Re: Informed consent AU M/L ADULT 06/26/2010
Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:03 am
Jim and Jaime were feeling sort of good as they got out of the car and started toward the door.... at least until Isabel met them half way up the driveway - Alex at her side.
"I know I told you I'd go quietly - and I will...."
"Except you aren't taking her without taking me too," said Alex, defiantly.
Jim and Jaime looked at each other, not too sure if the couple ... and unlikely as that might have once seemed, neither law enforcement official could doubt that now ... were challenging them or each other.
"Alex...." said, Isabel looking at him with eyes that seemed to be begging him to back off.
"Not going to happen, Iz. I'm not going to start our lives together by standing idly by and watching while the police drag you off somewhere..."
Jim shook his head. "Nobody is dragging ANYONE off," said Jim, starting to hold up he records.
"They most assuredly are NOT," said Diane Evans, charging out the door with a grim-faced Philip in hot pursuit. "I don't care what kind of paperwork you have, you are not taking my child..."
One of the situations most feared by law enforcement is a domestic situation blowing up in their faces. There is just too much emotion built in to such situations. People lose the ability to consider things dispassionately - and law enforcement is always the interloper. It was becoming obvious to Jim that Alex's acceptance of Isabel being a little 'different' had exceeded her expectations, although he personally wasn't all that surprised by it. Now he also had two parents involved in defending their daughter as well as her adamant young man. In the meantime, he couldn't even get a word in edgewise. What Jim Valenti decided was desperately needed - or at least that's what they'd told him in Law Enforcement 202 - was an external focus for their anger.
"This isn't about taking ANYONE in to custody," said Sheriff Valenti, holding his hands palm forward in what the instructor had told him was a placating gesture before remembering that had been the posture Isabel had used when she'd vaporized the bullet and melted the barrel of his gun. Fortunately Isabel and Alex seemed to take his faux pas in the spirit it was intended - an indication of non-violence - rather than as a challenge. "What I am concerned about is making sure that old man Parker doesn't go off the rails and do something stupid, but in the meantime I just needed to drop by with some documents for you..."
"What do you mean, old man Parker going 'off the rails...?" asked Nancy Parker suddenly, elbowing her way out from between Diane and Philip, followed shortly by Jeff asking, "What do you mean OLD? You and I are the same age, Jim..."
"Look, I'm trying not to cause any trouble here. This is intended as a friendly visit. Couldn't we just go inside and ...talk ... about this a little. I promise - all of you - that nobody is going to take anyone in custody?"
The Parkers and the Evanses and Alex looked at each other briefly and there were a series of shrugging shoulders.
"After you, gentlemen," said Philip, gesturing toward the door."
As they stepped through the door Jim saw the long table set with food - and the two people still sitting there. Jim's eyes locked on to Max and he stopped in mid-step so abruptly Jaime ran in to him. Before he could quite recover, Valenti received his second surprise as the OTHER person sitting there opened her mouth.
"Sheriff Valenti.... long time no see," said a smiling Liz.
Being in law enforcement requires you to have the ability to quickly adapt to surprises. Even so, that ability in Jim Valenti was seriously tested. After doing a momentary double-take Jim turned to Jaime and spoke.
"Special Agent Sanchez, I don't believe you've met Max Evans and Liz Parker."
"Liz Evans," Max and Liz said simultaneously.
Jim Valenti smiled - fighting back a chuckle. "This is going to seriously complicate the grand jury indictment of the young man, don't you think, Jaime?"
"I wouldn't be a damn bit surprised," said the Special Agent.
"Uh, I wasn't really kidnapped, Sheriff," said Liz. "I was in the nursing home and Max stopped by to see how I was doing. He kissed me and somehow I woke up. Maybe it was just the emotions of the moment but Max somehow got over his shyness enough to propose to me. I accepted. I figured that I'd lost a year of my life and nearly lost it all and that ... well ... I wasn't going to waste the time I was given. I talked Max into eloping with me - and the rest is history."
Jim chuckled. "Not a bad story, Liz. Hell, if you ever really did have to tell it, there probably wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. It's almost too bad it won't be necessary - I'd have given real money to see the expression on the prosecutors face when you said that to the jury." Valenti shook his head in disbelief - just imagining such a courtroom scene. Then he looked at Max. "I take it you found some way to make that advanced technology that Isabel was talking about work to cure Liz?"
Max appeared to blush deeply, Liz just smiled a Mona Lisa-like smile. Eventually a stuttering and tongue-tied Max was able to talk. "I... uh... that is w-w-we w-w-w-were ... uh ... f-f-fortunate enough to find a d-d-different method."
Observation is an important part of law enforcement. Liz was giving her husband an endearing look - despite or perhaps because of his obvious embarrassment - and eventually Jim's gaze noticed the small swelling in her lower abdomen.
"Well, congratulations Max... Liz. This isn't really a wedding present, I brought it for your sister originally, but maybe we could consider it a gift for both you and Isabel and Michael and ... anyone else that might come along."
Jim handed the copies from the FBI to Diane Evans. "You know, this isn't a perfect world - but it's getting better. Things like the Cherokee Trail of Tears, slavery, ... even the human rights violations of the Japanese-Americans in World War Two - well, I'd like to think that those could never happen today. I'd like to think that the things the FBI Special Unit did with the Presidential authorizations they had to deal with aliens wouldn't ever happen again either, but knowing the fallibility of everyone, I thought a little insurance would be in order. Here are copies of some rather disturbing things our government did in their quest for aliens - aliens who apparently never did anything - never even intended to do anything to hurt humans - until the Special Unit forced them to fight for their lives. It isn't just that people in government are pretty ashamed of what was done in their name, it's that politically extraterrestrial life is one of those social, religious, and philosophical 'hot potato' items that the politicians would rather not face unless someone forced them to do so. I'm a plain spoken unsophisticated street cop, councilor. I'm sure that a lawyer can come up with some term other than extortion to describe holding the government hostage to leave Max and Isabel and Michael Guerin alone."
"Oh, I suppose the term extortion will be fair enough," said Diane, quickly perusing the copies. "I'll use them too - have Alex plaster them all over the internet if the government tries anything."
"According to my boss, the government would just as soon let bygones be bygones, Mrs. Evans," said Jaime. "Nobody can undo what was done, but nobody wants to see any repetition of the mistakes of the past either."
"And if anyone is ever tempted to change their mind," said Jim Valenti, "...I'm sure the thought that you could go public with these records would pretty quickly disabuse them of that notion."
"What's in the other envelope?" asked Diane.
"Well, I have a confession to make. Until Jaime here told me the truth, I actually believed the Special Unit were good guys, just like my father had. From the first few days after Max and Isabel first came to town I kept them under surveillance. Same thing for Michael Guerin. I'd just about convinced myself that thy were aliens - what with the three of them all being foundlings and keeping to themselves. But when I saw Max lose it when Liz was hurt, saw all the trouble he got himself into, actually saw the Ice Princess falling for a nice young man like Alex Whitman - I sort of decided they were human after all. Then when your daughter stopped me from making a horrible mistake this morning I figured I had been right about the alien part, but wrong about wanting the special unit or anyone like them to get these files so I pulled them out of the storage unit I'd put them in. I suppose you ought to just put them in the shredder."
Isabel reached over and took the package from his hand. She held it over a trash can and a golden light from her hand suffused the envelope. Suddenly it was just a fine ash falling softly into the trash.
"Or, you could do that I guess...," said a smiling Jim Valenti.
Diane looked at the two law enforcement officers.
"Gentlemen," she said, "... it appears that you've had a long ... and very busy ... day. If you'd care to join us, we have quite a bit of lasagna and chili left over. I'll warn you, the chili is a little spicy...."
"It's an acquired taste," said Liz. "It would have probably been too hot for me three months ago, but it's awfully good if you can stand the heat," she smiled at Max. Max blushed deeply - again.
'Ah, Hell,' thought Valenti. 'The two of them are newlyweds - they are entitled to flirt a little...'
Jim and Jaime had just settled down in their seats and started to eat when they heard the dirt-bike pull up outside.
"I know I told you I'd go quietly - and I will...."
"Except you aren't taking her without taking me too," said Alex, defiantly.
Jim and Jaime looked at each other, not too sure if the couple ... and unlikely as that might have once seemed, neither law enforcement official could doubt that now ... were challenging them or each other.
"Alex...." said, Isabel looking at him with eyes that seemed to be begging him to back off.
"Not going to happen, Iz. I'm not going to start our lives together by standing idly by and watching while the police drag you off somewhere..."
Jim shook his head. "Nobody is dragging ANYONE off," said Jim, starting to hold up he records.
"They most assuredly are NOT," said Diane Evans, charging out the door with a grim-faced Philip in hot pursuit. "I don't care what kind of paperwork you have, you are not taking my child..."
One of the situations most feared by law enforcement is a domestic situation blowing up in their faces. There is just too much emotion built in to such situations. People lose the ability to consider things dispassionately - and law enforcement is always the interloper. It was becoming obvious to Jim that Alex's acceptance of Isabel being a little 'different' had exceeded her expectations, although he personally wasn't all that surprised by it. Now he also had two parents involved in defending their daughter as well as her adamant young man. In the meantime, he couldn't even get a word in edgewise. What Jim Valenti decided was desperately needed - or at least that's what they'd told him in Law Enforcement 202 - was an external focus for their anger.
"This isn't about taking ANYONE in to custody," said Sheriff Valenti, holding his hands palm forward in what the instructor had told him was a placating gesture before remembering that had been the posture Isabel had used when she'd vaporized the bullet and melted the barrel of his gun. Fortunately Isabel and Alex seemed to take his faux pas in the spirit it was intended - an indication of non-violence - rather than as a challenge. "What I am concerned about is making sure that old man Parker doesn't go off the rails and do something stupid, but in the meantime I just needed to drop by with some documents for you..."
"What do you mean, old man Parker going 'off the rails...?" asked Nancy Parker suddenly, elbowing her way out from between Diane and Philip, followed shortly by Jeff asking, "What do you mean OLD? You and I are the same age, Jim..."
"Look, I'm trying not to cause any trouble here. This is intended as a friendly visit. Couldn't we just go inside and ...talk ... about this a little. I promise - all of you - that nobody is going to take anyone in custody?"
The Parkers and the Evanses and Alex looked at each other briefly and there were a series of shrugging shoulders.
"After you, gentlemen," said Philip, gesturing toward the door."
As they stepped through the door Jim saw the long table set with food - and the two people still sitting there. Jim's eyes locked on to Max and he stopped in mid-step so abruptly Jaime ran in to him. Before he could quite recover, Valenti received his second surprise as the OTHER person sitting there opened her mouth.
"Sheriff Valenti.... long time no see," said a smiling Liz.
Being in law enforcement requires you to have the ability to quickly adapt to surprises. Even so, that ability in Jim Valenti was seriously tested. After doing a momentary double-take Jim turned to Jaime and spoke.
"Special Agent Sanchez, I don't believe you've met Max Evans and Liz Parker."
"Liz Evans," Max and Liz said simultaneously.
Jim Valenti smiled - fighting back a chuckle. "This is going to seriously complicate the grand jury indictment of the young man, don't you think, Jaime?"
"I wouldn't be a damn bit surprised," said the Special Agent.
"Uh, I wasn't really kidnapped, Sheriff," said Liz. "I was in the nursing home and Max stopped by to see how I was doing. He kissed me and somehow I woke up. Maybe it was just the emotions of the moment but Max somehow got over his shyness enough to propose to me. I accepted. I figured that I'd lost a year of my life and nearly lost it all and that ... well ... I wasn't going to waste the time I was given. I talked Max into eloping with me - and the rest is history."
Jim chuckled. "Not a bad story, Liz. Hell, if you ever really did have to tell it, there probably wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. It's almost too bad it won't be necessary - I'd have given real money to see the expression on the prosecutors face when you said that to the jury." Valenti shook his head in disbelief - just imagining such a courtroom scene. Then he looked at Max. "I take it you found some way to make that advanced technology that Isabel was talking about work to cure Liz?"
Max appeared to blush deeply, Liz just smiled a Mona Lisa-like smile. Eventually a stuttering and tongue-tied Max was able to talk. "I... uh... that is w-w-we w-w-w-were ... uh ... f-f-fortunate enough to find a d-d-different method."
Observation is an important part of law enforcement. Liz was giving her husband an endearing look - despite or perhaps because of his obvious embarrassment - and eventually Jim's gaze noticed the small swelling in her lower abdomen.
"Well, congratulations Max... Liz. This isn't really a wedding present, I brought it for your sister originally, but maybe we could consider it a gift for both you and Isabel and Michael and ... anyone else that might come along."
Jim handed the copies from the FBI to Diane Evans. "You know, this isn't a perfect world - but it's getting better. Things like the Cherokee Trail of Tears, slavery, ... even the human rights violations of the Japanese-Americans in World War Two - well, I'd like to think that those could never happen today. I'd like to think that the things the FBI Special Unit did with the Presidential authorizations they had to deal with aliens wouldn't ever happen again either, but knowing the fallibility of everyone, I thought a little insurance would be in order. Here are copies of some rather disturbing things our government did in their quest for aliens - aliens who apparently never did anything - never even intended to do anything to hurt humans - until the Special Unit forced them to fight for their lives. It isn't just that people in government are pretty ashamed of what was done in their name, it's that politically extraterrestrial life is one of those social, religious, and philosophical 'hot potato' items that the politicians would rather not face unless someone forced them to do so. I'm a plain spoken unsophisticated street cop, councilor. I'm sure that a lawyer can come up with some term other than extortion to describe holding the government hostage to leave Max and Isabel and Michael Guerin alone."
"Oh, I suppose the term extortion will be fair enough," said Diane, quickly perusing the copies. "I'll use them too - have Alex plaster them all over the internet if the government tries anything."
"According to my boss, the government would just as soon let bygones be bygones, Mrs. Evans," said Jaime. "Nobody can undo what was done, but nobody wants to see any repetition of the mistakes of the past either."
"And if anyone is ever tempted to change their mind," said Jim Valenti, "...I'm sure the thought that you could go public with these records would pretty quickly disabuse them of that notion."
"What's in the other envelope?" asked Diane.
"Well, I have a confession to make. Until Jaime here told me the truth, I actually believed the Special Unit were good guys, just like my father had. From the first few days after Max and Isabel first came to town I kept them under surveillance. Same thing for Michael Guerin. I'd just about convinced myself that thy were aliens - what with the three of them all being foundlings and keeping to themselves. But when I saw Max lose it when Liz was hurt, saw all the trouble he got himself into, actually saw the Ice Princess falling for a nice young man like Alex Whitman - I sort of decided they were human after all. Then when your daughter stopped me from making a horrible mistake this morning I figured I had been right about the alien part, but wrong about wanting the special unit or anyone like them to get these files so I pulled them out of the storage unit I'd put them in. I suppose you ought to just put them in the shredder."
Isabel reached over and took the package from his hand. She held it over a trash can and a golden light from her hand suffused the envelope. Suddenly it was just a fine ash falling softly into the trash.
"Or, you could do that I guess...," said a smiling Jim Valenti.
Diane looked at the two law enforcement officers.
"Gentlemen," she said, "... it appears that you've had a long ... and very busy ... day. If you'd care to join us, we have quite a bit of lasagna and chili left over. I'll warn you, the chili is a little spicy...."
"It's an acquired taste," said Liz. "It would have probably been too hot for me three months ago, but it's awfully good if you can stand the heat," she smiled at Max. Max blushed deeply - again.
'Ah, Hell,' thought Valenti. 'The two of them are newlyweds - they are entitled to flirt a little...'
Jim and Jaime had just settled down in their seats and started to eat when they heard the dirt-bike pull up outside.