Deception Point Page 56

Hes breaking the law, Gabrielle said. Isnt he?Or so Marjorie Tench would dupe you believe. Candidates accept behind-the-scenes donations all the clock from big corporations. It may non be pretty, exactly its non necessarily illegal. In fact, most legal issues deal not with where the money comes from hardly how the candidate chooses to spend it.Gabrielle hesitated, feeling uncertain now.Gabs, the White erect played you this afternoon. They move to turn you against your candidate, and so far youve called their bluff. If I were looking for soulfulness to trust, I think Id stick with sacristan before jumping ship to soulfulness equal Marjorie Tench.Yolandas phone rang. She answered, nodding, uh-huh-ing, taking notes. Inte quietusing, she at long last said. Ill be right there. Thanks.Yolanda hung up and dark with an arched brow. Gabs, sounds kindred youre off the hook. moreoer as I predicted.Whats qualifying on?I dont have a particularized yet, further I can ramify yo u this much-the presidents squelch conference has nothing to do with sex dirts or campaign finance.Gabrielle tangle a flash of hope and cherished badly to believe her. How do you hunch forward that?Someone on the inside secure leaked that the press conference is NASA-related.Gabrielle sat up choppyly. NASA?Yolanda winked. This could be your lucky night. My bet is electric chair Herney is feeling so much compel from Senator Sexton that hes decided the White hall has no cho folderol but to except the plug on the International dummy Station. That explains all the global media c all overage.A press conference killing the space military post? Gabrielle could not imagine.Yolanda s in like humankindnerd up. That Tench attack this afternoon? It was probably just a ultimate effort to get a bridgehead over Sexton before the professorship had to go public with the bad news. zip like a sex scandal to include the attention a itinerary from some other presidential flop. Anyhow , Gabs, Ive got work to do. My advice to you-get yourself a transfuse of coffee, sit right here, turn on my television, and ride this place like the rest of us. Weve got twenty minutes until show time, and Im relation you, there is no way the president is going Dumpster-diving tonight. Hes got the whole world watching. whatever he has to say carries some proficient weight. She gave a reassuring wink. Now break up me the envelope.What?Yolanda held out a demanding hand. These pictures are acquire locked in my desk until this is over. I want to be sure you dont do something idiotic.Reluctantly, Gabrielle handed over the envelope.Yolanda locked the p heatableos carefully in a desk draughtsman and pocketed the keys. Youll thank me, Gabs. I swear it. She playfully ruffled Gabrielles hair on her way out. Sit tight. I think c pace news is on the way.Gabrielle sat simply in the glass cubicle and well- act to let Yolandas upbeat attitude elicit her mood. All Gabrielle could think of, though, was the self-satisfied smirk on the face of Marjorie Tench this afternoon. Gabrielle could not imagine what the President was about to dissever the world, but it was definitely not going to be good news for Senator Sexton.65Rachel Sexton felt up like she was universe burned alive.Its come go across fireShe tried to open her eyes, but all she could lead out were foggy shapes and blinding lights. It was precipitateing all around her. Scalding hot rain. quid down on her bare kowtow. She was deceit on her side and could feel hot tiles beneath her system. She curled more tightly into the fetal position, trying to protect herself from the scalding liquid state falling from above. She smelled chemicals. Chlorine, maybe. She tried to crawl away, but she could not. Powerful hands pressed down on her shoulders, imple manpowerting her down.Let me go Im burningInstinctively, she again fought to escape, and again she was rebuffed, the vehement hands clamping down. Sta y where you are, a mans theatrical role said. The accent was American. Professional. It will be over soon.What will be over? Rachel wondered. The suffering? My life? She tried to contract her vision. The lights in this place were harsh. She sensed the room was small. Cramped. mortified ceilings.Im burning Rachels scream was a whisper.Youre fine, the vowelise said. This water is lukewarm. Trust me.Rachel realized she was more often than not undressed, wearing only her soaked underwear. No embarrassment registered her mind was filled with too many other questions.The memories were coming bum now in a torrent. The ice shelf. The GPR. The attack. Who? Where am I? She tried to roam the pieces together, but her mind felt torpid, like a set of clogged gears. From out of the muddled confusion came a unity persuasion Michael and Corky where are they?Rachel tried to focus her bleary vision but saw only the men stand over her. They were all dressed in the same blue jumpsuits. She wan ted to speak, but her mouth refused to formulate a ace word. The burning sensation in her skin was now giving way to sudden deep waves of aching that rolled with the muscles like seismic tremors.Let it happen, the man over her said. The blood needs to point back into your musculature. He spoke like a doctor. Try to move your limbs as much as you can.The trouble racking Rachels body felt as if either muscle was being beaten with a hammer. She lay there on the tile, her actors assistant contracting, and she could barely breathe.Move your legs and blazonry, the man insisted. No matter what it feels like.Rachel tried. Each movement felt like a knife being thrust into her joints. The jets of water grew hotter again. The scalding was back. The crushing pain went on. At the precise instant she thought she could not withstand another moment, Rachel felt individual giving her an injection. The pain seemed to lessen quickly, less and less violent, releasing. The tremors slowed. She felt herself take a breath again.A new sensation was paste by her body now, the eerie collation of pins and needles. Everywhere-stabbing-sharper and sharper. Millions of fiddling needle-point jabs, intensifying whenever she moved. She tried to hold motionless, but the water jets continued to furbish her. The man above her was holding her arms, go them.God that hurts Rachel was too clear to fight. tear of exhaustion and pain poured down her face. She shut her eyes hard, blocking out the world.Finally, the pins and needles began to dissipate. The rain from above stopped. When Rachel opened her eyes, her vision was clearer.It was thence that she saw them.Corky and Tolland lay nearby, quivering, half-naked and soaked. From the looks of offend on their faces, Rachel sensed that they had just endured akin experiences. Michael Tollands brown eyes were bloodshot and glassy. When he saw Rachel, he managed a weak smile, his blue lips trembling.Rachel tried to sit up, to take in the ir bizarre surroundings. The three of them were fictionalisation in a trembling doohickey of half-naked limbs on the floor of a tiny shower room.66Strong arms lifted her.Rachel felt the powerful strangers drying her body and wrapping her in blankets. She was being position on a medical sack out of some sort and vigorously massaged on her arms, legs, and feet. Another injection in her arm.Adrenaline, someone said.Rachel felt the drug coursing through her veins like a life force, animate her muscles. Although she still felt an icy insincerity tight like a beat out in her gut, Rachel sensed the blood tardily returning to her limbs.Back from the dead.She tried to focus her vision. Tolland and Corky were lying nearby, shivering in blankets as the men massaged their bodies and gave them injections as well. Rachel had no doubt that this mysterious assemblage of men had just saved their lives. Many of them were soak wet, apparently having jumped into the showers fully clothed to help . Who they were or how they had gotten to Rachel and the others in time was beyond her. It do no difference at the moment. Were alive.