Spicer pushed her off and managed to get to his knees. With fury in her eyes, she charged back. But this time his position favored him. He grabbed her while he stood up and heaved her off.
She lost her balance and her body slid down the railing. The impetus carried her down the steps and past the two USSS agents who were climbing up. She landed on her back a flight lower.
It was exactly where her gun was.
The fight had completely worn Spicer out and the federal agents were on him before he could slid a hand inside his shirt and get his gun.
“Federal agents!”
“Secret Service!”
He couldn’t fight them. Not only did he have no energy left but he saw them as saviors. Unlike the CIA, they wouldn’t try to murder him.
While he was being restrained, Spicer locked eyes with Clara through the railing. She had her USP aimed at his head and pulling the trigger would make her day.
“Too many witnesses?” Spicer asked, amused for once.
She didn’t budge, keeping a bead on him.
Chapter 30
The door opened and a handcuffed Spicer was pushed into the suite on the 33rd floor. His first thought was that the ocean view from the floor-to-ceiling windows must have been magnificent in daytime, but at the moment the windows only reflected the light from inside the spacious suite.
The Secret Service agents escorted him to the conversation area while Clara followed. She had personally searched Spicer and she was holding his secret gun holder. Esther, Ned, and Esther were already on the couch. They weren’t handcuffed but it was apparent to Spicer they were prisoners as well.
Houseman was sitting in a wing chair while Michaels and presidential candidate Regis Ford were standing next to him.
“Beautiful,” Spicer said. “The brass of the Nazi Party is here.”
Clara shoved him to shut him up and she tossed the gun pouch on an empty sofa. Michaels turned to the federal agents.
“Thank you, we’ll handle it from here.”
They nodded and left. Normally, the Secret Service would have been reluctant to leave their principal with known criminals, but they’d been made to understand that these were extenuating circumstances. On top of that, Houseman, Michaels, and Ford were all powerful and influential government figures with clout.
“So Gerald,” the presidential candidate began, staring at Spicer. “This is the son of a bitch who started it all.”
“Yes.”
“How do you suppose we handle this?”
Dr. Michaels was eager to be heard on the matter and smacked his lips. “I’m sure Clara can help us out in this department.”
Houseman ignored this. Instead he stood up and came closer to Spicer. “Why did you come here, Mr. Spicer?”
“People in handcuffs rarely tell the truth.”
The director of Sigma made eye contact with Clara who shook her head.
“I would advise against it, sir.”
“If he wanted to kill us, we’d already be dead. Isn’t it right, Mr. Spicer?”
The order was clear. Clara shrugged and went to Spicer to remove the cuffs. He rubbed the pain in his wrists away.
Ford said, “Answer the man’s question now.”
“I wanted to let you guys know that I…” He glanced over at his friends. “We know what your agenda is.”
“Is that right?” Dr. Michaels asked with a snort.
“The Anchises Project is about developing methods and technologies that will allow you to mindfuck the masses. Brainwashing on a global scale.”
“You have no proof of that. You don’t even have proof that we exist.”
“But I also know that Sigma is funding Ford’s campaign. That can be checked.”
Ford moved over to the bar — a full bar — and he poured himself two inches of scotch. Spicer liked having this effect on people. He waited until he had begun drinking before saying more.
“With Ford in the White House, you’ll get all the money you’ll ever need to finish your project. And then you’ll sedate Congress into signing the laws that the two of you will have agreed on. A few amendments to the Constitution, a trip to the shredder with the Bill of Rights, and all of a sudden we wind up with Regis the First, American Emperor.”
Ford slammed his last down on the bar. “Shut him up. Shut him the fuck up!”
Calm as ever, Houseman turned to him.
“No reason for panic, Regis. We’re all civilized here.”
“Are we?” Weller mumbled.
Houseman smiled. “Put out of context, you’ve painted me as a madman.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Would you prefer the term degenerate fucking lunatic?” Spicer asked.
“If we could control what people think, we could do magic for society. We could suppress violent tendencies. Think about it, no more hatred, no racism, no crime. Wars would be a thing of the past. We’d have peace at last.”
From the way he was beaming, from the way his voice soared, Spicer realized that the man was truly believing this.
“But at what price, a world full of zombies?”
“Happy zombies, Mr. Spicer.”
“Then what?” Ned inquired. “What happens when a few people start rebelling against you? Before you know it, society becomes a huge slave ship.”
“It will work. It has been a dream of mine for the last fifty years and I’ll be damned if someone like you ruins it.”
Spicer spat, “You just watch me.”
Dr. Michaels came forward. “Okay, I don’t think anyone’s gonna agree with the other on this one. Why don’t you tell us what the hell you’re really doing here, Spicer. You came to assassinate Mr. Ford?”
“I came to offer Ford the chance to quit the race?”
“Are you out of your fucking mind? I’m ahead in every state. I’ll be President in a few hours!”
“We’ve already called the Federal Election Commission. Once they know what to look for, it won’t take long to find out how well-funded you were.”
“Then again, you have no proof.”
Esther raised her head proudly. “They’re a paranoid bunch over at the FEC. All they need to investigate is a tip.”
“If you win, you resign. No harm, no foul.”
Clara opened her jacket and reached inside for her weapon. There was a time to talk and there was a time to kill. At last she saw an opportunity to do what she did best.
Ending things.
Chapter 31
Spicer had been in her position before so he was able to anticipate it. The moment her arm moved, he jumped over the empty couch next to her. His hands found his wooly gun case and as he rolled onto his back he kicked her in the chest.
“Ugh!”
She was thrown back and crashed to the floor. While she was still struggling to get her bearings, Ned pounced on her and removed the weapon that was now in her hand.
“Don’t move!” he barked at Michaels and Ford, pointing the pistol at them.
Spicer got up, now holding his own gun though he didn’t feel the need to aim it at anyone except Clara.
“I used to kill people for a living, Mr. Ford. I could kill all of you and this conversation would be unnecessary. But you’re in luck, I don’t kill anymore. I’d rather let the media destroy you. And I’m gonna enjoy watching that too.”
“You son of a bitch…”
Spicer’s eyes hardened. “If you become President, I will personally make sure the public gets brainwashed into thinking you’re a genuine ogre. And I can guarantee you Congress will steamroll Sigma.”
He pulled it down and headed for the exit. In a flash, Weller, Esther, and Ned were following him.
The Grand Ballroom was packed. There was a sea of people with Styrofoam hats and small American flags and colorful banners. They were loud and enthusiastic as they partied and watched the Fox News returns projected on a wall-sized screen. Things were looking good, very good. The United States was about to make history by electing a third-party candidate to the White House.