Political Science 101

Chapter Twelve

IT WAS JUST after midnight when Jeb Larkin's doorbell rang. He opened his front door, still fully dressed, expecting yet another one of her unscheduled (but required) late-night visits.

Lenore Sable was many things to many people. A wealthy woman, widowed early in life; she played a prominent role in the world of finances. She held vested interests in everything from Wall Street to the international oil trade to beer distribution. The legend in many financial circles was that her late husband's great-grandfather was a very rich silent partner in a deal that started a small brewing company in 1852 called Anheuser-Busch, otherwise known as Budweiser.

When Lenore's husband died tragically in a one-car roll-over accident nearly a decade ago, she sold-off all of her husband's shares in beer and reinvested the money in foreign oil and natural gas, specifically in the Middle East. And in a time when the United States was involved in multiple conflicts in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, Lenore also invested very heavily in nearly a dozen privately-owned defense contractors; contractors hired repeatedly by nearly all branches of the United States Military Industrial Complex, specifically the United States Department of Defense.

Lenore always grinned a little when she spoke to representatives from the "Department of Defense." She knew their history. During the World War I and World War II, the Department of Defense was known under a different title: The War Department. But in 1949, someone in the federal government decided this governmental agency should have a less "offensive" name (not offensive as in profane, but offensive as in proactive). Essentially, they felt the term "War Department" implied that the United States had an entire branch for starting wars. So in 1949, they renamed it "The Department of Defense" to imply that the United States was only defending itself, not attacking people (regardless of the reality of the situation).

Regardless, within the timespan of less than a decade, companies she controlled were the leading go-to companies for the needs of the United States Department of Defense.

To put it simply, war and oil made Lenore Sable a very rich woman; and she would do whatever was necessary to keep it that way.

When she stepped into the front door of Jeb Larkin's home her reputation and presence stepped in with her.

"Good evening, Lenore." Jeb said formally. He tried not to appear intimidated.

"It was evening six hours ago, genius," she snarled at him. Jeb was quickly reminded of the sardonic overtones to nearly everything she said.

"Right," he said. "Well, please come in, Ms. Sable."

"Lenore," she replied. "Just Lenore."

"Of course," Jeb said with his head down. After all the years he'd known her, she still intimidated him; he still wasn't certain how to address her because some days, she wanted formality and some days she wanted informality — her mood changed more often than the stock market, and often with it.

As she proceeded into the light of the house's interior, she removed her black and gray fur coat and gave it to Jeb. She was a tall, thin woman, taller than six-feet (though no one could tell for sure as she constantly wore heels of differing heights). She had a pale, cadaverous, but not unattractive face, and she only seemed to smile at two notions: her own sarcastic sense of humor, and the exponential growth of her many financial holdings. She walked elegantly, held her chin high, and demanded attention and respect without saying a word.

The two walked into the den of Jeb's house to discuss the previous day's election results and the implications. This time, it was Lenore doing the pacing, and Jeb immediately realized the conversation they were about to have already took place in that very room only hours earlier. Except, this time, Jeb was not the one in control.