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"He was hurt getting me safely to María's side-couple of heavy-duty bruises from gunfire chopping up the courtyard. Nothing serious, though. But I want to do something for him. He doesn't strike me as the kind of priest who'd want to be kicked upstairs or anything like that. Father Norberto was telling me at the field hospital that he lost his brother in this ordeal. He's had it pretty rough. Perhaps we can do something for his parish. Work it through the Vatican, if the White House can arrange that."

"We'll certainly talk to them about that," Hood said. "We can set up a scholarship somewhere in the brother's name."

"Sounds good," McCaskey said. "Maybe one for Martha too. Maybe from all of this madness a little good will come."

After the other men in the room wished McCaskey well-"And I don't mean with just your health," Herbert added-Hood hung up. Father Norberto's story reminded him of something that tends to get lost in events like these. It isn't only a nation whose destiny is changed. The ripples go outward, affecting the world-and the ripples go inward, affecting every citizen. It was not only an awesome metamorphosis to behold. It was damn near overwhelming to have been an integral part of the process. And without having left this office.

It was time to hang that responsibility up.

Hood buzzed Bugs Benet and asked him to call his wife. She was at her parents' home in Old Saybrook, Hood told him.

Herbert looked at Hood. "Sudden trip?" he asked.

Hood shook his head. "Long time in the works."

Hood swung the computer monitor toward him. He went to his personal file.

Bugs buzzed. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Mr. Kent says that Sharon and the kids left early this morning to go back to Washington," Bugs told him. "They were going to take the eight o'clock flight. Do you want to speak with him?"

"No," Hood said. He looked at his watch. "Thank him and tell him I'll call later."

"Shall I ring Mrs. Hood's cellular?"

"No, Bugs," Hood said. "I'll tell her when I meet her at the airport."

Hood hung up and finished his coffee. Then he rose.

"You're going to the airport now?" Herbert asked. "Chief, I'm sure you're going to have to brief the President."

Hood looked at Rodgers. "Mike, are you okay to handle that?"

"Sure," Rodgers said. He patted his bandages. "I got myself rewrapped before I came here."

"Good," Hood said. He took his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and put it in a drawer. "I'm going to get out of here before I get summoned."

"When will you be back?" Herbert asked.

Hood looked at the monitor. He stood over the keyboard. "I'll see you at the service for Martha," he said.

He looked at Rodgers then. The general's eyes were sharp and unblinking. He understood.

"I can tell you this, though," Hood continued. "Darrell was right. Good can come from madness.Through all the crises we've had to deal with, I couldn't have been blessed with a greater team."

"I don't like the sound of that," Herbert said.

Hood smiled. Still smiling, he e-mailed his resignation to the White House. Then he turned from his desk, threw a respectful salute at Mike Rodgers, and walked out the door.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About The Creators

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SEVEN

TWENTY-EIGHT

TWENTY-NINE

THIRTY

THIRTY-ONE

THIRTY-TWO

THIRTY-THREE

THIRTY-FOUR

THIRTY-FIVE

THIRTY-SIX

THIRTY-SEVEN

THIRTY-EIGHT

THIRTY-NINE

FORTY

FORTY-ONE

FORTY-TWO

FORTY-THREE

FORTY-FOUR

FORTY-FIVE

FORTY-SIX

FORTY-SEVEN

FORTY-EIGHT

FORTY-NINE

FIFTY