Page 90 of Booked for Kidnapping

“What contents?” Mrs. Hampton asked.

“Essentially, if passed, it will bar all Americans from leaving the country without government permission under the guise of protection due to unrest abroad. The definition of unrest abroad is so vague somebody could sneeze and it would classify as unrest. It’s being touted as a way of protecting Americans. We’re concerned it will be passed sooner than later to prevent citizens from fleeing the country while the rest of the legislation is being passed. It would also tie up the courts for years, giving time for the legislation to be to make it through the system before the new laws can be challenged, because a law cannot be challenged until someone with the means to fight it is barred from leaving the country.”

I could read behind the lines. “So people with moderate to high wealth will be able to come and go as they please, but the lower classes would not be able to leave?”

“Initially, yes. I feel they’ll cut off everyone from traveling closer to the draft dates,” Dr. Castor stated. “At this stage, the best you can do is avoid meeting the requirements for being drafted and hope for the best, unless we can somehow find a way to put an end to these secret bills before they become law.”

Meridian raised her hand. “May I ask a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you so certain there are secret bills?”

“How else do you think the initial caste system came to be in the United States? If the people had known about it before it became law, they would have fought it from top to the bottom. People adapted to the laws they couldn’t challenge—or that benefited them once they were put into place. But that’s not in the history books you’ve read, is it? No, the laws that were passed did so under the radar, being signed into law by the President. Freedom died in the United States, not with a scream, a bang, or a whisper, but with the scratching of a pen. All this legislation will do is deal the killing blow. In a few days, I will return home, where I will be safe from the machinations of a government that has lost its way. But before I go, I want to give you a chance to change what I can’t.”

“But what makes you think we can change anything?” I blurted.

“You already have, that’s why. I have it from a very good source that Senator Maybelle’s death was supposed to be highlighted as a reason to bar Americans from traveling abroad, a plan concocted in the hours after her death by the government to cover up their lack of involvement with her murder. You changed their plan, because nobody expected a librarian to become a hero—or that exsanguinators could work medical miracles live on television. The government couldn’t erase your act of heroism, so now you’re in a position to do something about what they’ve started. You didn’t start this, but you’re in a unique position to be able to finish it. But the first thing we need to learn is the truth, and that means going straight to the top.”

TWENTY

I like this politician, and that makes me feel dirty.

To seek out and learn the truth, Dr. Castor had a list of five names, including one senator and four representatives, all men who came from old, wealthy families. Like the Hamptons, they made use of contracts to continue the family line. Unlike the Hamptons, they stood to lose a lot should the government turn our country into a militant state.

Senator Thaddens of Michigan owned and operated numerous chains of retail stores, with the bulk of his business targeting lower and middle earning Americans. Representative Forsythe of Alabama owned an American-made automobile company supplying discounted but good parts to lower income families needing to maintain older vehicles. Representative Dareth of New York lived and breathed charitable causes, and he worked the stock market and investments, betting on the little guys to make a big fortune.

Without the little guys, his empire would inevitably fall.

Representative Dimitris of Texas had started life as a rancher, worked his way up to designer leather products, and believed in giving back to the public as often as possible, usually focusing his efforts on making other Texan ranches as successful as his, no matter which side of the fence the ranchers supported.

Last but not least, Representative Allany of Nevada built his empire on the lost fortunes of the poor and rich alike, operating one of the major casino chains in Las Vegas. According to Dr. Castor, Allany’s mission in life involved creating a utopia, one where everybody could afford to come to his casinos two weeks out of every year for luxury time in paradise.

It sounded crazy to me, but Representative Allany also believed in paying back to the community, and he held the Nevada record for having the highest number of employees, doing more than his fair share at keeping homeless rates down.

The homeless couldn’t gamble, and he wanted to build his empire on a foundation made of stone and success. As such, he took the money he scalped from the rich to lift up the poor so the poor might one day come into his establishment and gamble their excess money away before returning to their mundane, boring, but comfortable daily lives.

I tapped my finger to the profile sheet Dr. Castor had made of Representative Allany. “If you told me this guy likes public libraries, I might actually have some appreciation for a twisted politician.”

Dr. Castor nodded. “He loves libraries. He fully funded the Las Vegas library for a period of five years, including the renovations to all of its branch buildings. He also works to make certain the local government continues to fairly pay and support librarians. Educated people make better employees, and he’s in the business of making businesses. Whenever he has a business opportunity that lets him hire new employees, he takes it, as long as he can afford it. He bases these projects on a percentage of his profits, so the better he does, the more people he hires. Since he’s out to improve the bottom line, funding public libraries and other crucial public services is a huge part of his operations. He’s been doing a phenomenal job in Las Vegas, honestly. Crime rates have dropped, employment rates have gone up, new businesses are flourishing, and all of these things are driving tourism to his casinos.”

“Well, damn. Bradley? I like this politician, and that makes me feel dirty.”

“Well, you do have an unreasonable love of libraries.”

“Unreasonable?” I wrinkled my nose at him. “My love of libraries is not unreasonable.”

Ajani, as though sensing Bradley would earn a scolding if he kept it up, jumped onto my lap and purred in a bid for attention, which I immediately gave her. Bradley held out his hand to his mother, who produced a cat brush from her purse, thus sparing my hand from a mauling.

“It’s so unreasonable you used a kitten to gain entry,” he teased. “And then you allowed the kitten to ruthlessly take over.”

“But she’s such a good fluffy goddess. Look, she even missed me. I haven’t been horribly mauled over my absence. This is evidence that she loves me.”

“She is a good fluffy goddess,” Bradley agreed. “And yes, she does love you. But, just because a politician likes and support libraries does not mean they’re a good person.”

I faked sniffling, I pouted, and after a moment, I quivered my lip.

“That was a really good effort, but you can’t fool me, Janette.”