“How would Eric know?” Rebecca asked.
“He deals with the Bank of China, at least the North American division. This puts the family in a very embarrassing situation.”
Rebecca glowered at Jacob. “You can’t be serious.”
Jacob glowered right back. “They know you were married to him. The new CEO thinks I might’ve helped Derek.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I agree, but my dad still gave me an earful.”
“So what? Fuck him. He’s not the one being shipped off to that hellhole.”
Jacob blew out a breath. “It’s a terrible situation for everyone, us included.”
“Lindsey will be devastated. I told her that the lawyer could help.”
“You shouldn’t have told her that.”
“Isn’t there something we can do?”
“No.”
“What about Eric?” Rebecca held out her hands. “He’s always bragging about his connections. Can’t he help?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Will you please call him anyway?”
Jacob sighed and removed his cell phone from his suit jacket pocket. He tapped the icon for his younger brother.
Eric answered and said, “What’s up, Jacob?”
“Is there anything we can do to help Derek?”
Rebecca edged closer, her head tilted, trying to hear both sides of the conversation.
Eric cackled.
Jacob pressed the phone tighter to his ear, so Rebecca couldn’t hear.
“You can’t be serious,” Eric said. “I’d let him rot. Mayer spent the last twenty-four hours disavowing the guy to our Chinese contacts.” Mayer, Jacob’s eldest brother, was the head of Roth Holdings Asia.
“Maybe you can do it anonymously? Rebecca’s asking. We’d both be grateful.”
“She’s in the room with you, isn’t she?”
“Yes.” Jacob hesitated for a beat. “It’s very important to both of us.”
“Tell her that I’ll make some phone calls and I’ll let you know.”
63
Summer’s Nightmare
Summer lay in her bed, wearing only her underwear which was stuffed with toilet paper to soak up the blood. Her prison uniform was beneath her, providing a barrier so her bare skin didn’t stick to the plastic-covered mattress. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Her breasts leaked milk. The cabin was in total darkness, so dark that she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. She’d been on the ship for two days. Although Summer was grateful not to have a roommate, she nonetheless wanted someone to talk to.
The video had said that the trip would take four days. They’d left in the early evening on Friday. She’d remembered that it was still light outside. It was Sunday now, late. Summer thought maybe eleven or so. She estimated the days and the time by the three meals that were served each day. She guessed that they cut the lights at ten. Her skin felt sticky from sweat. A layer of salt had accumulated over the past two days of constant sweating and no shower. She’d eaten because she knew it was important, but it was hard to have an appetite in this heat.
She’d had nightmares the first and second nights, nightmares about being chased in the jungle by madmen with machetes. Which is why she couldn’t sleep now. She tried to think of how she might be rescued. Maybe they audited the tests. Maybe they’d find hers in error. Maybe they’d send soldiers to rescue her. Maybe they’d return her beautiful Byron to her. But her mind went to something Connor had said. Back then, it was nothing, just a conspiracy theory. But now it shattered what little hope she had left.
You have to be brain dead to think they’re only sending psychos to those islands. Guaranteed they’re sending antigovernment activists too. They probably fake the psycho test.
64
Naomi and Union Money
Vernon sat across from Naomi in her congressional office. “We got a nice check from NEA, and I spoke with the President of AFT. He’d like to support us too.”
Naomi nodded, sitting behind her desk. “Unfortunately, they don’t have much money to give.”
“It’s a step in the right direction, but you’re right, unions are weak.”
“They think I can fix the pension system, and I’d like to, but they’ve overpromised and underinvested for sixty years.” Naomi sighed. “I regret saying that I’d guarantee pensions with government money.”
Vernon shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “People are used to politicians making promises. If you keep a fraction of your promises, the people will be ecstatic.”
“I’d rather not make any promises I can’t keep.”
“It’s difficult to get elected without bold promises. People vote for their self-interests. The more you promise, the more votes you’ll get. People understand that you’re not God. They’re not expecting miracles.”
“Sometimes I really hate this job.”
Vernon mock-frowned. “But you’re so damn good at it.”
Naomi laughed and said, “Did you lock the door?”
Vernon nodded.
Naomi stood from behind her desk and moved closer to Vernon, her hips rocking beneath her skirt. She sat in his lap, putting her arms around his neck and kissing him on the lips.
Their lips separated, and she said, “Let’s go to the Mandarin.”
65
Derek and the Landing
They’d been at sea for four days when an announcement was made throughout the ship. Derek hadn’t even noticed the nanospeakers built into the ceiling.
“This is Captain Draper. Welcome to sunny Puerto Rico and the United States Penal Colony East. Over the next few hours, you’ll be transferred from this ship to a landing craft and delivered to the beach. Guards will be knocking on your cabin doors. When they knock, you will place your hands through the slots on your door. You will then be handcuffed and escorted to the landing craft. If you do not offer your hands, you will be stunned and subdued with hand and leg cuffs. Let’s make this easy on everyone.”
Captain Draper paused to emphasize the point.
“Once on the landing craft, your handcuffs will be removed. I’ll say this once and only once. If anyone refuses to exit the landing craft, you will be shot. Once you exit the landing craft, from that point until the end of your life, you are free to do as you please on the island.”
Cheers erupted from nearby cabins, the psychopaths more than ready to do as they pleased. Derek looked at Connor, who looked white as a ghost.
“We’ll be fine. We’ll stick together,” Derek said.
Roughly a half-hour later, a knock came to their cabin door. Derek and Connor were handcuffed for the first time in four days. Despite the awaiting dangers, Derek was looking forward to the fresh air. The cabin smelled like sweat and body odor.
The cabin door opened, and a guard led them single file with a small group of prisoners. The guards were careful to only escort groups of around fifty at a time, always making sure that the guards outnumbered the prisoners and that the prisoners were always handcuffed.
They were led down the stairs and to the back. The massive ramp on the back of the ship had been opened to reveal sparkling blue water and a bright cloudless day. Twenty landing crafts were arranged two-by-two, facing the open ramp. The front of each landing craft had lowered a ramp of their own and had an empty holding area where prisoners were packed in tight. Connor and Derek were pushed toward the back. Once the hull was packed with human cargo, the ramp was raised and shut, the only light now coming from the slots on the side. The slots had the same dimensions as the slots on their cabin doors. Body odor and urine and flatulence hung heavy in the cramped hull.