"Here he comes," Betworth murmured as he watched the helicopter fly through the pass. "Keller's flying the chopper. Don't smile, Shepard. Look concerned. We have a national emergency here."

"I am concerned," Shepard said between his teeth. "I don't like things not to go as they're supposed to." "Want to bailout?" Betworth asked. "This is the time. Say the word. Who wants to be the most powerful man in the world? You can go back and hide in your cave for the rest of your term and then retire quietly to the country."

"I didn't say I wanted to bailout. I just want him dead and all the unpleasant details-" He stopped as the door of the helicopter opened and Andreas appeared in the doorway. "Come on. Let's get it over with." He strode toward the helicopter. "This way, Mr. President. We have to get you inside and safe."

Andreas stepped to the ground. "You shouldn't have come out, Shepard. There's no telling what-" A shot.

But Andreas was still standing, Betworth realized. Dammit, Runne had missed.

Another shot.

Andreas was falling to the ground.

Finally.

"Hit the dirt," he shouted to Shepard. "The President's down." He dove for the ground. "Keller, for God's sake, do something. The President is-"

Keller wasn't moving to help Andreas.

And Shepard wasn't moving either. The Vice President was crumpled on the ground a few feet from him. There was a small round hole in his temple.

Rage tore through him. Runne, that asshole. What fucking good did it do Betworth to kill the President if he killed Shepard too? All his plans blown by

"Kill that son of a bitch, Danley!" he screamed. "Kill him now!"

Another shot.

Pain tore through his back.

Jesus. He'd told Danley not wound…

Just enough to make him a hero…

He felt cold. He could taste the blood in his mouth. to hurt him. A shoulder

He was dying, he realized incredulously.

"No!"

Logan, Galen, and Keller left the helicopter at a run, but Keller was the first to reach Andreas. "Are you okay, sir? I told you this was crazy. Why didn't you let me do my job?"

"Because I'm tired of sitting in that ivory tower and relying on everyone else." Andreas got to his feet and dusted off his pants. "If I'd had more hands-on interaction before this, maybe Betworth wouldn't have been able to take out those bunkers." He looked down at Betworth and Shepard. "Dead?" Galen was kneeling beside Betworth and checking his pulse. "As a doornail." He glanced up at the bluff. "It's a really bad angle. He made a great shot."

"I never said I wanted them dead." Andreas's lips tightened. "Get Morgan down here."

Galen stood up and flipped open his phone. "Come on down, Judd. As usual, you've taken too much on yourself." He hung up and turned to Andreas. "I can't be sure he's going to obey your orders. He may take off. He's been a scapegoat before."

"So you've told me," Andreas said. "But that doesn't mean he has the right to arbitrarily kill the Vice President of the United States." He glanced down at Shepard. "And he took him out first. If there was to be an assassination, I'd have thought Betworth would have been the primary target."

"I'm sure Morgan had a reason," Logan said. "He's not a-" "I'm here." Morgan was coming down the trail. "Stop making excuses for me, Logan. I can talk for myself." "Be quiet, Morgan." Alex was trailing behind him. "Let him make excuses. You can use all the help you can get." Morgan turned to Logan. "I know she shouldn't be here. She wouldn't stay on the bluff." He stopped in front of Andreas. "Any deal we make has to include a free pass for her." "Deal? I don't make deals, Morgan."

"The hell you don't. As President you're the consummate deal-maker."

"I ordered Galen to tell you to eliminate a possible assas sin on that bluff."

"And that's exactly what Galen told me."

"You weren't told to kill Betworth and Shepard. Keller could have arrested them and brought them to trial. That's the way we do things in this country." "But that's not what you wanted. You didn't want the American people disillusioned with their government. They've gone through enough heartache lately. It might have taken years in court to convict them, and that would have been constant salt in the wounds."

"Is that what you told him?" Andreas asked Galen.

"I might have mentioned that you were a bit unhappy with the situation."

"No, he didn't," Morgan said. "It was pure intuition on my part. Intuition is a wonderful thing. Galen told me how after you'd located the bomb, you had it disarmed and then staged a fake explosion in Shepard's office. Now, intuition made me wonder why you did that. And then Galen told me you'd placed that phony call to Shepard so that you could tape any incriminating communication between him and Betworth. Why did you want to lure Betworth here? Why not just call out the Marines and round everyone up?"

"So you're saying you killed Shepard to help me out."

"I didn't kill Shepard or Betworth." He stared directly into

Andreas's eyes. "It was Runne. You'll find the bullets came from his rifle. Wonderful shooting, wasn't it?" He smiled. "I couldn't have done better myself."

"I imagine that's true," Andreas said dryly.

"Of course, it was also Runne who answered his phone when Danley called and told him he was ready to take you out. But unfortunately he killed your true-blue CIA man, Danley too. You'll find his body on the bluff. Such a shame. But what can you expect when terrorists like Matanza send in their hired guns? You were lucky Keller was able to discover the plot in time to save the day."

"And what about Runne?"

"Why, didn't Keller track up there and surprise him from behind? I don't know how else Runne could have gotten that broken neck."

Andreas's gaze shifted to Alex. "You were there?" "I was there."

"And you concur with Morgan's statement?"

She looked at Morgan and then slowly nodded. "The bul lets came from Runne's rifle." "And the two of you were just passing by, I suppose," Andreas said sarcastically. "My God, you look like you've been through a tornado." "I feel like it." Alex took a step closer to Morgan in silent support. "But I couldn't have gone through it with anyone I'd trust more. You can trust him too, Mr. President." "He doesn't have to trust me," Morgan said. "He can reel me in any time he decides he needs a patsy. I'll make myself available." He paused. "But not Alex. You clear her and she stays clean. That's the deal."

"You don't make deals for me," Alex said. "When are you going to learn that?"

Morgan ignored her, his gaze focused on Andreas. "I think you can arrange it so that you get what you want for the country. Shepard will have died a martyr's death. The country can always use another hero. Ask Alex." He smiled crookedly. "And you can use me, if you need to do it."

"I thought you were tired of being used," Alex said. "And I'm not letting that happen to you. I don't think he will either. So shut up and let him decide."

"Thank you," Andreas said dryly. "How nice to have a choice."

Alex smiled. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't give it to you.

Right is right." "She likes to use that phrase," Galen said. "But it's usually followed by a stubborn attack."

Andreas was silent, his gaze on her face. "It's a very good phrase." He turned to Keller. "You'd better go up to the top of the bluff again and make sure that no evidence is disturbed."

"Again?" Keller repeated.

Andreas nodded. "I have to commend you, Keller. I had no idea you were still fit enough to take down a murderer like Runne. You're quite the hero."

Keller smiled faintly. "I rose to the occasion, sir." He moved toward the path leading up to the bluff. "I'll make sure that everything is as it should be."

"I believe Morgan probably made everything tidy, but the area will receive intense scrutiny." He turned to Morgan. "And you should not be around for some time to come. Out of sight, out of mind."