Dissident by Cecilia London

of her pocket and ran out the door.
    *              *              *              *              *
    Bill sat down next to the sedated woman and took her hand. He was so tired. So incredibly tired. He’d been playing this game for decades and perhaps it had finally beaten him.
    He didn’t know why he suddenly felt compelled to get involved. He’d kept his mouth shut for so long, even though he figured out what was happening fairly quickly. He glanced over at Ms. Gerard. She was a smart woman. She’d figured it out too, maybe before anyone else. And where had it gotten her?
    In the past he would have thought it odd that no one had mentioned the raids on television. Now he knew better. And many people knew what had happened. They couldn’t hide the fact that the legislative branch was a shambles and a number of prominent current and former public officials had suddenly disappeared. Representative Gerard was the only one who had made an appearance at the VA hospital. So far.
    Bill didn’t know whether that was good or bad, but he assumed the worst.  Either it meant she had survived somehow when others had failed, or it meant that she was the one they wanted the most. 
    Many others had been killed, others who had said and done less than she.  Of course, those were just rumors, but Bill knew in his heart that they were borne from the truth. The lies spun by the Administration of disloyal Americans abandoning their country had done little to dissuade him from his belief that Santos and his men had been progressively picking off those who posed the greatest danger to them.
    He squeezed the woman’s hand and stood up.  It was a long drive back to Bethesda. Traffic was lighter than it had been in years, but it was still not an easy jaunt. He’d pick up some flowers for his wife on the way home. She’d like that.
    He gave Ms. Gerard one final glance before leaving the room. Her pulse was steady, her vitals strong. Her facial wounds were healing bit by bit, but her nose was still disfigured and her cheekbones swollen. He hoped she wasn’t able to feel any pain.
    Bill wasn’t sure what he was going to do but he’d figure it out. They weren’t going to get her. He’d see to that.

Chapter Six
    Caroline
    March
     
    It was almost spring, but the mild winter wasn’t quite ready to completely disappear. Caroline stood at the window, watching the light snow falling outside. Her office faced the Capitol Building. She’d struck gold during the lottery for new offices, and had chosen this suite solely for the view.
    She had a lot of random sports memorabilia in her office. She’d always been able to bribe Jen and Kathleen to help her move it, mostly with her legendary homemade cookies, other baked goods, and a healthy amount of booze. She was very picky about who she trusted with her keepsakes. The three of them would spend an afternoon wrapping and unwrapping autographed baseballs and other tchotchkes, rearranging bobbleheads, and making sure her Marquette and Notre Dame diplomas were hung properly. She had a particular devotion to Joe Girardi and Ryne Sandberg and it was reflected in the objects she displayed. Including her favorite item stashed in the corner below two game used Cubs jerseys she had hanging on the wall.
    Jen and Kathleen hated having to move the old Wrigley Field turnstile Caroline insisted on putting in her office when the new term started. Before that, it had been in the basement of her home in Rockville with the rest of her collection. She picked it up from a prestigious online auction house right after she was elected to her first term. Nicky freaked when he found out how much she spent on it, but it was a little congratulatory present to herself that she knew he’d never buy for her.
    The turnstile wasn't cheap and cost a ton to ship from Chicago to Maryland. Caroline bribed Jen and Katie with a couple of six packs and homemade pies, promising them