Bronzeville || A Superhuman Tale - 2

Chapter Forty-Six

"So, what's the crafty part?" she challenged.

"The crafty part, my dear Watson, is that even if he can't get the Justice Department onboard, Savoy is going to establish a military tribunal to try Gifted folk accused of serious crimes. It'll be held in secret but will otherwise follow the rule of law. And that's not the best part."

Camille perked up and looked at him with opened mouth. "What's that?"

"The SecDef ordered an investigation and audit of every Hollirich contract with the DoD going back 20 years. The story broke just this morning."

The young woman pulled out her phone and began scrolling the news. "Damn, everything is about India and Pakistan, lately. Okay ... here it is." She read, sighed, and mumbled before continuing. "What's this all mean? Won't the president or Brannon just shut it down?"

"A president who ran on a platform of government accountability and fighting financial waste? I don't think so. And even if that goblin on his shoulder whispers something in his ear, what will it be? Brannon doesn't want a witless chief executive to know what he and Hollirich have been up to. The best part is the Hollirich contracts won't withstand an audit. When Chaney was around ... easily. But Brannon doesn't have a fraction of her connections and influence. Either directly or indirectly, 40 percent or more of Hollirich's government contracts over the last two decades have been in support of Chaney's project. That might be as much as a trillion taxpayer dollars, all told ...."

Camille sat up straight and finished his thought. "... and Hollirich will either have to admit to providing some bizarre and far-fetched services for 20 years or stipulate that they've been providing no service at all." She gave a naughty grin. "It's delicious."

"And the president will jump right on it ...," Tommy began.

"... because it will smear his last two predecessors for having pissed away a trillion bucks."

"It'll be an enormous scandal," Tommy nodded. "Secretary Savoy is a smart guy, and, if I'm any judge at all, an honest one."

"But you have doubts?" she asked.

"What ... are you reading me now?" he asked. "Okay ... yeah, I have some doubts. Even if this all works out, Chaney and her crowd left a horrible scar on the government. It could take a generation to wring all the worst actors from public life." He shook his head. "I don't know."

"Well, if things go south," said Camille philosophically, "you know where I keep my spare key."

"Please don't joke that way," he grimaced. "Sam said almost the exact thing to me yesterday."

"Ugh," she said. "How's Sam doing?"

"You guys have a falling out?"

"No ...." She seemed at a loss for words. "I was really short with him last time we talked."

"Camille, it was my idea to cut the Summerall people some slack," he said firmly. "Sam went along with it because, well, that's how he is. We had to argue to get Philly and Christy on our side. I should have brought you in on that vote, too. I'm sorry."

Camille said nothing but reached over and patted his chest several times. Tommy could tell she wasn't angry as much as conflicted.

"If it helps at all, only three of them took us up on the offer, and Sam debriefed each one of them with Celia in the next room. We're pretty confident none of those three were deeply involved in the criminal end of the scheme. Most of that group's money came from moving Hollirich equipment out of the country. The guns, drugs, and slavery were Summerall's idea to—get this phrase—'to fully monetize the network.'"

His words seemed to placate Camille somewhat, and his friend sat up again and looked at him with a twisted bottom lip.

"I want there to be equal justice for everybody," he continued. "But these folks are victims, too, in their own way, all part of that lawlessness Mallory Chaney and her people brought to our society. Summerall and half a dozen others are still on the run, but even then, it likely will be years before Savoy's tribunal is up and running ... if that ever happens. Helping those few who want to get out is the best outcome."

"I get that," she said, leaning affectionately back against him. "I still feel bad for scolding Sam. He is such a good guy ... and he always does what he thinks is right."

"You can apologize to him when he gets here."

There was a sudden and audible inhale, and she sat up yet again. "He's coming here?"

"Yup. Max and Savoy strong-armed me into going to Morocco later this month to check out a Hollirich facility there. The only way I could sell it with the boss is if Sam brings the girls out while I'm gone ... really brings them out this time. Our last two plans have fallen through. The way things have been recently, I wouldn't have it any other way."

His friend leaned back into his arm with a mild coo.

"I'll call Sam tonight," she hummed. She reached over and gave him another loving pat. "Don't worry, things will be fine while you're gone."

As Camille nestled a tad closer and pressed the length of her body against his, Tommy felt like he might coo as well. He liked the feel of her and the sweet calm of the rainy day.

Stretching out, he extended his left arm an inch or two more and pulled his friend even closer. The rain abruptly returned in earnest, but the canopy above kept them dry, and the slight coolness of the day disappeared under the warmth of his companion, who lazily had crossed one leg over his. As a gentle breeze caught his still damp shirt and gave him a pleasant shiver, she rested her head lightly on his shoulder.

They sat there a time, arm in arm, and then a time more, watching the rain gently bathe their city and saying nothing to one another in particular, their tranquility only disturbed ages later when Camille retrieved the buzzing phone from her pocket.

"Eric will be another hour," she said contentedly.

"I've got nowhere else to be till then."

The End