A series by November
A series by November
Chapter 53: Damage Control
An arson in Meridian, Mississippi has stymied law enforcement officials.
The residence of Dorothy Robbins was nearly burned to the ground on Wednesday evening. The fact that bodies were not found in the fire, but outside the house, is what is baffling police.
Neighbors report that Robbins’ son Cody had been staying there for the past week with his niece, who allegedly developed mutant powers. The girl and her mother had been receiving death threats, police report, and on October 15 a cross had been found burning outside their residence.
Seven hooded men in white robes were found dead outside the residence. They include Arnold Manta, Todd Pugliese, Lee Shaw, Mitchell Dannell, and Daniel Delia. The identity of the sixth man is unknown.
Local insurance adjustor Max D’Ancato was the only one found alive. He was asleep when the fire department appeared at the scene, and told firefighters that he was unable to say what made him fall asleep.
Lauderdale County Medical Examiner Susan Crawford reports that the findings at the scene were "highly unusual." Crawford has not yet ruled on the causes or manners of the deaths, claiming in a press conference on Friday that toxicology results were pending.
"A lot of things about this case don’t make sense." Stated arson investigator Ridge Burnett on Thursday. "We had an unusually hard rain in the area, making it impossible to examine trace evidence." When asked if the fire or the deaths may have resulted from mutant powers, Burnette stated "I cannot rule that out at this time."
Further confusing officials is the link between Cody Robbins and Max D’Ancato, a 1997 incident when D’Ancato’s daughter allegedly put Robbins into a four-week coma "by kissing him."
Max D’Ancato is being held on charges of arson and two counts of reckless endangerment. The girl’s mother, Cara Robbins, has declined to comment. Cody Robbins and his niece have been missing since Wednesday. Robbins is wanted for questioning but is not, police report, a suspect.
She turned the computer off and dialed her cell. She grabbed her bag and bolted from the room.
"Charles Xavier."
"It’s Rogue. Read your email."
"Allright. Is this about the fire?"
"Yes."
"You’re calling from your cell?"
"Yes."
"You know that’s not secure."
"Well, I can’t get back right now to talk!"
She felt a faint tingle in her mind. ~Rogue, calm down. Hang up the phone.~
She hit end. ~Holy shit, you can do that from there?~
~My range extends about fifty miles without Cerebro. Cody is safe. He’s talking to the authorities as we speak. Damage control has been done. No one will be penalized for this but the people responsible.~
~Okay. Sorry to bug you.~
~No worries, Rogue.~ She felt a calming sensation, a gentle swipe of mental fingers, and the tickle was gone.
Officials announced yesterday that the October 22nd arson of a Meridian, Mississippi residence was perpetrated by seven members of the Ku Klux Klan. One of the apparent arsonists, found dead at the scene, was Meridian Mayor Roger Kachowzski.
Officials suspect that the men were attempting to burn down the house of Edgar Robbins. Robbins’ son Cody reports that he had brought his niece to the house to protect her from death threats that she had been receiving. Officials report that the Savannah Grove girl had recently discovered her ability to create fire.
Robbins reports that about six in the evening he noticed hooded and robed men approaching the residence. He called 911 and took refuge with his niece in the basement until local law enforcement arrived at the scene.
When they arrived, little made sense.
"There were seven guys lying there in robes." EMS worker Christa Ledbetter stated. "All but one had had their hoods pulled off. There wasn’t a mark on them but they were lying there. Six of them were dead. One of them was unconscious but he responded when we shook him."
It was the sole survivor, Max D’Ancato, who has a link to Robbins.
On September 10, 1997, a 911 call was placed by D’Ancato’s daughter Marie, stating that Cody Robbins was at their house and that he had become unconscious. Locals report that she had "kissed him and put him into a coma for four weeks." This is apparently not what mattered to D’Ancato, who had allegedly planned on "killing the freak girl" on October 22.
Arson investigators, in conjunction with local Medical Examiner Susan Crawford, were baffled by the death of the arsonists.
After results returned from the state crime lab, however, the cause of death of all six men were found to be very simple.
At yesterday’s press conference, ATF agent Zachary Bledsoe stated "in very rare cases it is possible for a cloud of smoke and toxic gas to behave in an odd way, particularly when strange weather phenomena are involved. Based on the levels of toxic gases found in the victims, and on the unusually hard rain and gusting winds in the area, carbon monoxide from the fire appears to have wafted backwards onto the arsonists, killing them." Max D’Ancato, he explained, must not have inhaled enough of the toxins to kill him, and was merely rendered unconscious.
While the Klansmen were dying of smoke inhalation, Robbins broke out a basement window and pushed his niece through it. "I just ran out of there," he said. "I was in a panic. I didn’t trust the police. I didn’t trust anyone. I just grabbed [my niece] and got in my car and drove."
D’Ancato, the only surviving arsonist, is being charged with arson and two counts of attempted murder.
In what has was already a baffling case, the developments just continued to get stranger. When it was learned that the seventh arsonist had been Mayor Kachowzski, the small Mississippi town was scandalized, and it soon became known that the late Mayor is the cousin of Stanley P. Kachowzski, one of the shooters in September’s controversial Monongahela shooting.
"Nothing about this case makes sense," stated Crawford, who ruled the deaths accidental based on laboratory findings. "While it is fortunate that the perpetrators were incapacitated before the child and her uncle were killed, this is a stunning blow to the people of Mississippi." (Reuters)
"Good morning."
"Morning. I don’t know who your PR people are, but they’re damn amazing." She held up the article.
He looked at it. "I haven’t seen this one."
"You must have a legion of psionics out there doing damage control. It’s impressive as hell."
"It’s the thing I hate most about our work. They’re very good though. Very ethical. They actually almost never use psionic ability. Our goals can be met without infringing on people’s minds. And that’s all I’m going to say about it."
"Say about what?" She grinned. "You can keep that. I’ve read all I care to about this bullshit."
"Thank you."
Mysterious Arson Related to Klan Deaths
"Fuck me!" Rogue said. Rogue copy-pasted the email and sent it. "Reckless endangerment my lily-white ass!" Other students in the computer lab were staring.
By Shandra Robinson, Associated Press Writer
October 24, 2004Arsonist Mayor Cousin of Monongahela Shooter
Rogue knocked softly on Xavier’s office door.
Jackson, MI (Reuters)
November 16, 2004
Author’s notes: Yes, Ridge Burnette is a dig at certain corrupt southern law enforcement people. Ms. Ledbetter is a salute to doctrama who provided help with medical details earlier in the series. Thanks, doc! And if you didn’t get the Kachowzski reference before, no biscuit now. :)
