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e that you will want funded for three hundred and fifty airplanes at about fifty million each； seventeen and a half billion dollars' worth； and you intend to make the decision on which prototype to buy based on Captain Grafton's quick and dirty remendation？〃
〃You overstate it； Senator。 We…being me； CNO； Vice Admirals Henry and Dunedin…we propose to make a remendation to SECDEF based on the needs of the navy。 We will look closely at Captain Grafton's evaluation to help us determine which of the two prototypes best meets those needs。 And his evaluation will be quick but it won't be dirty。〃 The senator twisted in his chair。 The secretary continued； relentless。 〃No captain determines the needs of the navy； Senator。 I do that。 The President and SECDEF…〃
Duquesne stopped him with an upraised palm。 〃Don't lecture me； George。 And don't patronize me！ Major weapons systems procurement gets shrouded in secrecy； taken out of the normal channels where Congress can look things over； and major decisions get made on the basis of one document generated by one of your junior subordinates which no one can confirm or refute。 And you tell me to relax？ Seventeen billion dollars for a plane that may or may not be adequately tested； that may or may not do what we're buying it to do？ Plus ten more billion for spare parts and simulators and all the rest of it。 No dirt； huh？ Goddamnit； Ludlow； I don't trust you any further than I could throw a scalded cat！ You're trying to make Congress a goddamn rubber stamp！〃
Ludlow leaned forward in his chair。 〃I never said for you to relax！ You people agreed to the classification level of these black stealth projects！ You people understood the problems involved and approved the administrative shortcuts！ Now you…〃
〃I said don't patronize me！ And quit pointing that fucking bullet at me！〃
Henry rose nastily and Jake followed。 〃Talk to you later； Mr。 Secretary；〃 he said； and Ludlow nodded as he fired another volley at the senator。
〃Jesus。〃 Jake muttered when they reached the hallway and the door closed behind them…
〃Yeah；〃 the admiral agreed。
〃How e Duquesne is so upset when the decision hasn't been made？〃
〃That's just it。 One of the prototypes was manufactured in his home state。 He's fought hard on the Hill for stealth and he wants his plane to be chosen and the air force didn't buy it。 Now； if the navy doesn't。。。 Well； you get the idea。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 Jake said as the full dimensions of his new position came into much better focus。 So Henry had asked for him to run the ATA project； eh？ No doubt his name had been discussed with Ludlow and the Chief of Naval Operations as well as Vice Admiral Dunedin…NAVAIR。 They could praise him to the skies for his report or ease him right out of the navy。 They needed a man they could dispose of if necessary。 And they found me； Jake thought bitterly。 A gilt…edge reputation； my ass！
In Henry's office； Jake said calmly； 〃Better make sure your antibugging devices are on。〃
The admiral did so while eyeing Jake。 When he was seated； Jake said； 〃I took a little drive yesterday； sir。 Saw a state trooper up in West Virginia named Keadle。 Read an accident report。〃
〃So？〃
〃Passed one of the guys from my shop on my way back here yesterday afternoon。 He was on his way to West Virginia。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Admiral； why don't you tell me what really happened in West Virginia after Harold Strong was killed？〃
〃Are you suggesting I haven't？〃
〃I can't do my job； sir； unless you play straight with me。 I play straight with you； you have to play straight with me。〃
Admiral Henry looked out his window a while； examined his fingernails and finally directed his gaze back to Jake。 〃I think you had better discuss any concerns you have with Admiral Dunedin。〃 He picked up a sheet of paper and began to scan it。 The interview was over。
〃Aye aye； sir；〃 Jake said； and left the room。 He retrieved his hat in the outer office and caught the shuttle back to Crystal City。
As the little bus wound its way from the parking lot； Jake looked back at the Pentagon。 It appeared tow and massive from this perspective。 Endless rows of windows。 It also looked gray under this overcast。
Admiral Dunedin was in conference。 Jake didn't get in to see him until almost 3 P。M。 He got right to it。 〃I went to West Virginia yesterday to see what I could find out about Harold Strong's death。 On the way back here I passed one of the people from my shop heading the other way。〃
〃Who？〃 said Dunedin； apparently genuinely curious。
〃Smoke Judy。〃
〃How about that；〃 Dunedin muttered。
〃Admiral； I'm a little baffled。 Vice Admiral Henry briefed me on some of the events surrounding Strong's death； but this morning when I mentioned this incident to him； he didn't even ask who it was from my office that passed me。 I get the distinct impression I'm being mushroomed。〃
Dunedin lifted an eyebrow； then apparently thought better of it and went back to deadpan。 He apparently knew about mushrooms： you kept them in the dark and fed them shit。 〃I guess everyone is a little baffled；〃 he said carefully。 〃Strong's death was a tragedy。 Nothing we can do about it； though。〃
〃Well； I could sure use a little more infor…〃
〃Who couldn't？ But I don't have any information I can share with you。 Sorry。〃 His tone made the apology a mere pleasantry。 Before Jake could reply； he said； 〃There's a meeting at sixteen…thirty hours in the Under Secretary of the Navy's office on next year's budget。 We've got a billion dollars for ATA buried in there under carrier modernization and enhancement。 You go to the meeting and represent me。 If they try to cut that line item or slice it down in any way； you call me。〃
〃Yessir。〃 The admiral selected a report from his in basket and began to read。 Jake left。 After he told the secretary that he was going to a meeting； he walked to the officer personnel office； where he had to wait until two other officers had finished before he could talk to the chief petty officer。 〃Do you have my service record in here？〃
〃Last four digits of your social security number； sir？〃
〃Oh…six…oh…seven。〃
It took the chief just half a minute to pull it from the drawer。
〃Chief； how about you ginning up a request for retirement for my signature？〃
The chief yeoman's eyes showed his surprise。 〃Okay； sir； if that's what you want。 It's gotta be effective on the first day of a month between four and six months from now。〃
Jake eyed the wall calendar。 〃September first。 When can I sign it？〃
〃Monday okay？〃
〃See you then。〃
〃Any particular reason you want stated； sir？〃
〃The usual。 Whatever you usually say。〃
Dashing the four blocks to Dr。 Arnold's office after her eleven o'clock class on Friday was always a hassle for Callie。 A student or two usually buttonholed her to clarify a point or ment made during class and it took several minutes to satisfy them without being rude。 Then came the four…block march which crossed two avenues hub to hub with noon traffic。
She was perspiring slightly when Arnold's receptionist nodded at her。 Two minutes early。 Of course； a few minutes late wouldn't hurt； but Arnold ended the sessions precisely at ten minutes before the hour and the fee was 105 regardless。 She sank onto the couch and once again tried to decide if the fifty minutes was worth the cost。 Forget the money。 What are the important things to discuss during this session？ She was trying to arrange her thoughts when the door opened and Dr。 Arnold beckoned。 He was of medium height； in his late thirties； and wore a neat brown beard。 〃He looks like Sigmund Freud before he got old and twisted；〃 Jake had grumped once。 Above the beard this morning was a small； thoughtful smile。
〃Good morning； Callie。〃 He held the door open for her。 〃Hello。〃 She sank into the stuffed armchair across from him； the middle of the three 〃guest〃 chairs。 When he used to e Jake always sat on her left； near the window； while she always used this chair。 For a brief moment she wondered what Arnold made of her continued use of this chair although Jake wasn't here。
After a few preliminary ments； she stated； 〃Jake went back to work this Monday；〃 and paused； waiting for his reaction。 Arnold prompted； 〃How has that gone this week？〃
〃He seems enthusiastic； and somewhat relieved。 They have him working on a new airplane project and he hasn't said much about it。 If that's what he's working on。 I think he's disappointed； but it doesn't show。 He's hiding it well。〃 She thought about it。 〃That's unusual。 He's always been stoic at work…his colleagues have told me that he usually shows little emotion at the office…but he's never been like that at home。 I can read him very well。〃
Dr。 Arnold； Benny to all his patients； looked up from his notes。 〃Last weekend； did you threaten him？〃
Callie's head bobbed。 〃I suppose。〃 She swallowed hard and felt her eyes tearing up。 She bit her lower lip。 〃I never did that before。 Never again！〃 She moved to the chair near the window； Jake's chair； and looked out。 Trees just budding stood expectantly in the pale spring sun。 Jake had sat here all winter and looked at the black； bare； upthrusted limbs。 And now spring was finally here。
She should never have said those things； about leaving him。 She could never do i