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EIGHTY-SEVEN

WASHINGTON, DC

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10

8:30 AM

STEPHANIE SAT IN THE OVAL OFFICE SHE’D BEEN THERE MANY ti uncomfortable But not today She and Cassiopeia had come to meet with President Daniels

Brent Green had been buried yesterday in Vermont with honors The press had lauded his character and achievements Democrats and Republicans said he would betribute Larry Daley had been buried, too, in Florida, without fanfare Only some family and a few friends Stephanie and Cassiopeia had both attended

Interesting how she’d read bothDaley wasn’t a saint by any means, but he wasn’t a murderer or a traitor He’d tried to stop as happening Unfortunately, as happening had stopped hiellan Billet," Daniels said to her

"You ht find that hard to explain"

"I don’t have to explain o, but I had no choice at the time"

She wanted her job back She liked what she did But there was another ress?"

"I told you, Stephanie I knew nothing about that But it stops here and now Just like with Green, though, the country won’t benefit from that kind of scandal Let’s end it and move on"

She wasn’t necessarily sure of Daniels’s lack of coreed That was the better course

"No one will ever know anything that happened?" Cassiopeia asked

Daniels was sitting behind his desk, feet propped on the edge, his tall fra back in his chair "Not a word"

The vice president had resigned Saturday, citing differences over policy with the adet him on caine," Daniels said, " to make a name for himself There’ll be a few public squabbles between us over policy, things like that He ht even make a try for the next election But I’hts, I need you to keep an eye on the Order of the Golden Fleece Those folks are trouble We’ve cut their legs out froain"

"And Israel?" Cassiopeia asked "What about the from the library will ever be released Only Cotton and his ex-wife knohere it is, but I’ stay hidden" Daniels looked at Stephanie "You and Heather make peace?"

"Yesterday at the funeral She truly liked Daley She told s about Larry I never knew"

"See, you shouldn’t be so judgmental Green ordered Daley’s death after he studied those flash drives They pointed to leaks in the dike and he ent She does her job Green and the vice president would have destroyed Israel They didn’t give a daht I was a proble about that, too, Mr President"

Danielsyour castle in France?"

"I’ve been absent for a while My e aboutas the paychecks keep co, they’re happy" Daniels stood "Thanks to both of you for what you did"

Stephanie stayed seated She sensed so?"

Daniels’s eyes gleamed "Probably a whole bunch"

"It’s the library You were awfully cavalier about it ato let it stay hidden, are you?"

"Not for e of that one and we all knoho he is"

MALONE LISTENED AS THE BELLS OF COPENHAGEN BANGED loud for three PM Højbro Plads was busy with its usual midday crowd He, Pa just finished lunch He and Pa Saturday with the Guardians while they honored George Haddad

He motioned for the check

Thorvaldsen stood fifty yards away, supervising the re of Malone’s shop, which had started last hile they were away Scaffolding now embraced the four-story façade, and workers were busy inside and out

"I’oodbye," Gary said, and the boy rushed froh the crowd

"That was sad Saturday with George," Pam said

He knew there was still a lot on her mind They hadn’t talked much about what had happened in the library

"You all right?" he asked

"I killed a man He was a sorry piece of crap, but I still killed hi

"You stood up," she said "Faced hi I was back there You knew I’d shoot"

"I wasn’t sure what you’d do But I knew you’d do so, and that’s all I needed"

"I’ve never fired a gun before When Haddad gave it to me, he told me to just point and shoot He knew I’d do it, too"

"Pam, you can’t sweat it You did what you had to"

"Like you did all those years" She paused "I want to say so, and it’s not easy"