“There’s no role more powerful than the president of the United States.”
“There is one,” Patterson said. “You could join the Lord’s sons, if you wanted.”
Senator Black sighed, and slowly stood.
“This may surprise you, Pastor, but even if what you’re saying was true or even possible, I’d still say no. You want to know why?” Patterson raised an eyebrow. “Someone like you should never be allowed to wield power because no matter how well meaning your motives, you’d still be a dictator.”
Senator Black turned away and strode for the door. Patterson nodded once to the guards. Instantly, they shuffled closer together, barring the senator’s path. Black paused in front of them with his two security guards, and then laughed out loud and turned back to the pastor.
“What are you going to do, Kelvin? Keep us here? Half of the country is expecting to see me on television within the hour. Don’t you think they might come searching for me?”
Patterson stood from behind his desk, walking slowly around it and approaching the senator until they stood barely a meter apart, their respective security teams glowering at each other.
“Yes, Isaiah, I do. In fact, I’m counting on it.”
Black’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Patterson nodded to his men. Instantly, they produced pistols, standing clear of the door and aiming at the senator’s guards. Black’s jaw dropped open, and he turned to look at Patterson.
“Tell your men to stand down. Let’s keep this simple and without bloodshed,” said Patterson.
“You’re insane,” Black uttered in disbelief.
“The weapons,” Patterson insisted quietly.
Black looked at his men, and nodded once. Reluctantly, the two guards slowly lay down their pistols on the carpet. Patterson gestured to his men, and they grabbed the senator’s arms, pinning him between them. Even before he could shout out, one of them held a hand over his mouth as the other drove his knee into the back of the senator’s legs, forcing him to his knees.
Patterson watched as the senator was bound and gagged, and then smiled as he looked down into his eyes.
“Believe me, Isaiah, you will thank me for this before the night is over.”
For the first time since entering the room, Senator Black’s eyes betrayed the presence of fear, and Patterson felt an inexplicable rush of adrenaline surge through his veins.
“Bind and gag his men,” he said briskly to the guards. “And take the senator to the chamber.”
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WASHINGTON DC
Lopez drove into the airport’s industrial park, her path smoothed by calls from Larry Pitt at the First District Office to the airport’s administration facility. She could see the blinking lights of an aircraft taking off into the night sky, the airstrip marked by a seemingly endless line of glowing orange lights. The sound of jet engines on the hot night air reverberated through the chassis of her car as she cruised between valleys of steel shipping containers and pulled in near the edge of a large servicing pan, extinguishing her lights.
The servicing area was separate from the main terminals fielding domestic and international flights. Industrial units and hangars surrounding her were mostly darkened, long since closed for business. Lopez climbed out of the car, looking at a curved row of blue lights in the tarmac marking the boundaries of a taxiway. The jet would come in from there, and she would be in place to intercept it.
She placed a hand on her service pistol beneath her jacket.
“That’s far enough.” Lopez froze as the voice spoke to her from the darkness. “Show me the piece, slowly.”
Lopez obeyed, slowly drawing her weapon and holding it between thumb and forefinger as she turned around. Captain Louis Powell loomed from between two shipping containers, his pistol pointed at her. Lopez felt a sickening apprehension compress her stomach. The captain stared at her for a moment and then lowered his weapon.
“Lopez? What the hell are you doing here?”
Lopez swallowed. “Following some leads.”
Powell holstered his weapon and moved across to her. Lopez realized that she’d never before noticed how powerfully built he was.
“What part of being off duty are you failing to understand?” Powell asked.
“If the case is closed, then what the hell are you doing here?”
Lopez saw the captain’s larynx rise and fall as he swallowed, and above his voice the sound of two turbofan jet engines whined as a jet taxied toward them.
“You did the right thing telling me about Tyrell and the senator, but now’s not the time to get all smart-ass. Are the FBI on