Cui Bono

X

'"Ms. Owada's official occupation, which is Chief Operating Officer of Tanewerk, may be in Victoria, but I have it on good authority she also owns Tekahionwake Cooperative, in Gastown, and uses the stated owner, Katherine Curran, as a front, so she can do things here in Vancouver such as run for mayor. Ms. Owada also runs Phoenix Ranch in Cloverdale, and hosts the fundraiser for same, both for which she also uses Katherine Curran as a front.

'"Phoenix Ranch, and the fundraiser for same, encourage the most dissipated of behaviour in human beings, and Tekahionwake Cooperative funds these activities. If elected mayor, I will put a stop to all such activities, and I will start by closing Tekahionwake Cooperative, and from there, shutting down Phoenix Ranch and the fundraiser for it."'

Katherine snorted, and turned off the WallVision. "What an asshat."

"He's just putting his desperation on display. His approval ratings, and projected chances of winning the election, are slim at best, and he and his supporters know it. The only people who will vote for him are members of The Children of Abraham, which, here in Vancouver, are a tiny minority."

"I get it, Alison. But to stoop that low..."

"He's desperate, Katherine."

"So what's your plan of attack?"

"Well, not so much 'attack'—I'm going to call a meeting with everyone else on the campaign."

"I think we should have the meeting at Phoenix Ranch, then. That way, we can deliver the message to everyone involved at once."

"That's a good idea. I'll arrange transportation for everyone."

Within an hour, the staff of Tekahionwake Cooperative, everyone working on the Owada campaign, and others were gathered in the living room at the house at Phoenix Ranch.

"I gather you all heard what Howard Winston and his campaign have said about me on the news," Alison said.

A few people nodded.

"He's desperate. That's why he and his campaign are stooping to this low. But I'm going to continue focusing on real issues."

"Don't respond to anything Howard Winston has said in his latest speech," Katherine followed. "It's all just to distract everyone from the real issues, from what really plagues us as a community. Just let Alison and her campaign team handle it."

'"Phoenix Ranch has worked wonders for people who have lived with drug addictions and eating disorders, especially in helping them to return to society. And I've been to Tekahionwake Cooperative, which gives creatives who otherwise wouldn't get one a chance, and employs people who otherwise wouldn't get a fair shake in the world.

'"As for the fundraiser for Phoenix Ranch, I endorse it because the money is going to a good cause. I suppose a fair number of people who support Phoenix Ranch have themselves, or have had loved ones, struggle with psychological issues, whether or not those issues manifest themselves physically, and have experienced the pain and turmoil such issues cause. Katherine Curran and Amelia and Celeste Van Leeuwen have allowed me to announce that the proceeds of this year's fundraiser will be divided between Phoenix Ranch and youth centre the Van Leeuwen sisters plan to open at the end of the summer. The youth centre will go some way towards helping to curtail, if not prevent, physically manifesting or other psychological issues such as drug addiction and eating disorders in future generations."'

Katherine beamed as she watched the broadcast.

Her cell phone buzzed; it was the hospital. "Ms. Peters is still bedridden, but she has less pain, and she's able to talk."

"Excellent. Thank you." Katherine made a list, typed and sent an inner-company memo, then left.

She sat in the hospital waiting room for an hour before she was allowed to see Georgina. "Are you really OK, Grandma?"

"It still hurts, I still can't get out of bed, the doctors are still doing tests, but I'm more or less better."

"Have the doctors told you anything?"

"Only that there's a foreign substance in my system."

Katherine exhaled.

Georgina gifted Katherine with an indulgent smile. Then, "When you have some time, can you sort through, and catalogue, my books?"

"Sure, Grandma. When I find a clearing or more in my schedule."

"Thank you."

When visiting hours were over, Katherine went to a hospital café and had a cup of tea.

She checked her schedule on her cell phone, looking up at the PublicoVision set from time to time, just as a reflex action, allowing her to catch snippets of the rugby game between Scotland and Russia; she thought the Scots had their work cut out for them, given the Russian athletes' history of using performance-enhancing drugs. She found a few empty slots in her schedule, and, as she sipped her tea, she scheduled two of those slots for cataloguing Georgina's books, put question marks over the others, and looked up at the PublicoVision in time to catch a woman from the Scottish team score a goal in the Russian team's net, despite the efforts of the Russian goaltender.

"'Scotland wins! Scotland wins!'"

The game decided in favour of the Scottish team, the members of both teams shook hands.

Katherine took a swig of tea, emptying the cup, then checked her watch. She paid her bill, then left, piloting her 'Craft back to the Cooperative. "Anything for me, Lily?"

Lily shook her head. Katherine nodded her thanks, then went to her office.