hurried up to the platform and took the seat next to Michael Tate.
"Thirty seconds ... twenty... ten ... five ..."
The director signaled with his hand, and the red light on the camera flashed on.
"Good evening," Dana said smoothly. "Welcome to the WTE ten-o'clock news. We have a breaking story for you in Holland. There was an explosion at an Amsterdam school this afternoon and..."
The rest of the broadcast went smoothly.
The following morning, Rob Cline came into Dana's office. "Bad news Julia was in an automobile accident last night. Her face is" he hesitated "disfigured." "I'm sorry," Dana said, concerned. "How bad is it?" "Pretty bad." "But today plastic surgery can "
He shook his head. "Not this time. She won't be coming back."
"I'd like to go see her. Where is she?"
"They're taking her back to her family, in Oregon."
"I'm so sorry."
"You win some, you lose some." He studied Dana a moment. "You were okay last night. We'll keep you on until we find someone permanent."
Dana went to see Matt Baker. "Did you see the news last night?" she asked.
"Yes," he grunted. "For God's sakes, try putting on some makeup and a more appropriate dress."
Dana felt deflated. "Right."
As she turned to leave, Matt Baker said grudgingly, "You weren't bad.
Coming from him, it was a high compliment.
On the fifth night of the news broadcast, the director said to Dana, "By the way, the big brass said to keep you on."
She wondered if the big brass was Matt Baker.
Within six months, Dana became a fixture on the Washington scene. She was young and attractive and her intelligence shone through. At the end of the year, she was given a raise and special assignments. One of her shows, Here and Now, interviews with celebrities, had zoomed to the top of the ratings.
Her interviews were personal and sympathetic, and celebrities who hesitated to appear on other talk shows asked to be on Dana's show Magazines and newspapers began interviewing Dana. She was becoming a celebrity herself.
At night, Dana would watch the international news. She envied the foreign correspondents. They were doing something important. They were reporting history, informing the world about the important events that were happening around the globe. She felt frustrated.
Dana's two-year contract with WTE was nearly up. Philip Cole, the chief of correspondents, called her in.
"You're doing a great job, Dana. We're all proud of you."
"Thank you, Philip."
"It's time for us to be talking about your new contract. First of all "
"I'm quitting."
"I beg your pardon?"
"When my contract's up, I'm not doing the show anymore."
He was looking at her incredulously. "Why would you want to quit Don't you like it here?"
"I like it a lot," Dana said. "I want to be with WTE, but I want to be a foreign correspondent."
"That's a miserable life," he exploded. "Why in God's name would you want to do that?" "Because I'm tired of hearing what celebrities want to cook for dinner and how they met their fifth husband. There are wars going on, and people are suffering and dying. The world doesn't give a damn. I want to make them care." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I can't stay on here." She rose and started toward the door "Wait a minute! Are you sure this is what you want to do?" "It's what I've always wanted to do," Dana said quietly. He was thoughtful for a moment. "Where do you want to go?" It took her a moment for the import of his words to sink in. When Dana found her voice, she said, "Sarajevo."
Nine.
Being governor was even more exciting than Oliver Russell had anticipated. Power was a seductive mistress, and Oliver loved it. His decisions influenced the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. He became adept at swaying the state legislature, and his influence and reputation kept expanding. I really am making a difference, Oliver thought happily. He remembered Senator Davis's words: "This is just a stepping-stone, Oliver. Walk carefully." And he was careful. He had
"Thirty seconds ... twenty... ten ... five ..."
The director signaled with his hand, and the red light on the camera flashed on.
"Good evening," Dana said smoothly. "Welcome to the WTE ten-o'clock news. We have a breaking story for you in Holland. There was an explosion at an Amsterdam school this afternoon and..."
The rest of the broadcast went smoothly.
The following morning, Rob Cline came into Dana's office. "Bad news Julia was in an automobile accident last night. Her face is" he hesitated "disfigured." "I'm sorry," Dana said, concerned. "How bad is it?" "Pretty bad." "But today plastic surgery can "
He shook his head. "Not this time. She won't be coming back."
"I'd like to go see her. Where is she?"
"They're taking her back to her family, in Oregon."
"I'm so sorry."
"You win some, you lose some." He studied Dana a moment. "You were okay last night. We'll keep you on until we find someone permanent."
Dana went to see Matt Baker. "Did you see the news last night?" she asked.
"Yes," he grunted. "For God's sakes, try putting on some makeup and a more appropriate dress."
Dana felt deflated. "Right."
As she turned to leave, Matt Baker said grudgingly, "You weren't bad.
Coming from him, it was a high compliment.
On the fifth night of the news broadcast, the director said to Dana, "By the way, the big brass said to keep you on."
She wondered if the big brass was Matt Baker.
Within six months, Dana became a fixture on the Washington scene. She was young and attractive and her intelligence shone through. At the end of the year, she was given a raise and special assignments. One of her shows, Here and Now, interviews with celebrities, had zoomed to the top of the ratings.
Her interviews were personal and sympathetic, and celebrities who hesitated to appear on other talk shows asked to be on Dana's show Magazines and newspapers began interviewing Dana. She was becoming a celebrity herself.
At night, Dana would watch the international news. She envied the foreign correspondents. They were doing something important. They were reporting history, informing the world about the important events that were happening around the globe. She felt frustrated.
Dana's two-year contract with WTE was nearly up. Philip Cole, the chief of correspondents, called her in.
"You're doing a great job, Dana. We're all proud of you."
"Thank you, Philip."
"It's time for us to be talking about your new contract. First of all "
"I'm quitting."
"I beg your pardon?"
"When my contract's up, I'm not doing the show anymore."
He was looking at her incredulously. "Why would you want to quit Don't you like it here?"
"I like it a lot," Dana said. "I want to be with WTE, but I want to be a foreign correspondent."
"That's a miserable life," he exploded. "Why in God's name would you want to do that?" "Because I'm tired of hearing what celebrities want to cook for dinner and how they met their fifth husband. There are wars going on, and people are suffering and dying. The world doesn't give a damn. I want to make them care." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I can't stay on here." She rose and started toward the door "Wait a minute! Are you sure this is what you want to do?" "It's what I've always wanted to do," Dana said quietly. He was thoughtful for a moment. "Where do you want to go?" It took her a moment for the import of his words to sink in. When Dana found her voice, she said, "Sarajevo."
Nine.
Being governor was even more exciting than Oliver Russell had anticipated. Power was a seductive mistress, and Oliver loved it. His decisions influenced the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. He became adept at swaying the state legislature, and his influence and reputation kept expanding. I really am making a difference, Oliver thought happily. He remembered Senator Davis's words: "This is just a stepping-stone, Oliver. Walk carefully." And he was careful. He had
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