They waited some more. The people around them were mostly political staffers, reporters, and lobbyists, with a sprinkling of tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of someone important. So far Gordian hadn’t noticed any stargazers looking in his direction. He wondered idly if he was having a bad hair day.

“So,” he said, “how about you tell me about Delacroix’s latest isolationist rants.”

Dan eyed someone eating a corned beef sandwich at the next table.

“I want my food,” he said.

“I know,” Gordian said. “I was hoping to take your mind off it.”

Dan shrugged.

“From what I hear from my colleagues in the Senate, Delacroix’s been pressing the themes you’d expect. Talking about the cost of an aid commitment to Russia, pointing out—correctly, I should mention—that the bill for our peacekeeping mission in Bosnia has wound up being five times higher than the early projections. And that the Russian parliament and banking system are largely controlled by organized crime, which means a percentage of any loans we extend will probably be skimmed by corrupt officials.”

Gordian took another drink of beer. “What else?”

“He’s claiming the President’s offer amounts to appeasement ... the argument being that he’s trying to buy concessions in the next round of START and nuclear testban talks with candy, rather than score points through hardball negotiations.”

Gordian spotted a waiter moving toward them with a serving tray balanced on his arm.

“Our sirloins are here,” he said.

“Thank God,” Dan said, and snapped open his napkin. “How long we been waiting?”

Gordian checked his watch. “A whopping ten minutes.”

They sat in silence as their plates were set in front of them and the waiter zipped off.

Dan reached for his silverware and attacked his steak.

“Gooood,” he growled, mimicking Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein.

Gordian started on his own lunch, giving Dan a chance to come up for air before resuming their conversation.

“You’ve given me Delacroix’s publicly stated objections to the proposal,” he said. “What about his underlying, politically opportunistic ones?”

Dan looked at him and chewed a slice of meat.

“Nice to know you think so lowly of your elected officials.”

“Present company excepted,” Gordian said.

“You remember when Delacroix led the push for social services reductions a few years ago?” Dan asked.

“Hard to forget,” Gordian said. “Didn’t he spear a giant stuffed pig on the Senate floor or something?”

“Actually, that happened during a more recent session. And it was a piñata.” Dan worked at the steak with his knife and fork. “His prop for the cutback debate was a giant mechanical mouth.”

“At least he consistently thinks big.”