of the cell. And just before the door closed behind him he heard Christopher say: “I know this must be very difficult for you, Calida, so you just call me Chris, okay?” Ryan chuckled to himself as the door closed.
T he Director walked down the long hallway of the Senate Offices wing. His two assistants maintained a discreet distance behind him as he rhythmically waved his cane back and forth. At 11:30 PM on Friday night the senate had just adjourned its business for the week. Even so, the halls were busy with staff members and faceless aides making their late night rounds as they scurried back and forth in a perpetual dance of private negotiations between their bosses.
The Director ignored the activity just as he was himself ignored. The offices he now shuffled past were some of the more prized spaces. He arrived at the last office to his right and walked through the open door.
A staff assistant glanced up as the Director entered the office’s reception area and stood up from his small desk. He greeted the Director with the same manner as a four star hotel concierge.
“Welcome to Senator Asinas’s office,” he said. “The senator is just finishing up with the Secretary of Homeland Security. May I get you or your assistants anything? Coffee? Tea? A drink of your choice?”
“Oh no, my young man,” the Director replied. “We are just fine right now.”
A large, richly stained mahogany double door opened up behind the reception area. Out walked a tall, lanky man in a dark blue silk suit followed by the senator.
“Thank you very much, Mister Secretary,” Senator Asinas said. “And tell that lovely wife of yours that Becky wants to have you both over for dinner, and she refuses take no for an answer.”
“I’ll do that,” the tall man said. He looked at the Director for a brief moment and left the senator’s office.
“Please come in,” Senator Asinas said to the Director. “And Michael, please get his two assistants something to drink.”
“Yes, Senator.”
The Director entered the senator’s private office and glanced at the elegant Brazilian rosewood paneling that provided the backdrop to the office’s decor. The senator’s desk was centered on a large window through which the night lights of Washington softly sparkled. The walls were covered with pictures of the politician in the company of various world leaders and celebrities along with dozens of plaques and other accumulated detritus highlighting a lengthy career in the top echelons of public service.
Senator Asinas gestured at one of the two overly large, dark brown leather chairs placed at slight angles a respectful distance from the front corners of his desk. The Director stopped in front of the chair on the desk’s right side and eased himself down with the aid of his cane. The senator continued around to the back of his expansive desk and sat down.
“How was the drive down from the Catoctin Mountains?” Senator Asinas asked.
“Just fine. Same messy traffic of course.”
“Of course. I’ve never been to a major city that has figured out the traffic problem,” the senator said, and he swiveled his chair and looked out the window behind his desk. “How is your latest trainee class doing?”
“Excellent. We’re very pleased with the quality of our latest group.”
“Very good.” Senator Asinas turned back to his desk, reached for a cigarette and lit it using a large, carved ivory lighter. He let out a long exhale of white smoke. “I take it the capture was a success?”
“Very successful.”
“Losses?”
“Five men.”
“And how is our young lady?”
“She’s hardly young,” the Director said. “But she’s completely healed and showing signs of cooperation with our good doctors.”
“Extraordinary, this is excellent news.”
The Director took out his small wooden pipe and fondled the bowl for a moment. “Doctor Ryan has successfully started her on a safe feeding protocol. In fact, earlier this
T he Director walked down the long hallway of the Senate Offices wing. His two assistants maintained a discreet distance behind him as he rhythmically waved his cane back and forth. At 11:30 PM on Friday night the senate had just adjourned its business for the week. Even so, the halls were busy with staff members and faceless aides making their late night rounds as they scurried back and forth in a perpetual dance of private negotiations between their bosses.
The Director ignored the activity just as he was himself ignored. The offices he now shuffled past were some of the more prized spaces. He arrived at the last office to his right and walked through the open door.
A staff assistant glanced up as the Director entered the office’s reception area and stood up from his small desk. He greeted the Director with the same manner as a four star hotel concierge.
“Welcome to Senator Asinas’s office,” he said. “The senator is just finishing up with the Secretary of Homeland Security. May I get you or your assistants anything? Coffee? Tea? A drink of your choice?”
“Oh no, my young man,” the Director replied. “We are just fine right now.”
A large, richly stained mahogany double door opened up behind the reception area. Out walked a tall, lanky man in a dark blue silk suit followed by the senator.
“Thank you very much, Mister Secretary,” Senator Asinas said. “And tell that lovely wife of yours that Becky wants to have you both over for dinner, and she refuses take no for an answer.”
“I’ll do that,” the tall man said. He looked at the Director for a brief moment and left the senator’s office.
“Please come in,” Senator Asinas said to the Director. “And Michael, please get his two assistants something to drink.”
“Yes, Senator.”
The Director entered the senator’s private office and glanced at the elegant Brazilian rosewood paneling that provided the backdrop to the office’s decor. The senator’s desk was centered on a large window through which the night lights of Washington softly sparkled. The walls were covered with pictures of the politician in the company of various world leaders and celebrities along with dozens of plaques and other accumulated detritus highlighting a lengthy career in the top echelons of public service.
Senator Asinas gestured at one of the two overly large, dark brown leather chairs placed at slight angles a respectful distance from the front corners of his desk. The Director stopped in front of the chair on the desk’s right side and eased himself down with the aid of his cane. The senator continued around to the back of his expansive desk and sat down.
“How was the drive down from the Catoctin Mountains?” Senator Asinas asked.
“Just fine. Same messy traffic of course.”
“Of course. I’ve never been to a major city that has figured out the traffic problem,” the senator said, and he swiveled his chair and looked out the window behind his desk. “How is your latest trainee class doing?”
“Excellent. We’re very pleased with the quality of our latest group.”
“Very good.” Senator Asinas turned back to his desk, reached for a cigarette and lit it using a large, carved ivory lighter. He let out a long exhale of white smoke. “I take it the capture was a success?”
“Very successful.”
“Losses?”
“Five men.”
“And how is our young lady?”
“She’s hardly young,” the Director said. “But she’s completely healed and showing signs of cooperation with our good doctors.”
“Extraordinary, this is excellent news.”
The Director took out his small wooden pipe and fondled the bowl for a moment. “Doctor Ryan has successfully started her on a safe feeding protocol. In fact, earlier this
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