Booked for Kidnapping (Vigilante Magical Librarians Book 2)

by R. J. Blain

  “But it didn’t.”

  “She was very, very lucky. I don’t know if this will comfort you or not, but Senator Maybelle didn’t suffer. She didn’t even have a chance to realize she’d been shot before she died. It’s not much, but it’s something.”

  “I appreciate that. I’d been told as much, but it’s comforting to hear it from someone who was there. I can understand why she was assassinated.”

  “I can’t.”

  The senator’s chuckle, sad and bitter, drew my attention away from the traffic to him. He drove with a tight grip on the wheel, his gaze monitoring the streets. “That bill is a monstrosity.”

  My mouth dropped open. “Then why support it?”

  “Because I know what the alternative is.”

  The idea there might be a worse alternative hadn’t really crossed my mind. “Is that why you wanted a dinner meeting? So you could tell someone about the alternative?”

  “A librarian who put others over herself is the interest of all politicians right now, no matter which side of the aisle we’re on. Most of the more ethical of us are discussing charitable donations for your library, and there are more than a few planning on reaching out to make those plans into a reality. I’ve vocalized that intent, and there has been enough hearsay and general gossip to support a general feel you prefer quieter affairs. I wasn’t the only one planning such a venture, accommodating your injuries as necessary for a meeting. Everyone also knows I offered a gift of a trip to the bookstore. Knowledge is power in political circles, and I’ve been wielding that power for a long time. Nobody will think anything more of it than a genuine expression of gratitude. Curiosity as well, but at the heart of it, gratitude. You turned Samantha’s death into something more. In a way, she lives on in the woman you saved, and we all know that. Some of us were flabbergasted that the Maybelle family would protest the use of her blood, but we took steps on that front.”

  My eyes widened. “I thought the campaign had done that.”

  “Oh, they helped—but there were more than a few senators and representatives who made quite the fuss over Samantha’s legacy. Organ donation terrified her. She genuinely believed doctors would kill her for organs.”

  I scowled. “I hate that ignorant belief so much. Doctors, nurses, and everyone in the medical field, makes an oath to save as many as they can. They don’t butcher people who could survive for their organs. The only real difference in organ donation cases is they keep the body alive for as long as humanely possible to allow for the donation, as there is a short window of opportunity upon the death of the donor. I can extend that window.” I’d done just that once, too, buying a child’s heart time for the donor to be prepped for surgery. “I can keep an organ alive for at least six to eight hours. I did it once for a heart of a child with a rare blood and genetic type. I also helped the body integrate the heart. That was hard.”

  The little girl who’d received the heart had survived for far longer than expected, in part because of my work.

  “I hadn’t heard about that.”

  “Nobody has heard about it. I did the work anonymously. In some circumstances, I can also help control the risk of organ rejection during the donation, but I usually only do those when it’s happening because of a trauma situation and the victim got lucky.”

  I wondered what had happened to that little girl, who wouldn’t have lived longer than six more months without that all-important heart. I also wondered what had happened to the others I’d help survive through their organ donations.

  “But why? Why anonymously?”

  “Because people hear what I am, and the first thing they experience is fear. Sometimes, if the victims or patients ask, I’m identified, but they often don’t ask. They assume the ER staff worked some form of miracle.”

  “It takes a special person to do the work with none of the glory.”

  “I have no use for glory, Senator. It doesn’t pay the bills, feed my cat, or cover the costs of my medical care. I don’t need someone to boost my ego. I know what I can do, I know what I’ve done, and that is enough. The only boost to my ego I need is the knowledge I made a difference. I can’t make a difference to everybody, but I made a difference to somebody. All I did was sit in an emergency room and wait for patients to arrive. And then I helped because I could.” If others did the same, I wondered how much the world would change.

  Wishes wouldn’t do any good, and hoping for a brighter future accomplished nothing. If I wanted things to change, I needed to find a way to change them.

  The how part of the equation continued to elude me.

  “Many people say if they could help, they would, but when the time comes and they could, they don’t. This is something I have seen time and time again. People are willing to talk, but very few are willing to do. You didn’t talk, but you did. You didn’t have to talk, though. Everyone saw you as you are in a moment of truth. You saved lives for the world to see, doing so when any sane and reasonable person would have been more worried about saving their own life. I respect and admire that.”

  While aware the senator’s assassination had been captured on video, I hadn’t put much thought into the ramifications of her death having been recorded—or that people were aware of my identity, magic, and role in the aftermath. I still didn’t understand how—or why—I’d been shot first. “How much of it was recorded? I haven’t watched,” I confessed.

  “Someone caught your entire exchange with her, although the audio is patchy in sections.”

  “Were the other victims caught on camera?”

  “Yes, although not all from the same video. The media has dissected the entire incident, and you’ve been given a lot of credit for your resilience. You must have been in an incredible amount of pain.”

  “I’m, unfortunately, rather used to pain, although I don’t recommend getting shot in the foot. I am very grateful they hit the foot they did, and not my good one. That would have ruined my day more than it had already been ruined.”

  “Honestly, I don’t think anyone knows if you were meant to be shot at all. The bullet’s trajectory implies the shooter might have missed. We’re just not sure.”

  While I had serious doubts about the shooter’s motivations for hitting me, I’d come to terms with the idea someone had wanted to shoot me; the bullet had struck my foot a little too close to center to have been an accident, especially considering the precision of the following shots. I’d hold that card up my sleeve, as I couldn’t guess Senator Westonhaus’s motivations to save my life. “Only the shooter knows the truth of that. Unless they’re apprehended, I doubt we may ever know the full truth. It’s not like my magic could have saved her in any case. She died instantly, and while I can do a lot, I can’t reverse death.”

  “No one can. I still struggle to accept that life can end in an instant.”

  As I had no idea if anyone else truly understood she’d taken a bullet to the brain in addition to the chest, I settled for a shrug. “There’s a lot about life I don’t understand.”

  “I feel the same way. Tell me, Janette. What do you know about politics, really?”

  “Apparently, not enough.”

  “Good answer. When I first ran for a city council position at the start of my political career, I knew nothing—not really. And that is the start of the story. Everything you thought you knew about politics in the United States is wrong. A divided country is easier to manipulate—if the division is among the people and not among those ruling the people. At first, I assumed politics were cut and dry. Us versus them. Conservatives versus liberals, with vitriol tossed between the two. The liberals believe in “for the People.” Conservatives believe in that, too, but in a different way. The different way is where we get into trouble. The original plan for the United States hasn’t survived the test of time.”

  No kidding. “From what I understand about history, I agree. I remember reading about how the Democratic Party was actually conservative at one point, and the Republican Party was
liberal, but they switched polarizations, shifting so that the Democratic Party became liberal, and the Republican party became conservative.”

  “That’s correct, although a far distant history. In reality, there are no parties in upper politics. We put on a show, but we ultimately have many different factions, and we just decide which banner our faction flies under. Technically, I’m considered to be fiscally conservative, socially moderate, and liberal in certain circumstances, although I’m rarely approached to support bills from the liberal leaning members of the senate. During an election cycle, we build our campaign based on the needs of the senate, the house, or the congress, and we run an elaborate ruse to draw in the types of voters we need to pass measures. I was chosen to support Representative Kennedys’s bill because I am considered to be socially moderate. If I, someone who is socially moderate, support the bill, a show can be put on to make it appear as We the People voted for societal change, when in reality, the fate of the country has already been decided behind closed doors. We the People have no choice in what the future holds. The government is careful to make sure people believe they have the freedom of choice, but the reality is far darker. Once I got higher than city level, I was given a choice: play the game by the set rules, or be ruined in the eyes of the people I wanted to serve. There was a rather strong implication my choice might involve me being eliminated should I share about this reality. I agreed. The lure of greed proved to be far stronger than my morality. You’ll find that’s the case with most politicians, and the good ones, who play the game for the sake of We the People, play a subtle and dangerous game. Samantha extended too far. She tried to break the mold set for us as politicians serving the government, a government that means to control its people rather than maintain the rights of its people. The bill is only the next step in a game that’s been played for decades. The democracy of our country is a lie. There aren’t even two parties. There is a grand show designed to keep the people divided because the government would be unable to battle a united front. So this bill is designed to mitigate those who would rise up against the government. It removes the more powerful players, putting them into a position where they must go with the government’s flow—or else.”

  “Or else they’d be disposed of, likely in some concocted war meant to remove unwanted or dangerous talents,” I guessed, wrinkling my nose that some of our speculations had been accurate while the reality proved to be worse than anticipated. “That’s why the exemptions, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Were you aware the United States government is selling the children of its military women?”

  “Yes, I’m aware. They are typically sold to supporters of the government who cannot have children of their own, and the children are usually expected to be in the upper talent brackets. The women who aren’t producing children of the appropriate brackets are typically given a dishonorable discharge. This has been going on quietly for about twenty years, although the government made a few critical mistakes, allowing several cases to end up in the public courts. The government did not anticipate the determination and familial wealth of one of the women, and she had joined the force prior to the requirement that women agree to these terms. The caretakers did not confirm she had signed away those rights before claiming her child.” Senator Westonhaus sighed. “How that case will be played out has already been determined. It will favor her so the case disappears, and she will be given a choice of being silent or praising the government for correcting what will be claimed to be a clerical error in adoptions. And so the government will maintain its practices without losing any ground.”

  “That’s disgusting.”

  “I agree. You are fortunate that the Hampton family fits into the narrow bracket of adepts who will escape the government’s iron control. It helps they were not deemed to be a threat, they have minimal use in military application, and stay out of general politics. And yes, the family was discussed during a closed session due to your contract. It was determined you would not be a threat to the grand scheme, as your inclination to be a bodyguard and your contract made it unlikely you would ever be in a position to make any substantial difference. Your marriage into the family is an unexpected turn, but the Hampton family is considered to be a neutral party, a good thing overall. So, if the bill passes in the future version, which has already been penned, you and your family will be safe. The new version includes age limitations before the draft is implemented, and your parents are over the age for the draft.” Senator Westonhaus shook his head. “It’s very difficult to make any progress right now. Every politician is given their marching orders and a role they are expected to play. If the game isn’t played according to the rules, there are consequences.”

  “Are you implying the government might have had Senator Maybelle assassinated?” I whispered, as that had not been a possibility to cross my mind.

  “It would not surprise me if the puppeteers are behind her death in some fashion or another, even if it’s poisoning the minds of extremists and providing misleading information to get them to act. It’s a game our government has played before and will play again. But I do think there’s an unknown player in the game. We tend to know who our government is eliminating before it happens. They’re used as examples, and the government makes certain to use the deaths in a way that benefits them the most, usually counter to the victim’s personal beliefs.”

  The thought the government would murder its own citizens—and elected officials—stole my breath. When I recovered, I could only ask, “But why?”

  “Greed and power are part of it. I don’t know how it turned out like this. The system was in place before I became a politician, and once you’re in, that’s it. There’s no getting out of it.”

  “Why tell me this?”

  “You have as much to lose from this as I do, because you’re being watched, and if you don’t play the game just right, they’ll change the bill—they’ll close off your escape route. I still have enough of my ethics to understand you deserve a chance to escape the system. A lifetime of military service wouldn’t be long for someone like you. They’d eliminate you because you’re a threat.”

  “I don’t see how I’m a threat. It’s not like I have any desire to start a murdering spree or anything.”

  “But you could—and there’s nothing anyone could do to stop you if you decided to go on such a spree. You’ve proven you can work your magic on multiple people at the same time. But you did so ethically. The ethical always lose at the game of politics. This is something we all know well. The ethical lose because they’re unwilling to get their hands dirty, so they battle at significant weakness. You fight a foe who will do anything to win. The ethical can’t rise above that.”

  I wondered at his bitterness. “How long has it taken you to learn that lesson?”

  “About a year. Someone tried. They died for their efforts, but only after their family suffered to drive home the point there would be no such uprisings in the current government of the United States. Every few years, the government makes an example out of someone. To remind the rest that the punishment is worse than just death.”

  What sort of hell had I stumbled into? I’d understood there had been something seriously wrong with the system after reading the bill, but if Senator Westonhaus spoke the truth, we were all up a shit creek without a paddle or boat while splashing around in our crappy delusions. “I feel like I’m missing something important. Why me? I have no political power. I can’t stop the legislation. If it is as you say, every element of our government is rigged.”

  “That’s correct. The checks and balances portion of the system collapsed long ago; on paper, those things still exist, but in application, the government chooses how the checks and balances work. It’s all a clever illusion meant to trick the people into believing their say actually means something. You did a good deed. That good deed deserves to be repaid. I can’t give you answers on what to do with your knowledge, but I can tell you this much. The foundi
ng fathers would be rolling in their graves if they learned of the tyranny of the government and the deceptions that have been put into place to control the populace into believing they have the freedoms they lack. If you want freedom, Janette, you will need to look abroad—and away from our political allies, for they are not your friend. The government was never your friend, no matter what your political beliefs are. Something to think about.”

  “It sounds like the making of a war to me.”

  “Yes, another revolution in a country founded on revolution. But the government works hard to make certain any revolution dies before it can be born. That is what you fight against. Keep your head down, stay out of politics, and take a close look at the world around you. The lives of most Americans have been carefully cultivated to preserve the structure of power. As long as those who control the game don’t feel you are interested in playing the game, you will survive. I will say this much. The closer to the top, the more corrupt and involved, and there is nobody in the congress who is innocent of crimes against the people. Nobody. When the government calls, we answer—or we die. And soon enough, only those who agree with the tyranny of those in charge will survive. But every serpent has a head. Should you cut it off, you will have a chance to make the whole monster fall. That’s something to think about.”

  No kidding. “Why were the Hamptons ignored?”

  “That’s a good question. I have a speculation on the why, but no proof of it. I think the government would rather leave the sleeping beast alone. As all members of the family, save for the adopted daughter, see the truth, how better to prevent the truth from being found than to make certain those who could learn it can never get close to the source of the lies? If the Hamptons speak, people will listen—and if they’re eliminated, people will do more than listen. They’ll investigate. So, the government will choose to let that beast remain asleep rather than stir the ire of the many families who respect them—and you. As long as you work your own illusions, and make it appear you’re not looking into the activities of the government, they’ll ignore you. And the government’s arrogance could be its weakness. How could one small family and an exsanguinator possibly topple the tyranny of an entire government?”