Ann was also happy for Paul.

He had managed to handle both the responsibility of Op-Center and the responsibility of being a father and husband, neither job easy, neither job part-time. She didn't know how he had managed to hold up. Sharon Hood might never know how much this day had taken out of him, but Ann did. She wished there were some way she could let her know but nothing occurred to her.

The Press Officer speechless! she laughed to herself.

No, that wasn't entirely true. What Ann had to say was nothing a devoted admirer had the right to tell a wife. It was that Paul Hood was a very special man, a man with a good heart, integrity, and what she knew was a deep reserve of love. What Ann would tell Sharon, if only in her fantasies, was to nurture Paul and let him nurture her to remember that one day he would lay aside his work, the children would be grown, and the love they'd sustained would flower and enrich them.

Paul was telling them all about how he wanted a memorial service organized for both Gregory Donald and Bass Moore, though she didn't really hear much of what he had to say. Her mind, and her heart, were elsewhere with Paul, in an imaginary world where he would hold her when they'd all left, take her to dinner at some place fast and informal, and then drive her home and make love to her and fall asleep with his chest pressed against her back- "Mr. Hood?" Bugs said through the computer.

"Yes?"

"The President is coming."

Hood laughed as Bugs put a picture from the corridor video camera on the screen. The President was waving at Op-Center employees in their cubicles, barely stopping to shake hands with people he didn't know, making eye contact only as long as it took to search out the next face.

Paul rose as the President walked into the room, along with those department heads who weren't already standing. The President made a tut-tut face and motioned for them all to sit down.

They did, save for Paul. The President made his way through the office and shook his hand.

"Nice job, Task Force head."

"Thank you, sir."

Behind them, Ann sizzled. It wasn't the Task Force. It was Paul and Op-Center.

The President turned, rubbing his hands together. "Excellent, excellent job. Everyone involved in this project, from Paul to the Striker team to Steve Burkow's National Security personnel to all of you, have performed beyond all reasonable expectations."

"We all had help," Hood said. "Gregory Donald, Kim Hwan at the KCIA, the North Korean officer at the Nodong missile--"

"Naturally, Paul. But it was you who put that support system into place. The credit is yours, along with everything the various departments did to manage the crisis. Though General Schneider did say he plans to request a civilian citation for Mr. Donald. He says he wants to award it himself. There will also be commendations for the Striker men who made sacrifices."