“It would.” Kerry got up off the edge of the desk and went to the window, peering outside. “We don’t say anything, and we can go back there and let the government cover it all up. They seem pretty good at that sort of thing.”
“Mm.”
“After all, it’s just going to be a we said, they said anyway, Dar. They can’t prove we touched anything, but we can’t prove we didn’t get someone else still there to do it.”
“Yeah.”
Kerry heard the tone and grimaced a little. From the corner of her eye she could see the TV trucks, antennas angled up and it reminded her of the time when they’d been dependent on the technology.
Working in desperate times in service to what they considered the greater good. She turned and leaned against the wall, watching Dar shift and steeple her long fingers, tapping the ends of them against her chin.
She remembered Dar working for hours, testing cables, providing leadership to their team and refusing to stop until they’d found the right ones, putting them in the right place. The only credit they’d gotten for it was the heartfelt thanks of the men they were helping – but it had been the right thing to do.
Just like today, fixing the screwup had been the right thing to do. Kerry had known it the moment the moment they’d headed to Herndon, the moment she’d seen the security guards relief, the moment she’d seen that board clear, and calm and seen the faces of the techs who’d done it.
It was right. It felt good. She watched the motion as Dar drew in a breath, and her shoulders straightened up. It wouldn’t have made sense to do anything else, no matter what the consequences eventually were.
Dar, instinctively, understood that. Kerry could see the contention coming, in the tension in Dar’s back as she prepared herself to stand up, and turn around and argue about something Kerry knew she wasn’t going to win at.
Shouldn’t win at. Sometimes consequences really didn’t matter. If they ended up out of business, ran out of town, living on the boat…
Shoot. How bad really would that be?
She smiled, and felt a sense of odd acceptance flow through her. “So are you going to give the interview, or you want me to?” She broke the silence and savored every word as she watched Dar’s whole body relax, and her shoulders jerk in a faint, silent laugh.
Dar turned around in the chair, meeting Kerry’s eyes with a smile in return.
“We’ve been trying to walk away from this from the start, hon. That was wrong.” Kerry admitted. “I was wrong in wanting you to stay clear. This was ours and we need to own it until it’s done.”
“No matter what happens.”
“No matter what happens.” Kerry echoed, feeling a sense of relief that almost made her sleepy.
Dar extended one hand. “”C’mere, and lets go to hell together.” She got up and as Kerry came over she wrapped her arms around her. “I could no more walk away from this.” She let her head rest against Kerry’s. “Than I could walk away from you.”
Kerry leaned against her and let it go. “Wherever we go from this, I’m right there with ya,” She said. “So let’s go get on camera.”
Dar shouldered her messenger bag and took Kerry’s hand in hers, heading for the door and what waited beyond.
**
“So what are we doing?” Steve asked, as a pod of reporters filed into the ops center, glancing around curiously. “My office said we were supposed to be going back to the White House.”
“We will.” Kerry said. “We just need to do this short interview, to wrap things up then we can head back. “
“Okay.” The government IT manager agreed amiably. “I called back there, and sure enough, everything’s running great. That sure was something to watch.” He leaned back against the console. “Have to say, those guys are kinda okay. I’m glad now we’re gonna hire them.”
“They are okay.” Kerry said. “Be right back.” She left Steve by the wall and headed across the room to where Dar was standing with a reporter from CNN and one from the Washington Post. Two photographers were a few steps back, taking pictures and the camera crew was setting up to shoot the supervisor’s desk, where Dar had taken up residence.
The techs were watching covertly. Paul, and the two supervisors were around the far raised desk, content to just watch the action as they stood under the big monitor board with it’s newly placid twilight shades.
There was a faint scent of garlic and cheese in the room, and Kerry felt her stomach rumble as she recognized the smell of fresh pizza nearby. She detoured over to the far desk and climbed up the tiers, returning the smiles as she approached. “Hi there.”
“Ms. Stuart.” Paul had a cup of coffee clasped between his hands. “Can I tell you this is the first time I haven’t had my guts in knots for weeks?”
“What he said.” One of the supervisors said. “Look. My phone’s quiet.” He pointed at it. “No calls, no calls waiting, no notepad full of names and numbers for me to call back with excuses. God bless you guys.”
“It was a team effort.” Kerry smiled. “And speaking of team efforts, do I smell a team pizza somewhere?”
Paul chuckled. “Yup.. in the break room, c’mon.” He motioned her towards a side door. “I had it brought in.. wasn’t sure what we were going to end up with this afternoon. Thought I’d have to have the guys on the desk without a break.”
Kerry followed him into a back room where a refrigerator and coffee machine held pride of place, along with several tables, one of which was covered with pizza boxes. “Ah. Score.”
Paul handed her a plate and took one for himself. “Feels like twenty pounds off my shoulders.” He said. “It’s been so bad.”
“I know it must have been.” Kerry said, pleased to have a whole veggie pizza to herself. She bit into a piece and chewed it. “I wish the whole thing hadn’t happened.”
“Yeah, me too. “ He answered. “I don’t know if I want to work for the government.” He added. “My parents met at Woodstock. I don’t’ think they’d forgive me for working for the Repugs.”
Kerry swallowed reflectively. “I’m a Republican” She commented. “I’m not sure it matters when you do what we do, and I'm not sure there’s much of a difference between working for the government or working for ILS.”
“You’re a Republican?”
Kerry nodded. “Dar’s agnostic. She doesn’t much like either party.” She picked up another plate and plunked a piece of meat covered pizza on it. “And Paul, nothing says you have to work for the government. I’m sure there’s a spot for you in ILS if you want to stay with them. They’ve lost enough staff over the last month.”
“Yeah I know.”
Kerry saluted him with her snack, then picked up the plate and headed out the door with it. She dodged a few cameramen as she made her way over to where Dar was getting settled behind the desk.
“So, Ms. Roberts, we do appreciate you sitting down and talking to us, especially after that press release from the former board of ILS.” The reporter was saying. “I know you understand that I have to address the allegations they made.”
“Sure.” Dar glanced up as Kerry approached, her eyes lighting up a little at the sight of the plate she was carrying. “Whatcha got?”
“Pizza.” Kerry put it down. “Take five minutes and scarf it. You know what that tastes like cold.”
The door opened and two more journalists came in, joining them up on the dais. They were carrying microphones and had backpacks secured to their backs with gear inside. “Okay, we ready?” One of them asked, his microphone flag declaring him from USA Today. His companion had a local television station patch on his jacket.