Skill Set by Vernon Rush

released the button. “ You ’ve got a good rapport with some of the people in the office and Soto knows you, maybe she’ll let her guard down.”
    “I haven’t exactly been on a charm offensive,” Isaac announced. “The woman thinks I’m a menace and can’t wait to get me out of her department.”
    “ Oh, ” Foxhound sighs with a dismissive wave of his hand. “That’s how I felt about you when I first met you, too.” “ Funny, ” Rose deadpans.
    “ Keep on her, ” Foxhound insisted. “She might reveal something that could help us get to the bottom of this thing.”
     
     
 

CHAPTER
7
    By the time Isaac Rose left the Trackers HQ, it was a little after seven in the evening. Heading to his car, he made a quick call to Daniel and discovered Emma Soto had not returned to the office. Apparently, she’d been asked to give a press conference the next morning. The rumors milling around the office were that the president had ‘ requested ’ she make a statement, taking the blame for the failings in security - although she was under strict orders to remain sketchy over what those failings entailed. And then, she was expected to fall on her sword.
    No doubt the president hoped Emma Soto carrying the can would leave his hands clean in the affair. He can deny all knowledge and make it clear as soon as he was made aware, Soto had to go.
    All of that may have the President ’s problems tied up, but it made Rose’s more difficult to untangle. With Soto out of the office, he won’t be able to ‘ keep on her ’ like Foxhound wants.
    “How about that prick with the CIA? Has he come up with anything else?” Rose opened the driver’s door and lowered himself into the seat, speaking into his phone at the same time.
    “ I haven’t heard from him,” Daniel replied. “Someone mentioned he might have gone home.”
    “What a dick,” Isaac muttered. “All right, dude,” he said. “ I don ’t suppose there’ s much more you can do there, so get yourself home, too.”
    “What about the press conference tomorrow? Surely, we don’t want to hand this over to the press.”
    “They’re going to get hold of it one way or another,” Rose shrugged. He placed his key in the ignition and started the engine. “Maybe they’ve already got it. If the President’s been given a heads-up, he might think it’s best to make a preemptive strike. That way, he doesn’t look like he was trying to cover something up.”
    Daniel mumbled an understanding, “Right, right,” on the other end of the line. “Still makes this whole thing much messier, though,” he pointed out.
    “ Ain ’t that the truth,” Rose agreed. “Listen, if you do think of anything, give me a call. Or have Frankie buzz me if you can’ t take the time. But get some rest and I ’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “ Okay, ” the young computer expert responded wearily.
    Rose tossed the phone into his lap. Grabbing the steering wheel, with both hands, he backed out of his parking space before joining the busy Washington traffic.
    It was early fall and the some of the huge trees that lines the road were turning shades of amber and russet. The sun was also hanging low in the sky, prompting Rose to grab his sunglasses from the glove compartment.
    Throughout the journey home, he mulled over Daniel ’s concern. He was right, blowing this thing wide open; exposing the secret to the American people and the world at large, would make it incredibly difficult to track down who is responsible. However, he knew from experience, there’s little point in trying to interfere with political decisions of this nature. If the President has decided the time is right to speak to the press, then speak to the press he will. Or rather, he’ ll make Emma Soto do it.
    The drive home was uneventful and his arrival at the house uneventful. The doors were all securely locked, with no sign of anyone having been in the house and all was dark and quietHe pulled off his tie before