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“What am I hearing? How many trillions of dollars do you people need to get me to a hundred percent?” No one answered. “Okay. I would rather have the conversation from the White House anyway. It would be less dramatic for the American people than having me talk from the plane. Tell him I am on my way back to Washington and I will speak to him when I get there. If he thinks that will happen, then hopefully we’ll buy more time. But if you can’t assure me without any doubt that they won’t blow this thing up, I am telling you now I am going to speak to this guy.”

“I understand,” the general said. “We will tell him what you said and make him think that a conversation is imminent. I’ll keep you posted every few minutes on any changes, and I look forward to seeing you here, sir.”

“That’s fine, General. John, are we in sync?”

“Yes, sir.”

And with that the President got up and walked downstairs. He asked the steward to make him a mushroom omelet. He went back to his office and told Susanna to come with him. When they were inside, he shut the door and locked it. “People forget to knock in an emergency, I don’t like that. Are you hungry?”

“I ate.”

“What do you think I should do?”

Susanna sat in one of the big chairs opposite his desk. She was surprised by the direct question. Bernstein talked to her about everything, personal issues and work and life, but this was the first time he had asked her opinion on a national security crisis. She was flattered and a little uncomfortable. She also knew John Van Dyke would be furious if he ever thought that her opinion had been factored into the President’s decision. Susanna thought carefully before she answered. “If it were me, I would talk to him. If the worst happens and you never do, you can be blamed for not trying. And if you do and the worst happens anyway, at least you made an attempt. That’s my two cents.”

“I’m crazy about you.” The President just blurted it out.

That was the first time he had come close to saying he loved her. She had no immediate response. She couldn’t think of a reply. Several were swirling around in her head. “Me, too” almost came out, but sounded trite and too forward, so that was edited. “I’m flattered” sounded too formal and too distant. While she was thinking, he got up and walked over and put his hands on her face. He kissed her. Not long and passionate, but on the lips and lasting more than five seconds. She wound up saying nothing. She put her head on his shoulder and they stood there as if they were slow dancing without moving.

A loud buzzer on the President’s desk broke them apart, and when he went to answer it, she mouthed, “I’m going back to my seat,” and blew him a little kiss. Then she forgot the door was locked and pulled on it until the President motioned for her to release the bolt. She felt like an idiot.

When she got back to her seat, she was lightheaded. This was where it was leading now, that was apparent. The one thing she didn’t want was for them to become awkward. But it was just a kiss, not enough that everything had to change. At least that’s what she was hoping. She would continue to be there when he needed her and to be the same person, but whatever was going to happen, it obviously had already started.

CHAPTER FIFTY

Even though there were at least six hours left on the speed patch, Max Leonard pulled down his pants and put on another one on the opposite thigh. He could feel his teeth grinding, but he needed all of the artificial energy he could get now. He paced on the bridge waiting for an answer. As he was rehearsing what he would say to the President of the United States, a voice came on the speaker. “Mr. Leonard, this is General McGuiness.”

“Where’s the President?”

“First of all, would you please allow visuals again? We can accomplish more if we can see each other.”

“No. I don’t want to see you. This was good enough for hundreds of years; there’s no reason to see each other. Where is the President? I will look at him only.”

“The President is on his