“You know what this brings to mind, Heath? It reminds me of what’s going on with my friend Rigo Lystra, over at the Colombian Embassy,” Ryan was saying emphatically. He was facing Heath, his back turned to Natalie. “I’ve been on the phone with him again today and he says what bothers him most is the betrayal. The deliberate attempt to humiliate him and ruin his reputation for no reason. And how willing the public is to go along with it. I imagine the president has similar feelings.”

Now he’s comparing the president to a child playboy accused of rape? Surely Heath will point out that Ryan’s case is packed with nuts.

“Interesting point,” Heath said, nodding meaningfully, not doing any pointing out at all. “Natalie, let’s do a hypothetical. If you were First Lady and unhappy in your marriage, would you consider it acceptable to step out on the president with another man?”

Natalie looked around with some desperation. Seriously, was no one going to stop this? It was like being inside one of those dreams where the stairs turn into a lake and then you have no teeth, and when you try to fly, all your friends start cackling and then you wake up relieved to be in your own bed in a world that made sense. Only she was already awake.

“I’m not entirely comfortable with that hypothetical,” Natalie said, summoning all her will to make sure her voice sounded demure. “Just a few days ago a doctored photo of the First Lady became big news.”

Wait, am I allowed to say a few days ago? She panicked. Or, like yesterday, is that phrase forbidden?

“Again I’m talking about brand-new, just-in-now video of the First Lady,” Natalie said, forgoing clarity in the name of pleasing the Chief. “For all we know, it’s doctored, too, and—”

“That’s a reach.” Ryan was frowning. “Why are you working so hard to protect the First Lady?”

Flummoxed, she replied, “I’m not. I’m just—”

Ryan interrupted again. “Heath, I think the press tries to protect the First Family. No offense, Natalie.” Turning his back to her, he swiveled to face Heath. “What you’re hearing from Natalie now is typical Washington speak. She wants you to doubt what you see with your own two eyes. I say we trust the people to know.”

Natalie looked at Ryan, or rather his back, wishing brains could maim. “No, I’m saying we should verify—”

“Oh like we’re the information police? Why should we decide what people see?” Ryan interrupted, craning his neck to glance at her.

Natalie’s fingers curled into fists. “No, like journalists. Otherwise we’re just the internet. It’s our job—”