Doggett and Reyes are in Martha's front room listening to her account of the death of her son.

Martha Jackson: 'My Marty would never take his own life. We brought him up to be a good christian boy. He knew it was a sin.'

Doggett: 'Was he being subjected to racial abuse?'

Martha Jackson: *smiles sadly* 'Yes, but it was nothing new. He's stood up to racists before now and won. We named him after Martin Luther King. We always taught him that the colour of your skin doesn't make you any less of a man. Stand up for what you believe to be right, treat everyone as an equal.' Her voice trails off.

Doggett: 'Sounds like he was a credit to you ma'am.' Martha looks at him with new respect. She'd tarred him with the same brush as all the other white southern men she'd met before.

Martha Jackson: 'That's what makes this story about him killing himself so unbelievable. He was so well liked by everyone and he had white friends as well as black. He was transfered to Fort Belvedere six months ago and that's when the abuse started. Then he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and some of the company decided that black boys shouldn't be promoted over white ones. After that my Marty was dead. I still say he was murdered because he was promoted over some white boys, but no one want's to listen to me.'

Doggett: 'We'll get to the bottom of it.'

He can't help but feel sorry for Martha as he does with anyone who loses a son, but what makes it doubly bad for him is that the Marines, with whom he was so proud to serve, were turning out to be rotten to the core. Reyes is overwhelmed by the feelings of sympathy and anger coming from him. Martha notices her going a little pale.

Martha Jackson: 'Are you feeling ok Agent Reyes? Reyes nods.

Monica Reyes: 'Yes, I'm ok, honest. Just tired.' Doggett looks at her quizzicaly. She smiles weakly and
shrugs.

Doggett: *apologetically* 'Uh, Martha you do know that the family of Joshua Kendrick have accused your family of being involved in his death don't you?'

Martha Jackson: 'Yes, I know. The police came here the other day to ask me about it and I'll tell you what I told them, I have no idea what happened to him.'

Doggett: 'It's... just that...' He struggles with the words.

Monica Reyes: 'What Agent Doggett means is that we know Deputy Director Kersh is a friend of yours and he asked us specifically to investigate this for him because he believed Voodoo was involved.'

Martha Jackson: 'Ah, he told you about what I said at the funeral. My Great Granny practised the 'old ways' but not me. She always told me that if you believed an injustice had been done to you, the spirits would seek justice; a life for a life. But my Marty's spirit didn't kill him. Even as a ghost Marty wouldn't kill anyone for revenge. Great Granny's spirits were the ones who took his life not my Marty. I don't practice Voodoo, I never have. Maybe his own conscience killed him. Maybe his soul couldn't live with the guilt. Stranger things have happened.'

Reyes is struck by the feeling that there is another presence in the room; a gentle presence filled with sorrow for Martha's suffering. She is sure it is Martha's son. She opens her mind. She can feel a desire for justice not revenge and an overwhelming sense of love for his mother. Tears well in her eyes.

Doggett: 'Monica are you sure you're ok?' He puts his hand on her shoulder. She is brought out of it sharply.

Monica Reyes: 'Yes, yes I'm fine, honest. He want's justice, Marty, that's why he's still here. He can't find peace until justice is served.' She smiles at Martha 'I get these feelings... vibes... my boss calls them 'the Force'...'

Doggett: *whispers* 'No, Monica not this again. Give it a rest can't you.'

Monica Reyes: 'I'm sorry it's... something I've always been able to do.' She gives an apologetic smile. Doggett's mobile starts to ring, he looks at the number.

Doggett: 'Ah, at last. Excuse me but I've been waiting for this call.' He leaves to take the call. Martha watches him go.

Martha Jackson: 'You hold on to that man honey, there's not many of his kind left in these parts.' Monica isn't really listening.

Monica Reyes: 'I know, he's a good man... what... oh... no. It's nothing like that. We have a professional relationship.' She blusters, going pink in the cheeks. Martha looks at her and smiles.

Martha Jackson: 'If you say so honey. Now how about some tea and you can tell me about these feelings of yours.' Monica smiles back at her, glad that Martha is willing to listen to her even if she doesn't necessarily believe her.

Out in Martha's front garden Doggett is finishing his conversation.

Doggett: 'Ok Lieutenant Rabb. Thanks for your help. I'll see you in a couple of days then. Yes I'll look forward to it, goodbye.' He notices the people staring at him; suspicion in the eyes of the black people, hate in the eyes of the white people. He shivers, disturbed. He goes back into Martha's house.

Doggett: 'That was Lieutenant Harmon Rabb, the investigating JAG officer. He'll meet with us in a couple of days and let us know what he knows.'

Doggett and Reyes are listening to Samuel Kendrick's account of the death of his son. It is very different to their visit to Martha Jackson.

Samuel Kendrick: 'Ah'm telling you it was them damn negro's who killed ma boy. They should never have let that Jackson boy into Able Company. They shouldn't have let any of them negro's into the Marines. Ma Great Great Grandaddy fought and died in the Civil War to preserve the southern way of life and now look. Them damn negro's are everywhere; the Senate, Congress, why even the Secretary of State. It's not right. In my day the Marines were for white boys. There was no negro's in ma company. There was none of them in the Marines and that's the way it should stay. They let Samuel rant on. Doggett is beginning to feel slightly sick at the old man's hatred.

Monica Reyes: 'Mr Kendrick, we've checked the autopsy report on your son. The results were inconclusive. Asphixiation or he choked they're not sure. How come you are so certain that he was murdered by Lieutenant Commander Jackson's family?'

Samuel Kendrick: 'It has to be them. Revenge, they wanted revenge because the Courts Martial cleared ma boy of being involved in his death. They can't accept that he commited suicide. They want it to be murder.'

Doggett: 'But Mr Kendrick the police report showed no sign of forced entry and the autopsy showed no signs of strangulation, no finger marks, no bruises. The police think it was natural causes.'

Samuel Kendrick: 'They put a curse on him. Voodoo, they're good at that.' Doggett has had enough of this man. He gets up to leave.

Doggett: 'Ok Mr Kendrick, we'll be in touch later.' Reyes gets up to follow him.

Samuel Kendrick: 'By the way Agent Doggett, what's a southern boy like you doing taking their side?' Doggett is disgusted at this.

Doggett: 'I suppose I've been living in the north too long and I don't take anyone's side.' He leaves before he says something he shouldn't. Reyes runs to catch up with him.

Monica Reyes: *calls* 'John wait.' He stops and waits for her to catch up with him.

Doggett: 'What the hell's going on Monica? Is it like this all over the South now, all this hatred being stirred up again? I felt it back at Martha's place. I lived through it once back in the Sixties I don't want to have to go through it again.'

Monica Reyes: 'It's been building up for a while. The Klan's numbers have been increasing, lynchings have been taking place; not just blacks but Jews, Hispanics and Asians too. It's like someone is playing on old fears and prejudices and it's working. The whole of the South is going to explode just like it did in the Sixties.' Doggett shakes his head.

Doggett: 'Is this the devils work or have I been away from my home for too long? My dad's been saying it's like we've gone back in time.' Monica sighs.

Monica Reyes: 'I'd have to say the devil's behind it, playing on old fears and prejustices, and he's
picked the right place to do it. The previous generation lived through the civil rights movement and ours have lived with the results. There's a lot of bad feeling out there.' Doggett gets in the car.

Doggett: 'Come on, the sooner we solve this case the sooner we can go home.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Agent Reyes is dozing. A knock at her door brings her out of it.

Doggett: 'Monica, Monica are you awake? Open up we've got trouble.' She opens the door. He's got a worried look on his face.

Monica Reyes: 'What's up, John? What's the problem?'

Doggett: 'The Klan have planted a burning cross on Martha Jackson's front lawn.'

Police, the Fire Department and neigbours are gathered on Martha's front lawn. Doggett and Reyes show their badges to the police officer and make their way to Martha's front door. Martha is being comforted by one of her neigbours.

Monica Reyes: 'Are you alright Martha?'

Martha Jackson: 'Oh yes, I'm fine. It's not the first time this has happened and I'm sure it won't be the last. They won't get rid of me this way.'

Doggett: 'I'm so sorry if we caused this. You know, your talking to us.' Martha sighs.

Martha Jackson: 'It's like living in the past. It's like we've come full circle; the cross burnings and the lynchings, I never thought it would happen again.'

Doggett: 'I know what you mean. I've been living in New York and Washington for so long I had no idea things had got so bad down here. You're right, it's like we're going backwards.' He gets up to talk to Reyes. 'I want you to stay with Martha. It's no good trying to get her to leave, she won't.' Reyes agrees with him.

Monica Reyes: 'I'll tell Martha that I'm staying.' She goes to tell her the plans. A police officer comes over to talk to Doggett.

Police Officer: 'Agent Doggett, it seems that we've got the perpetrators, a couple of rednecks bragging in a local bar. Do you want to interview them now?' Doggett shakes his head.

Doggett: 'No, let them sober up. We'll do it in the morning.'

Agent Reyes walks up to the admin desk.

Monica Reyes: 'I'd like to talk to the two men you brought in last night for the cross burning at Martha Jackson's home.'

Officer: 'Sorry, ma'am, but the MP's came for them last night.'

Monica Reyes: 'MP's? You mean they were Military personnel?'

Officer: 'Yes, ma'am, Lieutenant's David Smillie and Ralph Bannister. They were removed on the orders of Colonel Tony O' Kill.' He notices the look of disbelief on her face. 'Is that a problem?'

Monica Reyes: 'It probably will be.' She sighs, resigned to the fact she's going to have to break the news to Doggett.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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