Terminal Compromise, Winn Schwartau [sight word books txt] 📗

> *

Scott saw the galley for the afternoon paper. The headline, in 3

inch letters shocked him:

RICKFIELD RESIGNS

He immediately called Senator Nancy Deere.

“I was going to call you,” she said. “I guess you’ve heard.”

“Yes, what happened?” He shouted excitedly over the rumble of the

high speed train.

“I guess I should take the blame,” Nancy said. “When I confront-

ed the Senator this morning, he just stared at me. Never said a

word. I begged him for an explanation, but he sat there, expres-

sionless. He finally got up and left.”

“That’s it? What happens now?”

“I see the President,” she said.

“May I ask why?”

“Off the record,” she insisted.

“Sure.” Scott agreed. What’s one more source I can’t name.

“I heard about the resignation from the White House. Phil Mus-

grave. He said the President was very concerned and wanted a

briefing from my perspective. He’s beginning to feel some heat

on the computer crimes and doesn’t have a clue. I figure they

need to get up to speed real fast.”

“It’s about time,” Scott said out loud. “They’ve been ignoring

this forever.”

“And,” Senator Deere added, “they want you there, too. Tomorrow,

9A.M.”

The hair on Scott’s neck stood on end. A command performance

from the White House?

“Why, why me?

“You seem to know more than they do. They think you’re wired

into the hackers and Homosoto.”

“I’ll be there,” Scott managed to get out. “What do I do . . .?”

“Call Musgrave’s office at the White House.”

“I bet the paper’s going nuts. I didn’t tell them I had left or

where I was going,” Scott laughed.

Scott called Doug who had half of the paper looking high and low

for him. “You made the big time, huh kid?” Doug said feigning

snobbery. “What world shattering events precipitated this mag-

nanimous call?” In fact he was proud. Very proud of Scott.

Scott explained to Doug that he would call after the White House

meeting, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was going, and that

Nancy was taking over the hearings and he would stay in DC for a

few days. And no, he wouldn’t tell more than was in print, not

without calling Doug or Higgins – at any hour.

Doug sounded relieved when Scott volunteered that there would be

no hotel bills. Phew. Forever the cheap skate. The story of the

year and he’s counting pennies. God, Doug was a good editor.

Scott’s stories on computer crime and specifically the dGraph

situation aroused national attention. Time, Newsweek and dozens

of periodicals began following the story, but Scott, at Doug’s

suggestion, had wisely held back enough information that would

guarantee the privacy and quality of his sources.

He was right in the middle of it, perhaps making news as much as

reporting it, but with Doug’s and the Times’ guidance, Scott and

the paper were receiving accolades on their fair yet direct

treatment of the issues.

Doug thought that Scott was perhaps working on the story of the

year, or maybe the decade, but he never told him so. However,

Scott was warned that as the story became major national news,

the exclusivity that he and the Times had enjoyed would be in

jeopardy. Get it while the getting is hot.

No problem.

It just so happened Scott knew Miles Foster personally.

“Sonja? I’m coming down. Tonight. Can you recommend a good

hotel?” He jibed at her while packing away his laptop computer

for the trip to Washington. He called her and was going to leave

a message, but instead he was rewarded with her answering the

phone.

“Chez Lindstrom is nice, but the rates are kind of high.”

“King or twin beds? Room with a view? Room service?”

“E, all of the above,” she laughed. “Want me to pick you up at

National?”

“Naw, I’ll take the train from work. I may need to buy a few

things when I get there, like a suitcase and a wardrobe. It’s

kind of last minute.”

“I gather I wasn’t the prime reason for your sudden trip,” Sonja

said in fun.

“No, it was, I wanted to come, but I had to do some . . .and then

I found out about . . .well I have to be there tomorrow, but I am

leaving a day early.” He pleaded for understanding, not realiz-

ing she was kidding him. He couldn’t tell her why he was being

so circumspect. Nothing about the meeting.

“Well,” she said dejectedly, “I guess it’s O.K. If.”

“If what?” Scott brightened.

“If we can have a couple of friends over for dinner. There’s

someone I’d like you to meet.”

*

“Holy shit,” Scott said as Sonja opened her apartment door and

admitted Miles and the stunning Stephanie.

Miles stopped in his tracks and stared at Scott. Then at Stepha-

nie. “What’s the deal?” he said accusingly.

“This is Sonja Lindstrom and her friend Scott Mason,” Stephanie

said. “What’s wrong, hon?” She still had her arm wrapped around

Miles’ arm.

“It’s just that, well, we’ve met, and I was just kind of sur-

prised, that’s all.” He extended a hand at Scott. “Good to see

you again.” Scott warmly reciprocated. This was going to be an

interesting evening.

“Yeah, ditto,” Scott said, confused. “What happened to you? I

thought you were coming back?” He was speaking of Amsterdam.

“Well, I was a little occupied, if you recall,” Miles said refer-

ring to the triplets in Amsterdam. “And business forced me to

depart earlier than I had anticipated.”

“Where? To Japan?” Scott awaited a reaction by Miles, but was

disappointed when there was none.

Stephanie and Sonja wondered how the two had already met; it was

their job to report such things to Alex, but it really didn’t

matter any more. They were quitting.

The first round of drinks was downed quickly and the tension in

the room abated slightly. The four spoke casually, albeit some-

what guardedly. The harmless small talk was only a prelude to

Scott’s question when the girls stepped into the kitchen. Per-

haps they left the room on purpose.

“Listen,” Scott whispered urgently to Miles. “I know who you

are, and that you’re tied up with Homosoto and the computer

nutsiness that’s going on everywhere. You have a lot of people

looking for you and we only have a few seconds,” Scott said

glancing up at the kitchen door. “I see the situation as fol-

lows. You get to tell your side of the story to the authorities

in private, or you can tell me first and I put it in tomorrow’s

paper. This may be your only chance to get your side of the

story out. All of sudden, you’re big news. What’ll it be?”

Scott spoke confidently and waited for Miles’ answer.

Miles intently scanned every inch of Scott’s face in minute

detail. “That fucking gook. You’re damn right I’ll talk. First

of all, it’s a lie,” Miles hissed. “If they’re coming after

me, I have to protect myself. Can’t trust a fucking slant eye,

can you?”

The girls returned with fresh drinks and sat down on the white

leather couch. Miles and Scott continued their discussion.

“What happened?” Scott asked. Miles looked over at the stunning

Sonja, stripping her naked with his stare and then at Stephanie

who had caught his stare.

“It’s very simple,” Miles said after a while. His dimples deep-

ened while he forced a smile. “Homosoto’s fucked us all.” He

nodded his head as he looked at his three companions. “Me.

Royally. How the hell can I defend myself against accusations

from the grave.” He shrugged his shoulders. “And you,” he point-

ed at Scott. “You’ve kept the fear going. Haven’t you. You

picked up the scent and you’ve been writing about it for months.

Setting his stage for him. Like a puppet. And then? After you

sensitize the public, he commits suicide. He used you.”

“And then, you two,” Miles said to Stephanie and Sonja. “You

could be out in the cold in days. Bet you didn’t know you were

in on it. Am I right?”

“In on what?” Scott asked Miles and Sonja.

“Tell him,” Miles said to Sonja. “I’ve never met you, but I can

guess what you do for a living.”

“She’s a PR person,” interjected Scott.

“Go on, tell him, or I will,” Miles said again.

Sonja’s eyes pleaded with Miles to stop it. Please, stop. I’ll

do it in my own way, in time. Please, stop. Scott glowered at

Miles’ words and awaited a response from Sonja. How could he

distrust her? But what did Miles mean?

The front door bell rang and broke the intense silence. It rang

again as Sonja went to answer.

“Yes, he’s here,” she whispered.

The door opened and Tyrone Duncan came into the room while anoth-

er man stood at the door. Tyrone walked up to Miles. Scott was

in absolute awe. How the hell? Ty had said