“Sydney Rye,” she says. “I’m Eunice Jackson.” She extends her hand to me and I take it. Jackson’s grip is strong, not I’m a big man who will crush you strong. More of I’m a woman of color who walks the halls of power, and you can’t crush me strong. It’s not painful, but it brooks no argument. Her eyes meet mine, holding them. This woman is not fucking around. I like her instantly.
She releases me and gestures at the seat next to hers. There is a knock on the door and Consuela answers it, taking a bottle of water from Silvia. I settle into the offered chair, leaning back to accommodate James. Blue sits by my side, his chin level with the table. Consuela hands me the water and I crack the lid, taking a sip as Jackson sits adjacent to me.
“Magnificent dog,” she says, smiling.
“Thanks,” I say. “His name is Blue.”
Blue’s gaze turns to the senator and she smiles at him, her expression bemused. “I’d heard of him, but the in-person experience is something else.” Consuela sits across from me, pulling files out of her briefcase. Jackson’s gaze returns to me. “I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us; we’ll get straight to the point. Consuela.”
Consuela looks up from her files and meets my gaze across the table. Light pours in the windows behind her. “I promised to help free you from Robert. And I keep my promises.”
“Okay.” My voice comes out hesitant and unsure. Which I am.
“Are you still willing to testify against him?” Jackson asks, drawing my attention.
“For what exactly?”
“We have a laundry list of crimes your testimony could substantiate.”
“I’m going to take the Fifth,” I say.
She smirks. “What if I told you I can offer you full immunity?”
“For what exactly?” I ask…because my laundry list of crimes is long, too.
“You give me the list, and I’ll get you the immunity.”
“That’s a big promise.”
“This is a big case.”
“You’re a senator,” I say. “As far as I know you don’t have the power to offer immunity…or pardons.”
She smiles. “I used to be a prosecutor, and now I sit on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I’m invested in this case and Consuela came on board to help me. I have plenty of connections in intelligence and law enforcement.” She pauses, her smile growing predatory. “If you agree, we can destroy Robert Maxim, and all the men who have protected and fed off him for the last twenty-five years.”
It feels a little like a bomb just dropped but hasn’t yet exploded. Like there is a live shell sitting on the table now and if any of us move it might go off.
Jackson leans forward. “There is a cancer in our society, in our government. It’s been there as long as we’ve had this nation.” She says it almost casually. As if this is common ground we are just going over again. “And it’s time to root it out.” That part sounds new, and it shivers goose bumps over my arms.
“The system is rigged, it always has been,” she continues. “The strong and ruthless exploiting the weak and powerless. With women, black, brown, and indigenous people often on the losing end. That’s why the world looks the way it does. Why the planet is dying and war is always brewing. If we don’t break the dismal pattern, we will all die.”
“Jeez, when you put it like that…” I say.
She smiles, dipping her head. “I’m speaking plainly with you because I think you can handle it. I think we want the same things.”
“Isn’t the situation more complicated than you’re making it out to be? Aren’t you working with Robert to get the sex workers’ bill passed, even as you’re plotting his demise? How do you justify allying with the devil?”
“I’m a politician, Sydney. Politicians make compromises to get good things done. If everything works as planned, sex workers will be liberated and Robert Maxim will be behind bars. Not a bad outcome.”
I hesitate, something inside me balking. I have not trusted the US justice system since my brother’s death. But I’ve also never had the courage to kill Robert Maxim. It would take more than courage, it would take betraying my own feelings. Something I’m not good at. And I don’t think I’m going to get good at it any time soon. I’d also have to trust the justice system to keep me and James safe.
“What’s the problem?” Jackson asks directly.
“A few things. First, I don’t trust you not to get me killed. Also, I have feelings for Robert Maxim. I hate him and all that he stands for. But I also love him. And I can’t imagine betraying him like this—I’d prefer to kill him myself. Seems more honorable. More…us.”
“What’s changed?” Consuela asks.
I meet her eyes. “I’m a mother. I have to think about James. He already has a target on his back. This would put us in incredible danger. Also, Robert and I are…”
Are what? Certainly not in a good place. He’s faking a coma and I’m planning on calling Mulberry and getting the fuck out of here as soon as I can. But Robert also has the power to buy back the fob with the zero days and…I try to turn my mind away from all the loving words he said. All the promises. All the ways he sees me that no one else does.
Jackson sighs, it’s a big heavy sound, and shakes her head. “I see.” She leans back in her chair and folds her hands over her stomach. “That’s not unusual.”
“This must come up a lot for you,” I joke. “Vigilante avengers in love with evil billionaires unwilling to put their children in danger for a case that could fail as easily as succeed.”
“Women in love with their oppressors,” she interjects. Ouch. “No one is immune from it.”
I press my lips together, hating her framing of the situation but also incapable of denying it with a straight face. “Maybe think about it this way, Sydney. He’s not just your oppressor. He’s dangerous and callous. He doesn’t care about anything but amassing power and material wealth.”
“And me.” The words slip out before I can stop them.
She shakes her head. “Are you in it just for you?” Jackson asks, her voice suspiciously free of censure. If I’d asked that same question it would have had a hard edge of “fuck you” running through it.
“No,” I answer. “Obviously.”
“But you’re only willing to risk so much.”
“On your plan, yeah, I’m only willing to risk so much to fulfill your ambitions. I have not trusted the system for a long time and since my son’s life is on the line, this does not feel like the time to hop back on that sinking ship. I can take care of myself, but I’m not going to be in charge of security at the courthouse. There are a lot, and I mean a lot of people who want me dead. I’m sure Dan kept an entire spreadsheet before being incarcerated.”
I meet Consuela’s gaze, and she doesn’t flinch. “There are also random men who would love to take a shot at me just because I’m me. Not for any other reason than my sex and my nature.”
“Yes,” Jackson says with a subtle smile. “Me too.”
“Speaking of Dan…” I let the sentence trail off, holding Consuela’s gaze.
“I had nothing to do with that.” Her tone isn’t defensive, nor is it pained. It’s empty of emotion—either she doesn’t care or she’s doing a hell of a job pretending not to care. Her gaze flicks to the senator and back to me, a warning not to bring up the nature of Consuela and Dan’s relationship in front of her. Is Consuela a part of the plan to get him back that Mulberry alluded to?
“So, how could you protect me?” I say, dropping the Dan subject. For now.
“We don’t often lose witnesses,” Consuela says.
“You’re saying you can protect me from Robert’s supporters.” I shake my head. “It would be better for me to just kill him.”
“We are going to assume you’re joking and not threatening murder,” Consuela says, raising her brows in the international sign of play along.
“Sure,” I say. “That’s a nice assumption. I appreciate it.” I rub my eyes, sinking into the sensation, letting my thoughts float for a long moment. No insights come to me and when I drop my hands, I’m back in the exact situation I was in before--except the room is a little blurrier.
“Sydney,” Jackson says. “I give you my word of honor I will keep you safe. Robert Maxim is not going to wake up from his coma. You’d be betraying a non-sentient being, not your husband.”
My chest aches from her words. “I’m not sure that’s true,” I say. “He’s faked this kind of thing before.”
Jackson huffs a laugh and shakes her head. “Well, not this time. I have it on good authority this is real.”
My jaw tightens but I don’t respond.
“You can do serious good here, Sydney,” Consuela says. “And be totally free from your past. Killing him won’t be as powerful as letting the justice system have its way with him—whether or not he regains consciousness—and his entire network.”
“Help us change the world,” Jackson says. Her words make something swell inside of me.
I could be free from all prosecution, help crumble the exploitative power structure that Joyful Justice has only ever chipped away at…but I’d have to trust strangers to keep me safe. Keep James safe. I’d have to betray Robert Maxim. I’m not sure I can do it. I’m not sure how much I’m willing to risk.