Solomon's Private File #287
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 28 in this story, in the Summer of 2054.
Solomon's Private File #287 "Rogue Police"
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I was in an expensive black van, dressed and armed like a member of a
police SWAT team, with others. We were a group of men, in a group of
similar vans, a convoy. We approached a gated community. Two in the
lead van got out and talked with the guard at the entry station. Then
they put him in restraints and covered his head with a hood, and left
him there with one of the men. They opened the gate, and we drove in,
with lights out. I said to one of the other men, "I've not been on one
of these things before. Did they kill the guard?" He said, "No, just
keeping him out of the way. We have to make it look like he resisted,
so they won't think he works for us." I said, "Oh! Good idea. Must be
an important target." He said, "Depends on who you ask. This one
probably killed one of us." I said, "I see. Must have some interesting
things on the Detention Order." Another one laughed, and said, "There
is one, but only for drugs. We don't have it. We don't care about that.
We're going to make him pay for what he did to us."
I said, "He has a lot of money?" More laughter. He said, "He does,
and we'll take it. Our gear and the vans are expensive. He's going to
pay in a different way." I said, "Who did he kill?" He said, "Mendoza."
I said, "One of us saw it?" He said, "No, an informant told us." I
said, "He ever been wrong?" He said, "Some, but we don't care. Our
target's a known criminal, that's all we care about." I said, "Now I
understand why we are without identification. Unauthorized action.
Going to be exciting." Laughter, and pats on my back. I said, "This new
uniform. Am I going to get blood on it? Will it wash off easily? My
wife. She's not had much practice in that." Laughter, and one said, "It
does wash off well. No problem." I said, "Thanks a lot."
Sarge said, "Quiet now. Avoid shooting. We don't want to wake up more
than our target." We stopped, and all got out quietly. The man who was
obviously in charge, produced a key, and unlocked the door. I whispered
to the man next to me, "Good trick! Where did he get it?" White teeth
showed in the darkness in a smile, and said, "We pay locksmiths." I
whispered, "Wow!" We were all in the house. Then some of us went into
the bedroom, and they came out with a man and a woman in their
twenties. They were very rough with the man. Leader said, "You killed
Mendoza!" He said, "Who's Mendoza? I didn't kill anybody!" He said,
"Where's your gun!" After some punches, the man said, "In the cabinet
next to the bed." I went to get it, and brought it out, and examined
it. I said, "Dirty. Not been cleaned in a while. You! Don't you know
how to take care of your weapon!" The men smiled at me. One said, "Arms
expert. I should have known." I said, "A problem. This hasn't been
fired recently. You! Where's your other gun?"
He said, "I don't have another gun!" I went up to him and said to his
face, "That's stupid. Nobody should depend on only one gun. They are to
protect your life. What do you do if it breaks, and you have no other?
Where's your protection then?" He stared at me. I said, "The other gun!
Where is it!" He said, "There is no other!" I said, "Are you so stupid
and reckless that you have only one?" He said, "I'm not stupid! But I
don't have another. Oh." Laughter. I said to the leader. "I believe
this idiot. Only one gun? That's ridiculous. He really is stupid." More
laughter. Leader said, "He could have used one belonging to another.
Informer's word is enough for me." A baby started crying. Leader said,
"Take them both!" She screamed, "My baby! Who's going to take care of
her! I'm not a criminal! Let me go to her." He said, "No." I whispered
to him, "If they're not coming back, better to not leave the baby here.
More mysterious." He nodded and said, "Go with this man to take your
baby. Hurry!" I was that man, and we went to another room. I packed a
case of necessities, and we went to the living room, where they were
beating the man. I said, "I hope he doesn't drip blood on the floor.
Evidence."
Leader looked at me, and nodded, and said, "Good man." I did a little
bow, and he smiled. They stopped beating him. We went into the vans. I
was asked to be in the lead van with the prisoners. I said to the man,
"Just curious, but why did you neglect your gun?" He said, "Why should
I talk to you?" I said, "Got anything else better to do at the moment?"
He said, "I see that. The gun. I didn't know it should be cleaned. Is
it bad?" I said, "Very. Explosive and metal particle residue builds up.
Corrosion, too. Things can jam, and not fire, or even explode in your
hand. You like your hand, you don't want it to do that." He said, "Now
I know why you called me stupid. I have to admit I was." I said,
"Anything your life depends on in an emergency, you need to know ALL
REALLY stupid!" I said, "That's not all. How many drug dealers die a
natural death?" He said, "I knew about that, but there is no work for
who I am." I said, "Then you change who you are! Books! Read! Learn!
It's not easy, but it CAN be done. Better for your family that you
live, and not anger the police." He said, "Am I, we, going to die?" I
said, "I don't know what will happen. This is my first time with this.
Probably wouldn't hurt to pray." He comforted his wife, and they did
pray.
The men in the van were feeling increased respect for me. We stopped
at a big house in a rich area of Tegucigalpa. We all went inside. It
had been empty of people, and was furnished lightly. And it was a mess.
Part of that was the smell, which was of blood and fear. The prisoners
were put on wooden kitchen chairs, and tied. I asked the leader, "May I
question him?" He said, "I want to see that, yes." I said to the man,
"You were asked about killing Mendoza." He said, "I didn't do it! I
swear to God!" I said, "He was a police officer." I told him where he
was shot. He said, "Oh! That one! It's all over the gangs. He demanded
too much money and drugs from the wrong people. You called me stupid,
and you were correct, but I wasn't THAT stupid! I kept my people away
from him. Police do more illegal things than we do, and he was the
worst. You don't give him what he wants, he shoots you dead, and says
he's attacked. One who did most business with him, complained. Officer
reached for his gun. Dealer was faster." I said, "The man who killed
him. Your friend?" He said, "Oh no! A crazy fool! He has people who
work for him, but no friends. He sells information to the police, and
they do what he wants even when they don't know that. I told other gang
bosses. He was very angry with me, but my men watch him and his men." I
said, "You haven't said his name." Then he did.
Leader asked me over for a talk. He said, "You suspected?" I said, "I
did. Informant giving up another gang's leader? And one who can't care
enough about his weapon to know how to use it? I would be surprised if
when he shot it, the bullet went anywhere near the intended target.
Still, he IS a drug dealer. But is his wife one? And their baby?" He
said, "I understand. But they've seen our faces. They have to die." I
said, "Then we are no better than Mendoza's killer?" He said, "It's a
war. There are always innocent casualties." I said, "In a battle, and
by accident. Different here." He said, "You will stop us?" I said,
"Then you would kill me. How many here will kill a baby? And would you
trust such a monster?" He said, "Oh! I hadn't thought of that. I see I
will have to do it myself. It's our survival, or theirs." I said, "Best
the men don't see that. They will know, and hate you a little, but they
will soon push that out of their minds. They know there is no going
back to before any of this started. They knew, just like you did, not
to think about it too much."
He said, "And you?" I said, "I never stop thinking. Could call it my
curse. But, just like you, I do what I have to do, even if some people
have to be hurt or die. To make a better world, some sacrifices have to
be made. The problem is who decides what makes a better world, and what
doesn't? And who decides what and who is sacrificed? Does what you do,
and who you've become from it, truly make a better world?" He said,
"Does it?" I said, "You know the answer in your heart." He sighed, and
said, "The men here. Would they recognize you as one of us from before
this night?" I said, "They would not." He said, "Is there hope?" I
said, "That depends on you, on them, and on other people. And there is
God. He still loves you, even while he's very unhappy with you. A man
NOT like suicide!" He said, "You knew?" I said, "I know all." He said,
"I think I almost knew who you were." I said, "I know. Interesting,
isn't it? Unusual for us both." He said, "Very!"
He said, "How will we do this?" I said, "Things are a little awkward
now. All that has been happening in this situation, and including this
conversation, has been broadcast on local TV as it happened, and I have
not allowed this to be interfered with. So, they know. The authorities
would like me to transport you to a secure facility. You will be
questioned. Will you answer all, truthfully?" He said, "I don't know."
I said, "Honest answer. How will we tell the men?" He said, "My
responsibility. I will." I said, "They will take it better than you
might expect. They've been wondering about the baby. You will help save
their humanity for them." He said, "Then I must! Thank you!"
We went back to the men, and he said to them, "We will stop this.
There will be NO killing of babies!" The men nodded, and with evident
relief. He said, "We can't continue to do these things. We were wrong
here, and in more than one way." More nods. I said, "I am not who I
seem to you." I changed into my usual self, aura and all. One of the
men nodded. The prisoners were confused. I said, "I've been asked to
transport you to a facility you might be familiar with. I will give
them full research of all you have done like this, and of all the other
units like this, and of who sponsored them. I have asked that if you
cooperate fully, that you be treated well, and deals will be made in
your favor, and you are to be kept from harm, but you know there will
be serious prison time." One broke down, and said, "I deserve it. After
the first time, I knew there was no stoping while I was alive. I stayed
in for my family." I said, "I know. Weapons on the floor, please." They
all did that. I said, "Knives, too." Two dropped them. I said, "And
keys to the cars." More things hitting the floor. I said, "I'm sorry,
but my policy in this situation is not transporting your clothes with
you, which could contain evidence. However, you will be covered, and
your identification things will be with you. Ready?" They nodded, and
they vanished, and their clothes were in neat labeled piles.
I removed the restraints from the couple. I said, "You have been a
victim of a serious criminal act by the employees of this city. I
require that you be compensated for that very well, and all pending
charges be dropped, but only if you stop doing all things that are
against the law. They may sell those vans and equipment, and this
house, to help pay you. They knew these kinds of things were happening,
and did nothing to stop them. They WILL do as I require, or they will
suffer. I see a question you would ask. First, be reminded that there
is a legal Detention Order on you for drug dealing. You were going to
be arrested. As things are now very much in your favor, if you had
known about this in advance, would you have agreed to this if you had
then, er, sufficient courage?" They looked at each other, and laughed.
He said, "I would like to believe I would agree to this. We accept the
conditions, Solomon." I said, "And the healing. Done." He said, "Oh,
thank you!" I said, "You know there are going to be some people who
think you don't deserve compensation, but YOU know what you went
through, that they haven't, and withstood it better than they would
have. Something you needed to experience, to show you what your life
could have contained if you had not changed. Now you have an
opportunity to lead good and honest lives. Don't disappoint me. Don't
disappoint God." We hugged with love.
She said to me, "I think some people will be angry with you for what
you let them do to us. They should know we have agreed to it, just as
you knew we would. It was worth it, even if we had no compensation. To
help you serve humanity is a great honor!" I said, "And embarrassment."
Chuckles. I said, "I suspect you might be doing some talking in
church." Grins and nods. We hugged again, and I ported the three of
them home. Their parents and relatives were there, which I had
arranged, and there were a lot of hugs and tears. I shifted to the
local TV studio, and said on camera, "My action here is ended. The
authorities have all the information they need to clean up this city.
Now it is up to YOU to make them do it!" I signaled the end, and the
camera was off me. The manager said, "On CNN, too?" I said, "In
America, and Spanish Channel. I didn't have to ask. They very eagerly
take all I offer." He said, "I can understand THAT!" Chuckles. He said,
"All Honduras owes you more gratitude than we can express!" I said,
"It's not over. We will have to see what happens to the REAL crime
bosses. Here's the information I gave them. Might have some surprises
in it." BIG grins. I shifted out.
Mom said, "Risky, that one." I said, "In public opinion, yes. In
action, no. I've been waiting for just those circumstances to make my
move. Yes, I could have stopped them before, but not the right way for
them, and for the world." She said, "You were right about having to let
some people be hurt for the greater good." I said, "And most won't
accept that in their emotions." Galya said, "And make you suffer more."
I said, "Same for the Boss." She said, "And you tell them that." I
nodded. We hugged with love."
I shifted to the CNN studio right after the action, to continue the
show. Mary said, "We're getting in a lot of comments. Solomon is here
to address some of them. Solomon, many are asking, if you knew about
what they were doing, why did you wait until this time to stop them?" I
said, "The actions I do are not just to stop the wrong things in them,
but to teach the people involved to not want to do it again, and in a
broadcast, to teach the world that. I chose this time and action, for
those specific reasons. They were doing wrong things. I needed to show
them the FULL consequences of what they were doing, in a case that went
all wrong for them in the worst way. That made the lesson much more
effective. And it also caused those police officers to WANT to stop,
and it was VERY important to show that. I have to give the people who
do wrong, the opportunity to decide not to. That I could also cause the
victims to want to make a better life for themselves, was also part of
the action. Projection showed they wouldn't have survived more than a
year, before another gang boss killed them. Please remember, I'm not
the police. I can't arrest people. I can only do so much within the
law, and just stopping a crime, doesn't cause people to not want to do
more of the same. And I can't make the authorities want to stop crime.
Teaching does that, when the conditions are right for that, and I can
SHOW them with something real."
She said, "But still, many other victims were killed while you waited
for that just right situation." I said, "That's true, but by choosing
this action, more lives will be saved, than if I hadn't waited, and not
just saved, but improved. Recall what I said in that action." I
replayed, "I never stop thinking. Could call it my curse. But, just
like you, I do what I have to do, even if some people have to be hurt
or die. To make a better world, some sacrifices have to be made. The
problem is who decides what makes a better world, and what doesn't? And
who decides what and who is sacrificed?" Again live, I said, "Who
decides is God. I do what He wants." She said, "How do you know what he
wants?" I said, "He's told me in general, and tells me some specifics,
and between those times, with feelings, and there are my own decisions
that are based on my knowledge of Him, and the reasons He has for what
He wants and does. He's been training me to think as He does. So I do
my best to do that. He will correct me, when I should be corrected. He
did that in a world love broadcast!"
She said, "Oh, that's right. The paternity evidence." I said, "I
didn't want to violate privacy and possible laws. I was ordered to do
it anyway, and in front of the whole world. BIG surprise. He could have
told me privately, as He has before." She said, "Do you know why He
chose to do it that way?" I said, "I don't know why He did it that way.
He hasn't said. All I've had from him since that were specific mission
orders for offplanet. I do NOT bother Him with unimportant personal
questions. If He wants me to know something, He will make it happen.
But not if I can figure it out on my own. He can be very frustrating,
just as my own students tell me I am, and for the same reasons."
Chuckles. She said, "Thank you, Solomon, for helping to understand
this." I said, "It's my job. Boss's orders. I have to explain the
teaching in my actions when I can. But there is one more important
thing. You, all of you, are responsible for crimes. You could stop
them. You could testify. You could force your leaders to do their jobs
better. You could do all those things to help keep you safe, and to
keep others safe, but you don't do enough. The crimes like the one I
just stopped, have been happening there for many years, and nobody
stopped them. Don't blame ME for that, or God. Blame yourselves! What I
do is to try to help you to do that, to become more responsible for
what you allow to happen in your society, and so I publish some of
these actions." Off air, I said, "And some actions I publish, I have to
be ordered to do that, such as the Crusade one." She said, "Oh! I need
to go back on and mention that." We hugged in a hurry, with smiles, and
I shifted out.
A lot of people still didn't understand. Nothing I can do about that.
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Grant
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