Page 91 of Booked for Theft

Ew, gross. “Is that true, Mrs. Hampton?”

“It is. I’m sorry.”

“Bradley, you do the library science degree when you aren’t playing with the stock market and debuting as a handsome librarian. I will play with the cats.”

He laughed at me. “I think I can handle this. You can read your new collection of illegal books while I study and take my classes. I needed a hobby anyway. That leads us to the issue of the warehouse itself. What are we going to do if they don’t accept the offer to have you handle the books, Dad?”

“Honestly, we’ll steal everything, replace them with duds, and use illusions to convince the government they’re destroying the original books. That won’t be easy, but if they can murder politicians and trick everyone into believing it wasn’t being done with a bullet through the brain, we can trick them into believing they destroyed a priceless collection of books while we make off with the real deal. The trick will be going through the inventory, preparing the illusions, and being ready at a moment’s notice to evacuate the books. But unlike the original Library of Congress heist, we’ll be ready to preserve our history and legacy. And then we’re going to do the one thing you’re not going to like in the slightest, Tanya.”

My mother sighed. “Just hit me with it, Paul. What are you going to do that I’m not going to like?”

“We’re going to burn the entirety of this corrupt country to the ground. When we’re done, we’re going to leave the ashes of this sickened tyranny behind so that we have a chance to flourish in the future.”

While she stared at my fiancé’s father, she didn’t protest his commentary. After a few moments, she shrugged. “I’ll bring the matches and some gasoline as my contribution to the party.”

I squeaked, “Mom!”

“What? They’re the reason you were shot and kidnapped. Burning the entirety of their twisted empire to the ground is the least I can do. You mark my words, little girl. These people have fucked with the wrong mom. If I could feed their guts to crows before lighting them on fire, I would.”

As would I. “Have you had your coffee yet, Mom?”

She cast a rather sheepish look my way. “No. I was trying to quit, and I’m coming to the conclusion that’s just a really bad idea.”

“Bradley, I’ll make the coffee so I can prove to my loving mother that I have mastered at least one kitchen art.”

My mother’s eyes widened.

“She’s gotten quite good at coffee, Mrs. Miller. Please don’t worry. She’s actually better at making coffee than I am now. It’s part of our cooking rehabilitation program. Once we master coffee, we’re going to explore the world of tea. After tea, we’re going to try rice.”

“Well, that explains the rather impressive collection of menus,” Beatrice muttered, shaking her head. “But if you’re making coffee, bitch, I’ll have some. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”

“Coffee for everyone it is. While I’m gone, do brainstorm how we’re going to burn an entire government to the ground, because honestly, I have zero idea how we’re going to pull this off,” I confessed.

“It’s going to be easier than you think,” Bradley’s father promised. “We’re going to weaponize the truth until the people decide enough is enough. We’re going to take the government’s cruel ambitions and use it against them. And once we make it clear that the government is deliberately murdering members of the military to assassinate their own politicians, the fires we set will burn them from the inside until nothing but a charred husk remains.”

I frowned. “Do you think the military will help us?”

Mr. Hampton nodded. “Remember, Janette. Numerous military officials already went to bat for you to save your life after the shooting. Think about how swiftly they were able to get the perfect people here for you at the lowest cost. They hadn’t just tossed that operation together. They had anticipated it happening, so everyone was in the right place at the right time just awaiting orders. What we need to learn is who in the government had given the military the orders to march. Whoever they are, they knew you would be shot, they knew you’d be contaminated with Senator Maybelle’s blood, and they knew you’d need help only they could provide. And they were ready. I think the military will be our allies in this, if we can figure out who those specific allies are. Someone is backstage working to bring about the downfall of the government. But who?”

The why I could understand: too many Americans would suffer if the government’s plans came to fruition. “And the FBI?”

“It’s probable they’re involved as well. Our cell has been treated with white gloves, kindness, respect, and careful guidance. I’ve done some looking into it, and most cells do not receive the help we’re getting. I think our country is ripe for rebellion, and the only thing it’s missing is a figurehead.”

I read between the lines: he meant me. “I don’t like this game. We win or we die.”

Following a soft and low pained sound, Bradley’s father replied, “For the sake of every American, we need to win—and if the government does as it wants, death will be a mercy.”

I hated that he was right. “I want to start this fire with the truth of the murdered politicians and the deaths of the military personnel ordered to assassinate them. If we’re going to make them burn, we will use the consequences of their own actions as the kindling for the flames.”

My fiancé got up, came over to my side, and kissed my cheek. “And thanks to the courage of a few good men left in office, we have all the pieces we need to solve that puzzle,” he informed me. “But if you want to start the fire with the truth, then that’s where we’ll start. The memos the media are distributing are just the first sparks. Once that smolders, we’ll start telling the American people the truth of what their government has done—and how many of them will be sacrificial lambs to the slaughter. We just need to remind the people we built this country on rebellion, and we can—and will—rebuild it in the same exact fashion. Win or lose, our voices will be heard. For better or worse, we will see this through to the end. And if we play every card just right, we’ll have to get onto that second cruise ship, come back to the United States, where the real work will begin. It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”