How much of their own responses could she have planned for?

He ducked outside to his helicopter, pulled on the headset, and sent his message.

“Cancel the planned assaults on the protests. Yes, cancel them. Except Jiao Tong. Focus all available resources there. Get a team in to the Quantum Cluster, using any and all force necessary. And send strike forces to the following locations…”

115
Morning in America

Monday 2041.01.20

Carolyn Pryce watched as John Stockton adjusted his tie in the mirror for the third time.

8am. The first VIPs would start showing up for the Inauguration in an hour. Stockton would be sworn in again at noon.

Between those two times, the Chinese deadline to pull back their warships from international waters off their coast would expire.

What a day.

“That’s it, I think,” the President concluded. He looked over at her. “Thank you for agreeing to be at the Pentagon today.”

“Of course, Mr President,” Pryce said.

“There’ll be rumors,” Stockton said. “The press will read things into you not being at the inauguration. You, Stevens, and McWilliams.”

“I don’t care what the press thinks of me, sir,” she said.

Stockton nodded, and gave one last tug at his tie. “That’s something I’ve always liked about you.” He smiled into the mirror. “Stevens is in charge. As Secretary of Defense, he’s the one in the chain of command. I know you don’t agree with him on how best to handle the China situation, but…”

“Sir,” Pryce interrupted. “President Jameson arrived yesterday. He’s scheduled to fly back out this afternoon.”

Stockton looked at her sharply. “You’re tracking him?”

“You said you’d confront him, Mr President,” she replied.

Stockton sighed, looked back at the mirror. “I planned to see him yesterday. His people canceled at the last minute, said he was having health problems.”

“You could just pass the info I gave you on to the Special Prosecutor,” Pryce said.

“Or you will, Carolyn?” Stockton looked at her again. “Is that what you’re saying?”

Pryce returned his gaze, said nothing.

Stockton turned back to the mirror. “Jameson’s going to be at the Capitol,” he said. “The man can’t hide from me there.”

Rangan adjusted his Rangan Shankari mask and looked around the crowd gathering in Anacostia Park. It was still more than an hour until the march was supposed to start, and already the number of people here was enormous. Despite threats to arrest anyone caught with Nexus, despite threats to arrest anyone marching, period, the park was inundated with people and Nexus. He and the C3 were spread throughout, linked by the high-gain directional antennae, offering downloads of Mesh to all those around them. He caught wisps of thought from Angel, from Tempest, from Cheyenne.