The Unseen Trilogy

by Stephanie Erickson

  Agreed, but it doesn’t change anything. We need evidence and information. Nothing more, nothing less, David said.

  After that rather bleak revelation, there wasn’t much left to say, and everyone started dropping off from the conversation. Eventually, Owen and I were the only ones left.

  Christmas is only a week away. It came out sadder than I’d intended. It was much harder to guard your thoughts than it was your words.

  That’s not a reason to rush into anything, especially if it gets you hurt…or worse, Owen said. It was a more practical attitude than I’d expected from him, but again, it was what I needed to hear.

  It’s our first Christmas together.

  We will celebrate when this is over. I promise.

  By the time we said goodbye, I was resigned to my fate. Seemed like it would be a long haul, but I was in it to win it. Agusto wouldn’t be president if I had anything to say about it. I would make it a Christmas to remember.

  Fourteen

  The following day, Amanda and I were having lunch at the same cafe where we’d first had coffee together. We got a lot of our meals there. They met all of Amanda’s requirements: They were fast, nutritious, and reliable.

  She smiled at me.

  “What?” I asked, a little uncomfortable. Her smiles almost never meant anything good.

  “You know, when I first met you, you grated on me. Your voice is so similar to that girl I knew. Even some of the phrases you use. But I’m glad I was forced to get to know you. Thankfully, you’re nothing like her, save for your voice.”

  It took some work to accept her backhanded compliment, and even more work not to show a negative reaction. “I’m glad I don’t annoy you…too much.”

  “I have something for you.” She pulled out a sealed brown envelope. “I need you to deliver this to Agusto. It contains highly sensitive information meant only for him. Please see that he gets it immediately.” We hadn’t finished eating, but she started to gather her things. “I’m off to check on some of the major hospitals out west. I’ll be back in a few days.”

  “Wait, what? Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” I asked, scrambling to keep up with her.

  “I figured it was need-to-know information. This landed in my lap, and I have to leave to catch my flight, so suddenly you needed to know.” She was so matter-of-fact about it; I didn’t know how to respond.

  “If you need anything, text me,” she added. “If I think it’s important enough, I’ll respond.”

  “Well, have a safe trip.” She nodded and left me alone in the cafe. The envelope sat on the table in front of me. I looked it over, knowing I should get up and deliver it, but wanting desperately to open it.

  What if it was about Zero? If it held the proof we needed to take Agusto down, I wouldn’t even have to sneak into his mind. I’d have solid evidence with very little risk.

  I chanced a glance around as I picked up the envelope. None of Agusto’s employees were there. I was alone.

  David? I asked as I thumbed the seal on the envelope.

  What? Why are you contacting me in the middle of the day?

  Amanda has just left me with an envelope to be delivered to Agusto. She said it contains highly sensitive information. Think I should open it?

  Before he could answer me, I sent him another thought. What if it has the proof we need to shut him down?

  Okay, let’s be logical about this. Why would she tell you there was sensitive information in it? Has she ever told you anything about what you’re ferrying around for them?

  I hesitated. No. They never gave me an explanation or reason for anything. They barely even acknowledged me when I dropped something off for them.

  Do you think she was trying to tempt you to open it?

  I don’t know, I said. I felt like a child being scolded.

  Because this is so out of character, I think you should deliver the note undamaged. It feels like a trust exercise to me. If you do it right in their eyes, you may gain more in the long run.

  But what if it’s something huge? The name of the person they’re supposedly holding? Evidence about Zero? Or where they plan to attack next?

  And what if it’s not? What if it’s just his sandwich order, and all he wants is to see if you opened it?

  Feeling defeated, I gathered my things and left the cafe, the envelope tucked under my arm. One of these days, you’re going to have to let me take a risk, even if it’s wrong.

  Not today. I tried not to visibly roll my eyes as I went back into Agusto’s building and took the elevator to the third floor.

  As I stood outside his office, I considered my options. I was a grown woman. David couldn’t tell me what to do all the time. Of course, the times I’d gone rogue hadn’t exactly served me well—or anyone else, for that matter. But what if this was different? What if breaking the rules was the only way to play the game?

  I hesitated outside his office for just another moment, trying to gather my resolve when one of the guards opened the doors, nearly hitting me in the face.

  “It’s rude to lurk in doorways,” he said as he held the doors open for me.

  “How did you even know I was out here?” I knew the answer, of course—they must’ve heard my outgoing thoughts. I’d gotten so good at letting them flow in the background, I often forgot I was doing it at. Had I reined them in, I could’ve stood there for as long as I wanted.

  Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve, I thought as I walked across the office. I considered dropping the envelope in the river and destroying the sensitive information it might contain. But I was so close to completing the task, I might as well carry it through to the end. Anyway, why chance “disappointing” him, if it really was just a sandwich order.

  I slapped it on his desk a little too hard. If I’d still had long hair, it would’ve been blown away from my face from the force of the movement. I didn’t acknowledge the overly aggressive move, I only said, “Amanda had to leave to catch her flight, so she asked me to deliver this.”

  He sat back in his chair and peered up at me, amusement on his face. I kept my face cool as I turned to walk out, feeling like I’d made a mistake. But this was a situation in which there were no obvious right answers. As I made my way across the room, I could feel him looking at me. I kept walking.

  He called out to me right as I stepped onto the stepping stone in the river.

  “One more thing.”

  Great. Now how am I supposed to turn around? I had to go across and come back, risking two falls in the river. By some miracle, I made it, but I stopped at the river’s edge, not wanting to get any closer to him.

  “Your life is about to get much busier.”

  “How’s that?” I asked, not sure I wanted to hear what he was about to say.

  “In the spirit of Christmas, I’m going to be announcing my candidacy for the upcoming presidential election when Amanda returns. She’ll be my campaign manager, and you will help us win.”

  I worked hard to school my emotions, but I knew he would expect some response from me. Should I congratulate him? Probably not. He wouldn’t want reassurance from lesser employees. How was I supposed to respond? Very good, sir. That sounded too much like a butler. No! You’ll destroy this country. I nearly laughed out loud at that one. But this was no laughing matter, and besides, he was still staring at me.

  “Just let me know what’s expected of me.”

  “Oh, I will. I will shape this country into the greatest empire that ever existed. But to do that, we’ll have to break some things down first. You need to clean out the parasites, get yourself strong before you can start building back up, don’t you agree?” That sinister smile was back, and it turned my stomach.

  “I don’t know that my opinion much matters.”

  “You are so right.”

  “Just…” I hesitated, wondering if I should continue. It almost certainly wasn’t wise, but I’d already started.

  “Just?”

  “Just don’t f
orget what happened to the Romans.”

  Standing from his chair, he narrowed his gaze at me as he crossed the room. “Don’t forget what happened to the Romans?” he asked slowly, drawing the question out as he drew closer to me.

  He got so close that his belly was nearly touching me as I stood at the edge of the river, unable to back away. I stifled a swallow, not wanting to show any weakness. “You know that whole, the higher they build it, the farther they fall mentality? I would hate to see you fall.”

  “Would you?” He backed off a step. “Well, isn’t that nice to hear?” The condescension in his voice was evident. He turned on his heels and walked back to his desk. “If ever I need or want your opinion on my life choices, I’ll let you know.”

  I turned and misjudged the distance to the stepping stone, planting my foot firmly in the river. It was ice-cold and about ankle deep, flowing gently against my foot. Taking a breath to steady myself, I planted my other foot on the stone and continued on, knowing he’d heard me splash in the river. He probably felt very satisfied with himself.

  I didn’t care. I had bigger fish to fry, namely him. It was only one o’clock, but I walked out of his office and left the building. If he needed me, he’d text. I had to talk to David and the others. And get a dry pair of shoes.

  Fifteen

  You were right, I said to anyone who was listening. They all answered me at almost the same time.

  What’s up?

  He’s announcing his candidacy early next week, I guess. After Amanda gets back from her trip out west, but before Christmas. We’re running out of time.

  David was the first to try to calm me. We don’t have any less time than we did before. Just because we have confirmation of our suspicions, doesn’t mean we need to rush into anything.

  He’s getting bolder about his threats to me.

  What? Owen said with obvious heat in his voice.

  It makes me feel the urgency a little more than you guys do.

  Just try to stay calm. I don’t see him making any moves on you as long as you can manage to stay on his good side. What did you do to make him threaten you today? David asked.

  I reminded him about what happened to Rome.

  You brought failure to the forefront of his mind? Rebecca said, amusement in her voice.

  I suppose so, yes.

  Perhaps a less inflammatory approach might be best in the future? David asked.

  Whatever, you guys aren’t here. You’re not living it every day like I am.

  Okay, let’s think about this realistically, Owen said. He might not even make it past the primaries. He doesn’t have any experience at all in politics. What’s the likelihood that the American people will get behind him? Just because he’s a smart businessman, doesn’t mean he’s equipped to run the country.

  I stomped up the stairs to my apartment and let myself inside, slamming the door behind me. But if he eliminates Zero just in time for the election, think how people will rally behind him. Do you know what he said to me today? That he needed to clean out the parasites before he could build the country into an empire.

  No one responded right away.

  It doesn’t change anything, Mackenzie. David said. We already knew he was bad news. It stands to reason that he’d have some pretty terrible things planned for his term as president. Just because he implied it out loud doesn’t change anything.

  No, but it wasn’t easy to hear.

  Fair enough, he said.

  I could tell the conversation was over, and they were leaving me alone again. Owen was the only one who stayed behind.

  Just try to hang in there, Owen said.

  And how’s that working out for you?

  Some days are better than others, he admitted. They’re right, you know? We have time. Just because he’s going to declare he’s running, doesn’t mean he’s going to become president any time soon. It doesn’t give him any more power right now.

  I know. But I can see what he’s planning…and it’s going to work.

  We’ll stop him before it gets that far. Have a little faith, he said. I knew he couldn’t see me, but I nodded anyway. He was right. I need to stop panicking, take a deep breath, and have a little faith.

  Over the next few days, while I waited for Amanda to come back, I found myself repeating that phrase a lot.

  “My fellow Americans, I stand before you today to make a very special announcement, in the spirit of the season.” The tastefully decorated room was packed, and he’d booked a larger space than normal for the occasion. Every radio, TV station, and Internet news provider was there, anxiously awaiting the great Agusto Masterson’s announcement. It was nauseating.

  “You’ve trusted me to eliminate the threat of Zero. And I’ve shown you that I will not rest until my promise is fulfilled. Now, I’d like you to trust me with something else.”

  I held my breath as I waited for him to say the words.

  “Today, I’m announcing my presidential bid as an independent candidate.”

  Independent? I’d expected him to align himself with a party. I wasn’t sure if a third-party candidate had ever won before. It was a huge risk, and it gave me some hope that he might lose after all.

  From where I stood at the back of the room, I could easily see the monitors showing the live feed; they displayed with his fancy new website running along the bottom of the screen.

  “Right now, I’d like to briefly outline some of my policies for you. If you want more detailed information, please visit the website you see on your screen.

  “First and foremost, it would be my priority as president to eliminate terrorist threats to not only our country, but around the world.”

  What happened to you taking care of that before you were elected? I thought, frowning.

  “What’s wrong with you? You look like you ate a lemon,” Amanda whispered.

  I just shook my head, trying to rid my face of the expression, and kept listening.

  “I would constantly work to ensure that even after the eradication of Zero, no other threats pop up to threaten our great nation. I will keep you safe.”

  Cheers erupted from the crowd, making my nausea return and intensify.

  “Second, I will adopt a logical approach to policies across the board. Science has indicated that there is life before birth, so I will not support abortion of any kind. I will close the borders to our neighbors and implement stricter immigration policies to keep our lands safe. With that, I intend to divert money spent on illegal immigrants to things like free healthcare and education. We must focus on taking care of our own.

  “I will stimulate our economy by cutting taxes for the lower and middle class, adding jobs where I can. As a businessman, I can also promise to balance our budget before the end of my term. I can’t promise to get this country out of debt, but I can stop digging us deeper into it.

  “Now, I know I can’t accomplish all of this right away, let alone without help. But I like to set lofty goals. They make victory that much sweeter.”

  The speech was so brutally honest that I feared it would be very appealing to the masses, despite the fact that it was all lies and he didn’t give a lick about policies.

  He was manipulating them, telling them exactly what they wanted to hear, and they were eating it up. It made me want to scream at them all. But I didn’t. I would’ve been just another story buried in the newscast, far beneath Agusto Masterson’s announcement that he was in the running to become the country’s savior and leader. I could even see the headline: Woman goes on a crazy rant about humanitarian CEO.

  He opened the floor to a few questions that I knew had been preselected. I’d helped distribute them. The reporter from CNN went first. “What made you decide to run, Mr. Masterson?”

  “A lot of things. But, in leading the charge against Zero, I realized just how much I love this nation and our people. Why not help take us to the next level of greatness?”

  The next level of greatness? I thought to myself. It mad
e me sick to think about how different his definition of greatness was likely to be from mine.

  The next reporter read his question. “You already have some stiff competition, Mr. Masterson. So far you’re the only one to announce without any political background, and since you’ve also announced as independent, do you realistically expect to win?”

  Agusto’s eyes flashed with anger, but you could have blinked and missed it. I’d seen the original question, and the reporter had editorialized it quite a bit. It was supposed to just ask how he planned to approach his candidacy against so many opponents with extensive political backgrounds.

  I feared for that reporter’s career, but I was glad he’d asked the question.

  “Of course I expect to win. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be pouring all my blood, sweat, and tears into my campaign. I’m afraid if you don’t have any more intelligent questions, that’ll be it for the day, folks. We’ll see you on the campaign trail. Let’s bring in the new year with a bang.” He waved as he walked off stage, and as he passed us on his way to the door at the back of the room, he whispered into Amanda’s ear, loudly enough for me to hear it. “Take care of that reporter.”

  She nodded once, and I hoped she didn’t need help with that particular task. I did not want to know what he meant.

  Once he was out of sight, and the reporters started clearing out, I risked talking to Amanda. “Do you think that little tantrum at the end will hurt him?”

  “Not much. Only you and I know him well enough to know how angry he really was. Tread lightly if you know what’s good for you.”

  “For how long?”

  “Forever.” She walked away, her posture a little stiff—no doubt from the weight of the task on her shoulders. I didn’t envy her one bit. She’d done some terrible things to me in the past, but was this really what she deserved?

  I no longer believed I knew the answer to that question.

  Sixteen

  Christmas Day was a quiet affair in my apartment. I hadn’t expected to have the day off, but Agusto’s office was closed, so I wouldn’t have to report to work. Of course, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t get any demanding text messages. I tried to sleep in, but I couldn’t. I was used to being up first thing on Christmas morning. Maddie and I always used to wake up before her parents and count down until it was what they considered a “reasonable hour” before we started pounding on their door. The tradition had continued into our twenties, although our knocking had become more courteous, and we always came bearing coffee.