Despite how much he relied on him, Evan often found Roos rather grating. Probably because Roos saw through Evan at every turn, starting first with his maneuverings during the New Winnabow crisis then again during Trevor's absence three years ago.

  "That's the wonderful thing about democracy, Ray, the results can be surprising sometimes. Of course, it can be easier to deal with those surprises when one stays in touch with the feelings of the people."

  Ray nodded with a big grin.

  "Well, Senator, you know I do my best to stay in touch with the people. Well, that's not exactly true. I stay in touch with the folks at the estate, as best I can. And since the only 'people' who'll be voting on the next Emperor are the 'people' on the council, well I've tried to keep my ear to the ground. You know, just to be sure everything is on the up and up."

  "Of course. You know, Ray, I've come to trust your instincts. Tell me, what are your feelings on today's vote?"

  The motorcade-led by two I.S. officers on hover bikes and trailed by a tactical response team in a black SUV-left downtown and traveled along the river bank. Warm weather had returned to Wilkes-Barre, bringing with it joggers and picnickers and street performers along the grassy dike.

  "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Senator, but I'm thinking you may not even get one vote today. Unless, of course, you vote for yourself."

  "Now Ray, that wouldn't seem like a gentlemanly thing to do. After all, my modesty…"

  Roos snickered before saying, "Of course not, Senator. But I think one guy who might just punch his own number would be that Gordon Knox. If that's the case, I'm thinking he's going to make a real run at this thing."

  The very mention of Knox's name brought a grimace to Evan's face. He could practically feel the cold barrel of the Intelligence Director's pistol against the back of his head. Evan felt Gordon Knox to be a man with whom he could not deal.

  "That does not surprise me. Still, there are ten votes in all among the council."

  "Well sure, I understand that. Like I was saying, Senator, I keep my ear to the ground; I hear things. There's been a lot of the council talking amongst themselves. See, most of them think there's really only two people in this race. People in one camp lean toward Knox. I guess part of that is because they might be a little afraid of him, isn't that something? In any case, folks in the other camp are leaning toward Jon Brewer, kind of a sentimental vote and seein' that he has all this experience and whatnot."

  Evan told Ray, "Well, that's great. I think Jon should be the next leader. I'll tell you this much, Ray, he's got my vote. And I can think of a few others who are going to vote for him, too."

  "Awe, now, that's terrific, Senator. But the way I see it-oh wait, the way I hear it-there might just be a few more people leaning toward Knox."

  Ray's observation bothered Evan, but he had long since prepared for just this contingency. He turned and looked Roos straight in his brown eyes.

  "Isn't that just the neatest thing about politics, Ray. You never know what's going to happen, do you? Especially when it seems there's only this two party system. Say, do you remember Clinton's Presidential runs?"

  "Why yessir, I do. In fact, I remember watching one of his debates while I was marking time at Camp Hill. But I figure you've got something more to say on that, yes you do." "During his first Presidential election in '92, Clinton got less than half of the votes." "You don't say." "So you figure that the other guy had to have gotten more than half and won, right?" "Well, Senator, you know math has never been my strong point."

  "But he didn't, Ray, because there was this third guy-Perot-and he took enough votes away from Bush that Clinton won with less than half the people voting for him."

  Roos played along, "So let me see if I get this. Are you saying that some other fella could muck up the works for the guy that looks like he's going to win, even if this other fella doesn't get much support?"

  "Oh, now, Ray, who knows what could happen in politics, right? I mean, there are probably a few people who think they can only choose between Knox and Brewer, so they'll pick Knox even though they'd rather have a third choice."

  Roos' eyes grew wide and he scratched the thinning hair at the top of his head as he told Evan, "You know, it's funny you should say that, Senator. In fact, Eva Rheimmer and Brett Stanton were having a conversation last night about that very thing. Why, if I remember correctly they were saying something about not really wanting to vote for Knox but Brewer just screwed the pooch so much last time that they had no faith in him. Imagine that, huh?"

  "You don't say."

  "I hate to tell you, though, Senator, I don't think they would switch over to your side. Something about that being a slap in the face to Trevor and all. If you ask me-and I know you didn't but since we're talking anyway-that's very short sighted of them."

  The motorcade climbed an on-ramp and merged onto the Cross Valley Expressway.

  "I appreciate your sentiments, Ray, but I feel confident that Rheimmer and Stanton will sort things out. After all, it would be a shame if they had to vote for someone they did not think was right for the job. I bet they'll find someone else to support. Call it a hunch."

  – Eva Rheimmer never wanted to be anything more than a farmer. She certainly never held any political ambitions. She had only joined Trevor Stone's council because people needed her. As the group of survivors grew into an Empire and Eva progressed into her seventies, she found less patience for the red tape and far more contempt for politicians.

  Her husband told her to stick with it because she might be the only one in the whole darned works with half a head on her shoulders. However, that half-a-head could not sort out exactly what to do on this occasion.

  She stood outside the sprawling fields surrounding what had started decades ago as a small family farm and waited for her ride to the estate, still undecided on whom to vote for.

  Only two serious candidates were in the running. As much as that weasel Evan Godfrey might have the right credentials to do something with the position, he had caused so much trouble for the council over the years that even if she desired to vote for him she would be embarrassed to do so.

  As for the rest of the council, most of them did not have either the desire or leadership skills to take the job. Eva could not imagine the nation governed by Omar, Lori Brewer, Dr. Maple, or even herself. Anita Nehru would have made a good choice a year ago, but that woman's work in the dungeon named Red Rock had taken her for a turn down some dark alleyway that might just end in a psychiatric ward.

  That left Eva with Gordon Knox and all the trouble he might cause and Jon Brewer who had led things for a while when Trevor took his alternate-Earth vacation.

  She considered Brewer a great General and sound thinker, but he lacked the balls to take the nation by the horns. For all his brilliant military maneuvers, Brewer came across as ill-suited for full-blown leadership; too timid in the face of political hardliners and always questioning himself. Besides, one look in the man's eyes clearly showed he did not want the position and he nearly said as much whenever the topic came up.

  So in reality, that left Eva only one choice: Gordon Knox, and that's how she finally decided to vote, until she climbed into the Chevrolet Suburban sent by I.S. to collect her. In the rear seat waited Dante Jones. "Hey, Eva, good morning." "Mr. Jones? Interesting that you would come all the way out to fetch me yourself." Dante smiled, "Yeah, I thought we might have a little chat before the big vote and all." The car drove along the dirt road kicking up a cloud of dust. "I sense you have something to say, Dante, so out with it." As usual, Eva Rheimmer got straight to the point. The council learned long ago that this gray-haired woman suffered no bull shit.

  "Well, it's like this. I'm not really good at this whole campaigning thing, but I just thought I'd let you know that I'm throwing my hat, you know, in the ring for this whole Emperor thing. Not that I like that title and all, you know?"

  "I see."

  "I don't want to know how you might vote, Eva, but I know that most people are thinking there's only Jon and Gordon in the running. I didn't want it myself, either, but I don't trust Knox as the head honcho and I'm thinking Jon doesn't really want it."

  "And why should I vote for you?"

  "I was Trevor's friend since he was a kid, I've been in charge of I.S. for ten years now and you know that Internal Security is involved in just about everything, from the war to guarding your farms and all that. Like I said, it isn't something I used to think a lot about, but now that I do I see I've got the experience this job needs. Oh and it helps that I've got friends in the Senate, too. I think Jon or Gordon will have a real tough time with them."

  Eva glanced out the window, but still listened as Dante finished his sales pitch.

  "Besides, like I said, most people think there are only two choices. I'm not going to put any pressure on you. Just think of me as another choice."

  – "Daddy! Look what I drew!"

  Jon Brewer worked the button on a cuff of his dress uniform and leaned over the breakfast table for a closer look at the piece of construction paper in front of his eight-year-old daughter. He saw a flower with four big petals in four different colors, a purple stem, and some kind of scraggly lines-maybe a butterfly-sitting on top.

  "Wow, that's good. Now your mom said to go brush your teeth and get ready for school."

  "But dad, school is just about over for the summer."

  "Right. Just about over. Not over. Now hustle along." His dark-haired daughter scrambled off, passing her mother as Lori approached the kitchen dressed in a business suit. "Alright, you ready for the big day?" Jon shook his head and told her, "I can't wait to get all this off my shoulders." "Get what?" "This whole leadership thing."

  Lori searched through her purse for her identification card. Security would be even tighter at the estate today with the entire council convening. As she rummaged through her purse, Lori said, "What makes you think you won't win the vote? You're the only one on the council who has any experience at the top. That means something."

  Jon burst into a short, sardonic chuckle and replied, "Experience? Yeah, I've got experience. I screwed things up."

  "Don't be so hard on yourself," Lori abandoned her search for a moment, stepped to her husband and threw her arms around his shoulders in her classic pep-talk maneuver. "Hey, you know I'm the first one to tell you you're an asshole when, well, when you're an asshole." "Gee, thanks." "That was a hard situation before. This is hard, too, but who else on the council is fit to be in charge?" Jon shrugged and answered, "Gordon. Maybe even Evan." Lori spat, "No one is going to vote for Evan, you can count on that." "Oh yeah? Why is that?" "It'd be a slap on the face to Trevor, after those two went head to head all the time."

  "Remember, Trevor was on his way to patch things up with Evan when it, you know, happened. Evan has been President of the Senate for a while now. He knows how to get things done. He's got friends in the labor unions and that could help get the economy moving again."

  "Oh, I get it, you just want to make sure you don't have the responsibility, is that it?"

  He pulled her arms from his shoulders.

  "I never wanted this kind of responsibility. It's not who I am. Besides, I can't handle all the crap that's going on out there: inflation, strikes, political bull shit. That's not me."

  "Trevor never wanted the responsibility either, but he did it because he was right for it."

  "It doesn't matter. Like I said, no one is going to vote for me. And if they were to ask me, I'd tell them not to."

  He turned away from her to work on the other cuff. Lori considered for a moment, then walked up behind him and put her arms around her husband in a soft hug.

  "You're a good man, Jon Brewer. I love you."

  Jon, a fan of Clint Eastwood in the old world cinema, repeated one of his favorite Dirty Harry lines: "A good man always knows his limitations."

  – The full council gathered in the basement of the estate: Evan Godfrey, Anita and Omar Nehru; Dr. Maple; Gordon Knox; and Eva Rheimmer all sitting around the table as Jon and Lori Brewer descended the basement stairs. After a few minutes, Dante Jones and Brett Stanton came down together, thus opening the meeting.

  All ten sat in their usual positions, leaving the chair at the head empty although each of them knew that in a few minutes someone would earn the right to sit there.

  Jon got things started, "We all know the procedure. I've placed paper ballots at each of your chairs. Those ballots hold the names of all council members. Circle the person of your choice, only one vote per ballot. Please do not abstain, this is too important. Also, this is a confidential vote, so there shouldn't be anything to say at this point. When everyone is finished, I'll pass around a box for you to put them in. Then I will pull the votes from the container and hold them up for everyone to see. The results of this vote are final, barring a tie in which case we will vote again. The person who wins this vote will immediately assume the responsibilities of the Emperor from this moment forward."

  Jon glanced toward Evan, expecting some kind of outburst. To the contrary, Evan sat quiet with his arm in a sling.

  "Okay then, mark your ballots."

  Each of the council members examined the small paper at their place. Most marked that paper fast and folded it. A few, such as Eva Rheimmer, Brett Stanton, and Anita Nehru took considerably more time.

  Jon circled the name of Gordon Knox, folded the paper and waited. When he saw everyone had finished, he placed his ballot inside a small square box and passed it around the table. A minute later the box returned to him.

  His hand trembled as he pulled the first paper ballot, glanced at it, then unfolded it completely and showed the table, "Gordon Knox." Gordon folded his hands over his chest and leaned back slightly in his chair. Jon opened the next ballot and, to his surprise, read, "Jon Brewer." The process continued with, "Gordon Knox"

  Knox struggled to suppress a smile. Evan, on the other hand, grew a shade pale. The following ballot, however, caused Knox's smile to fade.

  "Jon Brewer."

  Then, to the surprise of most and the delight of Evan, Jon read, "Dante Jones."

  A moment later, Jon pulled the next ballot. His face twisted as he read it silently at first but he caught himself in time to read the vote aloud with a straight face: "Omar Nehru."

  Omar burst a big grin, nearly dropped the smoke hanging from his mouth, and shouted to his wife, "Oh! Thank you honey!"

  Anita flashed a half-hearted smile then returned her eyes to the table in front of her place.

  Lori Brewer placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a chuckle. Gordon's chair made a thump as he leaned forward and stared intensely at the ballot box.

  Jon pulled out the next paper and read, "Gordon Knox."

  Evan glanced at Dante. The two fidgeted. Gordon eased slightly in his chair as he had taken a three to two lead over Jon Brewer with Dante and Omar each receiving one vote.

  The next ballot, however, evened things up. The temporary leader swallowed hard before reading his name, "Jon Brewer."

  Gordon bit his lower lip.

  Jon grasped the next ballot with sweat building on his fingers. He prayed the name circled on the next paper would not be his. Those prayers were answered: "Dante Jones."

  Gordon's eyes darted across the table to Dante who sat there trying very hard to remain stoic. Gordon's stare next found Evan Godfrey. The President of the Senate appeared rather calm with one vote remaining. Knox and Brewer remained tied at three votes a piece and Jones with two; the possibility existed for a three-way tie.

  However, that was not to be the case. The final ballot was pulled from the box. Gordon peered as if trying to see through the paper with X-ray vision.

  Jon did not have the composure to read the name on the paper. He held the ballot aloft for all to see. Evan Godfrey spoke the name of the new Emperor.

  "Jon Brewer."

  – The office on the second floor of the mansion truly belonged to Trevor Stone, so Jon did not want to go there after the council meeting dissolved. He did not want to loiter in the basement, either, not when he felt sick to his stomach and certainly not with Gordon staring at him. He hit upon the idea of hiding in his wife's office.

  Before he could escape, he accepted the obligatory handshakes from Dr. Maple, Dante, and most of the others. He had expected some kind of speech or something from Evan, but instead received a hardy slap on the back and encouraging words.

  "Good luck, Jon. When you get settled, we have to sit down and see how the Senate can be of assistance. As you know, I'm not in favor of this whole 'Emperor' thing, but I think the important matter right now is stability. Let's stay in touch. I know I can help you."

  Jon then retreated in search of calm before the scheduled press conference on the front lawn. He made it to his wife's office, the old dining room on the first floor. Lori followed him in but before she could shut the door Ashley and JB entered. "Congratulations, Jon," Ashley offered. "Be strong now, for the sake of the people." Jon, still in a state of shock, merely nodded. Jorgie ran over and gave him a big hug. "I know you can do it, Mr. Brewer. Just keep things going until my father comes back."

  Even if Jon had not been shell-shocked into silence by the result of the vote, he still would not have known how to answer the boy.

  JB pulled away. Before the two well-wishers left, Ashley told Jon again, "It's all in your hands now. Trevor trusted you. Jon, be strong."

  As the two left, Lori close the door. Jon broke out of his daze.

  "You voted for me, didn't you?"

  The tone of his voice suggested Jon planned to take out his fear and disappointment on his wife's one vote. Lori, of course, would not accept such blame.

  "Alllrriiigghhty then, that's how this is going to be? It's my fault? There were three other votes for you. Even then, I figured Gordon would win. I never guessed Dante would get a vote, let alone two. But yeah, I voted for you. I thought I would be the only one after what you said this morning." He paced from one side of her office to the other. "Oh, a pity vote? Is that it? I don't need your damn pity." "Yeah, well, you don't need pity but it sounds like you need a good kick in the ass."