he's the key to this whole thing

ROGERS:  We are going to set that up this afternoon.

DANFORTH:  if we know where this stuff is coming from (ie, who's givin it to peppy) we can shut it down

ROGERS:  What we need to do now is set up a hide overlooking the church.

DANFORTH:  are you?......are you sure you can trust lemonde?

ROGERS:  Well we can get him to do some work and just get you to monitor his calls.

DANFORTH:  let's wait until nightfall, break into the church and wire it up

DANFORTH:  i can get a tap on lemonde's phone in a hurry

ROGERS:  I don't know if we can trust him we haven't met him yet.

DANFORTH:  i see

ROGERS:  Lets get the phone tap.

DANFORTH:  ok.....we need to listen in on him

ROGERS:  We can also go and set up an appartment for you to work from.

DANFORTH:  we might wanna wire crack-alley too

ROGERS:  You can do that? You sure fresh paint cobvering the wires won't give something away?

DANFORTH:  it's difficult to wire an outdoor locale, but it can be done

ROGERS:  Might be worth a try but if we do it now it could clue people in that its not just the local cops after them.

DANFORTH:  don't forget who you're talking to, baby.......;)

ROGERS:  I don't wan't our involvement revealed lightly.

DANFORTH:  we dress up like scumbags and hang in the alley until we have the opportunity to wire it ....simple as pie ;)

DANFORTH:  the beauty is, no one knows we are involved yet

DANFORTH:  they have no reason to suspect us

ROGERS:  You wan't to piss over your trousers you do it. I'm staying clean;-)

ROGERS:  Untill we give them one.

DANFORTH:  but they don't have one until they look for one

ROGERS:  The pastor suspects federal involvenment now.

DANFORTH:  really?

DANFORTH:  ouch...that makes it harder

ROGERS:  I thought you'd read the briefing material.

ROGERS:  One paranoid nut could cost us dear.

DANFORTH:  scumabgs know that feds=wiretaps....he'll be careful

KEEPER:  To quote Rev. Ezekiel: "We are ON to you!" ;-)

DANFORTH:  we NEED to wire the church though.......no two ways about it

DANFORTH:  you're right, i did read that

ROGERS:  I don't wan't wire taps in the church I want son et luminere

DANFORTH:  huh?

DANFORTH:  speak english, man

ROGERS:  Sound and Light, its french

DANFORTH:  no prob....if you can give me a couple of hours in there, i can hook evertything up real nice

DANFORTH:  i only speak C++ ;)

ROGERS:  Have to figure a way to do that lets go get that appartment so you can see the target.

DANFORTH:  ok

DANFORTH:  we can monitor the place from here, once it's wired.....why do we need a seperate stake-out?

ROGERS:  We got a likely appartment we just need to find the buildings super and see if its for let.

DANFORTH:  this is the 20th century, baby ..........everything's wireless

ROGERS:  Nice to be able to verify whats going on on video with the mark 1 eyeball.

DANFORTH:  the only reason to have a close stake is if we anticipate have to "physically" deal with the church

ROGERS:  It may be necessary later so why not set it up before hand. Its the governments nickel.

DANFORTH:  ok, fair enough

ROGERS:  Right Lundquest you coming or staying here?

KEEPER:  Lundquist will stay.

DANFORTH:  let him stay here....he looks like he needs the sleep

KEEPER:  He's... umm... checking up on the city and state wiretapping ordinances...

KEEPER:  And stuff.

DANFORTH:  he's a sissy anyway

KEEPER:  And he's a sissy, yeah.

ROGERS:  Hey we are a team.

DANFORTH:  (since he's not here, i can talk shit)

ROGERS:  What time is it now?

KEEPER:  Noon, maybe a little after.

KEEPER:  Sunday afternoon. Things are quiet out in the suburbs.

KEEPER:  Except the lawn mowers.

DANFORTH:  let's go to the stake

ROGERS:  Ok you driving?

DANFORTH:  sure...my stuff is already loaded in my car

ROGERS:  Good. Lets go.

Rogers whispers: Lets get his plate recognised ;-)

DANFORTH:  vvvrrrooooommmmmmm....and off we go

KEEPER:  You drive along without incident.

DANFORTH:  do we need to talk to the landlord?

KEEPER:  Traffic is slower as you get into the city, where streets and buildings and people are all closer packed. Around 1:00 you reach the church.

DANFORTH:  ok

ROGERS:  Stay in the car a while.

DANFORTH:  huh?

ROGERS:  I'm going to head over to the shops and find out about the appartment.

KEEPER:  OK. The apartments you looked at before were in a building across from the church. The lower level was fronted by a greasy cafe and a couple of shops.

KEEPER:  A door, ostensibly locked, opens with a shove to let you into the lobby of the apartments.

ROGERS:  Same as before?

KEEPER:  Same as before.

KEEPER:  Wait--it is now Monday morning, not Sunday. Got my days mixed up.

KEEPER:  Yesterday evening you drove past the first time and saw the evening services in the church across the street.

KEEPER:  Now it's Monday afternoon--things are a lot busier.

ROGERS:  Yeah, just want to see if I can find someone whoknows the Super for the building.

KEEPER:  There are plenty of people out on the sidewalks and in the cafe and shops.

ROGERS:  Try one of the shops, a newsagent if possible.

KEEPER:  Inside the lobby you see the door to the staircase standing open.

KEEPER:  BTW, Danforth, are you staying in the car?

DANFORTH:  i'm gonna kinda stroll around the outside of the building

ROGERS:  On the Postboxes, is ther one marked SUPER?

DANFORTH:  keepin my eye open

KEEPER:  How are you both dressed? What's your demeanor and attitude?

DANFORTH:  i'm wearing jeans and a hockey jersey

KEEPER:  One of them is indeed marked "Super," Rogers.

DANFORTH:  .....and a holster ;)

KEEPER:  Under or over the jersey? ;-)

ROGERS:  I'm in jeans and a a leather jacket.

KEEPER:  You're both hot. June 2, 1:00 in the afternoon, NYC.

ROGERS:  Mines under the jacket over my shirt. A light leather jacket cotton shirt;-)

KEEPER:  Correct that, you're both sweaty.

DANFORTH:  i'm lookin for anything out of place in this scenario

ROGERS:  Anyway: What's the number of the supers room?

KEEPER:  Besides the two white guys wearing warm-weather clothes, you mean? ;-)

KEEPER:  4B, Rogers.

DANFORTH:  hehehe...yeah, besides us

ROGERS:  Is there an intercom system or do I just walk up to the room?

KEEPER:  Nothing stranger than you out on the street, Danforth.

KEEPER:  There's an intercom outside, at the front door, Rogers.

DANFORTH:  ok....

ROGERS:  Go talk to Danforth.

KEEPER:  Rogers emerges.

DANFORTH:  hiya, skippy

KEEPER:  Rogers has a Welsh accent, btw, Danforth.

ROGERS:  Hello Kanga, do you want to rent this room if it free.

ROGERS:  Could be new south wales ;-)

DANFORTH:  we may as well.......we can monitor from there and have good fire support if it comes to that

KEEPER:  Could be... but it ain't. ;-)

DANFORTH:  i'm welsh

ROGERS:  How do we know that we haven't seen it yet?

DANFORTH:  i can see the window

ROGERS:  Best if you rent it if you are going to be running the surveilance.

DANFORTH:  ok....i'll go talk to the super

ROGERS:  I'll go with you.

KEEPER:  You buzz the intercom. A moment later a woman answers. She has a heavy Spanish accent. "Yes?"

DANFORTH:  how do ya say there, flapjack?...we wanna rent your room

KEEPER:  "I'm sorry... What?" The intercom has a lot of distortion.

DANFORTH:  we would like to rent the apartment

KEEPER:  "Oh! Oh, you talk to Mister Valenzuela. He's downstairs."

KEEPER:  OK, brief pause in the action while I get McCannon here oriented.

DANFORTH:  ok

KEEPER:  Rogers, your cell phone buzzes.

ROGERS:  Hello, Widow cleaners international.

KEEPER:  "This is Osborne."

ROGERS:  Oh hello Osbourne.

DANFORTH:  (I wonder if osbourne wants a candy bar?)

KEEPER:  "I've arranged for another operative for your team. He's a narcotics detective, NYPD. You'll remember him from the Harker case."

ROGERS:  What can I do for you today?

KEEPER:  "Joe McCannon."

ROGERS:  Right.

KEEPER:  You do remember him--he was pursuing another ghoul in the faction and basically stumbled into the investigation.

KEEPER:  The team decided to use him--with minimal briefing--to help them track down and isolate the ghouls.

KEEPER:  He knows you and "Osborne," though he has not been formally briefed on DG. A friendly, like Danforth.

KEEPER:  Osborne says, "Where should I tell him to meet you?"

ROGERS:  Get him to meet us at the safehouse later.

KEEPER:  "What time?"

ROGERS:  Say around 2:30 pm tell him to wait with lundquest if we are delayed.

KEEPER:  "Right." He hangs up.

ROGERS:  we just got some new help.

KEEPER:  McCannon, you've been getting some... unusual contacts again.

ROGERS:  Might allay your fears of Lemonde we've got a narcotics detective working for us.

McCANNON:  Am I otherwise detained by anything today?

KEEPER:  You got a call from Andre Jones, the DEA man you knew from that weird "ghoul" case. He said he had a case that could use your help. He asked if you'd be willing to do your duty for Unlce Sam, and keep it quiet afterward. You couldn't quite tell if he was being sardonic--it's not his style.

McCANNON:  What contact information did he pass along?

KEEPER:  Before you knew it, somehow your case load opened up to allow you some time off. Your captain said word had come from One Police Plaza to free you up for some kind of DOJ investigation, real hush-hush.

KEEPER:  Then Jones had you meet him privately. Probably at a seedy bar, the kind always used for these things. He gave you some briefing materials on "The Dreaming Man" drug phenonenon in Harfleur, Queens. You had heard about it, but not many details.

KEEPER:  For the full briefing you can review the website info--with the caveat that your character does not know of DG, only that he's been in contact with a couple of people involved in some top-secret federal task force.

KEEPER:  Finally, he said that he'd make arrangements and let you know when and where to meet the investigators.

KEEPER:  And that's where he left it last night. It's now Monday afternoon, around 1:30. A sealed envelope finds its way to your desk.

McCANNON:  What's in the envelope?

KEEPER:  A card with a handwritten address: 39221 Pendleton Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

KEEPER:  And a time: 2:30 pm.

McCANNON:  I'll go get into my personal car and drive over there.

KEEPER:  And a signature: "Jones"

KEEPER:  OK... let me resume with the others while you drive...

KEEPER:  Danforth and Rogers, you were going inside to find the super downstairs?

ROGERS:  Yes

DANFORTH:  yep

KEEPER:  Down the stairs is a typical basement: painted cinderblock walls, a room with a line of washers and dryers and a broken refrigerator. A locked boiler room. A small office with walls lined with shelves and tools.

KEEPER:  You find Mr. Valenzuela in the office. He's even wearing a name tag.

DANFORTH:  how cute

ROGERS:  "Hello"

KEEPER:  He looks up and grunts a quiet greeting. "What can I do for you?" His accent is less thick than the woman's was before.

DANFORTH:  we're interested in the appartment upstairs

ROGERS:  If its not to expensive.

KEEPER:  "Hmmp." He stands and takes a legal-size sheet of paper from a shelf and hands it to you. "Fill out the application. You can mail it or drop it off."

KEEPER:  The address on the application is to Regal Property Management, not to this apartment building.

DANFORTH:  we'' just filll it out here if it's all the same

ROGERS:  How long is this going to take?

KEEPER:  He shrugs. "You turn it in, I give to the managers, they let you know."

ROGERS:  Ok we'l just fill it in then.

DANFORTH:  ok...we'll fill it put

DANFORTH:  fill it out

KEEPER:  Doesn't take long.

DANFORTH:  ok...give to juan valdez here and we'll be on our way

ROGERS:  What are we putting i writing here exactly?

DANFORTH:  fake names....fake references

KEEPER:  The application asks the standard questions: name, current address, prior addresses, employment, all that.

DANFORTH:  can i say i'm an astronoaut?

ROGERS:  So we just use the first fake backstopped ID we have I take it?

KEEPER:  Sure. If anyone will believe you. :-)

ROGERS:  NO no astronaughts!

DANFORTH:  ok....

DANFORTH:  i want Buzz Aldrin to be be my assumed identity

ROGERS:  I'll have Alan Bean.

DANFORTH:  no seriously i assume we have fake identities

KEEPER:  Yes. Already pre-packaged. That's one thing you can bet DG does well.

DANFORTH:  good

ROGERS:  Ok use the first one then. the Slayer roadie one.

KEEPER:  Valenzuela takes the application and promises to turn it over to the management.

DANFORTH:  heheh

DANFORTH:  when can we expect an answer?

KEEPER:  He shrugs yet again. "Few days. Maybe a week."

KEEPER:  It's creeping up on 2:00 now.

DANFORTH:  wait until night and break into the church

KEEPER:  What about your new friendly?

DANFORTH:  go back to the safe house and meet joe friday

ROGERS:  Ring Ludquest tell him to wait with McCannon until we arrive.

ROGERS:  How about going for a walk around the church?

DANFORTH:  not in the daytime

KEEPER:  Fade to: McCannon, you reach the address Jones gave you.

ROGERS:  Hey best time get the layout.

DANFORTH:  we can get a floor plan

KEEPER:  It is a middle-class house in a middle-class suburb, a neighborhood with lots of grass and trees and high bushes.

McCANNON:  What does the property look like? Is there anyone outside?

KEEPER:  It's mid-afternoon, Monday: there's hardly anyone outside in the area. The house itself looks quiet. The driveway curves around behind the house.

KEEPER:  You see the tail of a car there.

McCANNON:  As in, the car is in the driveway? Or...?

KEEPER:  A car in the driveway, right. It is just barely visible because of its location behind hte house.

McCANNON:  I'll jot down the license plate # and then walk up to the front door.

KEEPER:  You don't recognize the man who answers. He's tall and thin, with dark hair, conservative looking. "McCannon?"

KEEPER:  He looks about your age, mid 30s.

McCANNON:  "That's me."

McCANNON:  "Who's asking?"

KEEPER:  He opens the door to let you in. "Brian Lundquist," he says. "Department of Justice."

McCANNON:  Steps into the room and looks around.

KEEPER:  "Our other investigators should be here soon. I'm following up on some research."

DANFORTH:  we're there now if you want

McCANNON:  "On what?"

KEEPER:  The place is sparsely decorated, like a hotel room. It looks like it has been lived in for a day or two at most.

McCANNON:  I find the most comfortable chair in the room, light up a cigar, and sit down.

KEEPER:  "This investigation may involve some departures from procedure," Lundquist tells you. You see notes and law books nearby opened to wiretapping and surveillance laws. "I like to be prepared."

DANFORTH:  you must be McCannon?

KEEPER:  About then you hear a buzzer sound. Lundqusit looks up and goes to a closet. Inside you see a bank of electronics and security monitors.

McCANNON:  Eye Danforth suspiciously.

DANFORTH:  what the hell was that buzz?!?!?!?!

KEEPER:  A moment later two other men enter, per Danforth, above: Danforth is young, maybe 24-25.

McCANNON:  Still sitting and puffing away. "And you are?"

ROGERS:  Start to check gun ;-)

DANFORTH:  buzz aldrin.....no wait, connor danforth

ROGERS:  JT Rogers.

KEEPER:  Rogers is about ten years older, a big guy, paranoid looking. You've met him before, from the ghoul case.

DANFORTH:  Danforth extends his hand

ROGERS:  I'd say good to see you again but given our last encounter.

McCANNON:  Stick cigar in my mouth and offer my hand. Still sitting. Looking out window if possible.

McCANNON:  "No shit, Rogers. How the hell you been?"

ROGERS:  Ok still breathing.

McCANNON:  "Have you heard anything else about the dog-men?"

ROGERS:  No comment

DANFORTH:  Danforth drinks beer and tries to fire up the hibachi grill

DANFORTH:  Danforth flips through the yellow pages under "escort services"

McCANNON:  I get up and make my way to the kitchen, trying not to set fire to my trench on the way.

ROGERS:  you've been digging trenches?

DANFORTH:  heehe

DANFORTH:  the prussians are charging!!!!!!!...grab your bayonets, boys!!!!!!

ROGERS:  For King and Country.

McCANNON:  Opening up fridge and cabinets to look for (good) booze. "Anyone know what the devil we're here for?"

ROGERS:  well as long as its not King Charles II

DANFORTH:  yes, but we're not telling

ROGERS:  Indupitably

ROGERS:  finally got to use the sherlock homes line

DANFORTH:  we're here to rob you....now hand the wallet over...nice and slow

McCANNON:  Failing to find anything and gulping from my flask in earnest. "Fucking gov't flunkies."

McCANNON:  Looking to the agents and smiling. "Just kidding..."

DANFORTH:  Danforth puts his gun back

KEEPER:  What's the plan? It's around 3:00 in the afternoon.

DANFORTH:  wait until night

ROGERS:  Then wire the church

ROGERS:  Hold on

KEEPER:  Hmm?

ROGERS:  Lets talk to McCannon and see if he knows anything about Lemonde

DANFORTH:  we'll eat bratwurst until 12:00 or so

ROGERS:  then do the church ;-)

DANFORTH:  oh yeah......

DANFORTH:  hey, joe friday....you know inspector lemonde?

McCANNON:  Sitting down again, "Who?"

KEEPER:  McCannon, you basically know what's in the briefing already. To find out more, you could make some calls to the 116 and see if you could get any "private" comments from other detectives.

KEEPER:  Lemonde is just a police officer, patrol officer, btw, not an inspector.

DANFORTH:  oooops

McCANNON:  Ok. Have I worked with him?

KEEPER:  Probably not--do you work out of a precinct house, or are you in HQ in some capacity?

McCANNON:  I would think I'm out of the HQ now, but I spent about 7 years in one of the Brooklyn precincts.

KEEPER:  OK... no, you've never met Lemonde; never heard of him until this investigation, in fact.

KEEPER:  But that's normal. There are too many precincts in NYC for you to know the community policing cops from each one.

McCANNON:  Rattle off some basic info they already know. Then, "Who's he supposed to be?"

KEEPER:  OK, let's move on: McCannon was asking about Lemonde...

DANFORTH:  let's do the church before we wrap it up

ROGERS:  Please

KEEPER:  OK--any other commentary/questions re. Lemonde before you move out at night?

DANFORTH:  nope

ROGERS:  Just that were taking the usual precautions;-)

DANFORTH:  nobody better be carrying a badge

KEEPER:  McCannon, were you making any calls or anything, or just following these jokers' lead?

McCANNON:  I'm here for the ride. By the way, I left all my police ID and such (including my piece - I'm carrying one I bought personally) back at my office.

DANFORTH:  i think i'll go with basic black tonite, maybe some understated pearls

KEEPER:  Ah, okay.

DANFORTH:  i'm carrying a 9mm automatic

KEEPER:  All right, late that night you move out. Traffic is never quite dead on the streets, but that's not a bad thing: you won't be in the only car on the road.

ROGERS:  .45 auto with special bullets and one magazine of normal bullet just in case.

McCANNON:  I'll drive.

KEEPER:  Harfleur is even more grim at night. Many streetlamps are out. Some commercial signs are on, and some are not. There are only a couple of storefronts open.

DANFORTH:  we're taking my car...all the surveillence eqpt is in it

KEEPER:  You pass a police cruiser a block from the church.

McCANNON:  Anyone I know?

ROGERS:  We always seem to do that can we get its number?

DANFORTH:  we'll parka block or so from the church

KEEPER:  You get the police car's number, no problem.

KEEPER:  Are you carrying a police scanner?

DANFORTH:  of course

KEEPER:  No chatter on it--apparently they took no note of you.

DANFORTH:  as we approach the church, i'll be looking for signs of a security system

KEEPER:  You park. You see nobody out and about.

McCANNON:  Eye the scanner suspiciously.

McCANNON:  "What are we here for?'

KEEPER:  How are you carrying your equipment, Danforth?

DANFORTH:  in a normal-looking backpack

KEEPER:  OK. McCannon asks what you're here for.

DANFORTH:  to wire this place

ROGERS:  Do we have the churchs phone number?

McCANNON:  "Why?" Then, almost sarcastically, "If I may be so bold?"

KEEPER:  Church phone number, sure.

ROGERS:  Shall we dial it and see if we get an answer?

McCANNON:  Jots down the church name and address and sketches a quick map to the place.

DANFORTH:  the plan is to wire it for sound, then go in tomorrow and flash badges and make vague accusations like "we're on to you"....then listen to them incriminate themselves after we leave

ROGERS:  Well maybe not tomorrow.

McCANNON:  "Oh."

DANFORTH:  try to keep up........what are you highway patrol or something? ;)

DANFORTH:  (just kiddin)

KEEPER:  Are you all three hiking down the block to the church?

DANFORTH:  yes

ROGERS:  Whats the activity level like on the street?

McCANNON:  "Do you guys want me to skirt the perimeter and post watch?"

KEEPER:  Activity is nil.

ROGERS:  Fine can't have a cop break the rules.

ROGERS:  I say again should we phone the church to see if anyone answers?

DANFORTH:  well i ahve to go in to wire it but if you guys wanna keep watch outside, it's cool

KEEPER:  Yeah... send the NSA geek in alone...

KEEPER: Host DG_Keeper cackles evilly.

McCANNON:  "Take a hike, Danforth." Turning to Rogers, "Want me to make the call?"

ROGERS:  I may back him up.

ROGERS:  If he wants me to?

McCANNON:  (Ain't that always the way?)

ROGERS:  you call if you want McCannon.

DANFORTH:  you guys may as well come in with me....it'll look more suspicious to have people hanging around outside

McCANNON:  Taking Roger's phone (with his permission), I ask for and dial the number.

LUNDQUIST:  We're going to make it look like simple burglary?

KEEPER:  You walk up to the church grounds without seeing anyone around. Most windows of the overlooking apartment buildings are dark.

DANFORTH:  it won't look like anything...nobody will know we've been here

LUNDQUIST:  Good enough then.

ROGERS:  Shall we proceed rather than shoot the breeze?

DANFORTH:  let's just pick the most convienient window and get to work

LUNDQUIST:  I sure don't want to loiter out here in the street...

KEEPER:  One streetlamp stands over a corner of the church property, illuminating part of hte yard while leaving the bulk of the property in darkness.

KEEPER:  The gates are closed and locked. The fence is about six feet high, cast iron and tipped with spikes.

DANFORTH:  i'll check the window for security

McCANNON:  Anything result with the call?

KEEPER:  Window?

DANFORTH:  oops....hop the fence

KEEPER:  Ah.. You call the church's number: a machine answers. "You have called the Southside AME Church. Please leave a message and we will be glad to speak with you."

DANFORTH:  ...ask em if they wanna buy a candy bar

McCANNON:  Hang up before the tone.

McCANNON:  Get out and join the others in hopping the fence.

KEEPER:  Danforth, you surprise yourself by scaling the barbed fence quite nimbly.

ROGERS:  Can I check if the gate is locked?

KEEPER:  Same with Lundquist, in fact. Joe and Rogers--the ones who've been trained for action--are a bit clumsier.

DANFORTH:  ....all those years of training in the orient finally paid off..........now to find a point of entry

KEEPER:  The gate is locked, Rogers.

ROGERS:  Well climb over then. Never hurts to check the obvious

KEEPER:  There is a door on each wall of the church: main double doors atop the stairs in front, and smaller side doors in the yards.

DANFORTH:  i'm looking for a security system

DANFORTH:  i'll check the smaller doors to the side

ROGERS:  I'm looking for anyone approaching

ROGERS:  Trying to hide behind gravestones trees etc

KEEPER:  There are windows as well. You see no signs of a security system: no tape on the windows, no stickers except the obligatory "Neighborhood Watch" sticker with the old-fashioned anarchist-criminal silhouette.

DANFORTH:  cool....how are the locks?

KEEPER:  The side doors are locked. There are no graves here, though there are a couple of trees.

McCANNON:  Can't we tap the phones from the outside of the building? It's usually done at the phone company's outlet on the side wall or roof.

KEEPER:  The locks look solid enough, and not very old. A few years old perhaps.

DANFORTH:  we're wiring the whole place mccannon....not just phone taps

DANFORTH:  anyone have lockpick?

ROGERS:  Yep

McCANNON:  "We should make it look like a breakin. That way, the spooks we're trying to spook will be put off by it. They might react more favorably that way."

ROGERS:  Plus the tools.

McCANNON:  Kicks in a side door.

DANFORTH:  let jt pick the lock

ROGERS:  Or try to

DANFORTH:  we don't want anyone to know we've been here

KEEPER:  You give a door a solid kick, McCannon, but it does not quite bust in--then Danforth interrupts.

ROGERS:  "You two calm down now!"

DANFORTH:  look, chuck norris........this is a STEALTH operation

Rogers tries to pick the lock

McCANNON:  "Why? I don-" Then, snapping to mock attention, "Sir! Yes, Sir!"

DANFORTH:  fuckin cops.......

McCANNON:  What is Lundquist doing all this time?

McCANNON:  "Tou-fucking-che..."

KEEPER:  Lundquist, you notice something strange... there is a window on ground level (basement window) at the corner lit by the streetlamp. It catches your eye: it looks as though it has been painted over. But a yellow light gleams between cracks in the paint.

DANFORTH:  if they know we've been here, they'll be lookin for bugs

LUNDQUIST:  "Hey, guys, look at that window! Down low!"

DANFORTH:  how you doing on that lock, jt?

Danforth:,
Danforth drops

ROGERS:  JTRogers is down low anyway picking the lock

KEEPER:  Rogers, you get the lock open. *click*

DANFORTH:  Danforth quickly moves inside...keeping low

McCANNON:  Drops to the floor and braces against the outside wall of the building.

ROGERS:  Go in carefully checking for alarms

KEEPER:  The door swings inward with a soft creak to allow Danforth in.

McCANNON:  Can I see the window? "What, Lunquist? What did you see?"

LUNDQUIST:  "Guys, there may be somebody in here! I saw a light on in the basement!"

McCANNON:  Crawl in and glance around quickly. Take up a defensive position in a corner.

DANFORTH:  Danforth chambers a round

KEEPER:  McCannon, you see a basement window that has been painted over, on the corner of the building lit up by the streetlight. It looks like a light is on inside, barely visible between cracks in the paint.

KEEPER:  Inside, all is dark and quiet.

McCANNON:  Pulls his gun and starts looking for the basement door, or kitchen.

DANFORTH:  i'm looking for the offices

ROGERS:  Rogers whispers "What is going on Lundquiest"

KEEPER:  You are in a hall that runs the length of the building. Across from the door you see another door that opens into the sanctuary. You can see other doors along the hall.

DANFORTH:  i'll check all the doors until i find the office

ROGERS:  I'll back him up very carefully

KEEPER:  Danforth, you try the doors: a choir room, a storage closet; at the back end of the church you find a locked door labelled "Office."

DANFORTH:  open it slowly

KEEPER:  McCannon, you find stairs at the other end of the building, near the front. They lead down.

ROGERS:  Its locked I'll try and pick it

McCANNON:  Still looking for the basement door, moving quietly through the house now.

DANFORTH:  jt, can you pick this?

KEEPER:  Your fingers are on fire tonight, Rogers. You get the lock open.

LUNDQUIST:  I make sure the front door is closed once we're all inside, taking a quick last look around outside as I do.

McCANNON:  Is the door locked? If not, I carefully open it, trying not to let it squeek.

KEEPER:  You don't see anything outside, Lundquist.

DANFORTH:  i wanna get the office wired up as quickly as possible

KEEPER:  No door, McCannon: the stairs open into the hall.

ROGERS:  Rogers checking any records quickly

KEEPER:  Lundquist and Danforth go to work in the office. Rogers, are you looking for anything in particular in the records?

ROGERS:  Anything to do with Church funding, excessive ammounts of money.

KEEPER:  There are a lot of papers and files; mostly financial transactions and correspondence.

DANFORTH:  Danforth places mics in careful locations, installs a camera.......

ROGERS:  Any letters / diaries

LUNDQUIST:  Is there any light coming from downstairs, McCannon?

McCANNON:  Begin stepping down into the darkness. Hold my gun at the ready and move slowly enough so that my eyes adjust ASAP.

KEEPER:  Nothing stands out to you, Rogers. Then again, it's not really your forte.

LUNDQUIST:  I'd better go with McCannon, if you don't need me here, Danforth.

McCANNON:  Is Lundquist near me now?

ROGERS:  Put it all back as I found it.

LUNDQUIST:  Yeah, I got your back.

KEEPER:  McCannon, you see no lights. Sure, Lundquist is behind McCannon. You two are at the other end of the church from the office and Danforth/Rogers.

ROGERS:  Anywhere in the office for a safe? Can I see anything hidden?

DANFORTH:  i wanna find the restrooms next

LUNDQUIST:  "Remeber, McCannon, we don't want them to know we've been here! Avoid contact!"

KEEPER:  You don't find a safe, Rogers.

LUNDQUIST:  "If you see anyone, we'll back off quietly!"

McCANNON:  At the bottom of the stairs, begin skirting the wall, holding my gun at the center of the room.

DANFORTH:  ...i'll leave rogers to investigate the office and continue wiring the buliding.......both restrooms, any conference rooms

KEEPER:  McCannon and Lundquist move quietly down the stairs. The stairs open to a basement hallway. That stretches along, probably underneath the hallway you were in aboveground.

ROGERS:  If theres a desk check it.

McCANNON:  Any doors, alcoves, etc.?

KEEPER:  Off the hall there are two doors that open to a large room, probably a rec room.

LUNDQUIST:  Any lights visible down here? Like under doors, that sort of thing?

KEEPER:  Past that you find bathrooms and a water fountain, then a closet.

DANFORTH:  after finishing the upstairs...i'll move into the basement

KEEPER:  Lundquist sees two other doors in the rec room.

ROGERS:  I'd better back up Danforth after checking the desk

McCANNON:  Lights, Keeper?

KEEPER:  You don't see any lights. Speaking of which, do you both have flashlights out?

McCANNON:  No. If Lundquist had one, I urged him not to use it.

LUNDQUIST:  No flashlight.

LUNDQUIST:  (No way!)

KEEPER:  With no flashlights in the basement you see zip.

KEEPER:  Pitch black.

McCANNON:  Skirting the wall, trying to orient myself so that I can locate the room that the light we saw would have been coming from.

LUNDQUIST:  Then we're not leaving the stairs.

DANFORTH:  don't we have very small lights?

KEEPER:  In that case, McCannon, you move by feel through a doorway. You estimate that the light must have been from a room beneath the staircase.

McCANNON:  I am. I expect to use the the wall to navigate. I'll make sure my zippo is at the ready in my trench pocket.

KEEPER:  Moving into the room, you'd guess the source of it would be to your right.

McCANNON:  I head to the right, always holding my gun out and slightly up (for a quick response shot, if necessary).

DANFORTH:  be careful...we don't want to shoot anyone here

KEEPER:  Lundquist, you hear a wooden scraping sound as McCannon's foot kicks a half-height standing shelf.

LUNDQUIST:  I cringe.

KEEPER:  Around that, McCannon, your hand touches the wood of another door.

LUNDQUIST:  I listen carefully. Can I hear anything else?

McCANNON:  Open the door and slip through.

KEEPER:  Lundquist hears nothing. McCannon, the door begins to creak, loud, as you push it.

KEEPER:  Lundquist hears that, I suppose. ;-)

LUNDQUIST:  Can I check my listen skill off then? :-)

KEEPER:  No. :-)

McCANNON:  I pull up against the wall and wait a moment.

DANFORTH:  am i in the basement yet?

KEEPER:  You're still wiring things upstairs, Danforth.

LUNDQUIST:  Listening even more intently than before.

KEEPER:  McCannon, you hear some kind of shuffling beyond the barely cracked open door.

LUNDQUIST:  I begin backing up the stairs. "Psst!" I hiss.

KEEPER:  It's remote. Like in a room beyond that room, not right near you.

McCANNON:  Kick the door open suddenly and pull back, waiting for a response.

KEEPER:  thump-CREEEAK!

DANFORTH:  easy there, Sipowicz

McCANNON:  Does it sound human?

LUNDQUIST:  "McCannon!" I hiss, loud as I dare.

KEEPER:  The door thumps against the wall. Inside you see light beneath another door.

KEEPER:  You're now looking into a small room, probably an office of some sort, mostly used for storage now.

McCANNON:  Slips around the door bracket and into the next room, watching the lit portal.

McCANNON:  Then approaches it very carefully, and from an opposite angle than direct from the previous door.

LUNDQUIST:  "McCannon, get back here! This is a stealth operation! We're avioiding contact!"

KEEPER:  McCannon, you hear the shuffling louder now, and some light metallic banging sound.

McCANNON:  Can I look under the door or through a keyhole?

KEEPER:  No keyhole. The door is too low to the carpeted floor for you to see beneath it.

McCANNON:  Pull back to a position to where Lundquist is.

KEEPER:  The lit door rattles in place very slightly for an instant.

McCANNON:  Stop. Completely.

LUNDQUIST:  Can I see that door from where I am?

KEEPER:  It is still again.

LUNDQUIST:  If not, I move so I can do so.

McCANNON:  Turn to the door and watch. Look around for something blunt and heavy.

KEEPER:  Lundquist, you need to move around the corner to see the lit door.

McCANNON:  Crowbar? Two-by-four?

KEEPER:  Into the rec room, I mean.

Lundquist:
I'm slowly drawing my piece. Keeping a close eye on McCannon & the doorway.

McCANNON:  Can I hear Lundquist moving around?

KEEPER:  Danforth and Rogers, you're wrapping up your wiring upstairs. No word from the other two yet.

DANFORTH:  let's head down

ROGERS:  OK

KEEPER:  McCannon, you see no 2x4 or crowbar around.

LUNDQUIST:  I move around said corner.

McCANNON:  For that matter, can I hear the others wandering around above me?

KEEPER:  Lundquist moves into hte room with McCannon. Both have pistols out. You can see the lit door, inside the office.

KEEPER:  Yeah, you both hear soft footsteps from the stairs above.

LUNDQUIST:  I'm staying well back. I move only until I have line of sight to the door, and then I halt.

KEEPER:  Done. You're both staring at the still door.

DANFORTH:  are we there yet?

LUNDQUIST:  I'm going to slip my weapon into a coat pocket but keep my hand on it.

McCANNON:  Whisper to Lundquist, "You realize that this op is fucked, don't you?"

KEEPER:  Danforth and Rogers come down the stairs. It is much darker here, but you can barely make out hte outlines of Lundquist and McCannon in a room off the hall.

ROGERS:  I am drawing my gun.

McCANNON:  "Whoever is behind that door knows we're here already."

DANFORTH:  i suppose you wanna go chargin in there.....rambo-style?

McCANNON:  Listening to everything. Tell me when I hear the others coming.

ROGERS:  "Psst. what the f**s going on"

LUNDQUIST:  Whisper back, "They haven't seen us. And they're not going to. If the others are done, we're leaving, now."

KEEPER:  You hear them, McCannon--they just walked up to you and Lundquist.

McCANNON:  "We have to subdue the suspect, so that the op can continue."

DANFORTH:  i wanna mic that door

LUNDQUIST:  "You finished, Danforth?"

McCANNON:  "Lundquist?"

ROGERS:  "McCannon move back out now"

DANFORTH:  subdue this, tough guy

LUNDQUIST:  "Okay, mic it, but be quick... Then we're outta here."

KEEPER:  I'm assuming this is all whisper-whisper-whisper.

DANFORTH:  i also want to place a camera facing that door

ROGERS:  "do I look stuppid enough to be breaking into a church?"

KEEPER:  Are you moving in to do that, Danforth?

LUNDQUIST:  "Actually..."

DANFORTH:  yes

ROGERS:  "Oh"

McCANNON:  "You heard them upstairs, right." Turning to him, "So did whatever's beyond that door."

ROGERS:  "Lets vote I say send McCannon in and see what happens;-)"

McCANNON:  "For once, a good idea, Danforth. But we should conceal it." Any convenient woodchip piles about?

DANFORTH:  whatever's behind that door will be obvious on tape ....we can analyze the sound remotley

McCANNON:  Rolls his eyes. "Always the diplomatic general..."

DANFORTH:  we don't need to open the door

KEEPER:  Danforth creeps into the office and starts setting up his gear. McCannon, it looks like he's had only rudimentary training at planting and concealing the stuff.

ROGERS:  I'm getting into position next to Lundquest to cover the door

McCANNON:  Can I do any better?

ROGERS:  I'm now getting ready to run

KEEPER:  Maybe, maybe not. You're no black-bag specialist, but you've had a little practice at least.

KEEPER:  Danforth, you hear a soft grunting sound from beyond the lit door.

McCANNON:  Put my gun away and move over to help him.

McCANNON:  I want to make sure that the camera is as well-hidden as possible.

DANFORTH:  grunting?

KEEPER:  Grunting.

DANFORTH:  can i use a mic to listen better at the door....electronic ear

McCANNON:  "How much stuff do you have under that coat, Danforth? Damn!"

KEEPER:  McCannon, you find the place to be pretty poor for concealing things a camera. Most of the things stored are books and boxes.

KEEPER:  Dan's carrying a backpack full of electronics.

KEEPER:  Danforth, you have a microphone you could use, sure.

McCANNON:  Then I take out several of the items from a box, toss them somewhere inconscpicuous, and place the camera inside, punching a hole in it's side for the lens.

DANFORTH:  can i get a camera on the door?

KEEPER:  Run a wire to an earplug and put the mic up to the door, easy enough.

DANFORTH:  what do i hear?

McCANNON:  Oops. Replace "coat" with "backpack".

KEEPER:  Danforth, you hear a man straining and cursing softly in a language you don't recognize.

DANFORTH:  someone's in there fellas

DANFORTH:  whaddaya think?

ROGERS:  "You two head on in we'll back you up"

LUNDQUIST:  "Let's bug this room and split!"

KEEPER:  McCannon, you install the camera behind a fresh little hole in a box.

DANFORTH:  ...sounds like he's tied up or something in there

McCANNON:  Move to the door and motion-ask Danforth, "You want to go in, or should I?"

DANFORTH:  be my guest........(drawing gun)

McCANNON:  I make to open the door for Danforth, so he can burst in.

ROGERS:  "is this place bugged totally now?"

DANFORTH:  yes

ROGERS:  Right no upstairs we've missed?

KEEPER:  You're opening the door, McCannon?

DANFORTH:  nope

McCANNON:  O.K. Never mind, I brace to burst in as he (hopefully) makes to open the door.

DANFORTH:  i push the door open

McCANNON:  No. Danforth is. I'm the sacrificial lamb.

KEEPER:  The light is bright after the darkness of the office, but you've been staring at the light beneath the door enough that it does not dazzle you.

McCANNON:  I burst in and look around, gun at the ready.

McCANNON:  Where is the groaning coming from?

KEEPER:  McCannon jumps in. You see a lone man inside. It looks like he is trying like hell to squeeze through the narrow to get out, and having no luck.

DANFORTH:  i'll gerab him, pull him down and put a gun to his head

McCANNON:  Did I ever find anything blunt? Is there anything here?

KEEPER:  He's not really groaning, but cursing and straining and not quite getting his shoulders through. As you jump in with gun drawn he lets out a yell and falls back inside.

McCANNON:  I start looking for duct tape.

KEEPER:  Danforth puts a gun to the man's head. The man is young, maybe 20-21 years old, tall and gangly, black, with short hair.

KEEPER:  There was a stout PVC tube in the closet area, McCannon.

McCANNON:  I holster my gun and grab that.

KEEPER:  He stares at Danforth's gun. "Noo! Don't shoot!" McCannon, you recognize a Creole accent.

McCANNON:  Standing ominously over the man with the tube. "What's your name, boy?"

KEEPER:  His gaze does not leave Danforth's pistol. "Bato... Bertrand!"

McCANNON:  Did I find any duct tape?

KEEPER:  Yep, also in the closet.

McCANNON:  Or did I notice any in Danforth's backpack?

KEEPER:  Probably there too.

LUNDQUIST:  I carry a roll of duct tape on stuff like this.

DANFORTH:  i would have electrical tape

ROGERS:  I head in and suggest we just tie him up and take him with us

McCANNON:  Taking a long strip, and placing it over his mouth. "Well, Bertrand, we're going for a little trip. Be nice, and my friend here won't pop you."

McCANNON:  Then begin taping together his arms behind him.

DANFORTH:  let's get him back to the safehouse

McCANNON:  Drag him up and bring him with us. Head back upstairs, taking a moment to give a cursory glance at the room before turning off the light.

LUNDQUIST:  "Okay. I'll get the car."

KEEPER:  He does not struggle, though he asks questions until you get his mouth taped.

McCANNON:  Is anything important there?

DANFORTH:  while lund's getting the car i wanna clean up any mess we've made

McCANNON:  What does he ask?

KEEPER:  It looks like another closet, but this is outfitted with a cot, sheets and blankets, a stack of clothes, and an old Bible.

McCANNON:  Grab the Bible.

KEEPER:  He asks the usual: "Who are you? What did I do? Why are you doing this??"

LUNDQUIST:  "We're the police. You're under arrest for mopery."

McCANNON:  "Mopery?"

DANFORTH:  ...don't say police, dumb ass

DANFORTH:  and what's mopery?

LUNDQUIST:  "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say..." blah blah

McCANNON:  Turn off the light and leave.

DANFORTH:  let's get him out of here

McCANNON:  With the boy in tow.

KEEPER:  (Old 1920's charge now obsolete. Basically it meant you were hanging around being shiftless and up to no good. Kind of like softcore loitering; in real terms it meant the cops wanted to arrest you because they didn't like the look of you.)

McCANNON:  When I get to the front door, I put my trechcoat over the boy, to conceal his bindings.

KEEPER:  He still looks baffled, and no less frightened.

LUNDQUIST:  (Not that he's likely to know the law's no longer on the books)

KEEPER:  Lundquist, you were going up for the car?

LUNDQUIST:  Yes. I'll hurry ahead to pull it around.

KEEPER:  As you're jogging down the road, you see that police cruiser turn the corner toward you.

LUNDQUIST:  I act super-innocent.

McCANNON:  Am I outside yet?

KEEPER:  McCannon, you and Danforth and Rogers have dragged Bertrand up to the door.

McCANNON:  Duck back inside and close the door quickly.

KEEPER:  Lundquist, the police car slows as it drives nearby. You see the cops look out and give you a good stare.

McCANNON:  Look out a front window stealthily.

LUNDQUIST:  I ignore them. Keep going.

KEEPER:  Then they drive past. You hear the car speed up again after it passes you.

LUNDQUIST:  I get the license plate.

LUNDQUIST:  (why, I don't know...)

KEEPER:  Got it.

DANFORTH:  let's get out of here

McCANNON:  Wait a moment, then quickly hustle to the car and follow the original plan.

LUNDQUIST:  I pull the car around to the side of the church.

KEEPER:  The car has been undisturbed. You drive back to the church. The gate is still locked. The fence is still high and sharp.

DANFORTH:  i forgot about the fence

LUNDQUIST:  Danforth can unlock the gate. Right?

DANFORTH:  no...rogers can tho

KEEPER:  Rogers has had some luck picking locks tonight, if that's what you mean.

LUNDQUIST:  Yeah, Rogers.

McCANNON:  Wait near shrubbery, ready to duck.

KEEPER:  He jogs out to try it... a couple of minutes pass VERY slowly. He looks frustrated.

DANFORTH:  uhh ohhh

McCANNON:  "Shit."

KEEPER:  He looks up, glances toward Lundquist in the car and shrugs, then goes to work on the lock again.

McCANNON:  Looking to Bertrand, jokingly. "You wouldn't have a key, would you?"

DANFORTH:  lundquist....wanna drive the car throught the gate?...we can't risk a gunshot

KEEPER:  Bertrand looks at you with wide eyes. He grunts something beneath the tape.

KEEPER:  Are you communicating with him? Phone?

McCANNON:  "NO! Stealth, remember?" Put my hand to his throat and pull the tape off.

KEEPER:  Bertrand winces. "What are you doing? Police don't do this! You're no police!"

DANFORTH:  yes

McCANNON:  Danforth is near me, isn't he?

McCANNON:  Put the tape back.

KEEPER:  Danforth, McCannon, and Bertrand are all near the doorway I think.

DANFORTH:  you're right bertrand, which means we can shoot you

McCANNON:  "Jamba-boy ain't gonna do us much good."

KEEPER:  "You--mmmph-mmm..."

McCANNON:  No. We're out by shrubbery at the gate.

KEEPER:  Ah.

DANFORTH:  we can't let him go ..........

McCANNON:  Smile at Bertrand, then glance nervously at Danforth.

KEEPER:  You hear a man's voice from an apartment across the street.

KEEPER:  "Hey! "

DANFORTH:  lund....break the gate

KEEPER:  "You at the church! Hey!"

McCANNON:  Duck. Hope he can't see us. Pull Danforth down, too.

DANFORTH:  this thing is already fucked

McCANNON:  "Shut up."

McCANNON:  Where is Lindquist?

KEEPER:  In the car watching, and...?

DANFORTH:  you don't understand....if they know we've been here, all the wires are useless

LUNDQUIST:  Talking himself out of driving off.

DANFORTH:  is the guy in the window still yelling?

McCANNON:  "I do understand." Watch the guy to see what he does, then get up.

KEEPER:  Yes. He yells again: "You there! Get up from there! You breaking into the church?"

DANFORTH:  we're screwed.............

Lundquist:
They gotta get out of there... I dial Danforth's cell phone.

KEEPER:  (If it helps, Rogers is muscular and strong as hell--if you feel like trying to toss Bertrand over or something)

DANFORTH:  the only source of info is buckwheat here.....and we need to get him out of here

DANFORTH:  the bugs are worthless now

McCANNON:  "Sir! Help! Call the police! My dog is trapped in the basement of the church!"

DANFORTH:  let's try it

DANFORTH:  good save

McCANNON:  "No. Wait for him to go use the phone."

KEEPER:  "What? Your what?"

McCANNON:  Trying to make it look like I'm the only one at the gate, other than Rogers.

McCANNON:  "My dog. He's jumped into the basement window and I can't get in. Call the police."

LUNDQUIST:  Is there a back gate? Anything like that?

KEEPER:  "Dog? Dog?" The man mutters and withdraws back into his window, out of sight.

McCANNON:  "Quick! Get Bertrand over the fence."

McCANNON:  Help push him over,

KEEPER:  There's an alley with a back gate into the church driveway.

DANFORTH:  me too

McCANNON:  Stay where I am for now.

DANFORTH:  can we get betrand over the fence?

DANFORTH:  i'm jumpin the fence where i am

KEEPER:  McCannon and Danforth haul Bertrand clumsily up overhead. They shove him over to Rogers. Bertrand catches a sleeve on the spikes. It tears as Rogers pulls him down.

McCANNON:  Take any of the material that's left behind.

McCANNON:  Is the man back at the window yet?

DANFORTH:  let's boogie.....we have probably 2 min before the cops get ehre

KEEPER:  Not yet.

McCANNON:  "Go! Get him in the car!"

DANFORTH:  I'm throwing bertrand in the car

McCANNON:  Leap over the fence myself and dive into the passenger seat.

KEEPER:  You shove him into the car and all pile in.

KEEPER:  You see the man from the window coming out the door of his building, carrying a baseball bat.

McCANNON:  "Go! Go! Go!"

McCANNON:  "Punch it!" Hold Bertrand down in the back.

KEEPER:  Bertrand says, "Mmmmph!"

KEEPER:  You drive fast out of the area.

DANFORTH:  we gotta get to the safehouse

KEEPER:  On the police scanner you hear the dispatcher report a phone-in of a possible burglarly at the Southside AME church. A patrol unit responds.

McCANNON:  "Agreed."

DANFORTH:  fuck

DANFORTH:  drive cool....and take the long way

KEEPER:  About five minutes later you hear the patrol unit reporting no sign of a break in. "Witness says they drove off in a recent-model blue or grey Chevrolet."

McCANNON:  "Shit. Lundquist, take the BLAH turnpike." My intention is to divert us away from their most likely route here.

KEEPER:  The dispatcher copies the information. It all sounds routine.

McCANNON:  Is that what we've got?

KEEPER:  Lundquist is driving a 1996 Chevy Impala, yeah.

McCANNON:  Then we might want to hide it for a while. Does the safehouse have internal parking?

DANFORTH:  let's get to the safehouse....they didn't get our plates

DANFORTH:  there's alot of blue chevys

KEEPER:  You drive cool after getting out of Harfleur, and you take a roundabout route.

LUNDQUIST:  I do the usual tricks to look for/shake tails... Lane changes, that sort of thing.

KEEPER:  Queens and Brooklyn are huge--there are plenty of roundabout routes, on and off of the BQE.

KEEPER:  (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.)

DANFORTH:  do we got the safehouse ok?

KEEPER:  Later... you reach the safehouse.

Lundquist:
I'm going to call Osborne & report in... Let him know what has happened. Tell him about Betrand. Begin a background check.

KEEPER:  On the scanner the police discuss the incident once or twice more, indicating no sign of the chevrolet, and dumping the incident in the "If something screwy happens tonight with a blue Chevy..." category.

McCANNON:  Are we going to continue today?

KEEPER:  You hustle Bertrand inside. Lundquist makes a call.

McCANNON:  Park the car inside the garage, if there is one?

LUNDQUIST:  Our guest will be blindfolded until he get him into the house, into a windowless room.

DANFORTH:  maybe we'll be ok with the bugs........if bertrand lives there, the pastor will assume it was him when he hears about this....and if can't find him to check the story, we're good

McCANNON:  "See? What did I tell you?"

LUNDQUIST:  Plus, when we show up to question them, we can ask about the "funny goings on" last night.

DANFORTH:  what DID you tell me?

DANFORTH:  good point

McCANNON:  Sit down and take long swigs of bourbon. Light up again.

KEEPER:  You get Bertrand inside and dump him into said windowless room. Everyone slowly starts to relax a little.

DANFORTH:  Danforth drinks a couple of hundred beers

McCANNON:  "So, when do the fireworks start?"

KEEPER:  Meanwhile, Bertrand waits for his fate.

DANFORTH:  Tomorrow we go to the church and get obnoxious.