Penn didn’t know the two had survived. None of this had been released to the public.
“We also have with us the dead body of the individual who claimed responsibility for spearheading the hijacking. His name was Captain Ramsey Barnhardt.”
Penn’s mind reeled with all the information. He’d met Barnhardt, heard him speak at a number of Senate hearings a few years back. An arrogant bastard, but well qualified.
“Captain Barnhardt took responsibility for the hijacking?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Why are you calling me, Commander, and not Admiral Meisner?”
“Because prior to being shot by those who’ve been pursuing us, sir, Captain Ramsey accused the President of United States of being the one who ordered the hijacking.”
“Shit.” Penn wasn’t aware that he’d sworn aloud. Everyone in the room was staring at him.
“Sir, at this point we don’t know who’s involved in the conspiracy. You’re the only person we’re contacting for assistance.”
“Of course. Of course.” Penn started pacing, motioning for his staff to stop what they were doing. “Are you in any present danger, Commander Dunn?”
“We’ve been requested to go to the New Haven Police Station for questioning. We’re certain, however, that our pursuers are no farther away than the crowd’s edge.” Dunn paused. “Sorry sir, they’re telling me to cut the call and get in the car.”
“That’s a good idea, Commander. Stay safe. I’ll take care of things from this end.”
Penn hadn’t even hung up before his shouts rang into the room. “Gibbs, I need a helicopter to take me to New Haven. And I want it escorted by military choppers.” He whirled on the other aides. “We have to make some calls, and I don’t care what time it is. Wake them up if you have to, but get all these people on the phone. Tell them it’s a matter of national security, of life and death. I want calls to the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, both Senate Leaders, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General—”
“What’s this about?” McCarthy interrupted him.
“I was just told that Will Hawkins has committed the most reprehensible act that a sitting President could ever do. He ordered an act that has put more than ten million American’s lives in danger.”
“That’s great,” McCarthy replied. “I’ll put a press conference together right away.”
“Cut the crap, Anthony,” Penn snapped. “All of that has to wait. We have to take care of this country and its people first.”
“I have the Vice President on line, Senator,” one of the aides called from the other end of the room.
“Why are you calling so many of them?” McCarthy asked.
“Because one or two might be in on this. But all of them?” He shook his head. “My long held faith in the system of checks and balances has just been reaffirmed.”
Penn pressed the blinking light and picked up the phone. “Mr. Vice President. Before I give you a run down of the disaster we have on our hands, you should know that this same phone call is being made to the Attorney General and every member of the President’s Cabinet.”
Chapter 68
Two police cruisers took them to the station. Another ambulance had arrived before they left the scene, and the two EMTs declared the fifth passenger dead.
Amy and McCann were in the first cruiser, and Sarah and Bruce followed in the second. All of them, with the exception of Amy, who was dressed in borrowed scrubs, had shown identification. But they’d refused to make a statement, insisting on being taken to the station. The shattered window of the ambulance made it clear that Barnhardt had been shot, but there were still many questions about the stolen vehicle, why they’d been driving in excess of eighty miles per hour around New Haven green, and who the gun that Bruce had belonged to.
Sarah was glad their identification had carried some clout, since they hadn’t been searched or handcuffed. They were just asked to ride in the back seat.
The police cars struggled to cut through the crowds of curiosity seekers who’d forgotten their rally. As they crawled past, Sarah was blinded by the lights of the camera crews of the news station filming footage of the escapade.
“How far away do you think it is to the police station?” she asked Bruce as the officer driving their car blasted the siren intermittently to encourage people to step back.
“I don’t know, but I doubt Kilo and his crew would be stupid enough to try to stop us before we get there,” Bruce told her.
Sarah looked over her shoulder. People were closing the gap as the police car moved along. She couldn’t see the SUVs that had been in pursuit of them earlier.
“Do you think we might have jumped the gun,” she asked quietly. The police car turned right and picked up speed.
“About Barnhardt’s claim?”
She nodded. “What happens if we don’t find anything? Or if there’s no evidence as he promised?”
“Unless we’re just part of an elaborate set-up, which I don’t think is likely, there has to be a money trail.”
“True, but I would bet my life that it doesn’t reach the President,” Sarah said.
“That’s true,” Bruce admitted. “But we had no choice. Even on the surface, Penn is the only one who wouldn’t benefit from this hijacking. But I can’t honestly say who in the administration would go along with something this crazy.”
“If we’re wrong, then we’re taking Senator Penn’s career down with us.” Sarah said.
Bruce sighed. “But I tend to believe Barnhardt was telling the truth. Why else did they send those goons to kill him?”
Sarah looked out the window. The crowd was much larger now than it had been when McCann had been racing around in the ambulance. She wondered how it was that the rally could bring out so many after such a chaotic day. Perhaps it was exactly because of that. People wanted to be part of history.
Bruce broke into her thoughts. “Meisner is the only one who has me concerned. He should have been our first call, but in a situation like this, I have no take on him.”
“He had ulterior motives for choosing me for this case,” Sarah said. “He assumed I’d muddle the investigation. That doesn’t inspire confidence.”
“The same goes for choosing me.”
“Why?”
“I asked to work with you. Maybe he figured I’d be so blinded by your charm and beauty that I’d forget what I’m doing.”
“Come on.”
“Well, that’s partly true.”
“Were you blinded, Commander?”
“Of course,” he deadpanned. “If I’d paid attention to what the heck I was doing, this case would have been wrapped up before lunchtime.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “You sure know how to pick your moments, don’t you?”
Bruce’s phone beeped. He had a voice message. Sarah decided to turn on her cell phone, too, just in case Senator Penn wanted to contact them. She checked the display. She had three voice mails.
The police officer who was driving the car looked in the rearview mirror at her. “Officer, is it okay to check my messages? They could be important.”
The young man gave a half-hearted nod. He looked as if he didn’t know whether to treat them as criminals or to salute them.
Bruce didn’t bother to ask. He was already listening to his messages.
“First one, Meisner,” he told her. “The hospital called him about Brody. He doesn’t know where we are or what the hell is going on.”
Sarah dialed her own voice mail. An identical message was left by the admiral on her phone, as well. She saw Bruce sit forward, adjusting the phone to his ear.