JК
The Third Option :: Flynn Vince
Страница: 253 из 267AlbertRudin literally recoiled with revulsion at the sight of the CIA's director. There was no one the congressman hated more, no one in the history of the Republic who had so brutally abused and ignored the authority of Congress. The only thing that pleased Rudin about the appearance of Stansfield was that the man looked as if he might drop dead at any moment.
President Hayes helped Stansfield into his chair and then sat in his spot at the head of the table. He placed a leather folder in front of him and leaned back. With his hands folded, he looked around the table. Kaiser and Rudin were sitting to the president's right, and Stansfield and Rohrig were on his left. The president was more than willing to play the heavy again, but Kaiser had asked for the honor. The speaker of the House believed that the president should stay above the fray.
Hayes opened the leatherbound folder and pulled out a sheet of paper. «I have some unfortunate news.» Hayes held the sheet between his thumb and index finger and let it hang. «The secretary of state has just resigned.» The president looked to Rudin for a reaction.
With a sour, confused look on his face, Rudin asked, «Why?»
«There's a long version, which I don't have the patience to give to you, so I'll give you the short version. Secretary Midleton is a pompous, arrogant man who doesn't know how to follow a simple order from his boss.» Hayes pointed to himself. «That would be me, Al, in case you're wondering. I am the president of the United States. I run the executive branch of the government.»
Rudin was thrown by the remedial lesson in civics. Looking to Kaiser, he shook his head and said, «What do I have to do with this?»
Kaiser didn't hesitate for a second. «Did you have breakfast the other day with Charles Midleton and Hank Clark?»
Rudin shrugged his shoulders. «Yeah. It is not unusual for me to have breakfast with colleagues.»
«Who requested that meeting?»
«I don't know:'
«Don't bullshit me, Albert. You're on very thin ice right now.» Kaiser stared at the rail-thin Rudin.
«I think it was Hank Clark's idea.»
The president scoffed at the accusation, and Kaiser rumbled, «You don't honestly expect us to believe that, do you?»
«What is this all about? I don't know where you're getting your information, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out it came from a lying, senile, corrupt old man.» Rudin pointed his beaklike nose at Stansfield.
The president beat the speaker to the punch this time.
President Hayes helped Stansfield into his chair and then sat in his spot at the head of the table. He placed a leather folder in front of him and leaned back. With his hands folded, he looked around the table. Kaiser and Rudin were sitting to the president's right, and Stansfield and Rohrig were on his left. The president was more than willing to play the heavy again, but Kaiser had asked for the honor. The speaker of the House believed that the president should stay above the fray.
Hayes opened the leatherbound folder and pulled out a sheet of paper. «I have some unfortunate news.» Hayes held the sheet between his thumb and index finger and let it hang. «The secretary of state has just resigned.» The president looked to Rudin for a reaction.
With a sour, confused look on his face, Rudin asked, «Why?»
«There's a long version, which I don't have the patience to give to you, so I'll give you the short version. Secretary Midleton is a pompous, arrogant man who doesn't know how to follow a simple order from his boss.» Hayes pointed to himself. «That would be me, Al, in case you're wondering. I am the president of the United States. I run the executive branch of the government.»
Rudin was thrown by the remedial lesson in civics. Looking to Kaiser, he shook his head and said, «What do I have to do with this?»
Kaiser didn't hesitate for a second. «Did you have breakfast the other day with Charles Midleton and Hank Clark?»
Rudin shrugged his shoulders. «Yeah. It is not unusual for me to have breakfast with colleagues.»
«Who requested that meeting?»
«I don't know:'
«Don't bullshit me, Albert. You're on very thin ice right now.» Kaiser stared at the rail-thin Rudin.
«I think it was Hank Clark's idea.»
The president scoffed at the accusation, and Kaiser rumbled, «You don't honestly expect us to believe that, do you?»
«What is this all about? I don't know where you're getting your information, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out it came from a lying, senile, corrupt old man.» Rudin pointed his beaklike nose at Stansfield.
The president beat the speaker to the punch this time.