Divide and Conquer by Tom Clancy, Steve Pieczenik, Jeff Rovin

around them did. Bob Herbert and Lowell Coffey used to tease Hood about it. Hood’s unwillingness to give in to that tension had always kept Ann at a distance. But he could feel that distance closing.
    “I know you have a lot to do,” Ann said, “but if you need anything, I’m here. If you want to talk or don’t want to be by yourself, don’t be shy. We go back quite a few years.”
    “Thanks,” Hood said.
    Ann’s eyes held him for a long moment. “I’m sorry for what you and your family are going through, Paul. But you’ve done an amazing job here, and I’m glad you’re back.”
    “It’s good to be back,” Paul admitted. “I think that frustrated me more than anything else.”
    “What did?” she asked.
    “Not being able to finish the work I started,” he said. “It may sound corny, but the teamwork of exceptional men and women built this nation. Op-Center is a part of that tradition. We have a great team here doing important work, and I hated leaving that.”
    Ann continued to look at him. She seemed to want to say something more but didn’t. She stepped back from the desk.
    “Well, I’ve got to get to work on the press release,” she said. “Do you want me to say anything about the situation with Sharon?”
    “No,” Hood said. “If anyone wants to know, tell them. Otherwise, just say I had a change of heart.”
    “That’s going to make you sound wishy-washy,” she said.
    “What the Washington Post thinks isn’t going to affect my job performance,” he said.
    “Maybe not now,” Ann said. “But it might if you ever decide to run for public office again.”
    Hood looked at her. “Good point,” he said.
    “Why don’t we tell them that the president asked you to return?” she said.
    “Because he didn’t,” Hood said.
    “You two had a private meeting when you came back from New York,” she said. “He won’t deny asking you to return. It shows loyalty on his part. Everyone benefits.”
    “But it isn’t true,” Hood said.
    “Then let’s just say this,” Ann said. “After meeting with the president, you decided to reconsider your resignation. That’s true.”
    “You really want to get the president in there.”
    “Whenever I can,” Ann said. “It gives us weight.”
    “Weight?” Hood said. “You mean suction.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Nick Grillo said that the word-de-jour is suction. ”
    “Actually, that’s not quite right,” Ann informed him. “ Weight is when someone has credibility. Suction is when they have considerable influence. There’s a difference.”
    “I see,” Hood said. They smiled at each other. Hood looked away. “I’d better get to work,” he said. “There’s a lot of catching up to do.”
    “I’m sure,” Ann said. “I’ll e-mail you a copy of the press release before it goes out.”
    “Thanks again,” Hood said. “For everything.”
    “Sure.” Ann hesitated. She looked at Hood for a long moment more and then left.
    Hood turned to the computer monitor on his right. He did not want to watch Ann go. Ann Farris was a beautiful, intelligent, very sexual woman. For the five years they had known each other, they had flirted, she more openly than he. Now that Hood was going to be single, he felt uneasy about continuing the game. There was no longer someone between them. Flirting no longer felt like a game.
    But Hood did not have time to think about that now. There was a lot to do. He had to review the daily briefings that had gone to Mike Rodgers during the past week, which included intelligence data collected from around the world as well as ongoing covert operations. He also had to look at reports from the rest of the staff and have a glance at the schedule for the upcoming week before he went to see the First Lady. He noticed that Rodgers was going to be interviewing the final candidates to replace Martha Mackall, the political liaison who had been assassinated in Spain, as well as candidates for the new post of economic adviser.