And of course, in that thought, he was wrong.
Bao felt trapped. The line between his two lives was continuing to fade. He was loyal to Insight Resources, the company that helped him escape his boring life in California. However, he was concerned about Blue Creek, his neighbors and friends. It was explicitly against Insight policy to reveal his identity as a “spy”. To do so would cost him his job. However, the information he now held could have a serious impact on the upcoming election and possibly the future of Blue Creek citizens.
Earlier that day one of his colleagues, a fellow spy, informed him that Tyler Redding was a Charlie Henry plant. This person had infiltrated the Asher government and had gotten to know Anna Radinski casually. While at a party of a mutual friend, Bao’s colleague saw Anna Radinski and Tyler Redding together. Even Governor Asher made an appearance. The only person missing was Charlie Henry. After asking around, Bao’s colleague verified that, not only did Radinski and Redding know each other, Tyler Redding wasn’t an official participant in the experiment. Again, if Bao leaked this information to someone like Patton Larsen, he could lose his job. If he didn’t tell Patton the situation in Blue Creek could get worse and worse. People had died, including the governor-elect on live television.
Bao grabbed a six pack of beer and logged in to his World of Warcraft account. It was his way of relaxing and thinking. He played well into the night and into the early morning. He was about to log off and go to bed when the answer came to his mind. He exited his game and opened up his email. Instead of breaking company policy and putting his job at risk, Bao decided to write up a standard report and copy the one man who could actually do something with Bao’s concern—Insight Resource CEO Michael Varner.
Bao worked on the report until daybreak. He made several edits and saved and attached it to an email. The proper process was to send it to his direct supervisor, who would take all of the agents’ reports and combine them. He would then summarize the reports, removing any unnecessary information. Bao was concerned that his supervisor would think Bao was overstepping his bounds and would cut out most of his report. To avoid this, Bao sent a copy directly to the CEO. It was risky, but he knew that Varner had also grown to love the people of Blue Creek and was concerned about these political outcomes.
He sent the email and closed down his computer. He had a series of deliveries scheduled for later that day, but he sent an email to his customers telling them their orders would be late. Bao stripped down to his underwear and turned on the TV that was on his dresser. He was asleep within three minutes. He dozed off, praying, as nearly as he knew how, that his email would fall upon sympathetic ears.
Michael Varner read the email again for the third time and gazed out his window towards the jagged mountains to the east. The attached report came from one of his company’s top agents. He was valuable for many reasons, but his number one attribute was his close relationship to Patton Larsen.
Asher understood the kid’s concerns and after reading the report he shared them. Just like Bao, however, he was trapped. Of course he had some influence. He was the head of the company that had implemented and now ran the experiment in Blue Creek. However, it was strictly against his company’s contract to influence events, people, and thus outcomes. Extremely valuable data for almost every conceivable scientific field had already been culled. A series of books and articles had already been published with scores, if not hundreds more, to come.
Varner was a family man. He could hear his two children playing in their room at that moment. This sent a pang of worry through him. What about those people, those little kids, who would be affected by these impending social and economic policies? Varner rubbed his hands through his hair, messing it worse than it already was. He didn’t know what to do, but he felt he had to do something.
No, Varner finally decided. He would set the example for his employees and follow proper procedures. He picked up his phone, hesitated for a moment, then dialed the number to the head researcher. Varner figured the scientists would balk at anything that would bias their data. However, he knew he wouldn’t feel right unless he asked.
CHAPTER
21
At the end of August, the poll numbers began to tighten. The three candidates were nearly neck and neck with just days to go until the election. In a move that was obviously made to favor the incumbent, the Council passed a law that stated that the recipient of the most votes would win. Both the original election, which brought David Asher into power, and the more recent recall election, the winner was required to win a majority. Now, however, a plurality would do it.
All three candidates favored the idea of a debate. It would be Patton’s last chance to differentiate himself with Tyler Redding. As the campaign progressed, Patton began to feel more and more that Redding was a ringer brought into the campaign by Charlie Henry. And while Patton’s instincts were correct, it was too late for him to do anything about it. He had to hit a home run during the debate or he was going to lose.
But, he realized, as the debate progressed, the moderator wasn’t going to give him any openings. They were probably in on the fix, instructed by Charlie Henry to keep the ball out of Patton Larsen’s court. He reminded his co-conspirators that it was a debate that put Mike Wilson ahead for good back in May. The moderator did, however, give Tyler Redding many opportunities to parrot Patton’s talking points. This would serve in weakening Patton’s points, and make the governor’s arguments seem stronger.
“While I agree with Mr. Larsen on many things,” Redding said, gesturing wildly with his hands as he spoke to the camera, “I just don’t think he goes far enough in some areas—”
“—Like what?” Patton interrupted angrily. He’d pretty much been left out of the debate so this was his only chance to get a word in.
“Sorry?” Redding asked him, gulping nervously.
“I said … like what? What don’t I go far enough in? You keep saying that but you haven’t specifically said what it is.”
The younger man swallowed again, trying to maintain his facade of confidence. He had been hammering Patton on this “issue” and gaining traction with it in some recent polls, but Patton was calling him out.
“Well … I think your idea to reopen business relations with the outside is good but I think you don’t go far enough.”
Patton smirked and shook his head.
“Again,” he said, losing his smile and appearing angry again, “you didn’t mention how. You make up this phony issue with no details. You sound an awful lot like Mr. Asher on this issue,” he said, looking at the incumbent and smiling at his shocked reaction to the jab.
“There’s no call for that,” the moderator said, trying to bring some order back to the discussion.
“Well, Sir,” Patton said sarcastically, “I haven’t had much of an opportunity to say much of anything, so I guess when I get the chance to speak I should take advantage of it.” The moderator blushed profusely. “I’m sorry to get your panties in a wad,” Patton continued, “but I have every right to speak as much as these other candidates, so either you’re just a pompous jerk or you’re in on the fix here.”
The man was so angry now that Patton could see the red under his TV makeup. In his earpiece the director was calling for a break, but the debate was a commercial free event. Either the moderator had to gain control of the debate or continue to be made to look like an idiot.
“Again, Mr. Larsen, there really is no need for this. You’ve had ample opportunity to respond tonight.”
Patton chuckled contemptuously and shook his head in disgust. “We all know where you stand, Joe,” Patton said to the moderator. “The only question is whether you’ll be visiting Mr. Asher’s dressing room after this is over.”
The nervous tension that had been building up among the audience dissipated with that remark when an audience member started laughing. That caused a chain reaction of laughter and p
retty soon most of the audience was caught in the moment. Patton laughed to himself but managed to keep his composure. When order was restored he didn’t relent.
“I’ve been hearing how I’m not this or I’m not that for months now. Mr. Redding here is basically unknown. No one I know has ever met him before he ran for office. If it were proper, I would ask the Microcosm people whether he’s even an actual registered member of the experiment.”
Now it was Redding’s turn to get hot under the collar.
“Now wait a minute,” he said, raising a bony finger in protest at Patton’s remark. “Just because you don’t know me, Mr. Larsen, doesn’t mean that nobody else does. That’s just ridiculous.”
Patton stared at him and realized that he was starting to get under his skin. Meanwhile, David Asher stood there at his lectern like a statue, trying not to get caught up in the drama.
“Well Mr. Redding, let me tell you something. I’ve been one of the most successful businessmen in this community since its founding. I have gotten to know a lot of people. You’re right, I don’t know everyone, but I know a lot of people and not one of them … not one … has claimed to have known you or seen you at any point before your face began to appear on posters around town.”
Once red, Tyler Redding’s face was now nearly bone white. There was something more to this than just a blank accusation. Patton must have dug up some dirt on him to bring it up. Still, Redding had only one tack.
Rolling his eyes dramatically for the cameras, Redding said, “This is just another boy crying wolf episode for Mr. Larsen. First Governor Asher is part of some conspiracy with some old guy that no one has ever heard of. And now I’m some kind of impostor.”
Patton pursed his lips and nodded. “That’s a good way to put it,” he said with a cocky air. “But let me say one thing to that. We had every bit of proof that we needed to show that the Governor and Charlie Henry were in cahoots, but the media wanted him to win so badly they ignored the evidence. Now they’re ignoring the fact that you’re probably not even supposed to be in this community and that Charlie Henry recruited you to run so you could split votes with me.”
It was just conjecture on Patton’s part, but the truth of it struck both Asher and Redding so hard that it was impossible for them to not react. The cameras caught the reactions, and many in the audience and watching on TV noticed. And for the remainder of the debate Patton kept up his attack by basically filibustering. He decided if they weren’t going to give him the time he was going to take it. To no one’s surprise, the moderator ended the debate fifteen minutes early.
Patton didn’t feel that he’d blown his chances by what he’d done. It was his last gasp, Hail Mary pass. Polls taken after the debate showed that Patton’s debate outburst had worked, at least to an extent. He was now statistically tied with Tyler Redding but still trailing the incumbent by five percentage points, just at the margin of error. The two TV channels gave Patton little coverage, and what they did give him was negative. Still, the people viewing the debate saw the reaction of both candidates when Patton had accused them of being connected. However, his debate performance shifted a large part of the vote towards himself in just one night.
The unfortunate thing for Patton, though, was that he didn’t have enough time to build any momentum. Elections were crazy things. One simple moment or a careless slip of the tongue can ruin an entire campaign. Patton had less than a week left to make something happen. Otherwise, Blue Creek was going to be stuck with David Asher and God only knew what damage would be done.
After watching the debate and considering other factors, Charlie decided that no matter the result of the upcoming election, David Asher was out. Either Tyler Redding or someone else, preferably Anna, would replace him. David Asher had forgotten his role and he was becoming a liability. Politics aside, Charlie Henry had grown tired of the governor.
Would Asher bow out gracefully? That was the question. Charlie preferred a meek and humble exit on the part of David Asher. However, if need be, he would force the issue. Charlie Henry had the muscle behind him—both Travis and Brian were able and willing to convince David Asher that his time had come and gone.
The biggest roadblock that Charlie could foresee was Anna. She was the one who had brought Asher into their enterprise. And sure, it had proven to be a great move, but the young man had forgotten his place. It was time to knock him down a rung or two, and that is why he had asked Travis and Brian over for a late dinner and drinks. After weeks of beating around the bush on the topic, Charlie finally asked the two what his next move should be. They both waffled, wanting to draw out of the old man what he had in mind. When he told them his idea they looked at each other, hoping the shock wasn’t evident on their faces.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Travis asked gravely. He looked over at Brian, who was noncommittal, and then looked back at Charlie. “I mean … if you do this, it could tear everything apart. Everything you’ve worked for.”
Charlie reclined back, lacing his fingers together behind his head and propping his right ankle on his left thigh. He looked at the two in turn through narrowed eyes, chewing on the inside of his cheek. What they didn’t know, however, was that he was reading them, like a professional poker player would read an opponent. The old man couldn’t have known that the two younger men had a similar conversation with David Asher.
They had their answer, in a way. Charlie Henry had just told them that David Asher was going to be out of power. More than this, he expected them to do the deed.
It was hard for Asher to find someone to trust after Travis Snedley had been burned. He was back now, looking nearly unrecognizable. It was a relief to have someone on his side—someone he could confide in.
“So have you decided?” Travis asked, leaning against the fender of his borrowed SUV. The governor had obviously learned from his mistakes of meeting in public. They were parked at a trailhead, well up in the western hills above town. It was windy and threatening rain. Both figured the weather would keep people at home.
Asher nodded, looking down towards his town. It appeared peaceful from this vantage point. Part of him regretted the pain that their policies had brought upon the people, but he was beginning to appreciate the big picture. Charlie Henry was right about political power—it could only be built through one type of government. The old man was wrong about who should be in power, though.
Travis had just informed him that Charlie Henry was planning to not only replace him with Travis Redding, but possibly have him killed.
“Together or separate?” Travis asked, pushing away from the vehicle and bending down to pick up a golf ball-sized rock. He tossed up it and caught it a couple times and then heaved it down the hill.
“Maybe not together, but at least the same night,” Asher said, finally looking at his co-conspirator. “You got somebody to help you? Somebody you can trust?”
Travis sat back and blew out a loud breath. “I’d have to think about it,” he said. “Everyone involved in this is in Anna’s back pocket. The old man is hated, but respected. We’re probably going to have to look for somebody outside of town.”
Asher nodded again, this time displeased—not with Travis, necessarily, but with the situation in general. The governor, obviously, could have no direct involvement in this. He was too close to the situation.
“How long is that going to take?”
Travis shrugged his head as if to say ‘I have no idea,’ and walked back and leaned on the fender of the SUV again.
“Well, we need to have something in place and ready for right after the election. I don’t want those two to feel like they have options,” Asher said, pulling his car keys from his pocket.
Travis nodded solemnly and then started back towards his own car. The realization that he was now Blue Creek’s kingmaker suddenly hit him. Both parties, who were in a very vicious power struggle, had come to him persona
lly and asked for his help to remove the other. And as he watched David Asher drive away, he honestly couldn’t say what he was going to do. He knew which way he was leaning, but he decided that it all depended on what he was going to get out of his decision.
The next day was Election Day. Anna and Asher had just done their best to put it all out of their minds. Lying together in bed now, with Asher asleep beside her, the dread of the coming day returned to Anna’s mind. Charlie hadn’t told her his plans for Asher, but Travis had.
Her biggest conflict was that she wasn’t sure that Charlie wasn’t doing the right thing. The man lying beside her had been the key to their current level of power. Charlie, however, was right—David Asher was becoming a liability. Not that that was Asher’s fault – he’d only implemented the policies they had given him – but his brand was badly damaged. If the Tyler Redding gambit didn’t work, and Patton Larsen became the next governor, their plans would be ruined. Then there was the bigger picture to consider. This wasn’t just about Blue Creek. They were going to broadcast their success in Blue Creek to other progressives to prove their philosophy of governance was correct.
What Anna needed most was a backup plan—one for David Asher’s eventual exiting of the political scene and another for Charlie Henry’s demise, whether natural or otherwise. She made a mental note to bring this up with Travis and the guy who had rid Blue Creek of Mike Wilson—Brian White. She had much more to offer them both than either Asher or Charlie, she thought, looking down at her tanned, naked body. More than her physical attributes, Charlie had taught her enough to run things on her own.
Patton had never struggled to sleep before. He now understood what it was like for athletes the night before a big game. He tried a double Scotch, then another. When that didn’t work he switched to beer. By the time he discovered alcohol wasn’t working he had a massive headache.
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