SARA'S STORY JUSTICE OR VENGEANCE. By Catherine Linda Michel

CHAPTER 5

A couple of weeks went by and there seemed to be no change in the gang's activities. They were still up to their no-good actions and Cathy was going through different moods, seemingly daily. One day she wanted the whole gang dead and gone, while on other days she dreaded being the one behind whatever vengeance was awaiting them.

Morally, she knew that deadly vengeance was wrong except for the worst of crimes and, for the most part, she was torn, knowing that her actions might indeed lead to the deaths of whichever gang members were directly involved in Sara's beating, rape and death... but then, they HAD killed Sara and murder deserved the worst kind of retribution, or so she thought.

Sara had become more than just one more trans person seeking solace and help. She had become, in Cathilyn's mind, a surrogate child. The experiences in the hospital and the burial had gone deep into Cathilyn's mind and soul. Sara had forgiven the ones who caused her death, and her family's seeming uncaring attitudes...Cathilyn had not.

Sam had been a rock for Cathilyn. He had been at her side, even though he had a full schedule of legal duties. He had postponed some of his less pressing cases and given responsibility for some others, only handling the most serious cases on his docket, but had devoted the majority of his time to Cathilyn and The Home, knowing that he was much more needed by her side than almost anything else.

Was Sam in love with Cathilyn? This question had been in both Sam's and Cathilyn's minds from time to time although neither had confided or expressed any such thoughts to one another. Why? Perhaps Sam was too wrapped up in legal matters, or maybe that he was afraid that by telling Cathilyn would ruin their close friendship. For Cathilyn, while she believed that Sam was a true and trusted friend, she had never really allowed herself to contemplate any such possibility of romantic feelings toward Sam or any other male.

Beside that, Cathilyn and Sam had a long history of friends. Sam had been one of the very few who had stood with her while she transitioned, helping her with all the myriad of paperwork that accompanies such a major change in one's life. He had gone with her when she had her final surgeries and had become the primary legal representative for The Home. While Sam was a bit younger than Cathilyn, there was an attraction between them although neither of them recognized consciously what it might be. It was easier and much fewer mental calisthenics were involved to name it anything other than friendship, deep though it might be.

Meanwhile, Brett, David and Sonya were working to find the best way to bring the gang to justice. Elimination of the gang members was certainly an option, but maybe not the best way, since it might bring too much attention to The Home and Cathilyn. To disrupt the good work that was being done at The Home would not do anyone any good, and to besmirch Cathilyn's hard won reputation would be just as bad.

Nevertheless, something HAD to be done. Beside their responsibility in Sara's death, they had been involved in so many other illegal deeds for which they had not been arrested or punished and they were becoming a force for bad things in the neighborhood and the town itself. They weren't the only gang in town, but they were, without a doubt, the worst and the other gangs were constantly warring to supplant the SSBs to take over their territory. Sooner or later, open warfare would break out among the gangs and that would be very bad for all concerned.

David had managed to bug the gang's headquarters, a rundown home that had slipped through the cracks and the city government and the banks had lost track of it, despite concerned citizen's complaints about the disreputable home and grounds around it. The police knew about it, of course, but lacking any real, provable evidence, there was little more that they could do, save to try to keep close eyes open for anything that could enable them to arrest anyone.

David had many hours of recordings from the gang hangout indicating who might have been directly involved in Sara's beating, and had put names to at least 5 who had participated in the attack. He had briefed both Brett and Sonya about their identities and plans were in the works to bring real proof to the police, but any information David managed to gather was questionable at best and not really enough to build a case against those responsible.

“I'll tell you, Brett,” David said, “these guys are as sneaky and close mouthed about this as any I've ever come up against. I mean, yes, we could sweat some of them and get the info we need to bring them down, but it wouldn't stand up in any court. I think we're gonna have to consider just relieving them of their breathing privileges. I know you hate having that option, but I don't see any other real way to end their threat or bring this gang down.

“Yeah, I know David.” Brett replied. “I hate the idea of having to kill any of them although God knows, some of them deserve killing. I had hoped we would be able to get this job done without that happening, but as you say, we don't seem to be able to get what we need to do this any other way. Sonya, do you have any other ideas about this?”

“No Brett. Although I must admit, the crimes they've been suspected of committing justify eliminations, what they did to that poor kid puts them firmly in my book as not needed on this earth. Crimes against adults are one thing, but to pick on, beat and rape a kid who was only trying to get somewhere to get help is beyond my ability to think any of them deserve mercy. If you want, I can begin picking them off one by one.”

“Sonya, you have always been one who prefers the simpler ways of eliminating problems.” Brett remarked. “In this case though, I have begun to come around to your solution for some of these wastes of space. I'll run it past number 1 and see if he agrees. If he does, maybe we can get this job done with a minimum number of casualties and break up the rest of the gang. You do realize though that we are going to have to send a strong message to the rest of the gangs in this city that, if you mess with Cathilyn or The Home, they won't like the consequences. Otherwise, the minute the SSB's are out of power, the others will want to move in and take over what's left.”

“So maybe we'll have to send a strong enough warning to all of them then.” Said Sonya. “If they know that The Home and all of it's residents, staff are under a strict, enforced ban on interference it might even help those who are LGBT and keep them safer than they might otherwise be. You know, I'll never understand why those who are “gender variant” come under such hatred and distrust. They are just folks trying to live their lives as best as they can.”

“I agree, Sonya” David said. “So Brett, I guess you have to go to number 1 and present our findings and conclusions and I think you oughta do it ASAP. These gang members seem to be untouchable any other way. Even if we scare them, they'll just bunker up and prepare for a fight, making it harder for us to do what needs to be done. God! I hate this kind of job!”

“So do Sonya and I, David, but in some cases, there is no other way to get it done. If the law won't or can't solve things, then it falls to people like us to set the record straight and make things right again, or to obtain justice for someone who never hurt anyone. Okay guys. I'm off to see number 1 and get his thoughts and/or approval for our plan.” Brett finally said.

He went immediately to his secure phone and made arrangements to meet him and hopefully get the okay to begin their mission. He knew that it wouldn't be an easy sell, but didn't see any other way to solve the situation. The gang could not be allowed to think they had committed murder and rape without any reprisals. Fortunately, all the planning and the actual taking of this job had been accomplished with almost no connection to The Home or Cathilyn, or at least nothing that could be proved in court. Certainly there would be questions and the inevitable death of Sara would throw The Home under some suspicion but nothing that could be proved.

A few nights later.

Having obtained information that identified the ringleaders of the assault on Sara beyond any possible doubt, Sonya waited in ambush. She knew that one of the ones directly responsible would be in a certain area at a certain time and had scoped out a couple of likely ambush spots where she would be able to take care of business without drawing unnecessary attention from citizens or the police.

FROM THE AUTHOR. This is, undoubtedly, the toughest thing I have ever tried to write. Some of it is going to fly directly in the face of what I feel is right or moral. I've tried my hardest to divorce my own personal feelings about some of what will follow and try to write what would probably follow. Please don't flame me or take me to task over what might be anathema to some of you. Bear in mind that Cathilyn's hurt over Sara's death is, in a larger sense, my own, as Sara's story touched me emotionally more than I ever thought it would. Never has anything I wrote touched me so deeply. So if I get a bit bloodthirsty seeming in future chapters, it's the voice within me, screaming for vengeance agaInst people who would regard Trans people as targets for whatever violence they deem right in their deluded excuses for minds.