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The press release you have in mind will have to be coordinated with the State Department, and then the President must see it. Work it up, and you can read it to me when I call again." |
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Morgan turned to find Kellner at his elbow. "Is the defector the Russian from Mexico City?" |
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"From farther away than that, John. A helo is on the South Lawn, waiting to take you to Bethesda. I want to know what he knows. Talk to him, then get back here as fast as you can." |
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Under an overcast so heavy it left the city in a leaden twilight, the Marine helicopter lifted from the South Lawn of the White House with Morgan the sole passenger. |
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Rain had begun to streak the helo's cabin windows as the pilots circled to land on the helicopter pad at Bethesda. On the shiny streets below the morning traffic jam coming in off the Beltway was near gridlock. Headlights reflected from the wet pavements. The dark morning grew even darker as a line of squalls moved up Chesapeake Bay and on into the capital. Turbulence shook the descending chopper, and to the southeast could be seen streaks of lightning. |
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The helicopter landed in a swirling storm of spray from the rotor downdraft. A gray utility vehicle waited close by, headlights on, blue and red strobes flashing. The helo's flight engineer, a Marine warrant officer, appeared in the passenger cabin and unlatched the door. A shore patrolman waited on the helipad at the foot of the ladder. "Colonel Morgan, come with me please." He gestured at the van. |
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Morgan followed him across the rainy, windswept space to the vehicle for the short ride into the basement of the Bethesda Naval Hospital. The SP pointed out the elevator and said, "Deck Three, Colonel. You're expected." |
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When the elevator deposited Morgan on the third floor, a middle-aged woman in starched whites with the stripes of a U.S. Navy Nurse Corps lieutenant senior grade on her cap stepped out from behind the counter of the floor station to meet him. |
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