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Authors: Patricia Anthony
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the only neverending thing we have.”
He had searched for that Brother union in Marian. Too late, he understood the consequences of what he had done. He made Marian remember the pain so that she would grow to need the comfort of his touch.
“It was a long time ago.” She sat back. “What’s in your pocket?”
He had forgotten the subpoena. Now he took it out and handed it to her. She read it, chuckled, and gave it back. “Get a good lawyer.”
“I’ve never been before a Senate subcommittee. What will they do?”
Suddenly her smile failed. He stiffened in alarm.
“Reen, you’re in danger. So’s the President. And Tali’s behind it.”
Reen made an irritated click-click with his tongue. “Only humans are so fickle.”
“Tali’s involved. And Jonis has to be found.”
She must have noticed him flinch because she asked, “What’s the story with Jonis?”
He picked at the gold rim of the plate with his claw. “I was afraid I would find the kidnapper was you.”
Love, Reen thought. It was the only neverending thing he had. It didn’t matter that Tali gave Reen his disapproval. He also gave him love. As Brothers that was something neither Reen nor Tali could help.
“I didn’t take Jonis,” she said. “But your Brother knows who did.”
He got up quickly and walked to the door, stuffing the subpoena in his pocket.
“Reen? Your Brother knows who did.”
As he left, his hand touched the edge of his Brother’s nametag, and he fingered it thoughtfully.
BEFORE going to see the President, Reen went to the West Wing to order the FBI to hand over Martinez’s body. On his way out, the House majority whip waylaid him.
“Do you realize how hard it was to get that bill passed?” Barbara Yates was not much taller than Reen. Eye level. Her anger was visceral and barbaric.
“The Eastern bloc outnumbers us two to one. The Chinese delegation is so big, most of them have to vote electronically. Do you realize how many arms I had to twist? We’re in a recession. This bill could get the economy moving. When does the President plan to sign?”
“I’m sorry.” He was sorry about Marian’s bitterness, about the impending war. He was sorry for it all.
“I hear you were served the subpoena. Six days from now the hearing will be broadcast live on C-Span. It’ll be picked up on the networks. Womack’s too popular to target, but you .. . You’re dead meat. That black budget of Womack’s–you know how much he spent this year? Two million! What in hell is he doing that costs two million dollars? And what’s important enough about his veto to make our boys go to war?”
“I don’t know. I don’t–”
“Well, you’d better just find out, hadn’t you. And you’d better be ready to answer, or you’ll be found in contempt of Congress. And tell Womack to stuff his executive branch power play up–”
Reen fled. Barbara Yates’s shouts followed him out the door.
Hopkins had either given up waiting for Reen or had decided, uncharacteristically, to go back to work. Reen passed a Secret Service agent standing at wordless attention in the cross hall and took the elevator to the second floor.
In the presidential study a fire was lit against the chill of the misty day. Womack and a weak-chinned, bespectacled man in a T-shirt were seated at the Santa Fe table having coffee.
“Hi, Termite,” Womack said. “Meet Lizard.”
The man lifted an emaciated arm in greeting. Lizard had horn-rimmed glasses and the sort of skin that looks as though it can be used for polishing silver.
“Can we talk in private?” Two million dollars for mediums. The sum sounded exorbitant.
“You can talk in front of Lizard,” Womack said.
Reen shook his head. “I would rather not.”
Lizard tucked his thumbs into his belt and slumped with insolent indifference.
“What’d you want to talk about?” Womack asked. “Go ahead. Don’t mind Lizard. He’s dead.”
Lizard nodded sagely, his glasses glinting in the
He had searched for that Brother union in Marian. Too late, he understood the consequences of what he had done. He made Marian remember the pain so that she would grow to need the comfort of his touch.
“It was a long time ago.” She sat back. “What’s in your pocket?”
He had forgotten the subpoena. Now he took it out and handed it to her. She read it, chuckled, and gave it back. “Get a good lawyer.”
“I’ve never been before a Senate subcommittee. What will they do?”
Suddenly her smile failed. He stiffened in alarm.
“Reen, you’re in danger. So’s the President. And Tali’s behind it.”
Reen made an irritated click-click with his tongue. “Only humans are so fickle.”
“Tali’s involved. And Jonis has to be found.”
She must have noticed him flinch because she asked, “What’s the story with Jonis?”
He picked at the gold rim of the plate with his claw. “I was afraid I would find the kidnapper was you.”
Love, Reen thought. It was the only neverending thing he had. It didn’t matter that Tali gave Reen his disapproval. He also gave him love. As Brothers that was something neither Reen nor Tali could help.
“I didn’t take Jonis,” she said. “But your Brother knows who did.”
He got up quickly and walked to the door, stuffing the subpoena in his pocket.
“Reen? Your Brother knows who did.”
As he left, his hand touched the edge of his Brother’s nametag, and he fingered it thoughtfully.
BEFORE going to see the President, Reen went to the West Wing to order the FBI to hand over Martinez’s body. On his way out, the House majority whip waylaid him.
“Do you realize how hard it was to get that bill passed?” Barbara Yates was not much taller than Reen. Eye level. Her anger was visceral and barbaric.
“The Eastern bloc outnumbers us two to one. The Chinese delegation is so big, most of them have to vote electronically. Do you realize how many arms I had to twist? We’re in a recession. This bill could get the economy moving. When does the President plan to sign?”
“I’m sorry.” He was sorry about Marian’s bitterness, about the impending war. He was sorry for it all.
“I hear you were served the subpoena. Six days from now the hearing will be broadcast live on C-Span. It’ll be picked up on the networks. Womack’s too popular to target, but you .. . You’re dead meat. That black budget of Womack’s–you know how much he spent this year? Two million! What in hell is he doing that costs two million dollars? And what’s important enough about his veto to make our boys go to war?”
“I don’t know. I don’t–”
“Well, you’d better just find out, hadn’t you. And you’d better be ready to answer, or you’ll be found in contempt of Congress. And tell Womack to stuff his executive branch power play up–”
Reen fled. Barbara Yates’s shouts followed him out the door.
Hopkins had either given up waiting for Reen or had decided, uncharacteristically, to go back to work. Reen passed a Secret Service agent standing at wordless attention in the cross hall and took the elevator to the second floor.
In the presidential study a fire was lit against the chill of the misty day. Womack and a weak-chinned, bespectacled man in a T-shirt were seated at the Santa Fe table having coffee.
“Hi, Termite,” Womack said. “Meet Lizard.”
The man lifted an emaciated arm in greeting. Lizard had horn-rimmed glasses and the sort of skin that looks as though it can be used for polishing silver.
“Can we talk in private?” Two million dollars for mediums. The sum sounded exorbitant.
“You can talk in front of Lizard,” Womack said.
Reen shook his head. “I would rather not.”
Lizard tucked his thumbs into his belt and slumped with insolent indifference.
“What’d you want to talk about?” Womack asked. “Go ahead. Don’t mind Lizard. He’s dead.”
Lizard nodded sagely, his glasses glinting in the
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