And by the time the Justice Department can make things tough for him, he will have been sworn in as President.

Let's face it, you can't put the country through two impeachment proceedings in the same year."

Metcalf nodded his head in agreement. "Coming on the heels of the President's insane policies and Moran I s ravings about the Vice President presumed death, the upheaval may prove more than the public can accept. A complete loss of confidence in the federal system could ignite a voters' revolt during the next election."

"Or worse," Emmett added. "More and more people are refusing to pay taxes on the rationale they don't like where their tax dollars are spent. And you can't blame them for not wanting to support a goverdment managed by inept leaders and rip-off artists.

You get five million people out there who tear up their tax forms come next April fifteenth, and the federal machinery as we know it will cease to function."

The four men sat in the trailer office like frozen figures in a painting. The fantasy of their conjecture was not implausible.

Nothing like this had ever happened before. The prospects of surviving the storm unscathed seemed remote.

At last Brogan said, "We're lost without Vince Margolin."

"That fellow Pitt over at NUMA gave us our first tangible lead," said Brogan.

"So what have you got?" asked Metcalf.

"Pitt deduced that the mind control laboratory where Margolin is held is inside a river barge."

"A what?" Metcalf asked as if he hadn't heard right.

"River barge," Emmett repeated. "Moored God knows where along the inland water route."

"Are you searching?"

With every available agent Martin and I can spare from both our agencies.

"If you give me a few more details and come up with a quick plan to coordinate our efforts, I'll throw in whatever forces the Defense Department can muster in the search areas."

"That would certainly help, General," said Oates. "Thank you."

The phone rang and Oates picked it up. After listening silently for a moment, he set it down. "Crap!" Emmett had never heard Oates use such an expletive before.

"Who was that?"

"One of my aides reporting from the House of Representatives."

"What did he say?"

"Moran just railroaded through passage of the impeachment vote."

"Then nothing stands between him and the Presidency except trial by the Senate," Brogan said.

"He's moved up the timetable by a good ten hours," said Metcalf.

"Hell we can't produce the Vice President by this time tomorrow," Emmett said, "we can kiss the United States goodbye."

GIORDINO FOUND PITT IN IRIS HANGAR, sitting comfortably in the back seat of an immense open touring car, his feet propped sideways on a rear door. Giordino couldn't help admiring the classic lines of the tourer. Italian built in 1925, with coachwork by Cesare Sala, the red torpedo-bodied Isotta-Fraschini sported long, flared fenders, a disappearing top and a coiled cobra on the radiator cap.