the third option_t_ by The Third Option

Author:The Third Option [Option, The Third]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-03-30T23:08:32+00:00

KENNEDY WAS ALONE in her office, thinking about Rapp and the traitor in their midst who had almost gotten him killed. Marcus Dumond was keeping her informed on the progress he was making with Rapp and Coleman. The deputy director of Central Intelligence had stopped by to pepper her with questions about her testimony to the House Intelligence Committee. It was surprisingly easy to lie to Jonathan Brown, despite the fact that he was a former federal judge. Stansfield had taught her well. Once you learned to control your emotions, it was nearly impossible for an adversary to discern if you were telling the truth. As with a great poker player, the name of the game was to keep a straight face whether you were holding a royal flush or a pair of twos. Under Stansfield's tutelage, Kennedy had mastered the skill. The only person in the world who could consistently get a reaction out of her was her son, Tommy. Not even her ex-husband had been able to do it. He sure as hell had tried, but he had failed miserably; Kennedy didn't harbor any ill will toward him. When she looked back on the marriage, it was easy to see it was destined for failure from the moment she took the job as the director of the Counterterrorism Center. There weren't enough hours left over after running the CTC to be both a good mother and a good wife.

The phone on her desk emitted a soft tone, and then a voice came over the intercom. "Irene, Congressman O'Rourke is here to see you."

Without looking up, Kennedy said, "Show him in, please."

O'Rourke entered Kennedy's office with a slightly troubled look on his face.

"Hello, Irene." O'Rourke sat down in one of two chairs across from Kennedy's desk. He was wearing a three-button brown suit with a white shirt and tie.

"Good afternoon, Michael.”

Never one to waste time or words, O'Rourke said, "I'm sorry about this morning. Chairman Rudin is a real ass."

"I hope you'll forgive me if I don't expand on that."

"No. . . I understand." O'Rourke crossed and then uncrossed his legs. "About that name I brought up this morning?"

Kennedy wasn't going to make this easy. She stared back at O'Rourke with her brown eyes, waiting for him to expand.

"You do remember the name I mentioned?"

"Yes."

"Well, what can you tell me about him?"

"Absolutely nothing."

O'Rourke leaned forward. "Come on, Irene. I deserve an answer." Kennedy continued to sit calmly behind her desk. "Can you at least tell me if you know him?"

Kennedy had thought this through thoroughly. "Michael, let me ask you something. If someone, let's say one of your colleagues, were to come to me and ask if I knew your grandfather, how would you want me to answer them?"

O'Rourke began fidgeting with his wedding ring. He knew Kennedy would bring this up, and that was why he had dreaded coming here. He had hoped to get a quick answer from her while they were on his home turf, but he should have known better.

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