Political Pressure

35

Harold Smith lifted the red phone. "Yes, sir?"

"Smith, I just got a call from my old press manager, Orville Flicker," said the President of the United States.

"Really?"

"He's on his way to D.C."

"I see."

"He'd like to meet with me. He made some veiled threats."

"Such as?"

"He said he knows about my assassins, Smith. Says he'd like to talk it over before he goes public."

"I see."

"Excuse me, are you listening? If that little twerp exposes CURE, I'm finished! My administration will experience the fastest impeachment of all time!"

"It's under control, Mr. President. We know what evidence he has, and it's useless."

"But he knows something, Smith," the President insisted. "He might use it He knows how to get attention."

"He knows nothing, Mr. President," Dr. Smith assured him. "Mr. Flicker is only making an educated guess, and he will not use it. After tonight, I believe, he will have no credibility left."

Smith, without a second thought, hung up on the President and replayed the videotape on his screen. Mark Howard had just finished working with a digital video stream they had intercepted feeding into the Flicker residence in Dallas.

Mark's changes were expertly done. Smith couldn't see the editing.

Still, there was much about this exercise that made him feel grim, and angry.