By Order of the President (Presidential Agent 1)

“That brings us right back to question one,” Beiderman said.

“Will this wait until, say, six, seven tonight?”

“Never answer a question with a question. Didn’t your mother teach you that’s not nice?”

“My mother never thought I would have a job like this.”

“You don’t happen to know of a Gray Fox operation that’s currently running, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“That’s funny. I thought the Memo of Understanding said that both you and I would always be advised of a Gray Fox operation.”

“Are you sure there is one?”

“According to General Withers there is. Are you stalling me, Natalie? In the public interest?”

“No,” she said, simply, and he immediately decided she was telling him the truth.

“Where’s the president?”

There was a brief but perceptible pause before she answered.

“He’s at Camp David with Matt Hall.”

“What’s that all about?”

“I can’t tell you. Or anyone else. I’m not even supposed to tell you where he is.”

“Or whether Matt is in trouble?”

“Or whether Matt is or is not in trouble. Will this wait until six or seven?”

“No. It won’t.”

“Your call, Fred. I’ll have the switchboard patch you through to Camp David.”

“Thank you, no. But you might call out there and tell them I’m on my way out there.”

“You can’t go to Camp David without permission, Fred.”

“What are they going to do? Shoot down my helicopter? Unless there’s something else nobody’s telling me, I’m still the secretary of defense. Thanks, Natalie.”

He put the handset in the cradle.

“Call the helipad, Teresa, and then take General Wither’s briefing. If there’s anything important, call me on the chopper. ” He looked at General Withers. “Don’t tell me you didn’t even suspect that Teresa always listens to everything said in this office?”

“Yes, sir,” General Withers said.

Secretary Beiderman didn’t reply. He was already through his office door.

[SIX]

Camp David Catoctin Mountains, Maryland 1720 9 June 2005

“Well, that’s interesting, Matt,” the president of the United States said, looking across the low table at Secretary of Homeland Security Hall. “The secretary of defense is on his way here.”

“In connection with this?” Hall asked.