Executive orders - Tom Clancy [527]
What are you doing here, sir?
Well, I guess it's part of my job to see what's going on, and also I wanted to see how Cathy is doing.
We know the First Lady is working upstairs. Are you trying to make a statement to the nation-
I'm a doctor! Cathy snapped. We're all taking turns up there. It's my job.
Is it bad?
Ryan spoke before she could explode at them. Look, I know you have to ask that question, but you know the answer. These people are extremely ill, and the docs here, and everyplace else, are doing their best. It's hard on Cathy and her colleagues. It's really hard on the patients and their families.
Dr. Ryan, is Ebola really as deadly as everyone has been saying?
She nodded. It's pretty awful, yes. But we're giving these people the best we got.
Some have suggested that since the hope for the patients is so bleak, and since their pain is so extreme-
What are you saying? Kill them?
Well, if they're really suffering as much as everyone reports-
I'm not that kind of doctor, she replied, her face flushed. We're going to save some of these people. From those we save, maybe we can learn to save more, and you don't learn anything by giving up. That's why real doctors don't kill patients! What is the matter with you? Those are people in there, and my job is fighting for their lives-and don't you dare tell me how to do it! She stopped when her husband's arm squeezed her shoulder. Sorry. It's a little tough in there.
Could you excuse us for a few minutes? Ryan asked. We haven't talked since yesterday. You know, we are husband and wife, just like real people.
Yes, sir. They pulled back, but the camera stayed on them.
Come here, babe. Jack embraced her for the first time in more than a day.
We're going to lose them all, Jack. Every one, starting tomorrow or the next day, she whispered. Then she started crying.
Yeah. He lowered his head on hers. You know, you're allowed to be human, too, Doctor.
How do they think we learned anything? Oh, we can't fix it, so let 'em all die with dignity. Give up. That's not what they taught me here.
I know.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes on his shirt. Okay, back under control now. I'm off duty for eight hours.
Where are you sleeping?
A deep breath. A shudder. Maumenee. They have some cots set up. Bernie's up in New York, helping out at Columbia. They have a couple hundred cases there.
You're pretty tough, Doctor. He smiled down at his wife.
Jack, if you find out who did this to us
Working on it, POTUS said.
KNOW ANY OF these people? The station chief handed over some photos he'd shot himself. He handed over a flashlight, too.
That's Saleh! Who was he, exactly? He didn't say and I never found out.
These are all Iraqis. When the government came down, they flew here. I have a bunch of photos. You're sure of this one?
Quite sure, I treated him for over a week. The poor chap died. MacGregor went through some more. And that looks like Sohaila. She survived, thank God. Lovely child-and that's her father.
What the hell? Chavez asked. Nobody told us that.
We were at the Farm then, weren't we?
Back to being a training officer, John? Frank Clayton grinned. Well, I got the word, and so I went out to shoot the pictures. They came in first class, by God, a big ol' G. Here, see?
Clark looked at it and grunted-it was almost a twin to the one they were using for their round-the-world jaunt. Nice shots.
Thank you, sir.
Let me see that. Chavez took the photo. He held the light right up against it. Ninja, he whispered. Fucking ninja
What?
John, read those letters off the tail, Ding said quietly.
HX-NJA my God.
Clayton, Chavez said, is that cellular phone secure?
The station chief turned it on and punched in three digits. It is now. Where do you want to call?
Langley.
MR. PRESIDENT, CAN we talk to you now?
Jack nodded. Yeah, sure, come on. He needed to walk some, and waved for them to follow. Maybe I should apologize for Cathy. She's not like that. She's a good doc, SWORDSMAN said tiredly. They're all pretty stressed out up there.