Chapter Thirty-One
The house seemed oddly quiet next morning, because volunteers had shifted to office-space downtown, but it didn't last. Caroline's and Penny's crews had tech set-ups to do again, so they arrived in good time, and by then, welcoming the outing, I'd made a round trip by cloak with Brent and Jill to collect Jeremiah Stourbridge from Lexington and Frank from Philadelphia. Outward bound, I'd sat resignedly on a bench for a few minutes after naming Jill to Underhill, while she stared at the Fountain of Uphill Justice and walked round the statue. Coming back, first time, Jeremiah, who'd been changed older than Adam and looked thirty-something, was nervy of my magic and dominance — he was high-middle — and in a complicated mood, both reluctant and excited. Once in the Garden, though, he took one look and flushed, looking away.
"Good God!"
"Un huh. Underhill does as it will, Jeremiah, and the statue is accurate, but that's all I'm saying except please be very careful whom you tell. Adam and Jesse have seen it, and Bran, but I do not want publicity about it."
I went to collect Frank, whom I had let Andrea tell about the statue and sensibly kept shtum despite a long stare, and when we got back Warren had arrived with Kyle, mutual bicentenarian encouragement proving a happy distraction. Then Irpa blew in, all Ms Thorsden in a sleeveless dress that showed off tattoo-Skuffles, and took an instant liking to Jill. Jeremiah she greeted cordially, Warren warmly, and we sat round the kitchen table, running through today and their campaign launches Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It actually sounded fun, and though I couldn't entirely avoid discussion of St Louis managed to keep it to Ol' Manitou River, with what Basin State governors might be doing, and the truck it drove through the main parties' strategy. Whacking them with sticks had always been a plan, but listening I realised Monday's huffing invective, though directed almost entirely at me and Adam, had hardened their attitudes. It was nice but a risk, and I reminded them that I wanted ridicule more than stomping, except with vamps.
"It's all timing. Trail bait today, let Basin governors throw a righteous spanner in the works, build pressure with each launch, and pull the rug from under announcing Ol' Manitou River Monday or Tuesday. We can have them running in circles for weeks, handed their heads still clucking, and you can use it to embarrass individual opponents very nicely."
They took the point, and when Coyote breezed in to wish me luck I sat him down with brownies and got him to inject some pretty good billboard and video ideas into their campaigns. It gave me a chance to take out my nerves, more vamp than electoral, in some baking, and by the time Caroline and Penny arrived I had gingerbread and steaming banana-bread to offer. When I went to change Coyote drifted upstairs with me.
"Some good news to set against your nerves, musical daughter. Ol' Manitou River says you have a point about Robert Johnson, and wants more Blues. I said I'd bring a copy of your library, but it'll take a while, right?"
"Uh huh. It's several hundred gigs, so a few hours to copy to a hard drive. Or just copy to another iMac, if you can plug it in wherever the manifestation is. Ask one of the volunteers downtown." I gave him the address. "What about playing an instrument?"
"It's thinking about that, but likes the idea. So do I. Rivers have songs why shouldn't they sing them in more ways than one?"
"No argument here. I'm just …"
"Yeah, I know. Dying sucks, even when you come back, and Joe wasn't the first time bloodsuckers got me. But you have a serious chance of making it the last, ex-kiddo, there is more magical protection around this house than I've ever seen, and your aunts send you love and say they'll make sure the spirits stay alert, not that they'll need to."
He drifted out, leaving me to change, and he'd again managed to say exactly the right thing, calling me ex-kiddo and mentioning my not-exactly aunts. I picked another Amerindian outfit, a dyed skirt and dull golden blouse with a deerskin bolero, added cloak, feather, and Carnwennan, and headed down with a clear head and full heart. The tech was set, and this time there wasn't that little hitch in time as I held the remote, saw transmission lights flash on, and waited for Caroline and Penny to roll out their intro. Frank, Irpa, Jeremiah, and Warren waited off-camera.
"Ms Hauptman, I bet we'd be back here today to hear you announce, and with more than forty-five million pledged votes and ten-buck donations, and SAGE past ten million members, I imagine I was right." Penny leaned back. "Ms Taylor and I spent the week watching numbers, and trying to understand the shape this election is taking."
"One thing is how active wolves and half-fae are being, nationwide. Alphas have always given interviews, but a lot of others have been joining in." Caroline looked the question. "Wolf security seems to be way up, too."
"Because it is, Ms Taylor. I hope we turned a corner when Cantrip and Heuter went down, but stirring up haters is a real risk, and we know they'll happily target human spouses and children, so yeah, all wolves and half-fae are taking precautions. As to your other implicit question, I've said no wolf gets told how to vote, and they don't, ever, but yes, Alphas all knew what was coming, they endorse me, and asked pack-members also on board to do what they might. My thanks to them all."
"Right." Penny leaned in again. "You said you'd be silent for a week, and have been, saving the business of the Freed Pack's new trees and earth fae, with your stinging rebuke to media who harass them. And my thanks for that — it was well said. But Monday there was a lot of really unpleasant … I'll say vitriol, within the Beltway, and some bitterly personal attacks you've left unanswered, honouring your promise to give everyone a week, but they must have stung. Now you can answer them, though."
"Can and will, Ms Ligatt, but not right now. SOP bigotry from both main parties does not get to dictate my agenda, however they need to think very carefully about inciting haters, and we have better things to do than rehash squawking from yesterday's tired men." I gave a wry smile. "And they were all Anglo men, did you notice? Interesting slip, and it won't be their last. But as I say, they can wait, and you're right my question to everyone, Are you serious?, has been very strongly answered in the affirmative. So thank you all, and yes, I'm running. Jenny Trevellyan is filing legal papers as I speak, and a bunch of lawyers are doing as much for those already on my slate. So it's time for some introductions."
Frank was first up, and after some q.-and-a. from Penny and Caroline about his CV and motives, we turned to his brief with Others 101 and what he was calling the Magical Entente.
"Don't get me wrong, Ms Ligatt, Ms Taylor. Because I am deeply fascinated by and open to the preternatural does not mean I am ignorant of or blind to its dangers. There are things, human and preternatural, that eat children, and children need to know about them. There are also things, human and preternatural, that menace adults, and adults need to know about them. But as the Paths of the Manitou, Assertion, and Mercy have shown very clearly, there are also truly amazing opportunities in not being stupid or needlessly fearful about it, and as a teacher the chance to help ensure we take those opportunities, to benefit all, is not one I can pass up. Everyone has a right to their opinions, but we can and will at least try to make sure they have their facts straight. Others 101 will give children clear truths to think about, defusing fear of otherness with knowledge and experience, so they don't need enemies to know who they are. The Magical Entente is more for adults who'd like some of that knowledge and experience too, and will offer safe spaces where they can gain it. And overall, it's simple, because if we spent less time and energy hating one another, and more co-operating, we might actually be able to save our planet, as well as having a much nicer time all round."
Tying green policies to preternatural co-operation was common sense, but gave the main parties a headache because they couldn't afford not to sound green. Caroline brought in the Magical Entente as an anti-JLS move without Frank or I having to say anything, and we were happy to agree a way for preterophiles and those willing to co-operate to meet and have voices heard mattered, insisting it would continue whatever the electoral outcome. Then Irpa joined us, and real fun started.
"Most humans have seen me full-size, Ms Taylor, when I gave you that interview last year. This is my human-size glamour, because I don't fit in the room otherwise. And no, I don't know how it works, just that it does. Dropping glamour selectively isn't easy, but in case anyone has doubts …"
She concentrated, and one arm was abruptly full-size, still impossibly joined to her body, tattoo-Skuffles skittering as what had looked bicep shifted to pentacep. Once the arm had shrunk again it gave Irpa a look as it settled back down.
"Troll-size alright, Ms Thorsden. And you're here because?"
"I'm a US citizen, Ms Taylor, as well as full-blood fae. I've lived in Haight-Ashbury since 1930, because I helped build the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate and you gotta love them both. Last year I saw Mercy pull off serious statecraft while rescuing all those beings, we've become friends, and I agree completely that maintaining the Medicine Wolf Accords is a) critical, and b) not something I'd trust any of those we heard spewing in DC to do. So as one ought to put one's money where one's mouth is, I'm running for Congress in California's 12th Federal Ward, where I live."
She gave a troll grin, and both reporters stiffened.
"But that's …"
"Yes, it is. Game on, Ms Ligatt. Now, a troll's CV gets complicated after a century or twelve, but there's a version on my website" — I brought up the URL, www . TrustTrollsWithBridges, not hiding a grin — "and for now I'll say that I really don't know exactly how old I am, pre-history not being so good with dates, but not less than several thousand, by Overhill time. Like all female trolls, my father is Thor and my mother was a giantess, but that was all long before he was being the Thor in Norse stories, so it's complicated as well as irrelevant. What isn't is that I seriously know my California 12th, and have very clear ideas about what is and is not good for it, at local, state, and federal levels. I've spoken at length to Medicine Wolf about the Cascadia Event, and to Mercy and others. All that's on the website, and I'll be speaking plainly in Haight-Ashbury tomorrow and throughout the campaign. Right now, though, it's my pleasure and privilege to introduce another member of Mercy's slate, Jeremiah Stourbridge."
He was holding down nerves but it's always easier when waiting is over, and he had a lot of experience, even if this was a new one.
"My name is Jeremiah Stourbridge, and I am a werewolf. Changing now would take too long, but there is an image of my wolf on my website" — I put www . TheVoiceOfExperience on screen — "and I can demonstrate my metabolism and strength."
Living Free and Moonbound had shown wolves' rapid healing of cuts and bruises, and the small slice Jeremiah made on the back of his hand with a penknife was barely visible in seconds. Penny nodded.
"Wolf healing."
Jeremiah had brought a solid brass poker, which he handed to Caroline to test, before effortlessly bending it into a U.
"And wolf strength. OK, Mr Stourbridge, you're a werewolf. And you're part of Mercy's slate where?"
He took a breath. "I was born in 1738, in England, and came to this country in 1882. I have lived in Lexington since 1885, working as an architect, and I am running for one of Kentucky's federal senate seats."
"You're … 281 years old."
"I am."
"And Kentucky. That's …"
"As Irpa said, Ms Taylor, yes it is. I have seen the American system work quite well, and less well, and, as at present, fail to work very badly indeed. I do not think well of the incumbent I challenge, for whom I have not voted since he first ran, and though not all of my politics and sensibilities are like Mercy's, I agree with every one of her core policies. We must uphold the Medicine Wolf Accords, and recover a national sense of honour. We must be much greener or our children have no future. SAGE is a far better idea than the mess the NRA has become, and I was happy to switch. And anyone with a brain knows what passes for federal drugs policy is not working. Kentucky certainly knows it, with Oxycontin alone. But that is a symptom of the fact that both main parties and the system they jointly run are broken, not fit for purpose, and actively doing harm, so in running for ourselves we are also running against both of them."
"Which is the point, Ms Ligatt, Ms Taylor." I made a balancing gesture, hands open. "We are an alternative, in every sense, to both partisan and blinkered sides, because we need one. The governors of Washington and Oregon said it a week ago, ignoring party lines and rivalry to second the President, and we know forty-five million voters and counting agree. But then there was Monday, with its dismal showing from both parties and most declared candidates, which told me none of them were thinking straight." Or at all. "Announcing Ms Thorsden's and Mr Stourbridge's candidacies today, in those particular races, while completely honest and upfront, is also a way of telling majority and minority leaders in DC they have serious trouble at home they haven't begun to tackle, and they're up against history, also in every sense."
"I'll say." Caroline shook her head. "This has to have been set up before Monday, but it's a stinging answer to that joint statement."
"Just a side-benefit of being ahead of the curve, Ms Taylor. And I do have another response to Monday, but it can wait, because I have one more member of my slate to introduce."
Warren had finally let Kyle do something about his wardrobe, and was looking very sharp in a charcoal-gray suit, but had drawn the line at full neckties and wore a western one.
"Warren Smith is a wolf in the Columbia Basin Pack, presently Adam's third, though we'll revisit that when he is elected to the Washington State senate. This is not only about federal races, and as we're a democracy power is bottom-up not top-down, or should be. Warren?"
He faced the camera. "I've used Smith for a long time, and it's my legal name, but I had no birth surname. My father was just Ploughman or Farmer, because that was what he did until he was Changed and came to this continent in the 1760s. I was born in what was then Spanish Territory and is now Missouri in 1776, and after my siblings died of smallpox a bit over two centuries back I came west, working as a cowboy, mostly, for smaller ranches, and I've stayed west. Been here in the Tri-Cities forty years now, as a loner, then with Adam's pack. And I need to say something about that, because the main reason I was a lone wolf so long and safer out on the range is that I'm gay, and a lot of wolves are not so happy with that. Like a lot of people. But the last few years have been very good, thanks to my partner, who is human and accepts me as a gay wolf, and to Mercy and Adam, who have a serious track-record in fighting bigotry. The Accords were on another scale, but in keeping. And I'm running here in Washington State, for several reasons beyond those Mr Lafferty, Ms Thorsden, and Mr Stourbridge articulated, though I echo them all.
"First, and most important, I'm already involved in things Mercy is helping with here — the Columbia Restoration, the impetus it's giving First People all along the rivers, working with the Freed, forensics stuff with Tri-Cities PDs, Clean Up the Basin!, smaller stuff — and I want all to prosper. If she is elected, as I hope and expect, she will not have time to spend in-state, but I will. So second, as a state senator I can be a useful link for President Hauptman, the Columbia Basin Pack, and other preternaturals as well as humans in local, state, and Pacific North-Western matters. And third, I have strong feelings and ideas about some of those. My partner is a lawyer who deals with domestic violence, divorce, and child custody, and there's a lot that could and should be done about how we handle those. I hold a PI license, so I also have interests in security, privacy, and policing. Details are on my shiny new website."
I brought up www . BornWithTheUSA, and both reporters blinked.
"With, not in. And you were. 1776."
"Un huh, Ms Ligatt. Doesn't matter legally, as I'm not running for president, but Missouri wasn't there to be born in, though the land and my parents were. And birth certificates hadn't been invented, even if there'd been anyone around to issue one." Penny's eyes went wide with shock, followed by amusement. "But I was here when the Thirteen Colonies decided they'd become States, and I've seen Thirteen become Fifty, kicking and screaming all the way. I fought First People when I had to, which wasn't often, and Second People likewise, which was commoner. Spaniards for a while, then other Anglos — I was Union in the Civil War, but far west — and homophobes of any stripe all along, if they tried to bring it on. But I found a home at last, here and with the Pack, in a state I've come to love and believe I can do some good for, as a small part of this second revolution we're having."
"Second … yeah, I guess. How was the first?"
Warren grinned. "I was only seven in 1783, Ms Taylor, and still in not-yet-Missouri. How should I know what was really said or done in Concord? Mr Stourbridge will have seen contemporary reports from the reverse angle, of course, and I can add my dad regretted all that tea when he heard about it. Had a taste for it. I do have true stories about Buffalo Calf Road Woman, but those are for another occasion. And the first Roosevelt, Teddy, when he swung out west to play cowboy."
I knew how hard doing that had been for Warren, not least through pack bonds, and I'd been sending warm approval, noting many Pack doing the same. Eyes and cameras came back to me as I straightened.
"So there you have it, everyone. Coyote-girls campaign differently, as do First People, trolls, bicentenarian werewolves, and sensible humans who know we need to go right on pushing hard at green change, preternatural co-operation, and a bunch more. So you'll be seeing these going up around the place." I brought up the main campaign poster, going to voiceover, and Caroline and Penny let out quiet oohs. "Good pictures, aren't they? Coyote chose them. There's also this version, with my Amerindian name."
Caroline and Penny laughed openly, and I took the poster down.
"Quite right, Ms Ligatt. Laughter matters. One way I'll campaign differently is that I'm good-humoured. Jokes can be very educational, as well as bad, or even both at once, as the main parties showed Monday." There were grins, and I held up a warning finger. "What the National Committee chairs said regarding what they're proposing to do about party members who have endorsed me is their business. The Basin doesn't need a new double standard and it's a lousy idea, but even so. The candidates who spoke, though, were walking attack-ads, and besides being ad feminam, because as a woman I'm obviously a fragile flower and destined homebody, and ad lupinam, Adam as wolf seeming to knot their boxers, they were all what I can only call ad coyote-am, there not being a Latin word for coyotes. And d'oh! The only variation was whether a coyote-girl is more unsuitable because she's a coyote or a girl, and that's just bigotry. But there is a serious issue to debate about this coyote-girl, and on the few occasions any rivals said anything substantive they harped on my inexperience, supposed ignorance, and alleged inability to cope with the demands any president must."
This smile had more edges.
"Now, they are of course genuinely ignorant of a lot I've done and am doing, and it'll mostly stay that way, but even among things that are public domain they were cherry-picking like crazy. Yes, I helped kill Cantrip, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I've also wrangled human and preternatural authorities, worked closely with the FBI, Secret Service, Tri-Cities PDs, Washington and Oregon assemblies, Yakama Nation, Wyoming, over the Freed and Heuter's trial, and all the Basin states, plus Canadian provinces. I'll also bet I'd get more personal respect from any group of serving soldiers you can produce than any of them. And I've certainly had more power assembled round my table than any of them has ever seen, and I don't only mean when the Medicine Wolf Accords were negotiated. So yeah, I refute their arguments, such as they were, with their bigotries, and so we can put it properly to the test, in the traditional way, I've set up an early TV debate. The Chancellor of Washington University in St Louis has very kindly made the Athletics Complex, where many campaign debates have been held, available on 9 May, a week Friday, for a 7.30 Central-time start. WashU are handling moderation independently, all networks can have the feed at standard rates, and I invite all declared candidates, including those for some reason excluded Monday, to come and make proper arguments." I let my smile warm again. "An honest offer, honestly made, and I'll be there in any case, so if no-one else dares show I expect I can find helpful and entertaining ways to use the airtime."
"Uh, me too, Ms Hauptman. Will others of your slate be present?"
"Present, yes, but the debate is for presidential candidates. I don't believe anyone else yet has a complete ticket anyway, and it's me they were all trying to gang-up on. It was quite rude to Frank, really."
"They'll get round to it, Mercy." Frank had a good line in wry grins. "But I strongly second everything you've said about Monday's sorry spectacle of same old, same old, and its underlying bigotries. Or not so underlying. Either way, our dodgy rivals should put up, which I doubt they can, or shut up, though not before apologising."
"That'll be the day, but yeah, it's not a good sign their first response was to make it personal, with not one word about any of our policies except SAGE, and they should take the chance to remedy that I'm so kindly offering. They can talk the talk, God knows, but can they walk the walk? I can, and have, and am. A lot of people are glad to take my calls, not just the President, Marrok, Gray Lords, Elder Spirits, and Medicine Wolf. How many want to take a call from any of them?" I smiled straight at Al's camera. "But let's boil it down one more time, before we wrap. I asked you all if you were serious, and you've said yes, loud and clear. OK. Now let's all ask those Monday moaners if they're serious. Send them emails, hey? Come to St Louis Friday week, or we'll know you're running scared. A list of emails will come on screen, and it's on the front page of my website. And our campaign show will go on, Haight-Ashbury tomorrow, 3 p.m. Pacific in Golden Gate Park's Bison Paddock, Lexington Friday, 3 p.m. Eastern in the Rupp Arena, and here in the Tri-Cities Saturday 3 p.m. Pacific, at Sacajawea State Park." I took a breath, thinking of Jesse. "There's one more thing, for post-Parkland folks struggling with SAGE and creatively wondering how magic might protect schoolkids, which is serious thanks, and a request to read the piece on my website. Bottom line, magic has parameters, but there are things it can do to help. I didn't invent the Path of Mercy, but it is partly named for me, and can work as well nationwide as it is in the Pacific North-West. Let's make that happen, and thank you all for listening today."
I waited until Caroline and Penny had done a wrap, and put the list of eddresses up. Credits bannered and we relaxed as cameras were set down.
Penny blew out a long breath. "Can't say I've ever wondered what happens if you put a troll and two wolves older than the US among the pigeons, but we're going to find out, and I don't think it'll be pretty."
"Not a chance." Irpa gave a smile I thought toll-dodgers might recognise, briefly. "Fun's another story, though."