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.Have you anything to add to yesterday's report?''Yes, sir.It's good to be alive.''If you get past eleven o'clock, young man, I think you have a good chance for a long and healthy life, but we still don't know if it's Dexter or Harrison.You know I think it's Dexter.' The Director looked at his watch again: 8:29 - ninety-seven minutes left.'Any new ideas?''Well, sir, Elizabeth Dexter certainly can't be involved, she saved my life by bringing me in this morning.If she wanted me dead, that sure was a funny way of going about it.''I'll accept that,' said the Director, 'but it doesn't clear her father.''Surely he wouldn't kill a man he thought might marry his daughter,' said Mark.'You're sentimental, Andrews.A man who plans to assassinate a President doesn't worry about his daughter's boyfriends.'The phone rang.It was Bill Gunn from Public Relations.'Right, read it over.' The Director listened carefully.'Good.Issue it immediately to radio, television, and the papers, and release the second statement at eleven o'clock, no earlier.Thank you, Bill.'The Director put the phone down.'Congratulations, Mark, you're the only dead man alive and, like Mark Twain, you will be able to read your own obituary.Now, to bring you quickly up to date.I have three hundred field agents already out covering the Capitol and the area immediately surrounding it.The whole place will be sealed off the moment the Presidential car arrives—''You're letting her go to the Capitol?' said Mark in astonishment.'Listen carefully, Mark.I'll have a minute-by-minute briefing on where the two senators are from 9:00 am on and six men are tailing both of them.At 9:15, we're going into the street ourselves.When it happens, we're going to be there.If I'm going to carry the ultimate responsibility, I may as well carry it in person.''Yes, sir.'The intercom buzzed.'It's Mr Sommerton.He wants to see you urgently, sir.' The Director looked at his watch: 8:45.On the minute, as promised.Daniel Sommerton rushed in, looking rather pleased with himself.He came straight to the point.'One of the prints has come up on the criminal file, it's a thumb, his name is Matson - Ralph Matson.'Sommerton produced a photograph of Matson, an Identikit picture, and an enlarged thumbprint.'And here's the part you're not going to like, sir.He's an ex-FBI agent.' He passed Matson's card over for the Director to study.Mark looked at the photo.It was the Greek Orthodox priest, big nose, heavy chin.'Something professional about him,' said the Director and Mark simultaneously.'Well done, Sommerton, make three hundred copies of the picture immediately and get them to the Assistant Director in charge of the Investigation Division - and that means immediately.''Yes, sir.' The fingerprint expert scurried away, pleased with himself.They wanted his thumb.'Mrs McGregor, get me Mr Rogers.'The Assistant Director was on the line; the Director briefed him.'Shall I arrest him on sight?''No, Matt.Once you've spotted him, watch him and keep your boys well out of sight.He could still call everything off if he got suspicious.Keep me briefed all the time.Move in on him at 10:06.I'll let you know if anything changes.''Yes, sir.Have you briefed the Secret Service?''Yes, I have.' He slammed the phone down.The Director looked at his watch: 9:05.He pressed a button and Elliott came in.'Where are the two senators?''Harrison's still in his Alexandria town house, Dexter has left Kensington and is heading towards the Capitol, sir.''You stay here in this office, Elliott, and keep in radio contact with me and the Assistant Director on the street.Never leave this room.Understood?''Yes, sir.''I'll be using my walkie-talkie on Channel Four.Let's go, Andrews.' They left the anonymous man.'If anybody calls me, Mrs McGregor, put them through to Special Agent Elliott in my office.He will know where to contact me.''Yes, sir.'A few moments later, the Director and Mark were on the street walking up Pennsylvania Avenuetowards the Capitol.Mark put on his dark glasses and pulled his collar up.They passed several agents on the way.None of them acknowledged the Director.On the corner of Pennsylvania Avenueand 9th Street, they passed the Chairman, who was lighting a cigarette and checking his watch: 9:30.He moved to the edge of the sidewalk, leaving a pile of cigarette butts behind him.The Director glanced at the cigarette butts: litter bug, ought to be fined a hundred dollars.They hurried on.'Come in, Tony.Come in, Tony.''Tony, boss.The Buick's ready.I've just heard it announced on the car radio that pretty boy Andrews bought it.'The Chairman smiled.'Come in, Xan.''Ready, await your signal.''Come in, Matson.''Everything's set, boss.There's a hell of a lot of agents around.''Don't sweat, there's always a lot of Secret Service men around when the President is travelling.Don't call again unless there's a real problem.All three keep your lines open.When I next call, I will only activate the vibrators on the side of your watches.Then you have three minutes forty-five seconds, because Kane will be passing me.Understood?''Yes.''Yes.''Yes.'The Chairman broke the circuit and lit another cigarette: 9:40
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