itself has never approached. Still, there was only one candidate on
the ballot. Do you feel that weakens your position any?”
“The people wanted only one candidate. This was their opportunity to
show their grateful support for our leader, not to engage in pointless
bickering.” The jeep ground to a halt unexpectedly, throwing Pamela
sideways against the hard metal strake. She hit her head sharply, felt
a flash of pain, then pushed it aside to zoom back in on the man she
was questioning. “So if the Cuban people feel that way, in the
majority, why is this revolution taking place?”
“It is not a revolution. It is treason.” He smiled coldly.
“And that. Miss Drake, is something you ought to understand.”
“But how will missiles help you deal with an internal affair?” she
pressed. “Surely if Cuba is capable of handling this issue herself,
the last thing you need is the United States annoyed and intervening.
Unless,” she said, pausing as insight flashed into her mind, “you’re
having a problem with your Libyan masters. Are they holding out for
more control over the legitimate government in exchange for quashing
the rebels for you? Is that it?”
Bingo. She knew she’d struck gold by the flash of annoyance in his
eyes. Exultation warred with an increasing feeling of uneasiness as
she contemplated her position. She was in Cuba illegally, neither
entitled to nor likely to get support from her own government, and
trapped between three warring forces. The so-called legitimate
government of Cuba, the Libyan “advisors” who were increasingly in
evidence, and the guerrilla fighters whom Leyta represented on the
mainland.
A hell of a story if she survived it.
1315 Local (+5 GMT) Washington, D.C. “I don’t know how you can expect
me to keep this up,” Admiral Loggins hissed. “There’s absolutely no
chance I can keep the aircraft carrier out of it. Not after what’s
happened down there. It’s not only impossible, but it makes no
tactical sense whatsoever. None.”
“You’re going to be lucky if you’ve even got any carriers left after
I’m through with you,” Senator Williams shot back. He pointed at the
TV broadcasting ACN headlines in the corner of the room. “That footage
of those SEALs is worth more during budget debates than five hundred
pounds of briefings and testimony. You think they ever read all the
material we send them? No they make their decisions based on sound
bites and shots like that. And you can bet they’re going to be hearing
from every Cuban constituent in every district over this one.”
“What you’re asking is unreasonable. With the Arsenal ship damaged, if
we need to take action against Cuba, it’s going to have to be with the
carrier. There’s no other way to do this safely; there’s just not”
“Safety’ is a relative term. And you’re going to be thinking longingly
about this conversation when the Senate subpoenas you about your
relationship with Miss Pamela Drake and the film footage ACN
broadcast.
Don’t cross me now, Keith. You’re in this too far.”
Admiral Loggins slammed his hand down on the desk and glared at the
senator. “Don’t you dare threaten me. Not me, not Pamela not ever.
I’ve gone along with your plans because they were what I felt was best
for the Navy, but you’ve gone too far this time. My relationship with
Pamela has nothing to do with her work, nor does she have anything to
do with mine. We’re just private citizens, trying” “The hell you
are!”
Senator Williams shoved himself out of his chair and leaned across the
desk to glare at Loggins, his hands planted and splayed on the blotter
in front of the admiral. “You gave up a private life the day you put
on those stars, and don’t you forget it. Just the way I did when I
took my first oath of office in Congress twenty years ago. What you
do, who you screw, all of it. It’s all career material.
And if you don’t understand that, then you’ve already been promoted two
times too many. You got me?”
The admiral stood up from behind his desk slowly, his shoulders
slumped. He stared out the window that gazed out across the Potomac,