Messenger of Death
Page 27
The next speaker was Bertrand. As usual, he had no notes with him and did not resort to a computer that showed exhibits and charts, but his speech impressed everyone in the audience. He told them that more than ten high-ranking Devil’s Knights had been arrested and were being kept in prison until their trial dates. And a much, much greater number of their associates were in jail with an abundance of proven evidence against them. Almost half of the top echelon of the Iron Ghosts was in prison, too, he announced. There had been massive arrests of bikers and their cronies all over Quebec, and beyond. He agreed that the campaign had been a smashing success.
“To say that we achieved our goals is understatement at its best,” he concluded. “We closely monitor organized crime. Our staff is well versed in coping with different aspects of the biker problem. Our ongoing alliance with RCMP has proven very effective. However, with the police budget going into a shallow dive, we might be tempted to forget about the biker’s threat. It may not be long before we discover, to our great surprise, how serious the problem has grown again. Still, I’d like to take the time to thank each and every one of you for your contributions over the past few years.”
After Bertrand finished his speech, questions followed.
“How soon should you be able to eliminate the remnants of the biker’s gangs?” someone in the audience asked.
“Instead of giving you a direct answer, I’d rather mention some statistics, which may help you understand better the new reality that I mentioned.
“In the past few months, the number of Devil’s Knights has doubled. The number of their sympathizers and associates has grown proportionally. Their rival gang, the Iron Ghosts, has grown even more.
“They have opened additional chapters in Ontario, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. Both gangs have more money than ever. In addition, law enforcement agencies have come across some very puzzling information: Many new members of these gangs have no criminal record, have never been in jail. Some of them have a formal education, and even respectable professions. We know for sure that no one could become a member of an outlaw biker gang if he had not committed numerous crimes.
“That’s something to think about.”
Bertrand looked around for more questions. Silence in the auditorium was the only response.
“Thank you for your attention, ladies and gentlemen,” he bowed, and left the stage.
The End
Other works by Alex Markman
Contra-ODESSA
The Dark Days of Love
Payback for Revenge