[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Craddock eyed him suspiciously, like an old woman examining a cheap cut of mutton. "I decided to
come down and personally check to see if you have everything you need to duplicate Dr. Blake's
research. Norbert, isn't it? You're here very early, I see. Some reason?"
"Norman Wheelright's my name, yes sir. I came in early to make sure the setup was ready to go. I'm ...
uh ... always here early, sir. I didn't clock in yet. This is my own time."
The smile was patronizingly fake. "That shows a great company spirit, young man. We could use more
people of your caliber, setting a good example like this. Your former supervisor, Mr. Blake, never once
spoke to me of your remarkable work ethic. Perhaps he was too preoccupied with his imagined
importance. People like him are unusually self-centered, you know, trying to convince the world they are
something they're not. I'm afraid I don't quite share Blake's opinion of himself. At any rate, there'll be
some competent gentlemen arriving later today to get everything underway. Give them all the assistance
they need, Mr. Wheeling. We want results as quickly as possible. The project should never have been
conducted as it was, but your attitude assures me that our visitors will be pleased."
It's Wheelright, jerk! No wonder Mr. Blake never liked you. "Yes sir,"
"Fine. And notify your present supervisor that I'll approve one extra hour added your paycheck this
period to make up for you coming in early."
As soon as Craddock was out of sight, Norman let out a sigh of relief and quickly replaced the original
vial of microproteins he had used to replicate a new supply.
* * * *
As the weeks passed, unease drifted over the Washington establishment like fog in a valley, almost an
acknowledgement of public discontent beyond anything normal, election year or not. Not that there was
any official surprise or concern--why should there be? It was the same old same old, only more so.
Workers took home less pay, executives more, and the poor got poorer while the rich got richer. So
what else was new, other than added taxes?
Nobody understood the horrendously complicated tax codes--not even the IRS--and the accountants
and lawyers who could do something about both preferred the status quo. How else could they move up
from their 'just scraping by' million-dollar homes to their multi-million dollar estates? Who else would pay
for their sons and daughters to attend Ivy League schools? The average voter had no hope of
comprehending the myriad loopholes available only to well-heeled individuals and corporations who
retained those accountants and lawyers.
Then there was the immense tax burden of illegal immigration and the required medical care as well as the
education of the children born in the U.S., a bizarre situation only politicians could have created in their
vote seeking. The most recent studies reported an exorbitant annual cost to the average household for
just for those two items alone. Add in the nation's convoluted and out-of-control health care system that
cost fully twice what it should because of its irrational and piecemeal structure, then pile on inflation and
energy costs always rising because of inertia and special interests refusing to consider real structural
change and blocking new technology for fear they wouldn't wind up controlling it, and it was easy to see
how the nation was faltering under the ludicrous irrationality of the systems. When assisted living for the
elderly, welfare, interest on the national debt, guaranteed loans amounting to trillions of dollars and Social
Security were added to the consideration, the problem was so gargantuan it wasn't worth the effort to try
digesting it.
Better just to handle it in the usual way, the politicians thought, with rhetorical promises benefiting those
least affected by the problems in the first place. Secure that congressional or senatorial seat for another
term, and who knew what might happen in the future? Constituents were naïve, some would even say
stupid. They were more apt to think of how their next cheeseburger would taste, not about what it might
do to them years down the road, medically speaking. It really didn't even matter much which political
party gained power. Those voted out of office would continue with what they knew best, hiring out as
consultants and lobbyists and being appointed to state jobs reserved for politicians. The corruption
wasn't all in Washington by any means.
But something was different, and it was growing. There were new rumblings on the horizon, an
undercurrent that had no voice, only a feeling. Incumbents of all types and callings were collectively
nervous about reelections, none knowing why, and Mary Henderson's calendar was filled with
office-holders she'd never advised before. For the first time ever she consulted on weekends, working
seven-day weeks. She rarely returned to her office except to pick up new dossiers from Alice and do
quick studies on someone new. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]