Page 7 (1/2)

Jack nodded Ethel had been the admiral’s wife for over thirty years A year before the shuttle accident, she had succumbed to complications from ovarian cancer In many ways, Ethel had been the only mother Jack had ever known His own mother had died when he was three years old

“The day before she slipped into a coma, she told me to watch over you”

Jack looked up in surprise The adlint of tears

“I don’t knohat Ethel ever saw in you, Jack But I won’t let the old broad down I’ve given you enough tih what happened on the Atlantis But enough is enough”

“What do you want of me?”

He h I want you to come in from the sea”

Jack just stared, dumbfounded

“That’s why I recruited you Not just for your submersible It’s time you returned to the real world”

“And the Navy is the real world?” Jack snorted

“Close enough We at least come to port every now and then”

Jack shook his head “Listen, I appreciate your concern I really do But I’m almost forty years old, not a child to be coddled Whether you believe it or not, I’m happy in my current life”

His forhed and lifted his hands in surrender “You are a godda should be under way shortly I suppose you understand the importance of our work here”

Jack nodded, standing also “Of course It’s Air Force One The President”

“It’s more than just the President, Jack We’ve lost Presidents before But never under such circumstances, in the middle of a ide catastrophe As es the United States and its foreign policy, it still doesn’t stop the a time of crisis—and noe are leaderless, rudderless”

“What about the Vice President? Lawrence Nafe?”

“I see you at least keep abreast of current events out here,” Houston teased lightly, but his voice quickly grew sober again His brows knit orry “Washington is screa for answers Before Nafe can be sworn in, we need to put the fate of President Bishop to rest Already ru terrorists—Arabs, Russian, Chinese, Serbian, or even the IRA Take your pick So it’s all a hoax Some say it’s a conspiracy tied to JFK” The adin’ mess For order to be restored, we need concrete answers We need a body we can bury with the usual pomp and ceremony That’s e’re here”

Jack had never seen Mark Houston look so worried “I’ll do my best to help,” he said sincerely “Just ask, and I’ll do it”

“I never expected less of you” Before Jack could stop hi “And whether you believe it or not, Jack, I’ain Welcome back to the Gibraltar”