appoints unelected officers who wield great governmental power. His cabinet members. Federal judges.”
“Even those officers can be recalled or impeached. I don’t see any provision that would allow anyone to replace or impeach any member of this Emergency Security Council.”
“The president always has the right to replace the people he appoints, other than federal judges. Quietly calling for the resignations of those who have displeased the Oval Office is a common facet of modern political life. If the president doesn’t like the job being done by the directors of Homeland Security, the FBI, or the CIA, he can replace them.”
“What if he calls for a resignation and the appointee refuses?”
“I think that is unlikely.”
“I don’t think we can know what someone might do if they’re given power of this magnitude,” Senator Largent said, obviously not placated.
“Would it be better if the amendment gave this power directly to the president, so that he or she could unilaterally decide to suspend civil rights-like Abraham Lincoln did during the Civil War?” Ben paused, letting them all ponder that for a moment. “I don’t think so. We are much safer having a committee composed of the top law enforcement officials in the country making the critical decisions. The director of Homeland Security may be the chairman, but he or she is still only one member of the Council. I think this amendment has been structured so as to give the rights of the American people the maximum protection possible while still ensuring safety during a time of crisis.”
“You’ve just explicated an implied prioritization that gives me great concern,” said Senator Cole Stevens, a Democrat from Vermont. In Ben’s experience, the man always talked more like a college professor than a politician. How he ever managed to get elected-three times-was beyond Ben’s comprehension. “This amendment esentially says civil rights are swell, but security is more important.”
“Frankly,” Ben said, “I think you’re right, and I have no problem with that, and I don’t think the Founding Fathers would have, either. We all know that we will have no civil rights if we lose our freedom. Without liberty, there are no civil liberties.”
“You’re giving me slogans, not answers,” Senator Stevens insisted.
“I disagree.”
“I wasn’t finished. You’re giving me slogans, and to be perfectly honest, I’m shocked. Isn’t your conscience bothering you at all?”
Ben did not respond.
“As far as I can tell, Mr. Kincaid, your whole career has been about defending the rights of the people, protecting the innocent, making sure no one is railroaded by the mighty machine we know as the American government. And now you come out in favor of this amendment which flies in the face of everything you’ve stood for your entire life. How can you do this?”
Ben remained silent, unsure what to say.
“I asked you a question, Senator Kincaid.” His voice rose in volume. “In all good conscience, how can you do this?”
“If you’d been there on April nineteenth,” Ben said, his voice trembling, “you’d want this amendment, too.” He spoke barely louder than a whisper. In the back of the Caucus Room, people leaned forward, straining to hear. “If you had felt the…the…stark terror I experienced-that everyone there experienced-you’d want this amendment, too. I was embarrassed at how easily I succumbed to fear. I would’ve done anything to get out of there, anything. Thank God for the Secret Service and the other heroes of that day, because I was not one of them. I was a puddle- shaken to the core. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since-I don’t know if I ever will again.” He took a deep breath. “No one should be able to do that to another human being. No one.”
He drew up his chin and started again, his voice gradually gaining strength. “Oklahoma City should be the safest city in the world. It’s a modest metropolis buried deep in the heartland where folks still smile at strangers and give up their bus seats to people older than they are. And yet it has been hit twice-twice-by terrorism, first with the bombing of the Murrah Building, and now with this assault on the life of our commander in chief, purposefully staged at the site of the prior tragedy. I ask you-if Oklahoma City is not safe-what place is?”
Ben paused, wondering silently where this had come from. He had not planned it. He hadn’t planned to be so emotional-or so honest. It just erupted out of him when he heard Senator Stevens’s question.
“The April nineteenth assassin might have been gunning for the president,” Ben continued, “but he got my best friend, Mike Morelli. Let me tell you something about Mike. He’s a major, a top officer in the Tulsa homicide division. He has made his work his life. His work has benefited the community more times than I can count. If I live to be two hundred, I could not possibly equal his history of public service. But there’s more to Mike-” His voice cracked. Ben swallowed, took another breath. “There’s more to him than that. This is the man who sat by my bedside when I was sick and comatose for more than a week. This is the man who stayed up all night-on a work night no less-reciting poetry and singing the Flintstones song, trying to get my nephew to sleep. He has quite literally put his life on the line to save mine-and he did it again on April nineteenth.”
Ben’s head turned from side to side, as if he might somehow, somewhere, locate an answer he could not elucidate. “Mike Morelli is a hero. And that hero is at this moment lying near death on a hospital bed, his doctors unsure if his eyes will ever open again. That is not right.” His voice swelled, both in strength and volume. “Mike Morelli deserves better. I would do anything-” And at that, Ben’s voice broke down completely. Tears sprang unbidden to his eyes. Several moments passed before he could continue.
“I would do anything,” Ben whispered, “to turn back time and prevent Mike from being injured. But of course, that’s not possible. I can’t do that. But I can do everything in my power to make sure this does not happen to your best friend, Senator Stevens, or yours, Senator Largent, or anyone else’s. To take all possible steps to make sure this never again happens to anyone. I’m not sure about logic or principles or constitutional law-but I am sure about this. This is the greatest of all nations, my friends. If we can prevent tragedies of this magnitude from happening- then we must.”
Ben let several more moments pass, wiping his eyes dry. After he thought he had collected himself, he finished. “That’s why I support this amendment, ladies and gentlemen. And that’s why I hope you will do the same.”
Silence blanketed the caucus room.
Less than an hour later, the committee recommended that the proposed amendment be presented to the full Senate as soon as possible, by unanimous vote.
25
Fortunately, none of the bullets had lodged in Shohreh’s body, so Loving was able to use his medic experience to clean and dress the wounds. Her arm was in a sling and her leg and the left side of her face were bandaged, but it was nothing she wouldn’t recover from in a few weeks. He couldn’t offer her anything for the pain, but she didn’t seem to mind. She was a tough woman; he knew that already from the way he’d seen her fight in the cemetery. He’d offered to take her to a hospital, but she had refused.
Once she was resting properly, Loving returned to the cemetery to question the sniper who attacked her. Unfortunately, he was gone.
When at last she was well enough, he sat down on the edge of the bed to ask her some questions. She began questioning him before he had a chance.
“Where am I?” she asked, then immediately clutched the side of her face. Loving had bandaged the scrapes and gashes, but he knew they still hurt, especially when she talked.
“You’re safe. I’ve brought people here before. I know the manager. And I trust him. Omar Khasban. Nice old Iranian guy.”
She looked at him cautiously. “So you do not believe that all people of the Middle East are brutal
