would affect almost every single American, but especially those of us with concentrated wealth. Bringing back long dormant morality laws and loyalty oaths. Government monitoring of political opponents. I wasn’t sure whether to believe any of it.”
“But you do now.”
“Yes.”
She wasn’t in a place to judge his behavior. They’d both kept secrets. “I have resources. Connections. It’s a growing network.”
“I don’t know how much I want you to use them. We need to choose wisely now. Make the feds go down trails that don’t lead anywhere, so they can’t make the connection between what we’re about to do and what you’ve already done.” Jack pulled back to look at her. “You know how to do that, right?”
She’d learned a lot in the past few months. More than she ever thought she’d need to know. “Yes.”
He wiped his thumb across her cheek. Caroline had unknowingly shed a few tears. “We can do this,” he said. “We will do this. Let’s formulate a plan of action.”
Jack was taking this so much better than she’d hoped. “I didn’t mean to force your hand.” She sniffled. “I just didn’t want to lie to you anymore. I figured the less you knew, the better.”
He gave her a small smile. “Don’t apologize. You don’t have to do this by yourself.”
“I didn’t want to put you at risk.”
“Caroline, we’re in this together. This marriage, this life. Everything we do, we do side by side. You aren’t going to do this alone.”
“I didn’t really think I’d find what I did.”
He pulled her into another embrace. “I know. Our lives will have to change. We’ll have to be careful, but we can’t stand on the sidelines any longer.”
He didn’t sound terribly enthusiastic, but he didn’t sound like he hated the idea either. “How good are you at lying?” she asked.
“I can practice. So can you.” He let go of her and sat down at the chair behind the desk. “Well,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “Looks like the revolution may indeed be televised. We best get started.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
The Past
Caroline and Jack sat in the formal living room in their home in suburban Philadelphia. It was shortly after the New Year. They didn’t come home much anymore, which was unusual, since they were arguably safer there than anywhere else. They had even debated whether it was still a good idea for them to stay at their home in Rockville or the Georgetown brownstone whenever they were in D.C., and settled on keeping away from the capital, for now.
Caroline sometimes thought they were being exceedingly paranoid, though she knew better. There were a few members of Congress speaking out, some officials in individual states, but most politicians had been quiet. Maybe they’d been bought off or threatened, or maybe they just didn’t care. Not all were silent. Some tried to mobilize, tried to work within social networks and media outlets, but none had the sway necessary to really make an impact.
Except for Jack and Caroline, who had burned many bridges while speaking out about their opposition to the president’s agenda. The crushing force of the pressure they were feeling from outside was overwhelming. Both political friends and enemies were making it increasingly clear that their efforts were unwanted and unnecessary.
Santos hadn’t done anything too radical. Not yet. But each tiny change, each improbably phrased executive order had the opposite of a ripple effect. Members of the public were so jaded that they weren’t even paying attention anymore, especially if they had yet to personally feel any impact.
Caroline twiddled her thumbs nervously, waiting for Christine. They hadn’t seen each other much as of late; Christine tried to tread lightly in the Senate and Caroline did her best to travel less. Jack and Caroline had gone to the Sullivans’ annual New Year’s party, but they both ended up getting so drunk that Christine barely acknowledged them. She didn’t even bother saying good night when their driver took them home. Caroline couldn’t remember much of the party beyond that. But that was her goal.
Their friendship was noticeably strained although neither one of them had the audacity to admit it or provoke the other. It upset Caroline and she suspected that Christine felt the same way. But Caroline knew that even under the most laborious of circumstances, Chrissy was always worthy of her trust.
Caroline heard the doorbell ring. They changed their gate code every time they came home, but she’d given Christine the new one earlier in the day. Their security knew that Senator Sullivan