Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [70]
“Correction, Senator, you were not preparing a censure resolution against President Burkmeister the person, you were preparing it against the administration’s policy of not honoring a longstanding treaty with Japan. You were questioning a one-sided policy favoring China in the Chunxiao Incident, and that’s a perfectly appropriate thing for you to do in your role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”
“You’re absolutely right, Wellington, that’s a distinction I must be sure to make. Can you help me on this one?”
“Consider it done, Senator. In fact, I’m going to assume the mainstream media will get wind of your censure resolution, and I’ll beat them to the punch by covering it on my radio program today. You’ll look like a hero after I’ve finished spinning out the patriotic motivations behind your action. I’ll also tell them how you have withdrawn the resolution in hopes all Americans will put aside their differences and work together in these troubling times.”
“Genius, Wellington, sheer genius,” said the senator. “What about the Save America tour? How will we handle that?”
“I see no problem with that whatsoever. I’ll tell my audience that good Americans need to work together in tough times like this, and for me that means staying home and reporting the news as accurately and honestly as I can. I’ll tell them it’s not my intention to give the McCarty administration a free ride if I see things that are obviously wrong, but that we need be patient and give them every benefit of the doubt.”
Once again, Bromfield marveled at Crane’s ability to manipulate his way out of what could have been an embarrassing development—true genius, he thought.
“What’s more, I’ll tell them that Senator Thomas Collingsworth would not think of leaving his post at a time of such great peril to the nation. What do you think, Senator, will that work?”
“Absolutely, Wellington, absolutely,” replied the rejuvenated senator. Bromfield calculated the potential of postponing the tour for a few weeks and found the resulting data comforting.
“Now, I have to be honest with you boys,” Crane said, “If my gut instinct is correct, and it always is, I think it’s only a matter of time before that pinko McCarty screws it all up. We don’t need to attack now. He’ll self-destruct, and when he does, both parties will desert him and he’ll quickly lose his Independence Party base. One can only imagine who he’ll nominate as his vice-presidential replacement, but that could be the event that triggers our move against him. For now, though, we are all just patriotic Americans doing whatever we can to help.”
“Thanks so much for your insights, Wellington,” said the grateful senator, “Your perspective is right on. Hugo and I will do what we can on our end to hold true to the values of your Pax-Americanism.”
“Correction, Senator,” the great one responded with condescension, “our Pax-Americanism.”
After hanging up, Hugo Bromfield shifted into high gear, retooling the campaign to reposition Tom Collingsworth as a nonpartisan warrior interested only in what was best for America. If in so doing it bolstered his own position of power, so much the better. You’ve got to love America, thought Hugo.
26
American Embassy, Riyadh
27 September 2017
Ambassador Winston Thurgoode woke up at three thirty in the morning to a staccato noise he couldn’t identify. Fighting a sleepy stupor that comingled his subconscious and conscious thoughts, he struggled for clarity. A loud knock on his bedroom door provided a focus for his efforts.
“Yes, who is it?” he mumbled.
“Sir, Gunny Sergeant James Malloy, sir, in charge of the mid-watch security detail.”
“Come in, Sergeant,” he said, groggily reaching for his bathrobe.
“Sir,” said the stocky twenty-year Marine Corps veteran charged with guarding the U.S. Embassy on this fateful Wednesday morning, “There’s an uprising of some sort taking place in Riyadh. You must accompany me immediately to the secure room.”
Thurgoode, grateful his family was back in the States, responded, “Sergeant, would you