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The Case of the Biting Decision, Chapter 3 · Aggie McPherson Mysteries

• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is the conclusion to the case of the biting decision, an Aggie McPherson mystery, and a short-hand mistletoe tail.
• 0:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sitting in Reverend Taggart's Presbyteria later, Aggie explained, his name is Cordell Hall.
• 0:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie smiled with an unmistakable ridicule.
• 0:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a deputy wizard in a hate group called the Silver Shirt Brigade.
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: a what a deputy wizard.
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: You would think that wizard was a holdover from the KKK.
• 1:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: But the deputy part probably came from some wild west bullshed mythology.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Wait, tagger check it said.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you saying my church is being targeted by the clue-clux clan?
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: The ridicule dropped away from Maggie's face to leave a hard mass.
• 1:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm afraid it's much worse than that.
• 1:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: The silver shirt brigade has a history going back to before World War II.
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: They had ties to Nazi Germany and acted as a physicaler in the United States.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: They were continually thwarted by Jewish citizens though, led by a man named
• 1:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Leon Lewis.
• 1:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, Defura sent a Gestapo agent and his foremost occultist, a man named Deathridge, who inducted the silver shirts into the Nazis, esoteric teachings of the dragon.
• 2:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: The idea was that Deathridge, as Hitler's foremost the expert on the occult, would teach the silver shirts enough magic that they could lead an uprising and make sure America didn't enter the war.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's, that's preposterous, is it any more preposterous than a like-and-throw-plating a church in the middle of the city?
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart, like most people, didn't consider his own existence particularly strange, but after a moment of thought replied, it was not.
• 2:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie shrugged off the interruption.
• 2:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Part of the plan was recruiting special individuals, such as yourself.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you know the area in ones, even so you can imagine how well that went.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Haggard thought about his grandmother, and her strong loyalty to all her family, regardless of color, size, or creed, not well.
• 3:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, when attempts at recruitment only led to silver shirts being slaughtered, they placed them on their list of racial enemies.
• 3:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've been hunting Lugeru ever since.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie Yond then continued.
• 3:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Fortunately, they've been spectacularly bad at it.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: For years, they've been led by an incompetent named Yarsh when it was delusional as it was charismatic.
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: The corner of Aggie's mouth twitched downward.
• 3:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's my newteness causing an inverse amount of dread and taggert.
• 3:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unfortunately, Yarsh died not long ago, and the silvershirts have been taken over by
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Hado who.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just Hado, as far as I can tell, which is impressive.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: I can find out most things I put my mind to, but he's clearly very dangerous.
• 4:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Why do you say that?
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Out of our coat, Aggie took a long route, preserved in a plastic bag, so it's many dry, small, bristles stuck to it, like tributaries.
• 4:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: It reminded Taggart of the broom as mother had disciplined him with, but being near a caused him a pain that forced him to reflexively take a step back.
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'd be frowned again as if Taggart's reaction confirmed a grim hypothesis.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's Wolf's bang.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: If Hado has been having the silver shirts, somehow slipped us to you, and I can't imagine any other reason they'd have it.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: It would explain your
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggies stopped, or expressed in softening as she diplomatic, they were called taggers on words.
• 4:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: The impulse control issues you've been experiencing of late.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: At this proximity, tagger found the smell of the root overwhelming, and he could only gesture for Aggie to put it away.
• 5:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: She returned to the large zip bag she had taken it from.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: When his mind had cleared of pain and he could breathe again, Tiger'd ask, so what do we do now?
• 5:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: For the first time since the conversation began, Aggie gave Tiger what he felt was a genuine smile.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: When that said, I'm so glad you asked.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, the police can't do anything.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bomb turret was from me, obviously.
• 5:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: And there's nothing illegal about the arsenal that Cordell had in his van.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: So the police won't be able to act until there's a verifiable crime.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart brought as eyebrows together, which become slightly busher since the wolf's
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're like getting your claws wet reverend, excuse me.
• 6:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: The silver shirts have a headquarters, a clubhouse, really, outside the city, they call it boondhouse.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: A place where they get together, drink, and sing songs to the superiority of pure bloods.
• 6:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have a member's meeting every month that's almost all of them attend, especially
• 6:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tiger's eyes narrowed with suspicion, what are you suggesting?
• 6:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: They tried to expose you and killed dozens of people in the process.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: I say you return the favor.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggies spread her hands, the brightness of her smile, never dimming.
• 6:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart stood up straight, feeling a shadow gained strength.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're suggesting I'd go to this boond house place during one of these meetings, and murder everyone there.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie brought her eyes back to Taggart.
• 7:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Well, how many murderers up to you?
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart leaned forward to his eyes were level with a shorter woman's.
• 7:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you serious?
• 7:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie smile fell away and she leaned forward to be inches from Taggart.
• 7:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart stepped back.
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ms. McPherson, what you're suggesting is literally against everything I teach in my church.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: It stands against the most important teachings of Christ.
• 7:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie cocked her head slightly, violet eyes narrowing on Taggart.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Isn't there something in there about protecting your flock, Reverend?
• 8:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart opened his mouth to reply, but Aggie continued, they used you in a terrorist attack.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think they're going to let you alone know that you're still alive?
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: That van up the street says otherwise.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the next people you slaughter may be your own congregation.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will not murder fellow human beings because they make threats to me in mind.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: To grant us that we being rescued from the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, Luke 1-74.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Is it murder?
• 8:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: It means justice for all those people that died on Flight 247.
• 8:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Even if getting rid of these fascist assholes, makes the world a better place, guarantees the safety of your congregation, violence cannot guarantee anyone's safety, violence begots violence.
• 9:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: If Hado provoked a transformation from you once, he can do it again.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are members of my flock that know the truth about me.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: all of me.
• 9:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now that we know how they did it, we can be watchable about any trespasses in the future.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Taggart, people are dead.
• 9:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're dead because of what the silver shirts did to you.
• 9:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: And holes presence shows they aren't going to give up.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Unless we do something to stop them, they will come for you.
• 9:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you willing to accept the consequences of how many people might suffer when that happens?
• 9:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will not violate the teaching the Christ, the teachings I live by, because they are difficult.
• 10:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: It is because they are difficult that makes them worth living.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what if they attack your church directly?
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: What if someone like Hall walks in with a semi-automatic rifle and just starts plugging people?
• 10:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you just gonna stand there and preach at him?
• 10:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: That is a very different situation than premeditated murder.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not to the people on flight 247.
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Miss Taggart stops himself and breathed deep.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie, unless you have an alternative to Daufer, this conversation is over.
• 11:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie mirrored the Reverend, taking in a long inhalation and holding it while closing her eyes, only to open them with a series of quick blinks.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I've done what I can.
• 11:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Reluctant to let someone who had helped him leave unsatisfied, taggered ask, we never discussed your fee.
• 11:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggie paused, a quick calculation in her eyes.
• 11:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: At past though, and she pulled on her coat once leave after the other.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: keep it, use it for additional security.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know a bruhaw in the hill district that can help set up some more that might keep Hado's tricks away.
• 11:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: That would be very useful.
• 11:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tiger bowed slightly, humble by the generosity of someone that he disagreed with.
• 12:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Aggies side heavily, and expelling a dissatisfaction.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Tiger could practically smell
• 12:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: and get some wolves around here, excuse me, some armed security, the police will keep an eye on things for a while, but Hado will be smarter enough not to have the silver shirts do anything until their attention goes elsewhere.
• 12:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Almost as an inmonishment, Aggie added, gets some wolves
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: At the door, Aggie paused, hand on the door-nom, she stared at the floor.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: From having had several difficult conversations in his office, Taggart recognized the expression of someone struggling to find something more persuasive to say, something that might make a change.
• 12:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Instead, though, she lifted her gaze to look tagged in the eye and said,
• 13:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: and then she was gone.