Mayo took a large tape cassette from his pocket and handed it to Fawcett. "You might like to view this before air time."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Call it professional courtesy."

"Now that's news."

Mayo smiled. "Like I said, view the tape."

"Save me the trouble. What's on it?"

"A folksy scene of the President playing farmer. Only it isn't the President."

Fawcett drew up and stared at Mayo. "You're full of crap."

"Can I quote you?"

"Don't get Gute," Fawcett snapped. "I'm in no mood for a slanted interview."

"Okay, straight question," said Mayo. "Who is impersonating the President and Vice President in New Mexico?"

"Nobody."

"I've got proof that says otherwise. Enough to use it as a news item. I release this and every muckraker between here and Seattle will crawl over the White House like an army of killer ants."

"Do that and you'll have a dozen eggs on your face when the President stands as close to you as I am and denies it."

"Not if I find out what sort of mischief he's been up to while a double played hide-and-seek down on the farm."

"I won't wish you luck, because the whole idea is outlandish."

"Level with me, Dan. Something big is going down."

"Trust me, Curt. Nothing off limits is happening. The President will be back in a couple of days. You can ask him yourself."

"What about the sudden burst of secret Cabinet meetings at all hours?"

"No comment."

"It's true, isn't it?"

"Who's your source for that little gem?"

"Somebody who's seen a lot of unmarked cars entering the subbasement of the Treasury Department in the dead of night."

"So the Treasury people are burning the midnight oil."

"No lights go on in the building. My guess is they're sneaking into the White House through the utility tunnel and congregating in the Situation Room."

"Think what you like, but you're dead wrong. That's all I have to say on the subject."

"I'm not going to drop it," Mayo said defiantly.

"Suit yourself," Fawcett replied indifferently. "It's your funeral."

Mayo dropped back and watched as Fawcett walked through the security gate. The presidential adviser had put up a good front, he thought, but that's all it was, a front. Any doubts Mayo might have entertained about sinister maneuvers emanating behind the walls of the nation's executive branch were swept away.

He was more determined than ever to damn well find out what was going on.

Fawcett slid the cassette in a vineotape recorder and sat down in front of the TV screen. He ran the tape three times, examining every detail until he knew what Mayo had caught.

Wearily he picked up a phone and asked for a secure line to the State Department. After a few moments the voice of Doug Oates answered through the earpiece.

"Yes, Dan, what is it?"

"We have a new development."

"News of the President?"