Nightrise

organizations and little groups fighting against me, and although they don't seem to be connected, we're pretty sure that Nightrise is bankrolling the whole lot of them. But I've got no proof, Jamie. They've been too careful. And if I start making accusations, it'll just make me look like a sore loser…at least, I'll look like I'm afraid of losing, and that won't help anyone."
    "So what can you do?"
    "I have to wait and hope I win. If I become president of this country — and I believe that there's a very good chance of that happening — I want to make it my first priority to fight corruption in business, and I mean to make a start with Nightrise."
    "We can't wait," Jamie said. "They're hurting Scott."
    "How do you know?"
    "I just know."
    "Hold on," Alicia said. She reached into her handbag and took out a sheet of paper. "Thanks to Jamie, we managed to find out that Scott may be being held in a place called Silent Creek. I checked it out on the Internet. Silent Creek is a prison, a youth correctional facility, out in the Mojave Desert. It's the only privately run prison in Nevada. And it's owned by Nightrise."
    "Scott's there," Jamie said.
    "We think Scott is there. And we think Daniel could be there too." Alicia sighed. "It makes sense. If you wanted to hold a bunch of kids somewhere nobody could find them, somewhere out of the way, a prison in the desert would be perfect. Can you go in there, Senator? Could you get the police to raid it?"
    "I could try." Trelawny thought for a moment, then shook his head. "But it wouldn't be easy. First of all, I've got no real proof that there's anything wrong going on there. I haven't even heard of Silent Creek —
    and if it's in Nevada, it isn't even in my jurisdiction. And finally, if I did make enough noise to get an investigation started, the prison supervisor would hear about it before we got anywhere near. If those two boys were there, there'd be all the time in the world to move them someplace else. Or worse."
    Alicia nodded. She had been expecting this. 'You may be right," she said. "But we have another thought."
    "I could go in there," Jamie said.
    "Go in there…how?"
    'You must know people," Alicia said. "Suppose Jamie were to become one of the inmates. With a false name. A judge could send him there with another bunch of juveniles. Once he was inside Silent Creek, he could find out if Scott and Daniel are there and get a message to me. Maybe he could even help to get them out."
    "How would he do that?"
    "There are things I can do," Jamie explained. "Things you don't know about."
    "I know you want to take these people on in your own time, Senator," Alicia said. "But we don't have any time. We have to do something now."
    There was a knock at the door, and without waiting for an answer, Warren Cornfield burst in. Trelawny's security chief was looking furious. He stood framed in the doorway, which was almost his own size.
    "Excuse me, sir," he said. "I'm sorry to break in…"
    "What is it, Warren?" Trelawny asked. He didn't seem concerned.
    "Sir, that woman has lied to me." His finger jabbed in Alicia's direction. "That boy she's brought to see you, I think you should know that his name is not David. I thought I recognized him and now I know who he is. His name is Jamie Tyler and he is a wanted felon."
    "Alicia has already told me who he is," Trelawny replied.
    "She has?" Cornfield was taken aback. "Sir, the Nevada police are actively looking for this child. He's wanted for first-degree murder. If you let him leave here, if anyone finds out that he's even been in the same room as you, he could destroy your entire campaign."
    "Come in, Warren. And shut the door behind you."
    The security man did as he was told. Trelawny waited until he had calmed down.
    "Have you called the police?" Trelawny asked.
    "No, sir. Not yet."
    "That's good. Let's leave it that way." Trelawny turned to Alicia. "You'd better leave," he said. "But give me your cell number and I'll get in touch. It should be possible to arrange what you've asked. I have friends…" He went over to Jamie and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I won't forget meeting you," he said.
    "And what you said, about winning the election, you're absolutely right." He smiled. "I hope you find your brother."
    "Sir…" Warren Cornfield couldn't believe what he was seeing. "These two people should be in jail."
    "It's okay, Warren. I think I know what I'm doing. I want you to show my guests out. Don't arrest them.
    Don't call the