Read Online Act of Terror by Marc Cameron - Free Book Online

to you, my fellow Americans, to do everything in my power to root out this malady. To this end, I have asked that the speaker of the House convene immediate hearings.”
    With that, he paused, put both hands on the lectern and mugged straight into the camera.
    â€œMy fellow Americans, I give you my word that I will not rest until I have rigorously examined each and every person on this list to ascertain their loyalty—or their disloyalty—to these United States. May God bless us in our cause, for it is just. Thank you for your time.”
    The congressman paused for a beat, taking time to gather his notes as cameramen got a few more seconds of B roll, before turning to walk back up the hill toward the Capitol. His entourage of staff hung back so the cameras could catch his darkened silhouette, trudging up the hill, alone.
    Quinn had to stop himself from laughing out loud.
    A slender brunette, one of CNN’s pretty talking heads, took over, providing color commentary. Quinn used the remote to mute the sound.
    â€œDid you get that?” Palmer said on the other end of the line. His voice dripped with unbridled disgust.
    â€œI did,” Quinn said. He moved back up the aisle, unwilling to be away from Mattie any longer than he absolutely had to. “Any truth to what he says about the CIA shootings?”
    â€œThere is.” Palmer gave him a thumbnail sketch, including the CIA deputy director’s involvement. “We’ve got a real situation here, Jericho. I could use you back ASAP.”
    â€œI need to get my family situated first,” Quinn said, shooting a quick glance at Kim.
    â€œOh, yeah, I get that,” Palmer answered, but it was clear in the clipped timbre of his voice he didn’t.
    Kim shook her head, catching Jericho’s side of the conversation. “Go ahead,” she said in a dismissive whisper. “We’ll be just fine.” The “without you” was implied in the frigid blue of her eyes.
    Quinn rubbed the stubble on his face with his free hand, sighing deeply. “I can be at Andrews by ... oh-eight hundred your time.” Cell phone against his ear, he stared at his daughter, drinking in the sight. He wondered if Kim would ever even let him see her again.
    â€œVery well,” Palmer said, his voice hanging on the edge of another word for a long moment. “Jericho,” he finally said, “I wouldn’t call you back unless it was urgent.. . .”
    â€œI understand, sir,” Quinn said, looking across the aisle at his ex-wife, who wouldn’t understand at all.

C HAPTER S EVEN
    Q uinn ended the call and returned the secure BlackBerry to his belt. He leaned back to stretch in the soft leather seat as the Canadair jet lumbered down the runway on its takeoff roll. It was the first opportunity he’d had to close his eyes since the attack, even for a moment.
    The damp cold of Kim’s fuming across the narrow aisle pushed away any thoughts of sleep. He could feel her stare, heavy, like a pile of bricks dumped on his chest. He opened his eyes, glancing sideways without turning his head. He’d been right.
    â€œWho are you, Jericho Quinn?” Her voice was hushed, pitiful.
    Quinn pushed the button to raise his seatback. Some things you couldn’t take lying down.
    Kim leaned across, whispering so as not to wake Mattie. “You know the worst part?”
    Jericho sighed, defeated. “I can only imagine.”
    â€œYou’ve ruined me for any kind of relationship with normal guys.” Tears pressed from her lashes. It would have been funny had her words not been so deadly serious. “I tried to date Bryce Adams, the manager at the credit union,” she sobbed. “... but he bored me out of my skull.
    He’d never been the particularly jealous type, but the thought of his ex-wife dating another man made Quinn want to kick Bryce Adams in the nuts and beat him over the head with an axe