Free Sabotage by C. G. Cooper Page B

scrapped, Cal and his men would need another way in. "Colonel, is there any way you can get us into Djibouti without anyone knowing?"
     
    The man thought for a moment and then nodded, his tone all business. "Yes, I have the perfect man for you. Come and let us talk on our way to the airport."
     
    Cal took one last look around the room at its blasted windows, the hole in the side of the building and the blood-spattered floor. He motioned for Liberty to come to his side and wondered how much the hotel bill was going to be. And then he happily realized he wasn’t the one who would have to pay for the damages.
     
     
     

Chapter 11
     
     
    The lights above the camera intensified and the producer counted down. The whole affair was much more casual than his recent interviews. It had been orchestrated that way. Focus groups said they wanted to see the softer side of McKnight. They wanted to see him as a person rather than as a politician.
     
    When presented with those concepts, the news network was more than happy to comply. The LIVE sign on the side of the stage flickered on.
     
    "Welcome back," the female host said in a tone that was somewhere between cheery and serious. "This morning's guest is Congressman Antonio McKnight, who is a three-term Republican representative from the state of Florida and a current contender in the national presidential election. Welcome Congressman."
     
    McKnight nodded. "Thank you, Joy. It's a pleasure to be here." The host glanced at some papers on her lap as if she really needed to and then asked, "Congressman, it's been an exciting two days for your campaign. You went into California a ten-point underdog and then managed to squeak out a two-point victory. How much of that do you attribute to the recently released information concerning your opponent’s past?"
     
    "I'd like to think that the people of California got it right, that they didn't need any prodding one way or another."
     
    The hostess chuckled dutifully and then said, "But seriously though, Congressman, the recent allegations about the governor's past are troubling, don't you think?"
     
    "If you mean the alleged , and I would emphasize the word alleged, accusation that the governor was linked to racially motivated hazing at West Point, well that's just outside my purview."
     
    "But, Congressman," the hostess pressed, "exit polls clearly showed that this news swayed a significant number of voters in your favor. To make things even more interesting, now there are reports that the allegations actually originated from your campaign."
     
    McKnight shook his head sadly. "I have not and will not comment on the governor's situation. She's led a distinguished career in the army and in public office, and I will not add to the smear campaign that is trying to take her down."
     
    "But Congressman, this is a presidential election. To make matters worse for your opponent, no less than five witnesses are prepared to testify against her. What do you have to say about that?"
     
    McKnight's face was stern now. "That's up to the courts to decide, not me.
     
    "But Congressman—"
     
    McKnight cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I've said from the beginning that I am prepared, and all my people know this, to wage a clean campaign. If these five witnesses want to accuse my opponent of something, that's their prerogative. Look, Joy, presidential elections can get pretty dirty. We've already seen that. I’m proud of my camp. We're staying above the fray and doing this the way our founding fathers would have wanted. We are a land of free people, and it's up to those people to decide who should be elected. Now I believe they're smart enough to look past lies and see the truth. In fact, I have to believe that or what is this all for?"
     
    The hostess seemed momentarily mollified. Then she gave a little smile and asked, "Let's just say hypothetically, Congressman, that a candidate had a proven record of racist comments and actions. Would said