Deep Six (Dirk Pitt 7)

"Any way possible," said Emmett. He produced a folder from an attache' case. "I'd like you gentlemen to take a look at this."

Oates opened the folder and studied the contents without comment, and then passed it on to Brogan, who in turn handed it to Metcalf.

When they finished they gazed at Emmett as if silently nominating him to speak first.

"What you gentlemen read in the report is true," he said simply.

"Why hasn't this come out before?" Oates demanded.

Because there was never a reason to order an in-depth investigation into the man before," answered Emmett. "The FBI is not in the habit of revealing skeletons in our legislators' closets unless there is Solid evidence of criminal activity in their backgrounds.

Dirt on divorces, petty misdemeanors, sexual perversions or traffic violations we file in a vault and look the other way. Moran's file showed him to be clean, too clean for someone who clawed his way to the top without benefit of education, average intelligence, a penchant for hard work, wealth or important contacts. Nothing about his character indicated aggressiveness or talent. As you can see the results aren't exactly a recommendation for a Pope."

Metcalf scanned the report again. "This stock brokerage firm in Chicago, what is it called? Ah, yes, Blackfox and Churchill."

"A front to launder Moran's bribery and payoff operation. The names came off tombstones in a Fargo, North Dakota, cemetery.

Bogus stock transactions are conducted to hide bribe money from shady special-interest groups, defense contractors, state and city officials seeking federal funding and not caring how they get it, underworld payments for favors. Speaker of the House Moran makes the Bougainvilles look like Boy Scouts."

"We've got to go public with this," Brogan said adamantly.

"I wouldn't push it," cautioned Oates. "Moran would go to any length to deny it, claiming it was a frame-up to keep him from leading the country to reconciliation and unity." I can see him pleading for the American tradition of fair play while he's hanging from the cross.

And by the time the Justice Department can make things tough for him, he will have been sworn in as President.

Let's face it, you can't put the country through two impeachment proceedings in the same year."

Metcalf nodded his head in agreement. "Coming on the heels of the President's insane policies and Moran I s ravings about the Vice President presumed death, the upheaval may prove more than the public can accept. A complete loss of confidence in the federal system could ignite a voters' revolt during the next election."

"Or worse," Emmett added. "More and more people are refusing to pay taxes on the rationale they don't like where their tax dollars are spent. And you can't blame them for not wanting to support a goverdment managed by inept leaders and rip-off artists.

You get five million people out there who tear up their tax forms come next April fifteenth, and the federal machinery as we know it will cease to function."

The four men sat in the trailer office like frozen figures in a painting. The fantasy of their conjecture was not implausible.

Nothing like this had ever happened before. The prospects of surviving the storm unscathed seemed remote.

At last Brogan said, "We're lost without Vince Margolin."

"That fellow Pitt over at NUMA gave us our first tangible lead," said Brogan.

"So what have you got?" asked Metcalf.

"Pitt deduced that the mind control laboratory where Margolin is held is inside a river barge."

"A what?" Metcalf asked as if he hadn't heard right.

"River barge," Emmett repeated. "Moored God knows where along the inland water route."

"Are you searching?"

With every available agent Martin and I can spare from both our agencies.

"If you give me a few more details and come up with a quick plan to coordinate our efforts, I'll throw in whatever forces the Defense Department can muster in the search areas."

"That would certainly help, General," said Oates. "Thank you."

The phone rang and Oates picked it up. After listening silently for a moment, he set it down. "Crap!" Emmett had never heard Oates use such an expletive before.