The Link 3 - The Huntress

Chapter 29 - Senator Bradley Yowman

"Here you are, sir," Tammy said, handing me a couple of aspirin. I was rubbing my temples, wondering what caused the sudden headache. I was just looking over a speech on my tablet and it felt like something stabbed me in the eye.

"Thank you, Tammy," I said, trying to match her smile. The pain was dissipating quickly, but I threw the aspirin in my mouth anyway. Tammy liked to be helpful and I liked her happy. She had a knack for names, one of my great weaknesses. A weakness the youngest senator ever elected in Arizona should do his best to hide. She handed me a glass of water which helped wash down the pills.

"You have a meeting with Bob Walters at three. Do you want me to reschedule?"

"No," I said, flexing my eyes about, trying to stretch away the last of the pain. "I'll be fine. Probably just eye strain. Can you print out the speech? It might be easier to read on paper."

"Certainly, Senator," Tammy said, then exited the office to handle the task. I sat back down at my desk and pushed the tablet away. As the pain faded, I let the silly fears of an aneurysm or brain tumor go with it. I looked about the office letting my eyes relax as normality returned.

I wondered if that was one of the first signs of aging. My grandfather always told me not to grow old. 'It's a silly thing age,' he would say, 'all that wisdom and none of the strength to use it.' He was a good man, and I missed his wisdom. I chuckled to myself, knowing I couldn't be getting too old, wisdom had yet to make itself known to me.

"Here's the speech," Tammy said, handing me a small stack of papers. It seemed longer printed than it did on the tablet. It probably wouldn't hurt to read it out loud. I promised fifteen minutes and I didn't want to bore anyone any longer than I had too.

"Think you can stand listening to it?" I asked. "I'd like to get the time down. Maybe, take some bits out."

"Yes, of course, sir." Tammy sat down in one of the leather chairs on the opposite side of the desk. I wondered how she could look so comfortable knowing I was about to bore the tears out of her. Nothing like a political speech to put one to sleep. I stood up and took a deep breath. I could never give a speech sitting down, even a practice one. Just one of my quirks.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman," I started, looking to my left as if the imaginary chairman had just introduced me. "It's always a pleasure to talk with such an esteemed..." My eyes wavered and the page took on a clarity I never thought possible. A feeling of well-being invaded my mind, lifting away all the barriers that I imagined stood before me.

"Sir, are you alright?"

The office shimmered as life became perfection. I looked at the cactus on my desk. Its beauty was undeniable. So full of life, but wanting so little in return. I had felt this before, so very long ago.

"Senator," Tammy called worriedly, rising from her seat. The world was wonderful, its imperfections nothing but beauty in disguise. I looked back at the speech, weak words that would need to be rewritten. I smiled at how easy it would be to just wing it. Stand before the assembled veterans and talk to them like a brother.

"Sir?" Tammy said, moving to my side.

"I'm alright," I said, holding my hand up to stall her concern. Memories flooded back. A grocery store, a man and his child. A very special child. The angel who had pivoted my life from one of slow ruin to what I had become today. I felt her again, stronger than I remembered.

"Help us," the child, no, woman, placed into my mind. I owed her everything and she wanted so little in return. I sensed a taint in the link she had created, a darkness that was trying to sever and destroy what she was. The ultimate sin, the destruction of an angel. Not on my watch.

I opened myself and flooded her with all the love I had.