A Heartbeat Away Read Online Free PDF

for me.”
    O’Neil hesitated, and then allowed himself to be led to a spot where they would not be overheard.
    “What do you want?” he asked in a pressured whisper.
    “Simple. I want to know what the president says in that briefing you’re going to.”
    “It’s classified. If you’re not there, you can’t know.”
    Ellis smiled again and her thin lips disappeared inside her mouth.
    “We both know that’s a bad strategy, Sean. I am the speaker of the house. The American people will expect me to know what’s going on. Allaire is playing politics at a time of national crisis.”
    “You should take that up with the president, then.”
    Sean turned to leave, but Ellis caught him by the arm.
    “Suppose I also take up what you and that darling young White House intern were doing in the Lincoln Bedroom while the first couple was away on vacation. I’m sure the Allaires would love to see the security videos—especially the part where you so skillfully and lovingly snorted some sort of white power from between the sweet thing’s breasts.”
    O’Neil went pale.
    “How…? How did you…?”
    “Eyes and ears, my love. I use my eyes and ears—and some well-placed friends. In fact, over the years we’ve been working for the American people, I’ve collected other useful tidbits about you, as well. The nasty custody battle with your ex over baby Duncan, for instance. How do you think this sort of revelation will help your chances, dear Sean, let alone your career?”
    O’Neil looked away.
    “I’ll get you what I can,” he muttered.
    “You’ll get me what I want, Sean. Is that understood?”
    O’Neil turned without a reply and rushed ahead to catch up with the president. Ellis watched until the group had disappeared through a guarded exit.
    Third.
    The word echoed in her mind. She was third in line to govern the most powerful nation on earth. And all of a sudden, the two above her seemed to be on very shaky ground.

CHAPTER 5

    DAY 1
10:00 P.M. (EST)
    Allaire led his team past the Secret Service agents guarding the mahogany double doors located directly to the right of the rostrum. The corridor, accessible only to members of Congress and their staff, had reinforced walls that dampened the din from within the House Chamber.
    Near the end of the passageway, the president used a keycard to unlock another wooden door. Sensors detected movement inside the pitch-black room, and turned on several banks of overhead fluorescent lights.
    Allaire proceeded to a keypad on the right-hand wall. Punching in his code, he waited for the hydraulics to engage. In seconds, the wall opposite him slid noiselessly downward and disappeared, revealing the Hard Room. The array of communication equipment—satellite phones, wall-mounted monitors, radios, printers, radar imaging systems, and laptop computers—gave him a brief flare of confidence that his government possessed the power to prevail against any adversary. Then he reminded himself that this was no ordinary adversary—this was WRX3883 in the hands of depraved killers, and at this moment, nothing existed inside this room, or any other, that could defeat that combination.
    The large conference table in the center of the room would serve as their briefing area. Two Cabinet secretaries—Salitas and Broussard—took their seats, along with Allaire’s physician Bethany Townsend, the vice president; uniformed Admiral Archie Jakes (the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff); the head of the Capitol Police force, Hank Tomlinson; Architect of the Capitol Jordan Lamar and White House Chief of Staff Megan McAndrews. O’Neil, square-jawed and swarthy, remained standing against the back wall.
    “Where is Paul Rappaport?” Allaire asked.
    “Paul is at home in Minnesota, Mr. President,” McAndrews said, “tending to his daughter.”
    Minnesota. Allaire groaned. He had personally approved the trip.
    “Yes, of course,” he said. “Sorry.”
    For this year’s State of the Union