Two Weeks Before the Demonstration
After the holidays, in early January, Ruth was supposed to be grading a math quiz but was in fact studying printouts from the library about how to make an IED. She’d pretty much decided on a pipe bomb, which wasn’t hard to assemble, and a battery-powered alarm clock to activate the detonator. She planned to pack the pipe with smokeless powder, which was available on Amazon for about fifty bucks and would make an excellent explosive. Although she’d never built a bomb before, she had specific directions and even illustrations to guide her. It wasn’t rocket science, she kept reminding herself. And if all else failed, she could ask Jarvis for help.
While she was creating a fake account on Amazon, her doorbell buzzed. She wasn’t expecting anyone and considered not answering. She had too much work to do. Then again, it could be Dena. Occasionally she would show up, unannounced, demanding something from Ruth, or complaining about someone, or just in need of attention.
She went to the door and called through the intercom. “Who is it?”
“It’s Beef Jerky.”
Ruth’s stomach pitched. How had he found her? What did he want? She pressed the button to unlock the door to the street. She heard the clomp of boots on the stairs. More than one set of boots. As many as three. She sucked in a breath of trepidation. Unlatched her door.
Beef Jerky and the Tat boys walked in without saying a word. Then Beef Jerky spun around. “Who the fuck are you . . . Nicole”—he emphasized the name—“and what the fuck are you doing?”
Beef Jerky knew about the “exercise.” She didn’t know when, and she didn’t know how, but the suspicion and narrowed eyes indicated there was no doubt. She sucked in a breath. She’d come so far. It was going to happen. She couldn’t let him stop her. She could lie. Tell him it was all a fantasy between her and Jarvis. That she was just trying to make Jarvis feel worthy. Useful. A nanosecond later she recognized that wouldn’t work. Beef Jerky was way too observant. And sophisticated. Would see through her. She had only one option. The best defense and all that.
“Who the hell are you?” she retorted.
“You don’t want to know,” he growled. Before she could say anything, he fingered his mustache. “You think I don’t have intel? You think I don’t know that your name is Ruth Marriotti, you’re a math teacher, and you were one of the first people to join that pussy asshole Resistance group?”
Ruth panicked inside but endeavored to hide it from the men. How did he know? Who told him?
“You think I don’t know that you want to kill the woman who started it and you’re using Jarvis to do it?”
She tried one more time. “If you know all that, then you know what a danger people like her are to people like you. I’m helping you. Of course, if you can’t see that, then you’re not as smart as you think you are.”
“Well, missy, you are right about helping us.” He grimaced. “So if you’d like your thank-you now, you got it.”
Ruth inclined her head. She had no idea where he was going.
“But you got no idea who we really are, and that’s what I’m here to tell you.” He waved his hand at her easy chair. “Why don’t you sit down over there.” It was an order, not an invitation. He took a seat on her couch. “After the boys frisk you.”
“I don’t have any weapons.”
“I suspect not, but we’ll just confirm it.”
The Tat boys took their time, patting her down twice. They made sure to slow down when they ran their hands over her breasts. The sense of violation it triggered was nauseating, but Ruth knew that was exactly why they were doing it. She bit her lip. When they finished, they nodded to Jerky.
“Sit down,” he ordered. Ruth did. She gripped the arms of the La-Z-Boy hard.
“So . . .” He took his time. “It seems we have—what you could call—a mutually rewarding objective.” He didn’t wait for her response. “I work with some people who are as unhappy with the Baldwin bitch as you.”
“Who? And why?”
“It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that my job is to make sure Jarvis goes through with it. And that you go through with taking out Jarvis. No chickenshit sudden change of heart, understand?”
“What happens if I don’t go through with ‘my part’?”
“You think we don’t have a Plan B?”
“What is it?”
Again he brushed his mustache with his finger. “You don’t want to go there. Let’s just say we’re willing to give you a chance to show your stuff. Fact is, Jarvis does seem to like you. Might even be willing to do it.”
She ran her tongue around her lips. “So, let’s assume I do what you want. What’s in it for me?” She realized as she said it that everything up until now, while she’d planned meticulously, was nothing but a fever dream of revenge. It wasn’t real. The plan could crumble into tiny pieces and disappear without anyone getting hurt. And Jerky had a point. In those moments she wondered whether she had the cojones to go through with everything. The possibility of an out had always lurked in the back of her mind. She could come up with an excuse to abort the plan; Jarvis would believe anything she told him. Now it appeared that option was gone. An icicle of fear slid up her spine.
A twisted grin came over him. “Don’t play that bullshit game with me. You were going to take him out anyway. We’re just here to make sure you do.” He leaned forward. “Jarvis always was off. Undependable. Head in the clouds. And his sister didn’t help. We run a tight ship. He’s too much of a risk.”
Ruth crossed, then uncrossed her legs but didn’t say anything.
Jerky went on. “So what’s in it for you? How’s this: you’ll still be alive afterwards. You’ll go back to that group and become its new leader. Just what you always wanted, right?”
When Ruth tried to object, he cut her off. “We know who you are and what you want, missy. Always have.” He smiled. “And you’ll get it. With one condition.” He perched his feet on the coffee table and let the silence grow. “When I want a report about your group, or anyone in it, you’ll give it to me pronto.”
Ruth’s mouth went dry. “And if I say no?”
The Tat boys each pulled out a pistol and aimed it at her.
Beef Jerky looked at the Tats and held up his hand. “Boys, put your weapons down You don’t need them.” He turned back to Ruth. “It’s simple, babe. We’ve been keeping our eyes on you. If things go south, we’ve got all the evidence we need to put you away forever. We know what you’re doing twenty-four seven.” He pointed two fingers at her face. “Conspiracy to Murder. Accessory to murder. Plus a whole lot of other charges our lawyers ‘ll think up.” He paused. “We’ll get it out to the media. ‘Resistance activist plans coup and fails.’ He shrugged. “Your choice.”
“No one will believe you. They’ll say it’s fake news.”
“Riiight . . .” He stretched out the word. “You sure you want to take that chance?”
“How do I know you haven’t persuaded Jarvis to kill me?”
Beef Jerky shifted. He took his time answering. “Well, missy, I guess that’s just another risk you’re gonna have to take.”