“Let’s not go there, Eli. Don’t start looking gift horses in the mouth, as they say. Just go with it. You got double what you would have. That’s a good thing. Conspiracies usually aren’t.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Back in their apartment, Sandy went to his room to sleep for a few hours until he had to work, and Eli went to his, avoiding Rhianna, knowing he’d blurt out his worries to her.
Things continued to get strange, however. Once his account showed the deposit, he went right for the website he used to pay his student loans. Before he could navigate through it, however, he had a message there, asking him to call as soon as he could.
He did. As the phone rang for the number and extension given him, he felt aching all over, his muscles having been tensed to the point of overwork. A female’s voice came on the line and asked for his account number.
After he gave it, she made a little noise like she was surprised and then said, “Well, Mr. Bloom, your account is no longer open to us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your note’s been sold, Mr. Bloom. It’s rare, but it happens. It says here that the paperwork will be sent to you, and until then, your payments have been deferred.”
He was about to cry with frustration. “What does that mean?”
“It’s a good thing, Mr. Bloom, at least for now. It means that you don’t have to make a payment until they contact you and make payment arrangements.”
That was just another bit of information that was good on the surface, but made him fearful, nonetheless. “Thanks,” he said, distracted. “Thank you. Sorry if I was…pushy.”
“No, Mr. Bloom, you were fine. I’m sure they will be in contact soon. Have a nice day.”
“Yeah, you too.”
His hand fell to his desk, and his mind threatened to shut down with all the questions and worry that had infected him in the last two days. He knew it was connected, no matter how paranoid that made him feel.
Quickly, he got onto the internet, searching for Lee Madison and student loans. A lot of hits came up immediately, most all of them fighting for less regulation for the banks who gave the loans. Also, less government oversight, more interest being allowed for them to charge and a million other things. Most of all things that Eli hated, and would cost him so much more for longer, but nothing about Madison buying loans from those banks.
He went to his bed and managed to fall asleep without trying. It had all gotten to him to the point of exhaustion. When he woke, however, he knew what he had to do.
Deferral or not, extra cash was great, but none of it would last. He picked up his phone and called Mars, waiting for three rings until the butler answered. “Mr. Bloom, how are you?”
“I’m…I’m good, actually, but I could be better. Is Senator Madison available?”
“He’s not, I’m afraid, but he’s authorized me to work with you whether you accept the job or not. Have you decided?”
It was like his insides were being torn from him, but he managed to get the words out of his pile of internal organs. “I would love the job.”
“Excellent. I’ll send the moving truck for your things on Saturday. Please, just what you need. You’ll have all the furnishings here you could possibly need, and you will be provided with new electronics. I’m afraid that working with a person like the senator, you need secure phones and computers and such, so please, don’t bring your personal ones.”
That wasn’t a problem. He could take anything he needed on a couple of flash drives. “That’s fine, Mars. Anything else?”
“Yes, come tomorrow to fill out your paperwork, see your new quarters, and anything else we may need to communicate.”
“Okay. Okay, great. Thank you, Mars.”
“You’ve chosen well, Mr. Bloom.”
He heard it but he didn’t understand. As he set his phone on the desk, he whispered, “Chosen well? What if I’d have said no?”