Prologue
"Jim, we can all travel together. It'll save the tax payers some money."
"I realize, Mister President, but I'm hired to protect you and not any of the other tax payers," Jim Stokely, head of the Secret Service, said.
"Anyway, the word is probably out by now that I'm driving. If you think about it, it's safer if I fly. I'll be fine, Jim, you making the trip?"
"No, but you'll be taken care of by a couple of my best. I'll see you when you get back." Jim turned and walked out of the Oval Office.
"Mary, can you call Al for me? Tell him to come over to the office as early as he can. We have a lot of planning to do."
"Sure, Mister. President, right away."
"Al, thanks for coming over early."
"No problem, this is going to be an interesting meeting. I have some ideas for discussion with Rosen on the way to Camp David," Al Manson said.
"I'm going with you, Al."
"No kidding. I thought you were taking the road."
"This is too important. We need as much time as we can with this guy."
"What's the plan?"
"What do we know about Rosen?" said the President.
"People I talk to say that he's a son-of-a-bitch."
"I've heard the same, but what's going on in his head? What are his weaknesses?"
"I had a chance to talk with Senator Goodman--a good friend of his. Says Rosen's a charmer. He'll smile, open the door for you, then sleep with your wife. But he's smooth. If he was with your wife, you wouldn't know it. Also, he's very good to his friends, and because of it, he's got lots of 'em. He buys them. They love him."
"What about the company?"
"He's a great scientist. Works his ass off. I think he sleeps in his office. His V.P.'s and management are extremely loyal."
"Is he married?"
"Divorced. Five years. No time for a long term relationship. He's a ladies man, though. Always has a beautiful woman by his side ... just never the same one."
"Do we have anything on him?"
"He's pretty clean. Taxes are in good shape. The company's involved heavily in the community. There is one small thing though."
"What?"
"It seems that our man has a lady tucked away."
"Why doesn't that surprise me."
"It's the wife of the Secretary."
"Tom?"
"The same."
"Holy, shit! Does Tom know?"
"Nobody knows."
"How the hell do we know?"
"We've been following him for a month, ever since we knew about this meeting."
"All right, let's put that in our back pocket."
"What do you think about this therapy? Do you think it's going to pan out?"
"I spoke with Dave Butts at N.I.H. He says that the results are astounding--and those are his words, not mine. Tumors in mice and monkeys disappear in weeks. Early human trials have resulted in almost one hundred percent remission. No side effects. This may be it ... the cure."
"How did he get F.D.A. approval so fast?"
"Goodman. He lobbied for him."
"What's his relationship to Goodman?"
"Great friend. They were in the service together. Served in 'Nam."
"Goodman's coming with us this weekend, right?"
"He'll be there."
The President hesitated for a second and then said, "Do you think that Rosen will come around?"
"Not without being forced to."
Miquel Alvarez opened his eyes and looked at the alarm clock. Six. He had about half an hour to take a shower, get dressed and hit the road.
He shut the alarm off, slowly sat up in bed and looked at the list he had prepared the night before. He grabbed a pen, checking each item as he read from top to bottom. It had all been packed the night before and neatly placed in the trunk of his car.
"Good morning, Mister Hernandez, how was your sleep?" The man behind the reservations desk said to Miquel as he walked by. He had checked in with the credit card of a George Hernandez.
"Just fine," Miquel said, as he turned his head away from the desk and walked out through the revolving door. He went directly to the parking garage, checked the trunk of his car to make sure everything was still in order, and drove off.
It would take him about an hour and a half to reach Emmitsburg, Maryland from Washington D.C. He traveled Rt. 270 north which turned into Rt. 15. On the way, he was constantly looking at his watch, even though he knew that he had left himself plenty of time.
"Mister President, I'd like to introduce you to Dan Goodman," Al Manson said loudly, trying to make himself heard over the thumping sound. The helicopter was about fifty yards away, sitting on the White House lawn.
"Mister President, it's great to finally meet you in person," Goodman said, reaching out to shake the President's hand. He turned and gave a nod to Al Rosen who was standing behind the President. "Thanks for asking me."
"Its our pleasure," the President said. "I'm assuming you've never been to Camp David before. Relaxing place for a meeting.
All four men were dressed casually, as if they were on their way to the golf course. Their luggage had been placed on the helicopter for them. They walked silently, heads dow, pushed by the wind created by the propeller.
After they sat inside and the door closed, President John Speilman turned to Bill Rosen, sitting behind him, and said, "Doctor Rosen, we're hoping we can convince you to let us work with you on this astounding project."
"I'm not sure how astounding it really is yet, Mister President. Not all of our results are in."
Let the games begin, John Speilman thought. Then he said, "Bill, I want to be blunt with you. We are going to try hard this weekend to convince you to share your findings with the world by letting the U.S. Government work with you." Speilman hesitated and then continued. "We're prepared to make this a very attractive proposal."
The men braced themselves as the helicopter lifted off the ground. It headed north. The men sat silently. The propeller noise was too loud to compete with.
When they reached cruising altitude Rosen spoke. "Mister President, we're here because the President of the United States invited us. We're prepared to be open minded and respectful to you and the American people.
Bull shit, the President thought.
Miquel turned left on St. Anthony's Road, just before the turn off to Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg. About a hundred yards up the road was the parking lot to the church.
He pulled in and glanced at his watch. An hour early. He parked the car, opened the trunk, took out his backpack and a large aluminum case, and walked up the road, back toward Route 15.
He had rehearsed this trip twice, and had a spot picked out. It was an abandoned farm across the road. Miquel crossed the four lane highway and, when there weren't any cars coming in either direction, he ducked into the woods.
The farm was about two hundred yards from the road, hidden from sight. It was a hot summer day. He began to sweat. He looked up as he stepped high through the brush and tall grass. Perfect visibility, he thought.
Miquel had picked a barn to set up in. The roof was in good shape, easy access, and plenty of spots available to hide his gear. He stepped through some broken boards and went inside.
The helicopter traveled north from D.C. along the Catoctin Mountains to Camp David. The view was spectacular. All four men found themselves staring below as the 'copter whizzed above the landscape.
"If the weather holds, we might be able to get eighteen holes in tomorrow. A nice little course in Thurmont," the President said, turning around to face Rosen and Goodman, both sitting behind him.
"I hope you have some clubs, because I didn't pack mine, Mister President," Senator Goodman said.
"Don't worry, Senator. We'll let you have the pick of the clubs. I don't want you wining when I kick your ass." It was silent for a few seconds and then President Speilmen continued. "Bill, tell me how far you've gotten with the therapy."
"We've been able to receive a preliminary F.D.A. approval to do some clinical trials, thanks in part to Senator Goodman. All patients at Sloan Kettering. All terminally ill. The trials have been going on for about four months. About two hundred patients are involved. The results so far look promising."
"Promising? My sources say spectacular. You just being a little humble, Bill?"
"We're pretty happy so far."
The President was quiet for a few seconds and then said, "Bill, we're prepared to help you with the final approval you'll need from the F.D.A. I think we can speed things up for you."
"Thanks, Mr. President."
"It may cost you a little, though."
"We weren't expecting any freebies, sir."
