Officer Howard was waiting as we returned to the station in the mid afternoon. With Washerman dead as a result of the fight in the park, Officer Barnes and I were no longer needed to deal with the end of the case. Agent Blustunn would be able to handle Washerman's body and the things that went with it. The tougher thing was the death of Agent Harris. I didn't know how close Harris and Blustunn actually were, and I didn't want to say anything wrong. For all I knew, Agent Harris and Blustunn didn't talk to each other outside of their working hours. Officers Won and Barnes also remained quiet on the subject.
"You did well," Agent Blustunn spoke to us as we all got out of his vehicle, "You did well."
"I'm not so sure of that, sir," Officer Won spoke after a moment, "your partner... the Park Ranger..."
Agent Blustunn looked down with a sigh, "It could have been a lot worse. And I mean a LOT worse. He did take the serum. Suppose Officer Wayne hadn't been able to alert us to where he was... he would have gotten away and apprehending him would have been even riskier."
I glanced to him and thought over his reasoning behind this. Yes, my roars did alert the others that were chasing Washerman to where he was, but in the end, Washerman wasn't arrested. He was shot dead because the situation was such that if Washerman was to be taken alive, I would have been killed in his place. Blustunn and the Park Rangers decided that my life was more valuable then Washerman's. But, if I hadn't been able to alert them, Washerman would have killed me and moved on... possibly even attacking the others before they could respond to being attacked by a Bison-Person.
"To be honest, Officer Wayne," Agent Blustunn then looked to me, "when we asked for your help in this, we figured it would be your physical strength we would need. Not the strength of your vocal cords."
"Whatever works, I guess," I managed to shrug, "We're sorry about your partner."
Blustunn was silent. After a few moments he sighed, "Me too. Me too."
And with that, Agent Blustunn backed up his SUV and left our parking lot. He would likely try to catch up the convoy of FBI vehicles and the Park Service Truck pulling the trailer that had Washerman's body. That convoy would end at Helena and the state's regional FBI office. From there, I didn't know what would happen. As he left, Officer Won then cleared his throat.
"I had best be going too," Officer Won replied, "I'll need to report in to my chief on how this case ended and resume what are my normal duties."
"We won't hold you here longer then you need to," Officer Barnes told him.
"Thank you," Officer Won nodded, "You two did a good job. And you did restrain yourself well Officer Wayne."
I nodded, "I try... and I've had help from friends and family in preparation for that sort of thing."
Officer Won only shrugged and moved to his own vehicle, which had been sitting in our parking lot for the duration of the present investigation. As he left, we went in through the station's back door, where we found Officer Howard waiting.
"Sir," Officer Barnes spoke first.
"Did you get him?" Officer Howard asked.
"Yes, sir," Officer Barnes answered, "though the operation didn't entirely go according to plan."
"Pardon...?" Officer Howard asked.
And slowly Officer Barnes and I explained the operation to capture Washerman. He gave a frustrated sigh at the report that Washerman had wounded one of the Park Rangers and killed Agent Harris, but he nearly looked horrified when it was my turn to explain the battle against him after he took the Animatrix Serum.
"You should have shot to kill him," Officer Howard lectured, "if he's coming after you with lethal intent, you are well within your rights to kill a suspect in that situation."
"I don't think the handgun I have had the strength to kill him," I answered.
Officer Howard only sighed.
"Plus... shooting him... as it happened," I continued, "isn't justice in my mind."
Officer Howard only sighed again, "Wayne, sometimes you're too much of an idealist. I've already lost two officers... and that lunatic nearly killed you. Do you realize what I'd have to tell your wife if he had been able to put his foot down?"
I couldn't answer.
"We all want to bring the criminals in alive," Officer Howard sighed, "it's why a lot of us join the Force. But some are just beyond the point of reason. You should understand that since Williams' little stunt ended the same way."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The rest of the day went quietly and I returned to Bandhavgarh Cabin to find the front part of the house sounding rather quiet. Laura and Simon's vehicle was not there. They were likely still in Kalispell visiting with Laura's father. I did however hear the tell tell signs of splashing from our backyard pool. I made my way through the house. The lights were on in the kitchen, and Molly had something cooking, but she wasn't in there at the time. As I came out the back door, I found the center of the activity.
Ulysses was slashing about in the pool while Herman was seated in a folding chair underneath the kitchen window. Molly stood half way between them, playing the role of babysitter. Herman probably didn't need it, but Ulysses might if something were to happen in the water that he wasn't ready for.
"Hello, George," Molly greeted me as I approached her.
"Playing life guard this evening?" I asked her.
"Don't worry," Molly answered, "I have the timer with me. When the time is up,I can go in."
"Ah," I said slowly and gave her a soft hug.
"How did it go?" Molly whispered to me as softly as she could manage.
"He wounded a Park Ranger and killed an FBI Agent," I answered her, "before taking the serum."
"Are you alright?!" Molly gasped, alerting both Ulysses and Herman.
"I'm fine," I nuzzled her softly, "I'll be sore for a little while but I'll be fine. Washerman, however, won't be. He was shot by the Park Rangers before things could get worse."
I left out how close Washerman had come to killing me. It would only frighten Molly and with the Rush children there, it would only agitate things.
"This Washerman," Herman spoke, "he was the one who attacked Grandpa?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"Good," Herman answered, "Grandpa never deserved to be attacked."
"No one ever does," I told him.
"I don't want to hear about the bad man!" Ulysses stated from the pool.
At the same time, Molly's timer went off.
"Go on, I'll keep an eye on things out here," I told her.
Molly nodded and went in while I went over to talk with Herman where he was seated. As I approached him, I found him sketching something.
"What are you working on?" I asked as I approached.
"Just sketching a few things," Herman answered, and held up the papers he was drawing on. They portrayed a squirrel in a tree.
I then glanced to see a squirrel sitting in one of the pine trees near the cabin chewing on something.
"You seem to do good sketches," I commented.
"It's the animals I like," Herman answered, "I'd like to be where I could study and understand them. Grandpa always wanted us to be interested in ranching... but... I just don't find it to be my calling... and Ulysses... he's too young yet to make a decision like that."
"Oh, you never know," I answered, "I remember wanting to be a police officer at Ulysses' age."
"So you could catch bad guys?" Herman asked.
"And to try and protect people," I nodded.
"And you caught the guy that attacked Grandpa?" Herman asked in a softer voice, so his brother wouldn't hear.
"Yes," I nodded, "Which you've already said you approve of."
Herman paused for a moment and then set his papers and pencils down in his lap. I saw a small tear go down his cheek.
"He was always so strong," Herman almost whimpered, "despite his age. He was a strong. He could always lift Ulysses and I when we were little. He was a lot of fun to visit. He'd take me walking through the ranch and occasionally we'd see deer in some areas. Of course... Grandpa enjoyed the hunting part of that, but it helped me find my love for nature."
"Your Grandfather gave Molly and I our chance to live here where we'd be on our own," I replied, leaving out the feud between Michael York and Pierre Beauregard at the time.
"It's why we love him," Herman said weakly, "and he's just laying there... helpless... unmoving. It's the machines keeping him alive now, and they're losing the fight."
I didn't know how to answer that. I wasn't there when my grandparents passed on, and Molly never got the chance to know hers. But Herman and Ulysses Rush had to have known Michael York well, and now when they went to see him, they saw an image that countered everything they knew.
"I'm sure things will be better," I said after a few moments, "medicine has come a long way."
"Not far enough," Herman answered. The tone was similar to ones used by Laura York-Rush and her husband Simon Rush. However, they largely sounded accepting of it. Like they expected Michael York to pass on. Herman sounded defeated.
"Maybe things well turn around," I said optimistically.
"And if not?" Herman looked up, tears flowing freely.
"You say you've wanted to study animals... work for the Park Service... and that it is your visits to your grandfather that has done this..." I said slowly, "If your grandfather does pass on, dedicate what you do to him and his memory. I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be depressed."
Herman only stood up and hugged me as he did so. I could only pat his back softly as Molly came out to announce that dinner was ready and that Ulysses would need to get out of the pool and dry off.