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Thinks.
Hannah says, “The president has as his right-hand man, one with tremendous influence and power from the Oval Office, a former military police sergeant with a very sketchy record.”
She gets up from her desk, stretches her back, and walks around her office, crowded with the bed in the center.
Hannah stares out the window at the lights of her CIA campus.
“What in hell is he doing over there?” she asks.
“Carlton Pope?”
Hannah says, “No. The president. The vice president is in a coma. His chief of staff has no real power. He’s working on his second national security adviser since his inauguration. His secretary of state is a former Silicon Valley tycoon, currently on his third listening tour out in Europe. The secretary of defense is a former military contractor who loves visiting bases where his company’s jets are being used.”
The lights burn brightly over there, on the other side of the Potomac.
She goes on. “Barrett’s isolated, alone, with a thug at his side. As others have said, power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Jean, that sure as hell is what’s keeping me up at night. How absolute Barrett’s power is, and what he’s doing with it.”
CHAPTER 68
THE MOST POWERFUL woman in United States politics is sitting in front of President Barrett’s Oval Office desk this early evening, looking like she is struggling not to lose control.
Barrett likes the look. It’s good to be the alpha dog in situations like this.
Speaker of the House Gwen Washington says, “Mr. President, thank you for seeing me.”
“Good to see you, Madam Speaker,” he says. “How are you holding up?”
“In public, I’m keeping it together, but in private … it’s been tough.”
Barrett’s hands are folded in front of him on theResolutedesk. He’s known the speaker for years but that doesn’t mean she gets to go to his upstairs private office.
“What’s the latest?”
She wipes at her left eye. She’s well made-up, hair coiffed, wearing whatever latest women’s clothing is in fashion today, but the clothes seem not to fit her, like she’s lost her stand and stature.
“I’ve tried to head it off by calling in favors and twisting some arms, but hearings on the Hill are guaranteed, thanks to my assholemajority leader. You know that line fromThe Art of War,‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’? Well, only if your enemies aren’t holding a knife, ready to plunge it in your back.”
“You’re probably regretting asking Deering to be majority leader.”
“Every damn night,” she says. “But I needed his support and that of his caucus to get to the speaker’s chair, and now he wants my job. He’s spreading rumors, leaking like mad to the press, and he’s gotten enough members to go along to start public hearings.”
Barrett says, “I like the way the wormy little bastard set it up.I’m doing this just to help Speaker Washington clear the air, to give a full and frank accounting of the charges being posed against her.Have to give him credit. Hard to believe we both belong to the same party.”
“But the charges are false,” Gwen says, voice brittle. “I know they are.”
Barrett shrugs. “Unfortunately, the paperwork accusing you looks legit. You know what they say: a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting its pants on.”
With weariness in her voice, the speaker says, “Yes, and preparing a defense and hiring forensic accountants to prove my innocence is going to take time. While that’s all going on, Mr. President, it means my job as speaker is crippled, and your agenda for the next few months is going to be stalled.”
Barrett decides it’s time not to say a word. She has no idea of what his real agenda is, which is just how he wants it.
He lets the speaker look at him, dismay in her eyes, and waits for her to break.
Which she does.
“Mr. President, I need your help.”
“Of course, Madam Speaker. What do you have in mind?”