A Better World by Marcus Sakey Read Free Book Online Page A

statement,” Keevers said. “Prepared remarks. You are personally overseeing all attempts—”
    “Efforts,” Archer said, “not attempts. Personally overseeing all efforts during this difficult time.”
    “A season of adversity when Americans must come together—”
    “—to demonstrate the spirit of resolve that defines the national character, et cetera.”
    “The National Guard has your highest confidence, and so do the people of Cleveland, Tulsa, and Fresno.”
    “Meanwhile, no stone is being left unturned in the hunt for those who vilely attacked our nation.”
    “Excuse me,” Cooper said.
    The rhythm of the room was broken, everyone turning to look at him like they had forgotten he was there. He smiled affably. “You said ‘statement.’ Shouldn’t he take questions?”
    “No,” Keevers and Leahy said at the same time. Archer said, “Absolutely not.”
    “Three cities are in chaos,” Cooper said. “There are food shortages and looting and the fear of riots. Why wouldn’t the president answer questions?”
    Keevers’s face was tight. “Mr. Cooper, I don’t think—”
    “Actually,” President Clay said, “he has a point. Why not take questions?”
    The other three looked at one another. After a moment, Archer said, “Because, sir, the questions will be, who are the Children of Darwin? Where are they? What do they want? How close are we to stopping them?”
    “Why not come out strong?” Clay asked. “Say that the situation is under control, that the COD will soon be neutralized by actions covert, swift, and final.”
    “Because intelligence suggests more attacks may be coming,” the secretary of defense said. “If you say we’ve got it handled and an hour later something blows up, it looks like we’re asleep at the switch.”
    “So tell the truth,” Cooper said. “Tell people that you don’t have all the answers yet. Tell them that the full force of the US government is being brought to bear. That terrorism won’t be tolerated, and that the Children of Darwin will be caught or killed. And that meanwhile, you need your citizens to put on their big-boy pants and calm down.”
    A silence fell. It had a weight and a texture. It was a silence that spoke volumes; a silence filled with at least three people wondering just how dumb he was.
    So much for “the truth shall set you free.”
    After a long moment, the president spoke. “All right. No questions.”
    Cooper leaned back in his chair. Fought the urge to shrug.
    “But Nick raises a good point,” Clay continued. “It’s important to preserve people’s confidence that the buck stops with the president, and if I make a statement and don’t answer questions, it suggests we’re hiding something. Holden, on the other hand, can defer and deflect. He’ll do the briefing.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “And, Owen, I want answers about the Children of Darwin. Not next week, not tomorrow, now.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Good.” Lionel Clay circled behind his desk, put on his reading glasses, and began to flip through a file folder. His attention was absorbed immediately. A side effect of Cooper’s gift was that he tended to categorize people as shades of color; hotheads felt red to him, introverts landed in shades of gray. Lionel Clay was the smoke-stained gold of café walls, comforting and sophisticated.
    Which is great. But I wonder if right now we don’t need a man who patterns like polished steel.
    He stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and followed the others out of the Oval Office. Marla Keevers waited until the door closed to jump him. “Big-boy pants?”
    “Big-girl pants too,” he said.
    Her smile was thin and cold and died far from her eyes. “You realize all you accomplished was to get him excited about something he can’t do.”
    “My understanding, he can do pretty much anything he likes.”
    “You’re wrong. And now instead of the president telling the nation not to worry, we’ll have the press secretary bobbing and