The Secretary of State Frank Wilson looked at his watch again. Across from him, Albert Rudin the Democratic Congressmen began to speak. “Where is he? We haven’t got all day.” Just then Hank Clark the Republican Senator entered the conference room. He was 10 minutes late on purpose. He had sat at the bar upstairs nursing a scotch before this knowing that even the slightest delay would drive Rudin batty. Clark wanted everyone to know that he held the real power in the room and if things went his way in just a few short years they would refer to him as President Clark.
“Gentlemen,” Wilson began, not waiting for anyone to exchange pleasantries that would not be coming, “we have a problem.” You and I know that the recent string of high profile assassinations and murders have been carried out by the CIA. They deny it sure, but we all know the truth.”
“We have to reign them in,” said Rudin as he slapped his hand down on the table. “Thomas Stansfield and his spooks have been running a muck all over the world.” Stansfield had spent his whole life in the CIA, eventually rising to director. His years in the position were numbered as he grew older but he knew the longer he stayed in place the longer it presented sweeping change. The appetite to do what had to be done had waned in the United States and he was one of the old guard still left.
Clark wasn’t so quick to take the cheese. “Albert, if you have the evidence drag them into hearings and put them to the test. If you can get them to lie in front of congress then you have something. But until then these little meetings need to stop. The last thing we need is the President upset with us, the CIA breathing down our neck or God forbid Mitch Rapp at my doorstep”.
“You think this extends all the way to President Hayes?” questioned Rudin.
“He’s not authorizing every single hit,” said Wilson. “But you bet your ass he knows what's going on over there at the CIA. He will have plausible deniability. Lets start with what we know and work from there. I would love to nail these guys to the cross.”
Albert Rudin got up from his seat and threw his hands in the air. “It's all right there for you guys but if you think we need to pull in more information than I suggest we get on it. The midterms are around the corner. After that we are fully into Presidential election season. I’m not idiot Clark, you would love nothing more to replace Hayes on the ticket. I don’t want him there any more than you do. I would rather our guy is in office but as my second choice, you at least would clean up that quagmire in CIA.” WIth that he stormed out the door.
Clark smiled. Rudin always made a scene and walked out before anyone else could. That way he never had to pay for a drink. Rudin was many things, Clark thought to himself, and cheap bastard was at the top of the list.
