Well, whos on board the goddamned plane?

Sir, Senator Edward Graves of Kansas is on board the plane, along with a handful of Pentagon officials.

Thomas Hayes felt his shoulders slump. Ed Graves was Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, and among the dumbest members of either Congressional body. The man had all the brainpower of a tree stump. He never met a war, or even a border skirmish, that he didnt like. And considering that the Nightwatch plane was designed as a place where the President could order retaliatory nuclear strikes, that made Ed Graves dangerous. Hell, he probably thought being in the plane made him President.

Hayes spoke to the room at large. Can someone do me a favor and get him down? Please? St. Louis, Kansas City, whatevers closest. Tell him I said so.

Hayes rubbed his forehead. He was tired, and he had a headache.

David Halstram was in the corner of the room. He moved in when he saw the state Hayes was in.

Okay, everybody. Lets do this. Lets break this up for half an hour, use the restrooms, get some coffee, relax, whatever you like. He looked at his watch. That would mean coming back at ten to three. You know what? Lets make it forty minutes and come back at exactly three oclock. These are serious problems, I understand that, but theyre not going anywhere. Theyll all still be waiting for us forty minutes from now.

Thank you, David, Hayes said. Thats a good idea.

Susan Hopkins raised an open palm. It looked like a STOP sign. Thomas, can I say something?

Susan, I wish you wouldnt.

Thomas, I think this is important, and Im not sure it can wait until three oclock.

Hayes was out of patience. He might have snapped at anyone who spoke right now. But it was the Vice President, and the sheer absurdity of their relationship made it worse than it otherwise might have been. The words were out of his mouth before he could catch them.

This isnt a bake-off, Susan. And were not organizing a fashion show. Whats so important that it cant possibly wait?

She didnt speak. Her face flushed a deep crimson. Without another word, she stood and walked out of the room.

Chapter 30

3:15 p.m.

In the Sky - The Borough of Queens, New York

The helicopter had come in over Staten Island, across the Verrazano-Narrows, and into Brooklyn. Now they were moving east along the ocean beaches, flying low and fast. Soon they would hook left and move north along the Van Wyck Expressway.

Luke and Ed were hunched in the small cargo hold. Back in New Jersey, they had both dropped another Dexedrine. The effects were starting to kick in.