Free O-Negative: Extinction by Hamish Cantillon Page A

you went through will have applied to a dozen other congressmen as well”.
     
    “Sounds like a good idea.  You’ll get no argument from me.  I’ll leave it to you to put it to the NRC” Greg said with a smile.
     
    He grimaced “I guess not then”.
     
    “Anyway what do you think Greg? Who’s your preferred candidate?”
     
    “Oh they’re all much of a muchness to be honest”.  Greg paused briefly and then said without a hint of irony. “But maybe we should think about getting in a woman rather than a man? Help balance the office up and keep us politically correct and all that?” 
     
    He gave him a wry smile “Greg I’m not quite as naive as I look, I notice that a certain candidate’s CV ended up at the bottom of the pile”.
     
    “Oh whose was that?” He said it with such an innocent face that he knew for sure he’d done it deliberately.  Greg went on to say “Listen David she’s a great candidate and after putting your ugly mug on the front cover of such a widely read newspaper how can you say no?”
     
    He laughed, “I know but how do you think it will go down.  Do you think the press will get in a fluster about a congressman employing the daughter of the UN secretary general?”
     
    “Of course they will – eventually – but it will take them a while to pick up on it.  To be honest if they ever get a look at her they’re more likely to go down the ‘single congressman hires attractive intern’ line.  Having said this even that angle isn’t going to play too badly for you, after all didn’t you make it clear in your election campaign that one of your primary policy objectives, and the main reason you went into politics, was because you were ‘looking for love’.
     
    David frowned at him.  “No that wasn’t one of my policy objectives nor the main reason I went into politics as you well know.  Anyway despite your completely unwarranted and unfounded allusions I’ve reviewed all the applications and believe there is one standout candidate.”  He made a show of flicking through the pile of papers in front of him.  “This candidate has all the qualities I expect to see in someone I will be working closely with, now what was the candidate’s name again……?”  He passed Greg Megan’s application.
     
    It was Greg’s turn to laugh.  “Right I’ll make the call.  If any of the press do pick up on this, which I suspect is unlikely in the short term, I suggest we play the ‘Congressman Mitchell left the decision making process entirely in the hands of his Chief of Staff Mr Greg Harmer’ yes?”
     
    “Agreed.  You’ve made an inspired choice Mr Harmer.”

Chapter 5 -  JOE - January 2016
     
    The alarm went off next to Joe’s head.  He felt like someone had just banged a gong, similar to that scene from the beginning of all those old Rank Distribution films.  It took him a few seconds to work out where the noise was coming from and then he swept his arm out knocking the offending object to the floor. 
     
    With the abatement of his alarm he now had the opportunity to contemplate how long he had left to live.  He wasn’t sure, but the way he was feeling he might already be dead.  Well at least he hadn’t been woken by the constant light this morning though he wasn’t sure the price was worth paying as his head felt terrible.  When he turned over his stomach lurched as if he’d just gone over the top of a rollercoaster.  He couldn’t remember when he’d had a hangover so bad.  He wondered if Michael had deliberately given him a bad batch of homebrew.  Joe wouldn’t blame him if he had.  Though he’d tried to stick to the branded beer, luxuries like that were in short supply and had soon run out - leaving no alternative but the home brew. 
     
    He put his hand up to the small cupboard hanging next to the side of his bunk and on the second attempt managed to open the door.  He rummaged around for what seemed like an eternity until his hand