the bridge. As you get close to the bridge, you can take Merchant Road to gain access to the bridge. Cross the bridge into Marin County. Enjoy yourselves. It’s been a great race.
“It’s too bad you didn’t get a hug from your father.”
They were running slowly, but they were running.
“At least he shook my hand and said, ‘Good job.’ He did hug you. So did the Chairman.”
“Your father said some nice things about you in front of the Chairman. How many fathers do that for their sons? He’ll make a good interim CEO for Giganticorp. I think they elected him because he’s the only honest man of the bunch.”
“He’ll dispense with the mendacity, that’s for sure. I gather that he’s waiting for us at the end of the race, instead of Casey. That ought to get the media buzzing. He’s probably already congratulating Tom and Jerry, the big winners. It’s a nice gesture on his part, but I’d rather be met by dancing girls.”
“What about dancing boys?”
“Boys, too, just for you.”
The board of directors of Giganticorp, having a quorum present, had convened a meeting after things had calmed down. They had transacted two pieces of business. They had ousted Casey Messinger as chief executive officer of Giganticorp and elected Justin Drake to serve in his place until a committee with Admiral Drake at its head could find a suitable person to take the position in a permanent capacity.
Melody was still trying to absorb everything that had happened last night. “Casey showed a lot of hubris bringing the conspirators to the same building where he had trained the submariners. If Slick and I hadn’t found that room, somebody else might have.”
“I guess he felt that once he was President, or Dictator, or whatever his title was going to be, that it wouldn’t matter anymore. He should be hanged as a traitor, but I doubt that’s going to happen. Since he was captured by the military, I suspect that his real plan will be hushed up. It would show too much government vulnerability, and too many other heads would roll along with his. The official reason for Casey leaving Giganticorp will be, ‘so he can spend more time with his family.’”
“He’ll have to spend it on the private island he was about to fly to last night.”
“He won’t be allowed to live in the U.S., that’s for sure.”
“Do you think the president will replace the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs?”
“Definitely. But that happens quite frequently and won’t raise many eyebrows. The generals and admirals present who are still on active duty will no doubt be taking early retirement. No heroes will emerge from this, but Slick should get a footnote in history. Even Blade was upset about him. It can truly be said that he gave his life for his country. And for me.”
“If the guard hadn’t made a lucky shot, Slick would still be alive…”
Melody’s voice trailed off. She had to slow down even more because she was choking up. Their speed didn’t matter, anyway. They were firmly entrenched in last place for today’s run. She had found out one thing about Slick that she didn’t care to share with Drake-his beautiful blue eyes. She pulled herself away from the image of those eyes as he lay dying and tried to concentrate on what Drake was saying.
“If you hadn’t moved in and taken out Artie, he would have shot me.”
“If you hadn’t kicked his gun, he might have hit me. I thought he’d never go down.”
Drake didn’t want to talk about that phase of the operation anymore. They both could have been killed.
“You’re the real hero for stopping Casey when he was kidnapping the Chairman.”
“Casey forgot about me. Since he discounted my ability when we toured the submarine, I figured he might. But you and the captain kept him from shooting me.”
“I’m glad the captain will be okay. The bullet basically bounced off his ribs.”
Drake wasn’t faking his limp. It was all he could do to keep running. “Sorry I’m such a mess today. My belly flop and the tackle by Artie ruined any chance we had at the million. Not to mention my tackle of Casey. My knees are killing me.”
“My feet are sore from those damn shoes I was wearing. I keep telling myself that what we did was much more important than a million dollars.”
“Thanks for trying to cheer me up. At least we’re sure to collect on the per diem. With my father in charge, all the obligations of Giganticorp will be paid in full.”
“You can buy your cabin in Idyllwild.”
“And get away from people like Casey. If they’re not going to hang him as a traitor, I hope the FBI nails his ass for Grace’s murder.”
“The Chairman said he would push them to investigate it. At least they’ve got a smoking gun now-”
“And a smoking executive assistant. I suspect that Ms. Melinda Gage knows secrets that would curl your hair.”
“Thanks. I’m happy with my hair the way it is. But I’d like to see Casey put away in the U.S. equivalent of the Tower of London. Perhaps the Beefeaters would be willing to loan their guillotine to the Colonies to dispatch him. I’d volunteer to drop the blade on his neck.”
“Speaking of Blade, he made a prediction. He predicted that Casey’s life expectancy on his island would be about six months. I didn’t ask any questions.”
“That makes me feel a lot better.”
“I never knew you were so bloodthirsty. You need a vacation.”
In spite of his sadness about Slick and losing the chance at the big money and multiple aches from his fall, Drake suddenly felt good about the world. “It’s such a fantastic day. I’ve never seen a day like this in San Francisco. It’s a good omen.”
They were running across the Golden Gate Bridge under a warm sun. The bright orange towers contrasted with the sparkling blue waters of the bay. It was a day in which anything was possible in a free country. Anything.
Drake turned to Melody. “Now that we’ve helped to save the world, we both deserve a vacation. We’ve already seen the coast. How about we go off into the mountains together?”
“‘Will you walk into my parlor?’ said the spider to the fly.”
“Assuming that the mountains can be regarded as a parlor, I guess that’s an apt analogy. Will you?”
“Anything’s possible.”
