There were no windows.
We walked through the house to the dining room, where a brisk-looking security guard in a black suit was finishing the process of taking Buffy?s equipment away. If looks could kill, the way she was glaring would have left us with an outbreak on our hands.
?We about done here, Paul?? asked Steve.
The guard?Paul?shot him a harried look and nodded. ?Miss Meissonier has been quite cooperative.?
?Liar,? said Shaun, so close to my ear that I don?t think anyone else heard him.
?Buffy,? I said, swallowing my smile. ?What?s the sitrep??
?Chuck?s in there with the senator and Mrs. Ryman,? Buffy said, as she continued glaring at Paul. ?Governor Tate just got here. They didn?t tell me he was coming, or I would?ve warned you.?
?It?s all right.? I shook my head. ?He?s a part of this campaign now, like it or not.? I looked to Steve. ?We?re ready when you are.?
?This way, please.? He opened a door on the far side of the room, holding it as the four of us filed through. When Rick stepped through the doorway, Steve closed the door behind him. The lock slid home with a final-sounding ?click.?
We were standing in a sitting room decorated in stark blacks and whites, with stylized white art deco couches flanked by glossy black end tables and carefully arranged spotlight lamps illuminating tiny pieces of art that probably cost more individually than our operating budget for the year. The only spots of color came from the faces of the senator and his wife, both red-cheeked from crying, and from Governor Tate, who was wearing a tailored dark blue suit that screamed ?money? in a politely subdued way. All three turned toward us, and the senator rose, tugging his suit jacket down before offering his hand to Shaun. Shaun shook it. I looked past them to where Governor Tate was endeavoring to cover his own expression of disgust.
?Thank you for coming,? said Senator Ryman, releasing Shaun?s hand and reclaiming his seat. Emily?s eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. She mustered a tiny smile as she folded her hands around her husband?s. He tugged her closer, seemingly unaware of the gesture. He didn?t have much strength to offer, but what he did have was hers without question. That?s the kind of guy we need running this country.
?We had a choice?? asked Shaun, dropping onto one of the couches and sprawling with intentional untidiness. He?d clearly caught Tate?s look, too; that, combined with the confiscation of our equipment, had him primed and ready to offend. Good. It?s always easier to seem reasonable when my brother is providing a handy contrast.
?We were glad to come, Senator, but I?m afraid I don?t understand why our equipment had to be confiscated. Some of those cameras are delicate, and I?m not comfortable leaving them with anyone who?s not a member of our staff. If we?d been informed of the need for privacy before we left the hotel, we could have left them behind.?
Tate snorted. ?You mean you could have brought cameras that were easier to hide.?
?Actually, Governor, I meant what I said.? I turned to look him in the eyes, unblinking. One of the few handy side effects of retinal KA is the lack of a need for repeated ocular lubrication?or, in layman?s terms, I don?t blink much. Being stared at by someone with retinal KA can be very unnerving, at least according to Shaun. ?I?m aware that you?re a recent addition to this campaign, and may not be used to working with members of the reputable news media. We can make allowances for that. I would, however, appreciate it if you could also keep in mind that we?ve been working with Senator Ryman and his staff for some time now, and not once have we broadcast or distributed material we were asked to withhold. Now, I?ll admit that part of that can be attributed to the fact that we?ve never been asked to withhold information without good reason. I still believe it establishes that we?re capable of behaving ourselves with tact, propriety, and, above all, the patriotism inherent in the duty of serving as media corps of a major political campaign.?
?Well, missy,? said Tate, meeting my eyes without a flinch, ?those are a lot of pretty words, but I hope you?ll forgive me if I?ve been burned a few times by the media before landing here, and I prefer to proceed with caution.?
?Well, sir,? I replied, ?you?ll forgive me if I believe that our track record should count for something, given that we?ve never been anything other than appropriate in our dealings with sensitive information; further, if I might be so bold, there?s a chance that the media has ?burned? you so many times because you persist in treating honest people like they?re waiting for the opportunity to be criminals. For a man who says he?s standing for American values, you?re sure devoted to the suppression of media freedom.?
The governor?s eyes narrowed. ?Now see here, young lady??
?My name is neither ?young lady? nor ?missy,? and I think I see all too well.? I turned to the others. ?Shaun, get up. Rick, Buffy, come on.?