“She quit so publicly,” Angela explained. “She jumped the line, called all kinds of attention to herself and then announced that she was quitting. It wasn’t until she did that, that other family members realized that they would be denied access to the Annex. It got ugly. I’ll give it to her that it took courage to do what she did. It’s a hard thing to walk away from your family.”

“It’s a cowardly thing to walk away from your responsibilities at the very moment when your country most needs you,” Penn countered. “This thing that we signed on to do—to run the government of the most powerful nation on earth—requires significant sacrifice.”

Angela scowled. “Dial it back, Mr. Speaker. There are no television cameras here. I’m confident that she will not be the only one to put her family first. Vicky was only one/four-hundred-thirty-fifth of the House, I’m confident we’ll be able to make due without her vote.” She pointed at his nose. “You’d better hope that she’s only one of a few. Your majority being as thin as it is.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Strasky moaned. “Is that really where you want this discussion to go? Today of all days? Hard-core politics?”

“This is a political body, Mr. Strasky,” Angela reminded.

Penn had just raised his hand to silence his chief of staff when a speaker popped somewhere in the ceiling. A voice of God said, “Mr. Speaker, I need to interrupt.”

The three of them exchanged glances with each other. “Who the hell are you?” Penn asked. It came out more harshly than he’d intended.

“I have the president on a video conference call. Please stand by.”

“How is that going to work?” Penn asked. He felt as if he were addressing the walls themselves.

All around, the television monitors jumped to life. One logo dissolved into another as Great Seal of the President of the United States filled the screen, and then the image dissolved again to the image of President Helen Blanton at the end of the table that Penn recognized as being part of the White House Situation Room. She wore a blue suit jacket and a white blouse with a red, white and blue scarf around her neck.

Over the course of the next ten seconds, the screen image filled with various flag officers in uniform, as well as the secretaries of state and defense as the players all took their seats. “Is everyone connected?” the president asked to someone offscreen.

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

“HOW FAR IS MOUNTAIN VIEW?” MCCREA ASKED.

“A couple hundred miles,” Victoria said. “At least that’s where my children and I are going. You are free to leave us if you wish. First Sergeant Copley, you are likewise free to go. I absolve you both from any ongoing obligation to us.”