CHAPTER 10

January 26

He must've fallen asleep working on the speech with Sam and Toby. The State of the Union was in two nights. He had to remind them that Leo wanted to add a part about educational spending. Bill Fryer had asked them too. Leo liked Bill. Wasn't he staying out of the speech this year?

Why hadn't anyone woken him up? They probably did something to him while he was asleep. It wasn't a Tobyish thing to do but Sam wasn't above it. And if CJ or Donna happened to come in...

They'd done something to his face. It felt like it was covered with something. Tape. They'd duct taped his face.

What the hell? I outrank them all.

Not opening his eyes, he reached up to pull the duct tape off. Someone pulled his hand back down. Now they were going too far. They needed to work on the speech.

"Okay, you guys have had your fun. Let me up." Why was his throat so dry?

"Josh?"

Donna sounded concerned. She hadn't been in on it. A savior had arrived!

"Josh, are you awake?"

"Where's Sam? I'm going to kill him."

"Josh!"

He opened his eyes. He was lying in a hospital bed, not the couch in Toby's office. Why was he here?

A thought hit him. He was still there from being shot. Had his entire life had been a dream since then?

"Josh?"

CJ was there too. No, this wasn't right. The President was supposed to be there. Him and Leo.

He smiled at them. "Hey."

Donna grabbed his hand. CJ wheeled in a little closer.

Hang on, wheeled? Why was CJ in a wheelchair? And why weren't they working on the speech? They needed to get it done perfect tonight so that the President could come in and tell them that he wanted to make a few quick changes, no big deal.

"We have to finish the speech." He said, "Why aren't we there? You left Sam alone with Toby two days before the State of the Union? What's the matter with you? Do you people have no souls?"

He'd expected at least a sympathy laugh from Donna. But neither woman said anything. "What?"

"I'm going to go get a doctor." Donna said. She got up and left.

Josh looked over at CJ. "What?"

She didn't answer. Why did she look like she was about to cry?

"CJ, what's going on? Why am I here?"

CJ was spared having to answer by the arrival of the doctor. "Welcome back Mr. Lyman." She said.

"Why won't anyone answer me?"

"About what?"

"About what the hell is going on!"

"Calm down." The doctor said patiently, "You seem alright but I want you to rest a little while before we talk."

"I'll rest after."

"Sir, please."

"Josh."

Donna was crying too. "Please, listen to her." She said, "I know it's tough for you to do but please, just this once."

"Alright, but not long." He was dizzy anyways.

5:15 EST. Mercy Hospital Mess

Donna ate the last bite of the radioactive goo they called lime Jell-O and dumped her tray. She sat back down and looked out the window. It was getting dark, she noticed. So much for not long. Josh had been asleep for seven hours. Maybe she should go back up.

She was outside the recovery room when a nurse stopped her. "Dear, Mr. Lyman isn't in there anymore."

Donna's throat tightened. "Why not?"

"We had to move him to another room. He was threatening a nurse with his IV needle."

Donna couldn't decide whether she wanted to laugh or strangle him.

"He's down the hall. Fourth room."

"Thanks."

When she got to the room Josh was arguing with a nurse. When he saw her come in he said, "Donna! Tell me what the hell is going on!"

Donna looked at the nurse. "Could you leave us alone for a little while?"

The nurse gave a sigh of relief and left. Donna sat down and Josh watched her expectantly.

"The building blew up." She said.

"The White House!"

"No, the Capitol. The State of the Union was almost a week ago. Terrorists—someone-- set off a bomb. Nearly everyone was killed."

"That's impossible! The security-"

"I don't know. No one does."

"Who made it?

"You, CJ, a few others who weren't on the House Floor."

"Why wasn't I?"

Donna shrugged. "I want to talk to CJ." Josh said, "She's got to have some answers."

"I'll go get her."

Donna got up to leave. "Donna?" Josh called as she got to the door.

She turned around. "Everyone?" There was a hint of pleading in his voice.

She nodded. "Get CJ."

She came back a few minutes later wheeling CJ. CJ's bandages were gone but the cuts were still visible all over her face. The doctors were amazed at how less serious her injuries were than they had thought.

CJ squeezed his hand. "How?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"I don't remember any of it. I thought we were still working on the speech. Why weren't we in there?"

"You left to use the bathroom or something. Leo got mad and sent me after you."

"Tell me everything."

She spent the next fifteen minutes telling what had happened to them, plus the things she had learned since she woke up.

When she was telling him about the footsteps in the hall behind her, she unconsciously squeezed his hand even tighter. It wasn't until he yelped in pain that she realized it.

"Sorry." She said, "I was about to start running when you grabbed me. You had a lighter and – why'd you have a lighter?"

"I must've been carrying it for the president. I've had to since that debate."

"Oh..."

She finished telling the story just as the nurse returned. "Ms. Cregg!" she exclaimed, "You shouldn't be in here! The doctors are panicking."

Josh looked at Donna. "You kidnapped her?"

She gave him a wicked grin and he rolled his eyes. The nurse took CJ away.

"I have to go." Donna said, "We cancelled the meetings and stuff, but we still need people there. I'll come back as soon as I'm off."

"Okay. Bye."

But it was obvious that he was shaken from CJ's story. Donna felt bad about leaving, but she had to.

Once she was gone, Josh thought about everything CJ had said. One thing stuck out. Leo had died mad at him.

10:00 PM. EST. J. Edgar Hoover building.

So many agents were killed. Before the FBI headquarters had been overflowing with people. Now barely half remained.

Agent Caleb Christian sat at his desk, facing a mound of paperwork. He was thinking about how he was in for a long, boring night when the fax machine wrrred to life. He took the paper from it, laid it on his desk, then picked it up again.

We killed him. We killed the bleeding-heart son of a bitch and his whole administration. Come and find us. We will kill you too.