In a perfectly typical twist, Washington, D.C. found itself at the center of yet another frantic investigation this past week, commemorating, if you will, the performance art that is contemporary law enforcement. This riveting spectacle was triggered mid-afternoon when a potentially malevolent presence disrupted the tranquility of the nation’s capital. Thankfully, the breathtakingly brave servicemen of the National Guard leaped into action like modern-day superheroes despite, as one might expect, a holiday swarm of tourists admiring the capital’s monuments and other government-sponsored endeavors.

The FBI is clearly all over this case like gravy on a Thanksgiving dinner. Weapons and mysterious materials have already been whisked off to sophisticated labs for analysis. No stone will remain unturned, they claim, in their quest to peek into the network of associates this suspect might be linked with. There’s a coast-to-coast quest ongoing, spearheaded from Washington D.C. because when the federal government gets involved, they do so with all the subtlety and clatter of a marching band.

Now, our retired FBI supervisory agent is not losing sleep over the diligence of the current agents. However, he’s got a perfectly rational bone to pick with how Afghan refugees seem to magically disappear from view into suburban America. If you’re capable of keeping track of every turkey roaming the White House lawn for pardons, you’d think wrapping your head around monitoring ex-Afghan refugees would be elementary, but apparently not.

Then there’s the tech treasure hunt happening on the home front. Agents are diving into digital devices retrieved from this man’s last known abode, unraveling a potentially sinister communications web. They’re checking whether this suspect curb-stomped down the path of radicalization here in the land of the free or if this has been a long-term project. Rest assured, law enforcement is intent on unveiling every bit of this jigsaw puzzle while protecting public safety, an exercise akin to wrestling with an octopus.

Of course, it goes without saying, the valor of the West Virginian national guardsmen who just raced into the action is commendable. One can only stand in awe considering their ages and the fact that they were freshly sworn in — a mere 24 hours before this incident made their reality a living, breathing action movie. So on Thanksgiving, while everyone else is celebrating the feast, perhaps in the back of their minds they’ll remember these folks who give up their own turkey day for the safety of others. Or maybe not, since such thoughts can be as fleeting as season’s TV specials.