"Escaped Convict"

Colin read the warning bulletin aloud to his new commanding officer, Ranger Jennifer White. Still visibly tense, she repeated the words that stuck out: "Escaped convict", then sighed. "Great, just as we have lost Chief Jensen, the only one of us with actual law enforcement training. What was that name again?"

"Uh, the prisoner is named Titus Nih... Titus Nug..." Colin paused, then stated, "I don't know how to pronounce this without it, uh, sounding wrong."

Jennifer held up her hand then studied the bulletin Colin handed to her. The last name was 'Ngere'. "Titus Nijjer," Jennifer attempted, furrowing her brow. "Titus Nigger, oops, I hear it now," she added quickly, turning a little red and allowing a quick smile before her blue eyes widened. "Oh no, is he black?"

Colin handed over the enclosed photograph, and of course the escaped convict was so dark- skinned it left the photocopied picture totally indistinct. "Big guy too, bound to stick out in a community like this. We are sure to hear from any local if a big black man shows up at their door."

"Well we can't profile," Jennifer corrected him coldly. "And we cannot assume any black men we hear about or come across are the criminal. Anyway, according to the bulletin, we are instructed not to spread fear or 'jeopardize recapture' by notifying the public or getting involved in the manhunt. This is for our information only."

Colin scowled but didn't argue. He didn't like the idea of a violent criminal running around out here, in the same woods as his coworkers and the people they were supposed to protect, like sweet little Chloe and her friends, and not doing everything he could to stop it. Jennifer was the boss now, but she didn't seem to realize just what danger she was facing.

Colin went back to his own desk and made it look like he was doing paperwork, while actually getting on his computer to learn what he could about this Titus Ngere fellow. It seemed he was the leader of a radical black supremacist group waging war against the government to punish and enslave whites. it seemed he was being transferred to a different prison where he could exert less control over the other inmates.

"This guy's a terrorist," Colin muttered to himself and decided to approach Jennifer again, this time to request police backup.

Jennifer listened to him but immediately denied the request. "I do not want my first act of command to be one of cowardice," she scolded him. "The Marshalls are pursuing the prisoner, and we can help to the extent it is requested. We have sidearms, so we do not need to divert valuable resources to protect ourselves!"

"With Jansen arrested and Ryan gone, the only other rangers on shift this week are Emily Burton and Katelyn Malone," Colin pressed the issue. "Three young white women, including you, who do not stand a chance against that monster out there in the woods. You are not going to protect yourselves, let alone those teens, and I can't be everywhere!"

Jennifer was infuriated by the sexism that he alone would be protecting his fellow rangers plus everyone else, so she stood up and hollered at him like the second coming of Jensen. She concluded by restricting him to dispatch duty. "You underestimate your coworkers, Colin; we 'young white women' can handle whatever that negro thug can send at us, and you can stay here and listen over the radio!"

Humbled and emasculated, Colin therefore transmitted the following directive:

"All Rangers are to investigate any credible report of negro male in park. Any negro male encountered should be treated with care. Priority is to identify if negro male is Titus Ngere, 33yrs, 6'4, 225 lbs. Target negro should be captured if practical, otherwise observe but do not engage. No racist action, profiling allowed. End transmission."