The Archangel Drones by Joe Nobody Page A

street beyond. Digital numbers displayed the time and date in the lower, right hand corner.
    A car appeared in the scene, a police cruiser riding its bumper, but the roof-mounted lights were not flashing. “This is a video from the storage unit business at the corner, less than three blocks from where Jacob’s car was stopped. You can clearly see the officer did not have his emergency lights engaged. He’s lying… again.”
    Tony’s head snapped up at that last word, but he didn’t say anything.
    “So, is the district attorney’s office willing to drop the charges against my client, or are you going to tarnish that fine establishment’s reputation even further by going in front of the judge?”
    The less-experienced attorney didn’t respond at first, his eyes darting back to the computer screen. Adam gave the man more than ample time to respond before frowning with disappointment and closing the laptop. “You’re making a mistake, Tony. Instead of going after an innocent kid, your office should be out in front of this, dropping the charges against my client and filing a list of felony charges against those cops. That’s about the only way this county is going to avoid a massive public outcry. Who knows, Houston might become a Ferguson on steroids.”
    The ADA shook his head. “Come on, Adam, be reasonable. You know there’s an election coming up, and there hasn’t been a district attorney elected in this city without the endorsement of the Police Officer’s Union for over 40 years. If we go after Marwick, the union will come after us. My boss isn’t going to go for that.”
    Barlow’s eyes bored into the man across from him, a cloud of frost filling the room. He raised an accusing finger at the ADA and hissed, “That kid’s world has been shattered, Tony. He had a full boat scholarship to play ball at a good school, and our abusive police department has killed that dream. Everything he’s worked for… poof! Gone! That could have been my son… or yours… or anybody’s. He doesn’t come from a wealthy family. He’s definitely not some privileged brat. The medical bills alone are probably going to send his folks into bankruptcy. This excessive force has to stop, and we both know it.”
    Tony didn’t like be lectured. “Now aren’t we just the high and mighty crusader for justice and morality?” the heated rebuttal began. “So we had a cop who stuck his toe over the line? It happens. These guys stick their asses up in the air like targets every single night. They see more shit in a week than most people see in a lifetime. They take risks to catch the bad guys, and then assholes like you and me let them go back on the streets to hurt more people. So yeah, they take a little retribution now and then, but overall, the system works. If we start hanging every cop who makes a mistake, that same system won’t work. We need those men and women in blue. Without them, society would fall apart, and if that happens, it won’t be a police officer roughing up your precious, fair-haired client – it will be a criminal who won’t let him off with a few bumps and bruises.”
    Adam shook his head, having heard it all before. Reaching into a file folder, he produced a picture of Jacob’s knee, and shoved it across the table. “This is a few bruises and bumps? This is a toe over the line? Marwick is going to kill somebody, Tony, and we both know it. Will that constitute sticking a toe over the line as well?’”
    A complete dismissal of the charges against Jacob was beyond Tony’s level of authority. “I’ll have to take this back to my superiors and mull it over. How about we ask the judge to reschedule the arraignment for a few days out?”
    “Fine by me, but no more than 48 hours. My client is scheduled to leave the hospital day after tomorrow, and I want him going home with his parents, not back to the county jail.”

    District Attorney Sanders grimaced as she scrutinized the video of Jacob Chase’s