"Where's Oliver?" The Ancient One asked.
"Sorry, sir! " the young captain answered, "Appendicitis, sir! They had to rush him to the hospital! They're saying he'll be o.k. though."
"Dark ones!" The Ancient One's female companion muttered. The Ancient One only nodded.
"Let's go!" he snapped.
They entered the court house and approached the security scanners. The young captain stepped ahead and held up a badge. "National Security Officers!" he snapped, "No questions! We weren't here, you didn't see us! Am I understood?"
The security man checked the badge, backed off, and snapped "Yes, sir!"
The Ancient One and his companions made their way upstairs. There was another security guard outside a courtroom. The captain spoke to him, the man looked cross. "Sorry!" he muttered, "This is a sealed grand jury session. I don't care who you are, you don't get in!"
The Ancient One grabbed the front of the man's coat and hurled him down the hall. He landed with a thud in the corner. The Ancient One opened the door and went inside. The captain stayed to deal with the security guard when he got back.
Major West was on the stand, and an agrivated man was speaking to her. "Major, you mean to tell me," he was saying, "that one of eight men happens to die in your house on the same night as the others, all dying very mysteriously? This stinks of a cover up, and I want to get to the bottom of it! I don't care who you are, this many accidents just don't happen! I want some answers, and I want them now!"
"Well, you're not going to get them!" The Ancient One snapped. "These proceedings are concluded! This case is now closed."
The man speaking turned and glared at The Ancient One. "Who in the hell are you?" he snapped. "How did you get in here? This is a closed proceeding!"
"Who I am doesn't matter!" The Ancient One answered, "I'm not here." He sat the case down and opened it, and took out several documents. "I have federal issuings here," he announced, "ending these proceedings and sealing these cases. There are to be no more investigations! These deaths have been ruled accidents, and they will stay accidents, or you will be prosecuted! Do I make myself clear?"
"I want your name and rank!" the man speaking screamed, "I want it now!"
The bewildered judge finally rose his hand then pointed at The Ancient One. "Bring those documents here!" he insisted.
The Ancient One brought them over and handed them up. As he did so the judge muttered "Been a long time!"
"Yeah!" The Ancient One answered, "Saigon, wasn't it?"
The judge nodded and began to go through the documents. After a moment he laid them down. "Ladies and gentlemen," he remarked to the jurors, "your services are no longer required. You are not to speak to anyone of what you have heard and seen here. You are dismissed!"
A bailiff motioned the people to rise and led them out. The judge motioned the irritated district attourney over. "I'm sorry, Willy," he remarked, "we're outgunned on this one. You've gone as far as you can go. Seal 'em up! Let it go! They mean it! If you give them trouble you'll be arrested, tried and in a federal prison in short order!"
"This isn't right!" the district attourney complained.
"Might not be," the judge answered, "but they've got the power, we don't!"
"If you'll excuse me," The Ancient One put in, "my duties demand I be elsewhere!"
"Then you may certainly depart!" the judge quickly answered.
The Ancient One motioned to Major West and she followed him outside. "Sorry about this," he apologized, "General. I've been occupied elsewhere. Didn't get word on this 'til a little while ago."
The Major smiled. "You've given me a promotion, sir!"
"I most certainly have!" the General answered. "The commander of the day shift always holds a general's rank! Probably won't see as much of you, but I'm sure we'll bump into each other once and a while! And you'll find orders with your promotion saying that you can bring the baby to the nursery and take time during your shift to feed it. I am an advocate of breast feeding!"
"Baby?" the bewildered woman asked.
The Ancient One only smiled. "Gotta go!" he remarked. "More people to irritate!"
"And you most certainly can irritate them!" the Major answered. "Thank you, sir!"
She snapped a salute and The Ancient One returned it. He gave the briefcase back to his aide, they ducked behind the bushes, took their true forms and headed off. "All in a day's work!" The Ancient One's male companion remarked.
"True!" The Ancient One answered, "True!"

THE END