why we were sent to different rooms.”
Gladstone had to think only briefly.
“Assuming the threat is real, and Allaire knows how deadly it is, then he might be attempting to control the spread of the virus.”
“Now you’re cooking, Leland. And how would that best be done?”
For the first time, Gladstone firmly met Ellis’s gaze with his own.
“By separating out the most severely infected.”
Ellis’s expression was that of a proud teacher toward her star pupil.
“Do you recall,” she said, “how I asked you to map out where the explosions had occurred, and who was sitting in each area?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s look at that list.”
Gladstone stretched his long legs to extract several folded pieces of paper from the front pocket of his tuxedo pants. Then he handed the sheets to Ellis. The speaker carefully read them over, folded them again, and returned the stack to him.
“You have about forty names here,” she said.
“Those are the ones I could get. People at the center of the blasts, including those seated next to, in front of, or in back of each ground zero.”
“And tell me, do you know the present location of Archibald Jakes, or Senator Cogan?”
Ellis picked two names from Gladstone’s list that she had personally seen take a hit.
“I believe they’re in C Group.”
“Have you had any contact with C Group?”
“No,” Gladstone said.
“And do you know where Group C is currently residing?”
“From what I’ve heard, they’re in the Senate Chamber, but that’s just rumor and not something I’ve confirmed.”
“In that case, I think I should go and confirm it for myself. Is your BlackBerry charged?”
“It is,” Gladstone said. “Thanks to your standing up to Allaire, I still have it.”
“You look troubled, Leland. What is it?”
“You’re not allowed to leave this chamber. How do you plan to get across the Capitol complex to the Senate?”
Ellis favored Gladstone with a mischievous smile.
“Because of Sean O’Neil’s … um … not so minor transgressions, I still have my hand cupped around his balls. I think it’s about time I gave them a good, hard squeeze.”
CHAPTER 43
From the recesses of the upper gallery, Ellis watched Sean O’Neil patrol the aisles of the House Chamber. He looked ill at ease, and avoided any eye contact with the anxious faces that he passed, perhaps feeling as if he were being held responsible in some way for their plight.
Ellis felt some pity for the man. He was at once prisoner and jailer, neither of them very enviable positions. At least amid this mess, she had a purpose—some control and power over her fate. Soon enough, though, O’Neil would have some purpose as well. And once Allaire and his vice presidential toady were put in their places, once she was president, she would reward the Secret Service agent’s assistance by keeping him on staff, pledged to take a bullet for her.
The speaker descended the carpeted stairwell to the chamber floor level, approached O’Neil from behind, and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around, reaching for his gun.
“Easy, cowboy,” she said. “Maybe it’s time to switch over to decaf.”
O’Neil glared at her.
“Next time you come up on me like that, don’t expect me to stop.”
“We need to talk,” Ellis said.
“I’m busy right now.”
“Oh? Doing what?”
“The president asked me to make some observations and report back to him.”
“Observations?”
“Check and see how people are holding up.”
“Oooo. Sounds important.”
“What do you want?”
“I told you, to talk. Please?”
Ellis motioned to a dark corner where she felt assured they’d have a modicum of privacy. O’Neil grumbled an unintelligible protest, but followed her anyway.
“Okay,” the agent said, when it seemed they were safely out of earshot of others, “what do you want to talk about?”
“Where is Archibald Jakes?” Ellis asked.
“The Navy chief of staff?”
“Is there another?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are we going to be difficult, Sean?”
“That depends. Are you going to keep trying to talk to me?”
“I have a Web browser on this BlackBerry,” Ellis said, waving the device in her hand at waist level so that only he could see. “Do you have any pictures of your kid I can bring up? I love children, you know. Had some myself once upon a time.”
“You are really a bitch.”
“It’s so nice how we can work together for the greater good, and still make time to share our personal lives as well.”
“You keep my son out of this,” O’Neil growled.
Ellis made a tsk-tsk sound, her expression one of mock sorrow.
“I am sorry, Sean,” she said, “but unless you cooperate, that is simply not an option. Look, here’s the deal: I need you to get me egress from this chamber, a passage that is presently denied to me.”
“And then?”
“And then take me to wherever Jakes is holed up.”
The agent considered the request.
“I want your word never to mention my son again.”
“But—”
“I said
“Goodness. This is a snippy side of you I never knew existed. All right, then. You cooperate and get me to Archie Jakes, and I won’t say another word about your kid.”
O’Neil mulled over the pledge for a second time.
“Jakes is in the Senate Chamber,” he said, finally.
“I thought you said you didn’t know where he was.”
“I lied.”
“I know. It rubs off from Allaire. So, get me in there.”
“Not that simple. I don’t have the key.”
“A key? You mean to tell me the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is locked inside the Senate Chamber?”
