er party when they start interrogating me
about why I gave you money, ma'am. We'll take it from there when the time
comes."
Thinking about the meeting as she flew back to Atlanta, Mandi had to admit
that he'd been a bit more reasonable than she'd anticipated.
The meeting had been a test of sorts, of course, for both participants.
She'd made it known through John's NIA offices that she'd wanted a private word
with the President.
Known to be something of a Bible-thumper who didn't really approve of
Mandi's costume or the fact that she professed no interest in religion at all,
the President had nonetheless managed to clear an hour for her on a few day's
notice and he'd listened to her pitch.
In Mandi's opinion, that had proven him at least to be tractable and
reasonable enough to work with, even if he wasn't really very likeable.
Mandi had been able to appear in the Oval Office less than ten minutes after
the President's secretary had called John. That had impressed the living hell
out of the President, but he'd carefully avoided letting her know that.
She'd simply flown into the White House as someone had used a service
entrance. It had been that simple. Exterior sensors had sounded an 'approaching
object' alert, but Mandi had been over the fence and across the grounds before
the sensors had understood what they were seeing.
Other sensors within the building had also detected her, but far too late to
be of any use in stopping her. Mandi had flown to the doors of the Oval Office
and knocked firmly as she'd said hello to his personal secretary.
The secretary had seen Mandi seemingly appear out of nowhere to float to a
stop in front of the doors, then she'd felt a blast of breeze from Mandi's
passage down the corridor.
Security personnel scrambled to surround Mandi almost instantly. They ran
toward her in the hall and two popped out of hidden passageways, guns drawn and
faces stern. One even yelled, "Freeze!"
"I have an appointment," said Mandi, then she turned to the secretary and
asked, "Would you tell the President that Mandi Steele is here? He's expecting
me."
Only one man -- a male secretary -- asked why Mandi hadn't presented herself
at the front gate. The other four men and two women present were with the Secret
Service, and they already knew the answer. One of them rather brusquely told the
secretary to get back to work.
The guy pouted a bit as