The Labyrinth Campaign by J. Michael Sweeney Page A

ever get out of the Oval Office. That is, if we could even get in.”
    Jack continued, “My next thought was to approach the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, but I’m sure we’d meet the same resistance.”
    “I agree,” Bess added quickly.
    “So then I thought maybe an approach that was closer to home was in order.”
    “And?” Bess added, questioning.
    “I thought about Bo Hawkins. The stakes are awfully high for him to ignore this type of information.”
    “Again, I agree, but we’re talking about his son here. I think his first reaction will be to defend him.”
    “Which leads us to John Rollins,” Jack said. “He’s the logical choice. He’s our boss, and he has the credibility to approach Bo Hawkins and put a stop to this madness.”
    Steve Bess interjected, “You’re right. He may be a madman on the job, but he’s an ethical guy. I’ve worked with him for fifteen years, and the one thing I would trust him to do is the right thing.”
    Jack and Steve continued the discussion for another forty-five minutes. They strategized every angle, determining the best way to approachRollins. When they had exhausted their discussion of every possible reaction they might encounter, they agreed that Steve would approach Rollins the following day in an effort to maximize reaction time to the events that were most assuredly under way. Steve left the restaurant, and Jack paid the bill.
    As Jack drove home, he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Sharing his problems with someone else had been a truly cathartic experience. But he wasn’t ready to share this information with Carrie. It was too dangerous, so he was actually relieved when he pulled into his driveway and realized she wasn’t there.

twenty-two
    S gt. Major Ian McKay was having dinner with his niece, Lizzie, and her mother, Patricia. McKay was dreading the interrogation that would ensue when he told them he was leaving the service. So instead of addressing the situation head-on, he had taken them to a trendy restaurant, a place well beyond any of their means, for a celebration.
    After more than an hour of small talk, while Ian consistently encouraged both women to “drink up,” Patricia finally said, “Ian, we’ve waited patiently all evening for you to tell us what’s going on. Now what’s this celebration all about?”
    Ian fidgeted nervously. “Great news, girls: I’ve decided to leave the service. I’ve had enough. So, I’m packing it in and following my dream to see the world.”
    The reaction was just what he had suspected: stunned silence mixed with looks of shock, sadness, and disbelief. Lizzie was the first to regain her composure. “But Uncle Ian, I thought you loved your job. In fact, just last year you told me you’d die a British soldier. What happened?”
    Patricia added, “And what do you mean ‘following your dream to see the world’? You’ve always said the only good reason to leave England was to fight a war. My God, I don’t know what to say.”
    Ian feigned a mixture of anger and frustration and said, “I thought my two favorite women in the world would be happy for me. This is supposed to be a celebration.”
    Patricia, believing she’d hurt Ian’s feelings, quickly retreated. “It’s just that you caught us by surprise. If this is what makes you happy, then by all means, let’s celebrate.” Patricia raised her glass and toasted, “To Ian McKay, the best pseudo brother-in-law, uncle, and friend a girl could ever have.”
    The three raised their glasses in a silent toast, and Lizzie asked excitedly, “If you’re going to see the world, where are you going first?”
    “Well, believe it or not, my first adventure is to America. I’ve been planning my itinerary for a while, and I actually leave the day after tomorrow.”
    Again, the two were shocked by the news of the nearly immediate departure.
    “Jesus, Ian!” Patricia blurted out. “How long have you been planning this?