The Hammer of God

As he was leaving the room, Cheryl came over and gave him the look that meant wait until the others leave. Even though the room was now empty, she spoke in low tones.

“Mr. Hiccock, I hope you don’t mind me bringing this up, but I have lived through a couple of White House crashes before and I thought…”

“Cheryl, I meant what I said. It’s a great point you made and I thank you for bringing it up.”

“Actually, I was hoping you’d make me your second.”

This is why he liked having Cheryl as his assistant. She saw things from the helicopter and very often from the ground up at the same time. “I’ll have to check if you would be eligible.”

“I reviewed the guidelines. I qualify and section seven specifies it’s totally your call.”

“Well at least you’re not pressuring me.”

“During a crisis, if you become President it will just be about running things and making sure information flows. We are not going to be entering into new science areas. I know the machinery and where and when to kick it.”

“Again, all good points. Let me think it over.”

“Okay fine.”

“Wait. What if I don’t choose you?”

“Then I’ll know you had a good reason and I’ll accept it.”

She got up and left. Bill felt uncomfortable but didn’t know why.

A little bell went off in his head and he redirected his attention to the phone on his desk. He hit the auto dial, “Hi Hon, listen I was thinking about the Indian place on K Street tonight.”

“Oh Bill, I don’t think I am up for it. I’ve been dragging all morning. What do you say we just stay in tonight and hang low?”

“Sure, Babe. Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, probably just… I dunno; I am not really up for anything.”

“Good enough. I should be home by seven. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Deadly Liaisons

Alzir El Benhan was pleased. The handoff of his Chinese package, from the Sudanese government courier, traveling under diplomatic immunity, went flawlessly at the cabstand of JFK’s International Arrivals Terminal Four. Both men acted out agreeing to “share” the same cab to New York. Although the courier went on to New York, he dropped El-Benhan off at one of the low-end motels on the access road to the airport.

The clerk at the motel outside JFK greedily accepted his cash advance payment for a block of twenty-four rooms this Saturday, three days hence. In his attache case were twenty-two domestic round-trip tickets. One to each town in which the National Football League played that weekend along with a few other well-chosen towns, most of them with subways. The delivery of the jars shipped from Beijing to Africa and then to him was the last piece needed for Saturday’s meeting. Between Sunday afternoon and the morning rush hour the next day, their work — Allah’s work — would be done.

?§?

“Feeling any better?” Bill said, kissing Janice on the forehead as she burrowed into the corner arm of the couch with her feet up on the hassock.

“Yeah, a little. How was your day?”

“Better than yours, except Cheryl blindsided me with something and I don’t know how I am going to handle it.”

“She wants a raise?”

“No, she wants my job.”

“Did you tell her you aren’t finished with it yet?”

“Not exactly that, no. Want me to make you some tea?”

“Ooooh yeah, that would be perfect.”

“Back in a nanosecond.”

As Bill filled the teapot from the plastic spring water jug, Janice appeared at the kitchen door. “Bill, what are we doing?”

“Well, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius, so I am about to attempt to achieve that phenomenon.”

“I think you know that wasn’t what I was asking. I mean what are we doing here, living together like kids again.”

Bill placed the pot on the burner and maxed the knob. When the gas caught, he backed off the setting, silencing the clicking of the spark generator. He knew more about the workings of the stove than about the workings of the woman who obviously wanted to have a very serious discussion with him. “Let’s go back inside.”

They settled on the couch. Bill stroked Janice’s hair with his outstretched arm. She caught his hand and ran it past her cheek before kissing it. Then she nestled it in the crook of her neck with the gentle urge for him to rub her there.

“What’s on your mind, Babe?” Bill said as he did what she urged.

“I’m not sure where this is going. Are we going to get married again or just live together? I don’t know why, but right now the answer seems very important to me.”

Bill rubbed Janice’s neck harder. “Janice, when we found each other again, it was a miracle. Maybe the first time around for us wasn’t the best because I wasn’t ready, wasn’t aware of what a true relationship with someone meant. I didn’t bring any tools with me to fix any of the little things that you need to fix to keep two people together.”

He stopped rubbing and turned toward her. “But now, thanks to you, I feel I am ready to try again. If you’ll have me, again.”

Janice tilted her head. “Bill, are you proposing?”