A Heartbeat Away - Michael Palmer [93]
“It’s all seeming like a dream. One minute it’s business as usual. We’re all dressed up, preparing for the president’s State of the Union Address. And the next, we’re locked in here, working to get him out of office and take over.”
Ellis grinned.
“Well, certainly this is no worse of a nightmare than when we lost the election.”
“Hardly—especially when we were coming so close. Please don’t get me wrong, Madam Speaker. I believe in you, and I am on your side. All the way. I have been since the day you hired me. Surely you know that.”
“Of course I do, Leland. This is the ultimate lesson I could possibly teach you—true politics in action. It’s all about flexibility, about being ready to change course if necessary—being prepared to reach out at any moment and snatch the brass ring. These new developments of representing Genesis and their demands will in no way impact the work of our special committee. In fact, they make our efforts that much more important.”
Gladstone still had a forlorn look.
“How so?” he asked, his voice muted.
“Have you lost faith, my Leland?”
“No … it’s just … these demands Genesis wants you to support. You’ll be disgraced if we try to introduce this bill to Congress.”
Ellis smiled once more. Suddenly, her brilliant young aide looked very much his age.
“I’m sure,” she said, “when Congress learns that if they don’t vote for this bill they’ll all die, mocking me will be the furthest thing from their minds.”
“I’m still not completely certain I understand,” Gladstone said, averting his eyes. “With all due respect, Madam Speaker, are you sure you know what you’re doing here?”
Ellis understood why the question had been so difficult for him to ask. The child who loses faith in the parent also loses hope. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“Leland, I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Why do you think it was me whom Genesis singled out? Of all the members of Congress and the Cabinet locked in here, why was I the chosen one?”
“I don’t know—because you’re the speaker of the house, I suppose.”
“Nonsense.”
Ellis glanced cautiously about the vast chamber, aware of the danger should they be overheard. In every direction, she saw only idleness, helplessness, and ennui. People fidgeted in their seats, frustrated, bored, and restless. Some had converted blankets into makeshift pillows and were leaning against the person next to them. Clusters of dignitaries congregated together, but fatigue and mounting fear had sapped much of their energy and dampened what had once been animated chatter into nothing more than scattered whispers. To Ellis they looked like the living dead. Which, according to Genesis, they were.
“They picked me because it’s my destiny to lead,” she responded finally. “And with your help, the world will soon see the mistake they made by not choosing me over Allaire in the first place.”
“By my help, you mean by my drafting this bill?”
“That is precisely what I mean, Leland. As soon as you have completed that task, I’ll introduce it to Congress and we’ll get it voted on and passed.”
“But … but even if you get the bill through Congress, Allaire will never sign it into law,” Gladstone said. “Isn’t that a prerequisite for Genesis giving you the antidote?”
Ellis patted her aide on the knee. His political acumen was, in many respects, far beyond his years, but in other aspects, he was still a babe in the woods.
“Thanks to the power Genesis is about to give us, our special committee work is going to be fast-tracked. Soon we’ll have enough proof to impeach Allaire.”
“Even assuming you can get Allaire out of the picture, Vice President Tilden will step in and veto the bill just the same.”
“Well, you just leave the little stumbling block of Henry Tilden to me,” Ellis said. “I assure you, he will be an impediment easily overcome.”
“So you plan to impeach Allaire for Mackey’s murder?”
Ellis grinned.
“That I do, my friend. Mackey’s death, and how about seven hundred plus counts of attempted murder.”
“And you believe the threat from this virus is as grave as Genesis