Games of State - Tom Clancy [171]
"Poor babies," said Martha. "Wanna bet they'll be back?"
"You're right," said Hood. "We didn't put an end to hate. But we did put them on notice. At ten o'clock, I'm meeting with Senator Barbara Fox--"
There were scattered boos.
Hood held up his hands. "I promise you that she won't leave here without rescinding the budget cuts she's threatened. Actually, over the weekend I was thinking about how we could use additional money for a new division operating either as part of Op-Center or independently. A Web Patrol or Net Force to watch over the information highway."
"Why not call it Computer CHiPs?" Stoll asked. "Or how about Information Highway Patrol?"
There were several loud groans.
"What?" he said: "Net Force is better?"
"It'll get taken seriously by Congress and the press," John Benn said, "and that's what counts."
"Speaking of Congress," Hood said, "I don't want to keep Senator Fox waiting. I want to thank everyone for this welcome home, and I especially want to thank General Rodgers for the support you gave us overseas."
Hood left then, followed by respectful applause and a few cheers. On the way out, he patted Rodgers's shoulder and asked him to join him. They left the Tank together.
"Is there anything we can do to make Colonel August feel welcome?" Hood asked as they walked back toward his office.
"Only one thing I can think of," Rodgers said. "I'm going to head into D.C. at lunchtime to see if I can find a model of Revell's Messerschmitt Bf 109. We used to build kits as kids and that was the big one we missed."
"Expense-account it," Hood said.
Rodgers shook his head. "This one's on me. I owe it to Brett."
Hood said he understood, then asked Rodgers if he wanted to attend the meeting with Senator Fox.
Rodgers declined. "Once a week is enough. Besides, you've always handled her better than I have. I just don't have the touch."
Hood said, "I just tried doing what you do for a living, Mike. You've got the touch all right."
"Then it's settled," Rodgers said. "If we can't persuade her, we put her in a helicopter in cuffs."
"It works for me," Hood said as his assistant, "Bugs" Benet, poked his head from his office down the hall. He informed the director that the Senator had just arrived.
With Rodgers's good wishes following him down the hall, Hood hurried to meet Senator Fox at the elevator.
The woman arrived with her two assistants and a sly expression.
"Good morning, Paul," the Senator said as she stepped out. "Have a restful weekend?"
"When my wife wasn't yelling at me for nearly getting killed, yes."
"Good." They began walking down the hall. The Senator said, "As for me, I wasn't resting. I was trying to figure out how I'm going to lop off heads working for the man who just saved the free world. Did you plan that, Paul? Just to make my life difficult?"
"I can't sneak anything past you, can I?" he replied.
"It'll sure play on Larry King Live," Senator Fox said. "Especially a man in a wheelchair saving Ms. Thompson. That was not only miraculous, it was a PR dream. And the press is positively loving her. Especially since she's been turning down offers to sell movie rights to her ordeal unless she can direct it. Smart cookie."
The group reached Hood's office. They stopped outside.
"Helping Ms. Thompson was Bob's and Mike's doing," Hood said. "Not mine."
"That's right," she responded. "Preserving the melting pot, stopping our cities from being torn apart by riots, ending the career of the world's next great despot. That was all you did. Well, I'm still determined to make cuts, Paul. I owe that to the taxpayer."
Hood said, "We should talk about this in my office. But we should really talk about it alone. There's something I want to tell you."
Fox said, "I have no secrets from my associates. They may not be high-maintenance like your team, but they're mine."
"I understand that," Hood said. "Still, I'd like to have a moment or two alone with you."
Senior Fox said without looking at her aides, "Would you mind waiting