Page 37 of Hawk on the Hunt

“How far to the Speaker’s office?” Dylan asked.

“He has two offices; the formal one is in the House Chamber in the south wing. But this time of day, he’s most likely in the other office, the one just off the Rotunda. Follow me. And look like you belong here.”

As they walked through the halls of power, the corridors where many a political alliance or policy were shaped, and the public areas where tourists admired the architectural beauty of the old building, Zara couldn’t help but wonder how somebody could be so evil as to want to destroy this symbol of democracy. So many priceless and irreplaceable statues, paintings, and other artifacts adorned every hall they passed through, and the thought that all this could be destroyed if Polo wasn’t stopped, made her sick. Inside these walls, history came alive for generation after generation to learn from and to cherish.

“It’s beautiful,” Tiger said next to her.

“Your first time?” she asked in a low voice.

He nodded.

“I hope all this can be saved,” she mused.

To her left, Dylan touched her arm lightly, making her look at him. “We’ll do everything in our power.”

She gave him a smile, awareness traveling through her. The explosion in Dylan’s vision could take place anytime. They were only a few yards away from the Speaker’s office, the plaque of which Dylan had seen in the rubble. She tried to shake off the morbid thoughts, and flashed her badge at the guard at the entrance to the hallway that led to the Speaker’s office. He was there to make sure that no tourists from the guided tours wandered off. With a nod, he waved them through. The first hurdle was behind them.

Zara took a steadying breath, every step bringing them closer to the Speaker’s office. But what would they do once inside? They hadn’t really discussed that, at least not in her presence. A staff member would most likely call security once they realized that the three of them had no official business with the Speaker of the House.

As they stopped a few feet away from the door to the Speaker’s office, Zara turned to Dylan and Tiger. “What now? What are we gonna say to them when we’re inside?”

“Let that be our problem. Stay outside. You work here. If something goes wrong, we don’t want them to be able to identify you as being part of this.”

Zara rolled her eyes and huffed. “Well, you’re changing your tune like a flag in the wind. Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t leave my side if I ever got near the Capitol? Well, we’re inside the Capitol. And now, you want me to wait here on my own?”

Dylan ran a hand through his hair, before letting out a breath. “You know you’ll never be able to work here again if it all goes wrong.”

She shrugged. “I don’t like my job that much anyway.”

“All right then. But you’re staying behind us. Once we’re inside, lock the door so nobody else can get in. Understood?”

“Understood.”

He pulled his earpiece from his pocket and popped it back into his ear. When he tapped it, he cringed. “Only static. How about yours, Tiger?”

Tiger shook his head. “Same. Maybe there’s too much interference here. We’ll do without.”

“All right.” He nodded at Tiger. “I’m ready when you are.”

“I’ve been ready for a long time, buddy.”

21

Polo stared at the TV screen in his office. The plane carrying the coffin with the body of David Grossman, the VP’s son, was scheduled to land shortly, yet POTUS and the VP weren’t waiting on the tarmac yet. Something wasn’t right. Marine One should have landed ten minutes ago at the latest. The reporter covering the event continued to speculate that delays like this were normal, and the arrival of the VP was imminent.

Polo continued watching the screen, becoming more impatient by the second. Perspiration began to accumulate on his brow, and he wiped it away with a tissue, then tossed it in the trash, but missed the basket. Everything hinged on this. Where the fuck were the president and the vice president? What was keeping them? His cell phone lay on his desk, and the app that would detonate the bomb at Joint Base Andrews was flashing at him.

Detonate? a red button blinked.

All of a sudden, the female reporter on the monitor pressed a finger to her earpiece, listening intently. At the same time, a red breaking news banner scrolled across the bottom of the screen.

“We’ve just received word that there’s been an incident involving Marine One.”

Fuck!

Polo read the banner, which was scrolling far too slowly.

President and VP rushed to White House bunker after Marine One disabled during takeoff.