Thursday morning found us all over to the gym on a weekday for the first time in a while. We split up and went about getting the latest updates from our individual groups. Mark, Cindy and Sandy were in my immediate group. It took an hour but when they were finished I had the latest information on each site, along with all the costs.

Together we generated a list of things that needed to happen on Friday for the Saturday morning trip to Rochester. The things on the list included getting the rental truck to carry the turn-key office and load it. We would find out just how effective that idea was.

The Rochester maintenance department was to be there at noon to help change the office around to suit our needs. Robert and Rodney from East Coast, plus a ten man team, were to set up and install all the camera equipment.

They were also to set up the equipment to issue new security cards to all employees at Rochester. Robert was going to train several of our people on how to make the cards with a new ID photo and enter the information into the system. The card would have two photos; a side and a front profile.

Rochester had already supplied us with a list of all employees. The information in our files was also going to include a copy of the person’s current driver’s license as an extra check.

The rest of the East Coast crew was going to start by changing electronic locks on all the buildings and then updating all the dorm room locks.

The Rochester 20 were still down in the gym with the three trainers from the night shift. Ty Deshields, Herman Grant, and Kathryn Dykes worked in some secret agency of the government. Whatever they did, it was a split hour job.

They were in the gym in the after hours group from eight till midnight, then went to their job. There was another group that worked for the same agency that arrived at two and worked out until 6 AM. They never talked about work that anyone had ever heard. I was going to interview both the trainers and the trainees today.

I received a text at 8 from the courier service that the letter to the commissioners had been delivered. All of us received the same text. How long would it take to get a response?

Marcy ordered several more cars to replace the ones I had hijacked for Rochester and also ordered an additional 50. These 50 would go to MAAR and 50 three and four year old would be pulled out and assigned to the security division for the other colleges. Marcy had brought the change order over for me to approve before she gave the information to Sandy.

Lawman’s Supply arrived with uniforms at 10, just as they were finishing up in the gym for the morning training session. There was another more advanced session in the afternoon.

Bernie Mack from Lawman’s separated the uniforms into piles while the employees were showering. I went to the gun safe that was in my office and retrieved the belts, the Glocks and holsters, pepper spray with holsters, and handcuffs.

Each officer was going to get a lock box and a trigger lock to keep the weapon in when it was not on their side. The box had an electronic key pad plus a key that was needed to open it. They were deeply engraved both externally and internally with property of JBG, a serial number and a warming. Mark helped me carry the items out.

After they were outfitted and dressed, a new ID badge was going to be made with a uniform picture. Mark had already generated all the forms needed for me to issue the equipment to them.

The guns Jamie used in the training were bought used. The life expectancy in repeated heavy training was a year. They would be sent back to the manufacture to be refurbished or destroyed.

Each new gun we received came with a series of fired cases and bullets that we kept for identification purposes, if ever needed. These were locked away and no one but one of us (the owners) had access to them.

While the fitting was going on I took the trainers into my office for a review.

“I like what you have been doing with the training. I have been hearing nothing but good reports. How do you guys like working part time for us?” I asked.

“It has been interesting and fun – a lot different than I am used to,” Ty said, with the others agreeing.

“I am glad to hear that. We have another one hundred and fifty or so to train before September another eighty just for Rochester N.Y. Can any of you give a quick class on Arabic, French or Spanish? ” I said.

“New York? I thought it was Rochester, KY they were going to.” Herman said with a strange look on his face that was exchanged with the other two.

Ty stood and said, “I need to make a couple of phone calls – I will be right back.”

“I have a lot of vacation to use up. I enjoyed teaching the ladies a lot more than I thought I would. So yes, I can help,” Kathryn said.

“I would like you to give me your best opinion of who in this group would be best for the supervisor position, when I get this group there,” I said.

As each one finished the uniform fitting, I issued the firearms and accessories and had them sign all the paperwork. After lunch they were going back to the firing range to do twenty rounds of target shooting with the new Glocks to make sure they functioned properly and check their accuracy.

Lunch was a salad from the refreshment center down in the gym. I had not eaten from there during the week in a long time. I knew Vicky and Ching Lee had a continuous improvement plan for the refreshment center. I had to admit the food was good and the variety was great.

Mark, Cindy, Jenny and I were in one of the meeting rooms near my office going over the application list for Warrington. It was the next college on the list for hiring and setting up the office.

There was a knock on the open door; Ty, Kathryn and Herman were standing there with three gentlemen I did not know.

The six of them came in. Ty did the talking, “BJ, Jenny, we would like to have a conversation with you.” At that, Cindy and Mark left to continue the planning.

Ty did the introductions, “This is Eric Roberson, regional director of Home Land Security, this is Frank Love, Central Intelligence Agency, and this is Marty Coeburn, FBI.”

I thought to myself, “What the heck have I done now?”

Eric started the conversation, “Ty says you prefer BJ, hopefully that is OK. I’m sure you had realized long ago that some of your gym members worked for some unnamed government organizations. Your record speaks a lot about your inclination to be up on things that happen around you.”

“I always like to be one step ahead and prepared for things,” I replied. He smiled and nodded.

“Ty informed me this morning that your company is supplying security for several colleges, one of them being Rochester,” he said.

“That is correct – eight to be exact – and Rochester is one of them,” I replied.

“If you have been following the not-so-liberal news you know that there has been a influx of Arabic speaking individuals in some areas of Minnesota, Michigan and New York, specifically the Rochester area. We think that that is because of the easy access to the Canadian border and the Muslim populations there,” he said. To that, I just nodded.

“Rochester State has repeatedly been mentioned in some of our intelligence. From what we know of your security efforts and systems, your group may be able to give a major boost to national security,” he said. He waited a while, trying to read my facial expressions before continuing.

“We are interested in a placing one or two individuals within your security team, who work for you, but also discretely work for us on critical matters,” he said. “There would be compensation in the form of – shall we say – government contracts and you would gain improved access and speed to some of your needs as a national security business. We have approved all of the permits that you have applied for and can assist in others.”

While I was digesting his statement the door swung open with force. Commissioner Duke Justice and Commissioner Clarence Hallworthy forced their way past Cindy, who was loudly saying “You cannot go in there; you asked to meet with Lorrie. This is a private meeting.” A sheriff’s deputy was behind them.

Duke shouted, “I came to speak with the big boss and there she is!” as he stormed to the table. “How dare you threaten the Commissioners by saying you are going over our heads to the HSL or FBI in this fuel matter? We will do our own investigation. If there is no jet fuel at the airport it is our business, not yours to make those decisions.”

“Someone impersonating county employees cancelling the fuel deliveries, putting our planes and passenger schedules and safety in jeopardy, makes it my business,” I said.

The FBI and HLS at the same time said, “THEY DID WHAT?”

Edit by Alfmeister