sixty or seventy million bucks to win the primaries. And to get elected, hell, then you’re talking about real money. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe your boss spent something in excess of three hundred million to buy his chair in the Oval Office.”
“I can spend more.” Ha! Just look at the expression on your face. “I’ve got friends, friends you don’t know about. We’re talking major muscle and major money, enough to steam roll the other candidates. Make no mistake, I am going to be the next president.” Sam showed his teeth. “Anyone who gets in my way is roadkill!” He started to rise from his chair.
“Sit down!” Charlie snapped.
Somewhere in Sam’s mind a faint alarm bell rang.
“Sam, either we finish this conversation now or we don’t finish it at all.”
What was the fossilized old dinosaur up to? He sure as hell couldn’t have bugged the room. Sam’s NSA team carried equipment tuned to detect the most advanced high-tech recording gear. It’s just an act, he told himself, Charlie being Charlie, thumping his chest like a goddamned alpha-male gorilla.
Choosing to obey the order of a man who was losing (although he did not know it) this particular bargaining session, Sam slumped back into his seat. Then spreading his palms in a well-rehearsed gesture of candor, he spoke intimately, a hushed secret shared between two friends. “Look, the president is behind me. Even back before the reelection campaign, he knew the veep was sick. Two years ago, he picked three of us me, a congressman from Southern California, and the secretary of state. He explained what’s what with the vice president, and then he gave each of us a couple of balls to run with. I was assigned Whirlwind and diplomatic relations with China “
“The most treacherous sonsofbitches I know. Present company excepted.”
“They’re eating out of the palm of my hand. Things have never been more cordial.” He stopped himself short. Boasting about the Chinese was a mistake. Charlie was the last person Sam wanted to know about his little diplomatic coup.
“Just give me the bottom line, Sam. I don’t have much time here.” Charlie’s eyes darted toward his bookcases again. Why the hell was he looking at it? Nothing there but dog-eared books, a couple of cameras, and some crap souvenirs.
“China and Whirlwind were my babies. If I managed them right, then I’d get the nod when the vice president retired. Which I did. Come this fall, I’ll be vice president of the United States.”
“Except that Whirlwind has gone lost, stolen, or strayed.”
“Which you will handle for me. Otherwise, I’m toast.” Honesty, honesty who says it doesn’t pay? Every now and then. “If I’m toast, I don’t get to be president. If I don’t get to be president “
“I don’t get pardoned.”
“But you will.” Sam felt good. Sam felt fine. Sam felt like he always did when he’d brokered a winning trade. “Find that Russian bitch, find Whirlwind, and your name gets cleared.”
“The only thing that will clear my name is you admitting that Kahlid Hassan was your fault.”
“Not in a million years.” The negotiation is over, Charlie. Give it up.
“But it was, right?”
“Of course it was. I already said that, didn’t I?” Charlie smiled the smile of a profoundly satisfied man. Sam wondered why.
“Sam, under normal circumstances I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could throw you. However, these are not normal circumstances. I’m going to accept your offer.”
Charlie held out his hand. Sam stood and shook it.
Done deal, sucker.
Uisappointed that he hadn’t succeeded in detonating Sam’s volcanic temper, Charlie shepherded the security advisor out of his house. As they walked down the porch steps, Sam said, “Once I’m airborne, I’ll order the equipment you asked for. There’ll be a chopper on your lawn in two hours. Agency Falcon at “
“I’d prefer a Gulfstream. A GV actually.”
“Tour wish is my
“I can spend more.” Ha! Just look at the expression on your face. “I’ve got friends, friends you don’t know about. We’re talking major muscle and major money, enough to steam roll the other candidates. Make no mistake, I am going to be the next president.” Sam showed his teeth. “Anyone who gets in my way is roadkill!” He started to rise from his chair.
“Sit down!” Charlie snapped.
Somewhere in Sam’s mind a faint alarm bell rang.
“Sam, either we finish this conversation now or we don’t finish it at all.”
What was the fossilized old dinosaur up to? He sure as hell couldn’t have bugged the room. Sam’s NSA team carried equipment tuned to detect the most advanced high-tech recording gear. It’s just an act, he told himself, Charlie being Charlie, thumping his chest like a goddamned alpha-male gorilla.
Choosing to obey the order of a man who was losing (although he did not know it) this particular bargaining session, Sam slumped back into his seat. Then spreading his palms in a well-rehearsed gesture of candor, he spoke intimately, a hushed secret shared between two friends. “Look, the president is behind me. Even back before the reelection campaign, he knew the veep was sick. Two years ago, he picked three of us me, a congressman from Southern California, and the secretary of state. He explained what’s what with the vice president, and then he gave each of us a couple of balls to run with. I was assigned Whirlwind and diplomatic relations with China “
“The most treacherous sonsofbitches I know. Present company excepted.”
“They’re eating out of the palm of my hand. Things have never been more cordial.” He stopped himself short. Boasting about the Chinese was a mistake. Charlie was the last person Sam wanted to know about his little diplomatic coup.
“Just give me the bottom line, Sam. I don’t have much time here.” Charlie’s eyes darted toward his bookcases again. Why the hell was he looking at it? Nothing there but dog-eared books, a couple of cameras, and some crap souvenirs.
“China and Whirlwind were my babies. If I managed them right, then I’d get the nod when the vice president retired. Which I did. Come this fall, I’ll be vice president of the United States.”
“Except that Whirlwind has gone lost, stolen, or strayed.”
“Which you will handle for me. Otherwise, I’m toast.” Honesty, honesty who says it doesn’t pay? Every now and then. “If I’m toast, I don’t get to be president. If I don’t get to be president “
“I don’t get pardoned.”
“But you will.” Sam felt good. Sam felt fine. Sam felt like he always did when he’d brokered a winning trade. “Find that Russian bitch, find Whirlwind, and your name gets cleared.”
“The only thing that will clear my name is you admitting that Kahlid Hassan was your fault.”
“Not in a million years.” The negotiation is over, Charlie. Give it up.
“But it was, right?”
“Of course it was. I already said that, didn’t I?” Charlie smiled the smile of a profoundly satisfied man. Sam wondered why.
“Sam, under normal circumstances I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could throw you. However, these are not normal circumstances. I’m going to accept your offer.”
Charlie held out his hand. Sam stood and shook it.
Done deal, sucker.
Uisappointed that he hadn’t succeeded in detonating Sam’s volcanic temper, Charlie shepherded the security advisor out of his house. As they walked down the porch steps, Sam said, “Once I’m airborne, I’ll order the equipment you asked for. There’ll be a chopper on your lawn in two hours. Agency Falcon at “
“I’d prefer a Gulfstream. A GV actually.”
“Tour wish is my
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