"And after the debrief with Under Secretary Cushing you should be home by five tonight, Madam Secretary," Blake said.
She was turned towards the window, watching as the trees passed by in green blurs as they headed out to Fairfax.
"It's watered down."
"Ma'am?"
Her hands clasped together in her lap, and she pulled on her fingers.
"My schedule," she clarified. "Did Henry call you?" She knew that they talked frequently.
"With all due respect Ma'am…"
She looked over her shoulder, watching as he turned over his tablet.
"President Dalton will be up in New York today while the Vice President heads to Pennsylvania." He held her stare. "Cabinet members typically hold their own ceremonies to commemorate the 9/11 attacks. Respectively, a lot of your colleagues will be out of the office."
"Of course," she muttered as she turned back towards the window.
And the car was quiet until Blake spoke again.
"Henry told me not to tell you, but Russell Jackson called again. He wants you to do the interview with Jane Pauley."
She swallowed as her eyes followed an airplane across the sky, watching until it disappeared into the clouds.
"I won't do it."
She couldn't.
"I'll let his assistant know."
She wouldn't fall apart on national television.
