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〃Good。 Your future depends on it。〃
As Sexton headed back toward his apartment； his step was a little lighter； his head a little clearer。 NASA lied about PODS。 The only question was how Sexton could prove it。
His thoughts had already turned to Gabrielle Ashe。 Wherever she was at the moment； she had to be feeling like shit。 Gabrielle had no doubt seen the press conference and was now standing on a ledge somewhere getting ready to jump。 Her proposition of making NASA a major issue in Sexton's campaign had turned out to be the biggest mistake of Sexton's career。
She owes me； Sexton thought。 And she knows it。
Gabrielle already had proven she had a knack for obtaining NASA secrets。 She has a contact； Sexton thought。 She'd been scoring insider information for weeks now。 Gabrielle had connections she was not sharing。 Connections she could pump for information on PODS。 Moreover； tonight Gabrielle would be motivated。 She had a debt to repay； and Sexton suspected she would do anything to regain his favor。
As Sexton arrived back at his apartment door； his bodyguard nodded。 〃Evening； senator。 I trust I did the right thing by letting Gabrielle in earlier？ She said it was critical she talk to you。〃
Sexton paused。 〃I'm sorry？〃
〃Ms。 Ashe？ She had important information for you earlier tonight。 That's why I let her in。〃
Sexton felt his body stiffen。 He looked at his apartment door。 What the hell is this guy talking about？
The guard's expression changed to one of confusion and concern。 〃Senator； are you okay？ You remember； right？ Gabrielle arrived during your meeting。 She talked to you； right？ She must have。 She was in there quite a while。〃
Sexton stared a long moment； feeling his pulse skyrocket。 This moron let Gabrielle into my apartment during a private SFF meeting？ She stuck around inside and then departed without a word？ Sexton could only imagine what Gabrielle might have overheard。 Swallowing his anger； he forced a smile to his guard。 〃Oh； yes！ I'm sorry。 I'm exhausted。 Had a couple of drinks； too。 Ms。 Ashe and I did indeed speak。 You did the right thing。〃
The guard looked relieved。
〃Did she say where she went when she left？〃
The guard shook his head。 〃She was in a big hurry。〃
〃Okay； thanks。〃
Sexton entered his apartment fuming。 How plicated were my goddamn directions？ No visitors！ He had to assume if Gabrielle had been inside for any length of time and then snuck out without a word； she must have heard things she was not meant to hear。 Tonight of all nights。
Senator Sexton knew above all he could not afford to lose Gabrielle Ashe's trust； women could bee vengeful and stupid when they felt deceived。 Sexton needed to bring her back。 Tonight more than ever； he needed her in his camp。
79
On the fourth floor of the ABC television studios； Gabrielle Ashe sat alone in Yolanda's glass…walled office and stared at the fraying carpet。 She had always prided herself on good instincts and knowing whom she could trust。 Now； for the first time in years； Gabrielle felt alone； uncertain which way to turn。
The sound of her cellphone lifted her gaze from the carpet。 Reluctant； she picked up。 〃Gabrielle Ashe。〃
〃Gabrielle； it's me。〃
She recognized the timbre of Senator Sexton's voice immediately； although he sounded surprisingly calm considering what had just transpired。
〃It's been one hell of a night over here；〃 he said； 〃so just let me talk。 I'm sure you saw the President's conference。 Christ； did we play the wrong cards。 I'm sick over it。 You're probably blaming yourself。 Don't。 Who the hell would have guessed？ Not your fault。 Anyhow； listen up。 I think there may be a way to get our feet back under us。〃
Gabrielle stood up； unable to imagine what Sexton could be talking about。 This was hardly the reaction she had expected。
〃I had a meeting tonight；〃 Sexton said； 〃with representatives from private space industries； and…〃
〃You did？〃 Gabrielle blurted； stunned to hear him admit it。 〃I mean。。。 I had no idea。〃
〃Yeah； nothing major。 I would have asked you to sit in； but these guys are touchy about privacy。 Some of them are donating money to my campaign。 It's not something they like to advertise。〃
Gabrielle felt totally disarmed。 〃But。。。 isn't that illegal？〃
〃Illegal？ Hell no！ All the donations are under the two…thousand…dollar cap。 Small potatoes。 These guys barely make a dent； but I listen to their gripes anyway。 Call it an investment in the future。 I'm quiet about it because； frankly； the appearances aren't so great。 If the White House caught wind； they'd spin the hell out of it。 Anyhow； look； that's not the point。 I called to tell you that after tonight's meeting； I was talking to the head of the SFF。。。 〃
For several seconds； although Sexton was still talking； all Gabrielle could hear was the blood rushing in shame to her face。 Without the slightest challenge from her； the senator had calmly admitted tonight's meeting with private space panies。 Perfectly legal。 And to think what Gabrielle had almost considered doing！ Thank God Yolanda had stopped her。 I almost jumped ship to Marjorie Tench！
〃。。。 and so I told the head of the SFF；〃 the senator was saying； 〃that you might be able to get that information for us。〃
Gabrielle tuned back in。 〃Okay。〃
〃The contact from whom you've been getting all your inside NASA information these past few months？ I assume you still have access？〃
Marjorie Tench。 Gabrielle cringed knowing she could never tell the senator that the informant had been manipulating her all along。 〃Um。。。 I think so；〃 Gabrielle lied。
〃Good。 There's some information I need from you。 Right away。〃
As she listened； Gabrielle realized just how badly she had been underestimating Senator Sedgewick Sexton lately。 Some of the man's luster had worn off since she'd first begun following his career。 But tonight； it was back。 In the face of what appeared to be the ultimate death blow to his campaign； Sexton was plotting a counterattack。 And although it had been Gabrielle who led him down this inauspicious path； he was not punishing her。 Instead； he was giving her a chance to redeem herself。
And redeem herself she would。
Whatever it took。
80
William Pickering gazed out his office window at the distant line of headlights on Leesburg Highway。 He often thought about her when he stood up here alone at the top of the world。
All this power。。。 and I couldn't save her。
Pickering's daughter； Diana； had died in the Red Sea while stationed aboard a small navy escort ship； training to bee a navigator。 Her ship had been anchored in safe harbor on a sunny afternoon when a handmade dory loaded with explosives and powered by two suicide terrorists motored slowly across the harbor and exploded on contact with the hull。 Diana Pickering and thirteen other young American soldiers had been killed that day。
William Pickering had been devastated。 The anguish overwhelmed him for weeks。 When the terrorist attack was traced to a known cell whom the CIA had been tracking unsuccessfully for years； Pickering's sadness turned into rage。 He had marched into CIA headquarters and demanded answers。
The answers he got were hard to swallow。
Apparently the CIA had been prepared to move on this cell months before and was simply waiting for the high…res satellite photos so that they could plan a pinpoint attack on the terrorists' mountain hideout in Afghanistan。 Those photos were scheduled to be taken by the 1。2 billion NRO satellite code…named Vortex 2； the same satellite that had been blown up on the launchpad by its NASA launch vehicle。 Because of the NASA accident； the CIA strike had been postponed； and now Diana Pickering had died。
Pickering's mind told him that NASA had not been directly responsible； but his heart found it hard to forgive。 The investigation of the rocket explosion revealed that the NASA engineers responsible for the fuel injections system had been forced to use second…rate materials in an effort to stay on budget。
〃For nonmanned flights；〃 Lawrence Ekstrom explained in a press conference； 〃NASA strives for cost…effectiveness above all。 In this case； the results were admittedly not optimal。 We will be looking into it。〃
Not optimal。 Diana Pickering was dead。
Furthermore； because the spy satellite was classified； the public never learned that NASA had disintegrated a 1。2 billion NRO project； and along with it； indirectly； numerous American lives。
〃Sir？〃 Pickering's secretary's voice came over his inter； startling him。 〃Line one。 It's Marjorie Tench。〃
Pickering shook himself out of his daze and looked at his telephone。 Again？ The blinking light on line one seemed to pulse with an irate urgency。 Pickering frowned and took the call。
〃Pickering here。〃
Tench's voice was seething mad。 〃What did she tell you？〃
〃I'm sorry？〃
〃Rachel Sexton contacted you。 What did she tell you？ She was on a submarine； for God's sake！ Explain that！〃
Pickering could tell immediately that denying the fact was not an option； Tench had been doing her homework。 Pickering was surprised she'd found out about the Charlotte； but she'd apparently thrown her weight around until she got some answers。 〃Ms。 Sexton contacted me； yes。〃
〃You arranged a pickup。 And you didn't contact me？〃
〃I arranged transport。 That is correct。〃 Two hours remained until Rachel Sexton； Michael Tolland； and Corky Marlinson were scheduled to arrive at the nearby Bollings Air Force Base。
〃And yet you chose not to inform me？〃
〃Rachel Sexton has made some very disturbing accusations。〃
〃Regarding the authenticity of the meteorite。。。 and some kind of attack on her life？〃
〃Among other things。〃
〃Obviously； she is lying。〃
〃You are aware she is with two others who corroborate her story？〃
Tench paused。 〃Yes。 Most disturbing。 The White House is very concerned by their claims。〃
〃The White House？ Or you personally？〃
Her tone turned razor sharp。 〃As far as you are concerned； director； there is no difference tonight。〃
Pickering was unimpressed。 He was no stranger to blustering politicians and support staff trying to establish footholds over the intel munity。 Few put up as strong a front as Marjorie Tench。 〃Does the President know you're calling me？〃
〃Frankly； director； I'm shocked that you would even entertain these lunatic ravings。〃
You didn't answer my question。 〃I see no logical reason for these people to lie。 I have to assume they are either telling the truth； or they have made an honest mistake。〃
〃Mistake？ Claims of attacks？ Flaws in the meteorite data that NASA never saw？ Please！ This is an obvious political ploy。〃
〃If so； the motives escape me。〃
Tench sighed heavily and lowered her voice。 〃Director； there are forces at work here of which you might not be aware。 We can speak about that at length later； but at the moment I need to know where Ms。 Sexton and the others are。 I need to get to the bottom of this before they do any lasting damage。 Where are they？〃
〃That is not information I am fortable sharing。 I will contact you after they arrive。〃
〃Wrong。 I will be there to greet them when they arrive。〃
You and how many Secret Service agents？ Pickering wondered。 〃If I inform you of their arrival time and location； will we all have a chance to chat like friends； or do you intend to have a private army take them into custody？〃
〃These people pose a direct threat to the President。 The White House has every right to detain and question them。〃
Pickering knew she was right。 Under Title 18； Section 3056 of the United States Code； agents of the U。S。 Secret Service can carry firearms； use deadly force； and make 〃un…warranted〃 arrests simply on suspicion that a person has mitted or is intending to mit a felony or any act of aggression against the president。 The service possessed carte blanche。 Regular detainees included unsavory loiterers outside the White House and school kids who sent threatening e…mail pranks。
Pickering had no doubt the service could justify dragging Rachel Sexton and the others into the basement of the White House and keeping them there indefinitely。 It would be a dangerous play； but Tench clearly realized the stakes were huge。 The question was what would happen next if Pickering allowed Tench to take control。 He had no intention of f