Gerry did not just disagree with Pauline; he argued that the problem was her fault. ‘Pippa needs to see more of her mother,’ he kept saying, when he knew perfectly well it was not possible. It made her feel sorry for them both.
Until now they had faced issues together and taken joint responsibility. She had been on Gerry’s side, and he on hers. Now he seemed to be against her. And that was what she had been thinking about last night, as Gerry lay on top of her in the four-poster bed that stood in the Queen’s Bedroom that had once been used by Queen Elizabeth II of England. Pauline had felt no affection, no intimacy, no arousal. Gerry had taken longer than usual, and she guessed that meant he, too, was feeling estranged.
Pippa would get through this phase, Pauline knew, but would the marriage survive? When she asked herself that question she felt despair.
She arrived at the Oval Office shivering. Chief of Staff Jacqueline Brody was waiting for her, looking as if she had been up for hours. ‘The National Security Advisor, the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence are hoping to speak to you urgently,’ Jacqueline said. ‘They’ve brought the CIA’s Deputy Director for Analysis.’
‘Gus and Chess, the DNI and a CIA nerd, while it’s still dark on a Sunday morning? Something’s up.’ Pauline took off her coat. ‘Show them in right away.’ She sat at the desk.
Gus wore a black blazer and Chess a tweed jacket, Sunday clothes. The Director of National Intelligence, Sophia Magliani, was more formal in a short jacket and black pants. The CIA man looked like a street person, in jogging pants and well-used running shoes with a pea coat. Sophia introduced him as Michael Hare, and Pauline recalled that she had heard of him: he spoke both Russian and Mandarin, and his nickname was Micky Two-Brains. She shook his hand and said: ‘Thank you for coming to see me.’
‘Morning,’ he said blearily.
He gave the impression of having less than one brain, Pauline thought.
Sophia noticed her cool reaction. ‘Michael has been up all night,’ she said apologetically.
Pauline did not comment. ‘Sit down, everyone,’ she said. ‘What’s going on?’
Sophia said: ‘It might be best if Michael explains.’
‘My opposite number in Beijing is a man called Chang Kai,’ Hare began. ‘He’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Intelligence at the Guoanbu, the Chinese secret service.’
Pauline did not have time for a lengthy narrative. ‘You can cut to the chase, Mr Hare,’ she said.
‘This is the chase,’ he said, showing a touch of irritation.
Such a sharp reply to the president came close to rudeness. Hare was charmless, to say the least. There were people in the intelligence community who thought all politicians were fools, especially by comparison with themselves, and it seemed that Hare was one of them.
Gus spoke in his most emollient voice. ‘Madam President, if I may say so, I think you will find the narrative helpful.’
If Gus said so, it was true. ‘All right. Carry on, Mr Hare.’
Hare continued as if he had hardly noticed the interruption. ‘Yesterday Chang flew to Yanji, a town near the border with North Korea. We know this because the CIA station in Beijing has hacked the airport computer system.’
Pauline frowned. ‘He used his own name?’
‘For the flight out, yes. However, when he came back he either used a false name or took an unscheduled flight; either way his return doesn’t appear in the system.’
‘Perhaps he didn’t come back.’
‘But he did. This morning at eight thirty Beijing time, one of our agents there called his home, posing as a friend, and Chang’s wife said he’d gone to the office.’
Pauline was interested, despite her dislike of Hare. ‘So,’ she said thoughtfully, ‘yesterday he made a trip that at first seemed routine but became either urgent or high-security or both, and he went to his office early this morning, a Sunday. Why? What else do you know?’
‘I’m getting to that.’ Again the irritation. He was like a college professor who did not like his lecture to be interrupted by students with foolish questions. Sophia looked embarrassed, but did not say anything. Hare went on: ‘Earlier today South Korean radio reported that North Korea’s elite Special Operation Force had raided an unnamed military base in an attempt to seize anti-government protestors. Later, Pyongyang announced that a number of American-controlled traitors had been arrested at a military base, again not identified.’