Read Online A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Palmer
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their seats, although a number of others were still milling around the aisles and shoving toward the doorways, demanding with escalating vehemence to be let out. Mackey wondered how long it would be before somebody got hurt—really hurt—by one of Allaire’s Capitol Police goons.
And what, exactly, had they been exposed to? Was Genesis really responsible? Did they really pose a threat worthy of Allaire holding the Congress and so many others hostage? If so, why didn’t they just quarantine the coughing people and let everybody else go? The closest puff of smoke was many rows away from where he was sitting, and Mackey had yet to feel any symptom at all. God knew at least a third of the chamber had that hacking cough now. If Mackey were in charge, that’s exactly what he would have done. Keep the sick away from the healthy.
Goddamn Allaire .
Did the man think they were all stupid? Of course he did. Allaire’s arrogance defied all boundaries. Well, if he thought Harlan Mackey would be a good little solider and sit tight inside a potential death trap, then he grossly underestimated this senator’s resolve.
People continued to mill around Mackey, who decided then and there that he would escape this nightmare.
“Senator Mackey! Senator Mackey!”
People continuing to converge into the center aisle, yelling at the security guards, coughing, and crying, made it hard for Mackey to spot Frost Keaton, a junior staff assistant from his office, waving his arms and calling his name. Poor Frost. For his exemplary job performance, Mackey had awarded Keaton Jack’s much sought-after SOU ticket. Keaton pushed his way through the crowd and, typically, seemed more concerned for his boss than he did for himself. Dumb kid.
“What’s going on, Senator?” Keaton asked. “Is it true that Genesis is behind this?”
“I don’t know, son. Like you, I’m waiting for the president to return. I’m sure we’ll all know something soon enough.”
“Well, I had some new ideas for our highway bill. I guess I’ll just work on those while we’re waiting.”
Mackey felt a brief pang for the twenty-two-year-old American University grad and his endless supply of optimistic energy.
“Are you worried?” Keaton said.
“Me? No. Son, it takes a lot more than all this to worry this old farmer.”
Mackey flashed on the idea of taking Keaton with him. But just then, the boy coughed.
Are there more people coughing now? the senator wondered. If so, he would have to move even faster.
“Look, son, you stay here. I’m going to see if I can learn what’s going on. I’ll let you know what I find out. For now, just sit tight and wait for me to come back.”
The young aide stifled another cough.
“Thank you, sir,” he managed.
Mackey served as one of ten on the Capitol Complex Appropriations Board. The committee handled everything from human resources for the Capitol’s extensive operational staff to routine maintenance issues. Few knew all the secrets of the Capitol complex. Thanks to that committee, Mackey knew nearly every one of them. Every way in, and most important, every way out. At least now those insipid hours spent haggling on that wart of a committee might prove to be worthwhile.
The speaker of the house, Ursula Ellis, had left her seat and was making her way around their party’s half of the hall. She was an incredibly capable woman, and given another month or so, she just might have won. Now, hopefully, she was mobilizing people to take a stand against Allaire, regardless of what position he took.
Nobody was standing near the podium, and the crush of people was moving in the opposite direction. Perfect.
Mackey walked past the rostrum to a spot in the corridor twenty feet beyond. The trapdoor beneath the carpeting was nearly invisible. It had been constructed to reach a maintenance area on the next level down, which housed the workings of the lift that provided wheelchair access to the tribune.
Nobody noticed as the
And what, exactly, had they been exposed to? Was Genesis really responsible? Did they really pose a threat worthy of Allaire holding the Congress and so many others hostage? If so, why didn’t they just quarantine the coughing people and let everybody else go? The closest puff of smoke was many rows away from where he was sitting, and Mackey had yet to feel any symptom at all. God knew at least a third of the chamber had that hacking cough now. If Mackey were in charge, that’s exactly what he would have done. Keep the sick away from the healthy.
Goddamn Allaire .
Did the man think they were all stupid? Of course he did. Allaire’s arrogance defied all boundaries. Well, if he thought Harlan Mackey would be a good little solider and sit tight inside a potential death trap, then he grossly underestimated this senator’s resolve.
People continued to mill around Mackey, who decided then and there that he would escape this nightmare.
“Senator Mackey! Senator Mackey!”
People continuing to converge into the center aisle, yelling at the security guards, coughing, and crying, made it hard for Mackey to spot Frost Keaton, a junior staff assistant from his office, waving his arms and calling his name. Poor Frost. For his exemplary job performance, Mackey had awarded Keaton Jack’s much sought-after SOU ticket. Keaton pushed his way through the crowd and, typically, seemed more concerned for his boss than he did for himself. Dumb kid.
“What’s going on, Senator?” Keaton asked. “Is it true that Genesis is behind this?”
“I don’t know, son. Like you, I’m waiting for the president to return. I’m sure we’ll all know something soon enough.”
“Well, I had some new ideas for our highway bill. I guess I’ll just work on those while we’re waiting.”
Mackey felt a brief pang for the twenty-two-year-old American University grad and his endless supply of optimistic energy.
“Are you worried?” Keaton said.
“Me? No. Son, it takes a lot more than all this to worry this old farmer.”
Mackey flashed on the idea of taking Keaton with him. But just then, the boy coughed.
Are there more people coughing now? the senator wondered. If so, he would have to move even faster.
“Look, son, you stay here. I’m going to see if I can learn what’s going on. I’ll let you know what I find out. For now, just sit tight and wait for me to come back.”
The young aide stifled another cough.
“Thank you, sir,” he managed.
Mackey served as one of ten on the Capitol Complex Appropriations Board. The committee handled everything from human resources for the Capitol’s extensive operational staff to routine maintenance issues. Few knew all the secrets of the Capitol complex. Thanks to that committee, Mackey knew nearly every one of them. Every way in, and most important, every way out. At least now those insipid hours spent haggling on that wart of a committee might prove to be worthwhile.
The speaker of the house, Ursula Ellis, had left her seat and was making her way around their party’s half of the hall. She was an incredibly capable woman, and given another month or so, she just might have won. Now, hopefully, she was mobilizing people to take a stand against Allaire, regardless of what position he took.
Nobody was standing near the podium, and the crush of people was moving in the opposite direction. Perfect.
Mackey walked past the rostrum to a spot in the corridor twenty feet beyond. The trapdoor beneath the carpeting was nearly invisible. It had been constructed to reach a maintenance area on the next level down, which housed the workings of the lift that provided wheelchair access to the tribune.
Nobody noticed as the
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