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He studied a photo taken of Tucker and his wife, Belinda, when he’d first cao His hair had been brown back then, not gray like it was now His wife, blond and perky, waved and slanced over at VANNA "I’ve found the perfect job for you"

He scrolled down further to look at more photos There was Senator Tucker with his wife and children: a pretty blond girl who looked like her mother and a son with brown hair like his dad The perfect all-Aolden retriever in front of the kids was s was nairl, Madison Sheesh! Had Tucker purposely named his children and pets in a way to further his political career? The dog was even wearing a stars-and-stripes bandana around his neck

I ht, then narrowed his eyes on another naail Where was she? He studied the small photo and spotted another kid half hidden behind Belinda and obscured by Lincoln’s waving hand

A tug of sleepiness dragged at hilanced at the time Nine minutes till sunrise Damn, he needed to hurry up He scanned a few ers Madison and Lincoln had traveled with Tucker when he’d first caned for president There were a bunch of photos of hihter and son

Belinda and Abigail were nowhere in sight

Lincoln was now a senior at Harvard, while twenty-year-old Madison was a sophoton, DC She’d become quite a celebrity in the last few years, constantly followed by paparazzi when she went on extensive shopping trips in New York City or when she acco hostess in dazzling designer gowns He had to ade, quite at ease in high society Then again, she’d grown up in the life

But where was the ori!" His own mother, Radinka Holstein, cracked open his office door and peeked inside "It’s awfully late to still be working"

"Hey, Mom" He exited all links and powered down his laptop "What’s up?"

"Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be out of town Roman has asked Shanna and the kids andtonight right after sunset"

"That’s a good idea You’ll be safe there" No one in the mortal world and very few in the vaon Nest Acadey plans, then stuffed it into his pants pocket as he stood up "I have to go out of town, too What do you think of the president?"

Radinka tilted her head in confusion "Why are you asking about hiori closed the blinds on his"I have a ht"

"Oh" Radinka’s eyes widened "That’s quite an honor!"

He shrugged "Maybe Maybe not if he’s an ass"

Radinka scoffed "That’s no way to talk about the president I really ad lupus for years, you know And now I hear she has diabetes, too Poor thing can’t get a break"

"Oh" Maybe that hy she’d disappeared frolance toward VANNA He shouldn’t have indulged in insulting thoughts toward the first lady "What about the daughter?"

"Madison?" Radinka waved a hand in disazines with her silly little dog nahter"

"There’s another daughter?"

"Yes" Abigail "She’s not in any of the pictures"

"Maybe she’s shy," Radinka suggested

Or ugly, Gregori thought with a snort Another wave of sleepiness pulled at him He strode toward his"Take care I’ll see you in a few days"

She hugged hi in here?" She glared at VANNA "Didn’t I tell you to get rid of that disgusting thing?"

"I a it to Connor for his five-hundredth birthday"

Radinka slapped at Gregori’s shoulder "You can’t give that to hiori stepped back, stunned "What?"

"Connor got ht to request a rinned "Isn’t it wonderful?"

"What?" Gregori shook his head "Who on earth would ainst us Va el"

Gregori’s jaw dropped Marielle had given up heaven tome"

"No, I’ether over her heart "Isn’t it beautiful?"

Gregori swayed The sunfrom shock Connor was married? To the beautiful Marielle? Hell ht on hisWait for it Five, four, three -

"I wonder if they’ll be able to have children," she whispered

Gregori groaned She was picking up speed

"You know, Robby and Olivia are expecting" She gave Gregori a pointed look "That randparents soon"

"I’d love to discuss it in great detail for about three hours, but gosh darn, Mom, I’m about to fall over dead"

She scoffed "You’ve used that excuse before Don’t think I’ll forget about this"

"I’ children except you"

"I would need a wife first Or a uterus Either case is highly unlikely"

Her eyes narrowed "You need to stop playing around"

"Good night, Mom" He kissed her cheek, then stuet - will you send a case of Blardonnay to Maggie’s ranch in Texas? And lock the door when you leave, okay?"

"Okay Good night, dear"

Gregori shut hie walk-in closet Not as coet to one of the bedrooms in the basement Besides, once he was dead, he really didn’t notice how unco of death-sleep crept over hi to? The apocalypse, apparently, if he didn’t do his job well No pressure there After eighteen years of detaching hi forced back into it Straight into the center of power