Woman King (13 page)

“This is a great time to build in San
Francisco,” I said, going along with the charade. “The city has
incredible tax credits to offer technology companies willing to
relocate here.”

Gabriel went on to say that he was too much
of a Frenchman to ever move away. “I might rent some space for a
satellite office,” he said, “but to leave Marseille completely
would be
tragique
.”

Our plates arrived and we sat in silence for
a few minutes, until Gabriel spoke again. “Levi, you’ve declared
your interest to run for Seat Fifteen? Are you certain? If so, you
need to assemble a campaign team immediately.”

Levi’s concern about my role was coming
through loud and clear.

“Maybe I can step in here,” I said, feeling
confident for the first time in weeks that I knew what I was
talking about. “Levi, you know me as twenty-something press
secretary. I didn’t help run your first campaign. But like you, I
have been busy since we closed down your office in the Rayburn
Building ten years ago. I have been building a very successful
business here in San Francisco, including running campaigns.”

I had managed to catch Levi’s attention, and
I could feel his growing interest.

“I represent a number of both national and
international corporations, as well as individuals, in their
dealings with both the media and government officials,” I
continued. “I have run a number of campaigns to protect their
interests. I have an extensive background in business and
development in the Bay Area. I understand the dynamics of election
politics. In short, I believe I have the leadership, skills and
required relationships to run this congressional campaign for
you.”

“She is considered one of the best,” Gabriel
said, pouring more wine into Levi’s glass. “And then, there is the
fact that you two have already worked with each other.”

“You know my work ethic,” I said. “I was the
first one in the office and often the last one to leave. This will
be no different.”

Levi was curious, but not sold. “How do you
think I win this race?” he asked.

I smiled. “Well, it’s not magic,” I said,
cringing inwardly. “Your money is not enough. Look at Meg Whitman,
she spent millions on her campaign for governor, but at the end of
the day couldn’t connect with voters. Voters support people they
like, people who understand their issues. You are the perfect
candidate. You came from another state to chase your
entrepreneurial dreams, and after years of hard work found success.
You’ve raised a family, nurtured a marriage and now after your
success, want to return to a life of public service. You have a
background in both business and education; you are exactly what
California needs at this tumultuous time in the state’s
history.”

Once again Gabriel vibrated with happiness.
He was very pleased with my speech, and, luckily, so was Levi
Barnes.

He agreed to hire me right then and there,
offering his apartment in San Francisco as a temporary campaign
headquarters. We were nowhere near ready to open a campaign office
in Silicon Valley, so using his apartment and my office as a base
of operations was perfect. I offered to work for free for the first
few weeks so that Levi could decide if I was a good fit for the
job. I didn’t need the funds since Gabriel was paying me, but Levi
just laughed and said money was not an issue.

Within a matter of days, he’d paid my first
month’s salary and deposited $1 million in a campaign account “to
get us started.”

****

Aidan was sitting at his desk, deep in
thought, when I arrived one evening a week later to brief him on my
progress.

“Knock, knock,” I said as I walked into his
office.

“The intrepid consultant returns,” he said,
swiveling his chair away from his computer to face me as I took a
seat across from his desk. “How are things going?”

“So far, so good. I’m writing a campaign plan
and interviewing pollsters,” I said. “Most evenings after sundown,
I’m here, training with Elsa.”

“And the campaign?”

“The campaign seems almost too good to be
true,” I said. “How often does an open congressional seat appear
with few competitors vying for it? It’s a district representing a
huge portion of the state’s population and wealth. Admittedly, not
nearly as sexy as San Francisco, it’s still home to billions in
venture capital and agriculture. So far, press coverage has been
sparse. But I think we have days, maybe hours to get this campaign
up and running before we’re in the spotlight.”

“And then what?” he asked.

“I’m certain an opponent will appear, and
begin to evaluate their chances. Why not? There’s nothing to lose,
since it’s an open seat.” I said. “The big question is whether
another Democrat will challenge Levi. I’m going to speak with the
head of the Party and see if I can preempt a challenger.”

“Do you need someone to come with you to help
persuade him?” Aidan asked. “Gabriel is good at that kind of thing,
you know.”

“I don’t think we need to bewitch Paul
Levant, not yet at least,” I said. “He’s been president of the
California Democratic Party for more than 20 years. I know him—he’s
salty, irascible, but he does have one soft spot: he loves women’s
rowing. I’ve already checked the race schedule. There is a regatta
coming up in a few weeks at Lake Merced. I’m going to approach him
then.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to read him
clearly?”

“Yes. Everyday it gets a little easier,” I
replied. “Besides, Levant isn’t one to hide his emotions. I won’t
have to work hard to know what’s in his heart.”

“That’s fortunate,” Aidan said. “We have had
great difficulty in some of our other races trying to get ahead of
the opposition. Too much magic is too obvious, so we take baby
steps.”

“Why can’t you just put a spell on an entire
town?” I asked, only slightly in jest. “Who would know?”

“We would,” he replied. “I’m afraid it’s
against the rules.”

There were, it turned out, a myriad of rules
to follow when it came to the Council. Secrecy was reinforced at
every opportunity. We were to monitor and possibly intervene on
behalf of humans, but without drawing attention to the organization
or ourselves. I was never to discuss my skills with anyone, even my
family, which in my case seemed like an unnecessary rule since my
mother already knew what I could do. We also were forbidden to
attract the attention of the police or other authorities. That rule
caught my attention.

“That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask
you something,” I said, changing the subject. “I was reading the
rule about not attracting the interest of the police and it got me
wondering if there are really Others who break the law.”

My question brought an immediate rush of
Aidan’s anxiety to my solar plexus.

“There are Others involved in every facet of
life: Navy Seals, astronauts and yes, even criminals,” he said, a
reluctance in his voice.

“Criminals,” I repeated, as if it were the
first time I’d heard the word.

“You’d be surprised,” he said.

I was surprised and I wanted to pry further,
but a glance at my watch told me I was now late to my appointment
with Elsa, so I nodded and left the room.

Elsa was engaged, face-to-face, with a man in
a heated argument. There was a
New York Times
article up on
the screen of a computer in front of them, but I could not make out
the headline. Watching their body language, it was clear there was
little love lost between them.

“Hello,” I said, interrupting them. “I don’t
mean to intrude, but it’s time for our appointment, Elsa.”

“You must be Olivia,” The man said, offering
me the sort of bitter smile reserved for competitors and enemies.
It took only seconds for me to realize he was a vampire—one who,
for some reason, did not like me at all.

“We are, it seems, to have a human in our
midst.”

“Olivia, this is Nikola,” Elsa interjected
before I could respond. “He’s a member of the eastern European
delegation and next in line as deputy to the director.”

He was also up to something; his energy was
as dark as a lump of coal. Darkness suited him. Tall, lean, and
looming
, Nikola was the perfect embodiment of the menacing
undead.

“Hello, Nikola,” I said, intentionally
ignoring his remark about humans. I returned his gaze, making sure
to look him in the eye before I turned my attention to the computer
screen to take a closer look at the headline, which announced that
a former Serbian army general had been convicted of war crimes at
the International Court of Justice at the Hague.

“Were you two talking about this?” I asked,
pointing to the screen.

“I’m sure it does not concern you,” Nikola
said.

“I’m a member of this organization,” I
replied.

“We can discuss it later,” Elsa said, cutting
me off again. “We need to get started on our work. Nikola, if
you’ll excuse us…”

Before I could ask any questions, I found
myself hurled into a private conference room.

“You know,” I said. “The first time we came
into this building, I didn’t notice so many private rooms. Can you
make rooms happen to suit your needs?”

In response, Elsa pointed to a piece of paper
on a large conference table. It was some kind of map of the city.
But not the type normally drawn by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Instead of the usual lots and blocks, the map contained numerous
vibrant color images including a picture of the windmill at the far
west end of Golden Gate Park and a drawing of the archway on Grant
Street that marks the entrance to Chinatown. On another part of the
map there was a lone dragon floating above a doorway and a statue
of Willie Mays in front of AT&T Park. I also recognized the
fountain in the music concourse outside the museum depicted among
the map’s other images.

“It’s a map,” I said, knowing I was stating
the obvious. “What are these images?”

Elsa ran her fingers along the drawings.
“These are the locations of the portals hidden across the city.
Although you can carry a copy of the map with you, it would be
easier if you memorize the locations.”

Memorizing was never one of my strong suits.
“That doesn’t sound easier,” I said. “I’d rather have a copy.”

“You can’t walk around with a paper copy of
the map in your hands,” Elsa said. “If you choose to have a copy it
will have to be imprinted onto your skin with a spell, but…”

“But what?” I asked.

“Well, I don’t recommend it,” Elsa said. “For
one thing, it introduces your body to a powerful form of old magic
that is painful, and two, it can be difficult to be on the run and
try to conjure the map up onto your skin.”

I was trying to decide which part of her
remarks to deal with first: the part about it being painful, the
fact that that you could use witchcraft to do something like that,
or the part about being on the run. “Could you elaborate more on
the part about ‘being on the run?’” Day by day, the Council was
beginning to feel more complicated.

“I’m not trying to frighten you, Olivia, but
our situation is different,” she said. “Like you, we have a mix of
good and bad people, but in the human world you walk away when
someone bothers you. In our world, now
your
world, you won’t
always be able to do that. You will need the portals. They also can
be a great shortcut if you are ever running late.”

I could tell that Elsa was being honest. She
wasn’t trying to frighten me, but she was worried about my safety.
What she was hiding, I couldn’t really say. I wasn’t sure if her
worries were real, or the result of living centuries on high alert.
Our conversation brought me down to earth again. My
responsibilities for the campaign were lengthy and serious. I felt
the weight, but I welcomed it. I was happy to be involved and
pressed to do my best. I knew how to do that.

The Council was something altogether
different. I had a tracking device in my arm near the pulse point
at my wrist, and as surely as I could feel my heart beat through my
skin, so too could these people find me. I had agreed to run a
campaign for Levi Barnes, but I really worked for the Council, an
organization that sounded lofty in its ideals but had its own
fractured political environment. Layer-by-layer, I was starting to
realize the complexity of the commitment I’d made.

Elsa in her own way was making sure I
understood. It was clear that she did not mean to harm me. She did
not even mean to warn me. It was well past the time for that. I was
already tagged and ready for duty. Elsa, it seemed, was trying to
accomplish what my mother had hoped to do. She was preparing me for
my life, my new life. She wasn’t my mother, and maybe that made it
easier. It wasn’t her fault that the things I needed to know were
intimidating.

“I’m not all that good at memorization,” I
said again, looking her straight in the eye. “If it’s all the same
to you, I’d rather have the map imprinted on me.”

She nodded, her green eyes signaling
comprehension. “We will need to find the old witch who lives
nearby. Nadia will bind the map to you.”

After we finished our discussion about the
map, we practiced blocking, another skill Elsa insisted I needed to
have. Blocking is the act of keeping people out of your head so
they can’t read your thoughts or harm you. I thought I had mastered
that skill in the first few days after my peyote trip when we had
ridden trains around the city. But she was not backing down.

“Didn’t I already do this on the train,” I
repeated. “What else is there to know?”

Her reply was swift. Elsa pushed against me
with her mind with so much force that I almost fell off my chair.
As I feebly tried to block her, my nose began to gush blood.