There was serious discussion about pulling off to the side of the road and
waiting for the storm to clear. But, aside from the one brief break in the
swirling blizzard, the weather showed now signs of clearing.
Even Sam, staggering back to the limo, reported weakly that the wind was picking up again. He was covered in a thick layer of snow, but he didn't seem to care at all.
"Let's get something figured out soon. What if someone else decides to drive down this road? There's no way in hell they're going to make it through without hitting something."
"With all due respect, sir," Leo said into the phone, "I think we're about the only ones crazy enough to try driving in this mess." He stared out into the white blanket that had again descended over the convoy. "And even we wouldn't be out here if we had had the sense to listen to our drivers."
"We're listening now and they're not saying much of anything." Then there was a long pause. "Hold on, Leo, I think we've got a decision."
The drivers had braved the snow to discuss the various alternatives near Jed's limo. Apparently they had come to a decision because even as Jed spoke, their own driver was pulling open his door. "We're going to keep going. We're closer to Parliament Hill than we are to the airport or your hotel," the driver told them, brushing the snow off the shoulders of his coat. "But we're not going very fast, especially not over the bridge."
"Bridge?" CJ repeated nervously.
"Yeah, we'll be going over it in about a minute."
The cars started slowly swinging back into line, keeping much more distance between each vehicle than before. They proceeded down the road, just keeping the taillights of the car in front in view, just in case someone spun out again.
CJ, Leo's coat tucked tightly around her shoulders, was still griping the armrest so tightly her knuckles were white. She didn't say a word, but her eyes widened at every correction the car made.
Sam was still pale, but he had regained much of his usual vigour as he sat arguing with Josh, Leo, and Toby. "This is essential to our national security? Leo, we don't have it now. Is our security really in that much danger?"
"It isn't, yet. But what happens when their technology outpaces ours? We've got to stay one step ahead, because if we get behind, even a little bit, we stuck." Leo gazed into the younger man's eyes.
The car had come to a bumpy stop and CJ's eyes were as wide as saucers, but she didn't say anything. "CJ, it's okay. We're here," Josh said, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder.
"We're here," she said, her voice surprisingly calm. Despite what may have been going through her head, her outward demeanour was cool and professional. But, she was the first one out of the car.
The silhouettes of the Parliament buildings were nearly obscured in the blowing snow. Even the bright spot of the Peace Flame was dulled and veiled. "Gee, I hope they're expecting us," Sam said, staring after CJ out into the snow.
"There's only one way to find out," Leo answered, starting up the steps after CJ. Through the snow, they could see other dark figures starting the trek up to the main entrance. There were no signs of welcome, and they had to stumble through drifts of snow just to reach the top terrace.
By that time, they had caught up to CJ, and they waded through the final set of snow drifts together, Jed a few feet off to their right, flanked by Secret Service agents. The snow wasn't as deep up under the covered entrance, but for a moment there was no sign of life.
They stood there for a moment in silence, each person thinking of their own worst case scenario; most of them involved being locked out of the Parliament Buildings. Then, the door swung open a crack and a red head poked out. When she saw there were actually people standing in front of her, she pulled the door open wide. "Come on in; I've been waiting for you."
Gratefully, the staff stood back to allow the Secret Service agents to check the inside. When Ron came back out, saying, "It's clear," only the fact that Jed was the President stopped them from racing in out of the snow.
Even Sam, staggering back to the limo, reported weakly that the wind was picking up again. He was covered in a thick layer of snow, but he didn't seem to care at all.
"Let's get something figured out soon. What if someone else decides to drive down this road? There's no way in hell they're going to make it through without hitting something."
"With all due respect, sir," Leo said into the phone, "I think we're about the only ones crazy enough to try driving in this mess." He stared out into the white blanket that had again descended over the convoy. "And even we wouldn't be out here if we had had the sense to listen to our drivers."
"We're listening now and they're not saying much of anything." Then there was a long pause. "Hold on, Leo, I think we've got a decision."
The drivers had braved the snow to discuss the various alternatives near Jed's limo. Apparently they had come to a decision because even as Jed spoke, their own driver was pulling open his door. "We're going to keep going. We're closer to Parliament Hill than we are to the airport or your hotel," the driver told them, brushing the snow off the shoulders of his coat. "But we're not going very fast, especially not over the bridge."
"Bridge?" CJ repeated nervously.
"Yeah, we'll be going over it in about a minute."
The cars started slowly swinging back into line, keeping much more distance between each vehicle than before. They proceeded down the road, just keeping the taillights of the car in front in view, just in case someone spun out again.
CJ, Leo's coat tucked tightly around her shoulders, was still griping the armrest so tightly her knuckles were white. She didn't say a word, but her eyes widened at every correction the car made.
Sam was still pale, but he had regained much of his usual vigour as he sat arguing with Josh, Leo, and Toby. "This is essential to our national security? Leo, we don't have it now. Is our security really in that much danger?"
"It isn't, yet. But what happens when their technology outpaces ours? We've got to stay one step ahead, because if we get behind, even a little bit, we stuck." Leo gazed into the younger man's eyes.
The car had come to a bumpy stop and CJ's eyes were as wide as saucers, but she didn't say anything. "CJ, it's okay. We're here," Josh said, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder.
"We're here," she said, her voice surprisingly calm. Despite what may have been going through her head, her outward demeanour was cool and professional. But, she was the first one out of the car.
The silhouettes of the Parliament buildings were nearly obscured in the blowing snow. Even the bright spot of the Peace Flame was dulled and veiled. "Gee, I hope they're expecting us," Sam said, staring after CJ out into the snow.
"There's only one way to find out," Leo answered, starting up the steps after CJ. Through the snow, they could see other dark figures starting the trek up to the main entrance. There were no signs of welcome, and they had to stumble through drifts of snow just to reach the top terrace.
By that time, they had caught up to CJ, and they waded through the final set of snow drifts together, Jed a few feet off to their right, flanked by Secret Service agents. The snow wasn't as deep up under the covered entrance, but for a moment there was no sign of life.
They stood there for a moment in silence, each person thinking of their own worst case scenario; most of them involved being locked out of the Parliament Buildings. Then, the door swung open a crack and a red head poked out. When she saw there were actually people standing in front of her, she pulled the door open wide. "Come on in; I've been waiting for you."
Gratefully, the staff stood back to allow the Secret Service agents to check the inside. When Ron came back out, saying, "It's clear," only the fact that Jed was the President stopped them from racing in out of the snow.