AllFreeNovel
Share Us
[ONE]
Office of the Director The Central Intelligence Agency Langley, Virginia 1725 6 June 2005
“Secretary Hall is on Secure 2 for you, boss.”
The director of Central Intelligence’s private reaction to the announcement was somewhat less than unrestrained joy. He had a headache, for one thing, and for another he had promised his wife that he would really try to get home for once on time, if not early. They were having dinner at the White House.
But he smiled his thanks at his executive assistant, picked up his phone, and pushed the second of four red buttons on his telephone.
“And a very good afternoon to you, Mr. Secretary,” he said. “And how may the Central Intelligence Agency be of service?”
“I’m glad I caught you, John.”
“I was, literally, about to stand up and walk out the door. What’s on your mind?”
“We have what might be a problem,” the secretary of Homeland Security said.
“You sound serious, Matt.”
“Unfortunately, I am.”
“You’re on a secure line?”
“Yeah.”
“So tell me.”
“Are you going to the White House tonight?”
“I don’t think you’re just idly curious, Matt. Yeah. Aren’t you?”
“I think we should talk this through before we go there and are asked about it.”
“Talk what through? You want to come over here? I’ll wait for you.”
“What I’d really like for you to do is come to the Mayflower. Suite 404.”
“You mean right now?”
“Right now, John. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was important.”
The director didn’t reply for a moment. Then he said, “Matt, I don’t want to have to come all the way into the District only to have to go back across the bridge to get dressed and then go back across that damned bridge again. At rush hour. Will this wait until I go home and put on a black tie? That way I can bring Eleanor with me and we’ll be right around the corner from the White House.”
“How would Eleanor feel about having a drink in the Mayflower bar with one of your bodyguards while we talk?”
“She won’t like it but she’ll do it.”
“Okay, John, thank you. I’ll be expecting you.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can, Matt. Four-oh-four, you said?”
“Four-oh-four,” Hall said.
“Okay,” the DCI, John Powell, said and hung up.
Then he telephoned his wife, told her that he was just now leaving the office for the house, but as soon as he got there he would have to take a quick shower, put on a dinner jacket, and leave immediately. He told her she had her choice of going with him right now and having a drink in the bar of the Mayflower while he talked to someone or going into the District later alone and meeting him outside the Mayflower or at the White House, whichever she preferred.
Eleanor said that what she really would prefer was that he come home as he said he would really try to do and that they go to the White House together, but since that was obviously out of the question, again, she would do whatever was best for him.
