Three months later, Martin straightened his tie and took a deep breath getting out of the cab at the Capital building, the fragrant scent of cherry blossoms filling his nose. The morning air outside was unseasonably warm for March and had been for the last week causing some of the trees to bud, a sure sign of Spring, but he was far from comfortable. He'd been subpoenaed to testify before a hearing of the Judicial Subcommittee of Congress in the official investigation into what caused Lily's kidnapping. The investigation had been opened by Ambassador Anderson, both he and Jack knew it, even his father knew it, but there was no way to quash it. Charles Anderson still had a lot of friends in high places and this case had threatened his daughter. Someone would pay for the personal attack.
Lily paced the outer office of Senator Todd George. Todd had called her from his private cell phone at five that morning wanting to see her in his office by eight, so there she was, waiting to be called in, and the worst was running though her head. "Todd," she began after she closed the door to his main office, "I really shouldn't be here. Considering I'm scheduled to testify before you and the sub-committee in a little over an hour."
"If anyone asks, you were here on the Donovan case." He sat down on the couch. "And there's not going to be a hearing."
She stopped pacing and looked at him shocked. "What?"
"You heard me, Lily. There's not going to be a hearing. I just came out of an emergency meeting where we voted to push the hearing off indefinitely."
"Did Daddy make a call?"
"I don't know, but The Speaker called me at home last night and said that he would consider it a personal favor if I were to convene an emergency session and vote to postpone the hearings."
She sat down and crossed her legs as she sighed. "Who did Ben get a call from?"
"I'm guessing the Director of DHS or your father, but I don't think Charles would have called DHS to get this swept back under the rug."
"This came as a total shock to me and I haven't heard any rumblings from my father about him being told to back off, so I'm guessing that somewhere there is a sacrificial lamb being escorted from a governmental building."
"Have you talked to your fiancée?" Todd actually grinned as he sipped his coffee.
"Funny." She laughed.
The intercom rang and Todd lost his smile as he answered it. "Send them in, Nancy. Thank you." He stood up and became the proper U.S. Senator he was trained to be, right down to the slick smile and the way he held his outstretched hand. "Special Agent Malone, it's good to meet you. Martin, it's good to see you again. Please have a seat."
"Hi." Martin kissed Lily's cheek before sitting down next to her on the couch.
"Gentlemen, thank you both for traveling all the way down here, can I have something brought in? Coffee? Breakfast?"
"No thank you, Senator." Jack spoke. "We'd just like to get this over with."
"I understand. Well, I know you have traveled a great distance today, but your testimony won't be necessary. The hearings have been postponed."
"When were they rescheduled for?" Jack didn't hide his contempt. It wasn't just a hassle coming down to D.C.; it took manpower away from open cases.
"That date hasn't been set yet, but as soon as it is, you will be my first call."
Lily fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Todd, I don't think they need to hear the party line. Jack, Martin, a call was made and the hearings pushed off the calendar."
"So, no investigation into the case?" Jack questioned.
"I can't control OPR, but I will certainly make a call on behalf of your team if you would like."
"No," Martin quickly jumped in, "that won't be necessary."
"OK, then, I'll walk you out."
"I hate politicians." Jack grumbled as they walked into the main hall.
"Don't talk to loudly. You are surrounded on all sides." Lily laughed. "In the grand scheme, though, Todd isn't all that bad when compared to most of the inhabitants of this building."
"Which one of the natives made the phone call that quashed the investigation?"
"I really wish I knew, but I can tell you that I will find out."
Martin sighed when he saw the familiar face walking down the hall towards them. "I don't think you're going to have to look too hard." He said under his breath as he straightened his suit and put on a phony smile. "Hi Dad."
"Martin, Jack," Victor Fitzgerald extended his hand to his son and Jack with a smile he'd perfected, it never reached his eyes, but still lit up his face, "a little bird told me you two might be here today." Looking to the right of his son, he reached out and embraced his future daughter-in-law. "Lily, you are more beautiful every time I see you."
"Hello Victor." Jack tried to prevent himself from laughing at the charade. Why Lily wanted to marry into that family was beyond him.
"Hello Jack. It's good to see that you're doing well." The false sentiment dripped from his tongue like a sticky nectar, coming off as much too sweet. "Jack, if you don't mind, I'd like to steal Martin and Lily for breakfast." He placed his hand on his son's shoulder.
Jack smiled, but only to curb the laughter at the look of pain on Martin's face. "I don't mind at all, Victor. Our flight isn't until five tonight. Keep him as long as you need."
"Great." He extended his hand again. "It was good to see you again, Jack."
"Same here. You kids have a good time."
"Something tells me he doesn't want to discuss the guest list for the wedding." Martin shook his head as he followed his father's car out into traffic. "I wish he would learn to just stop meddling in my life." He felt Lily take his hand. "Sorry, our lives."
"Sweetheart, we are from prominent D.C. families. Our parents, at least my parents, only had children to make themselves look good. We are merely chess pieces that they feel they can manipulate in order to gain more power and strength. I would have thought you would have known that by now."
"Just because I know it, doesn't mean I have to like it."
She laughed. "No one likes it, Honey, but you can't keep wasting your energy fighting it because it's going to happen whether you want it to or not."