The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl Page A

picks up her phone, takes a selfie, and texts it to Moira: I S THIS DRESS TOO MUCH FOR A BUSINESS DINNER ?
    Within seconds she gets an answer: W ITH A MAN ?
    Y ES .
    H OW ATTRACTIVE IS HE , ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10?
    I DON ’ T WANT TO GO ON RECORD .
    W HICH MEANS HE ’ S AT LEAST AN EIGHT .
    M ORE MONEY .
    B USTED ! B EAUTY IS POWER . W EAR IT !
    As she walks down Fifty-Seventh Street past Carnegie Hall, Erica is glad she took Moira’s advice. The admiring looks she’s getting lift her spirits and her confidence. It was a rough day but a good day, a learning day. Before she left the office, she wrote an e-mail to Claire Wilcox, copying Greg and Nylan:
    Hi, Claire—I think it’s worth exploring cyberterrorism as the cause of the ferry crash. Internal IT head Mark Benton thinks it’s a possibility. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help with this story (or any other). Best—Erica
    The big leagues are cutthroat. That’s not her favorite way to roll, but if that’s what it takes, she’s in—as long as it’s not at the expense of her integrity. Let Claire have the ferry crash story. It’s a big, chaotic world out there and another important story will come along. And if it doesn’t come along, she’ll go out and find it.
    She enters the restaurant and is greeted warmly by the maître d’. Greg is at the small bar and he crosses to her, drink in hand.
    â€œWould it be unprofessional of me to tell you how great you look?”
    â€œProbably—but why don’t you say it again so I can be sure.”
    The maître d’ leads them to a table and after they’re seated asks, “May I get the lady something to drink?”
    â€œI’m fine with water for now, thank you.”
    â€œI just read your e-mail to Claire,” Greg says as they open their menus.
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œI thought it was pitch perfect: helpful and respectful but not obsequious. Have you heard back?”
    â€œNot yet.”
    â€œClaire’s no fool. I predict she’ll take your advice.”
    â€œMark Benton tells me GNN has a cybersecurity department.”
    â€œSo I’ve heard,” Greg says with a sardonic half smile. “It’s very secretive. Nylan is obsessed with all things secretive. And cyber. He believes in something he calls cyberpower, and he thinks it’s going to define the twenty-first century. The man has ambitions that go way beyond GNN.”
    â€œSuch as?”
    â€œWell, I’m one of several dozen executive producers at the network, so I’m hardly in his inner circle, but offhand I’d say he’s after world domination. Seriously, I think he craves power on a global scale. He’s thirty-six, he’s made his billions on Universe, he’s gotten GNN up and running. What’s next? I don’t think he wants to get into politics per se, but I think he wants to be a major player behind the scenes.”
    â€œAnd you think he’s perverse?”
    â€œUnder that boyish façade lies a very strange man. I don’t pretend to understand him. But I do know I don’t trust him. Nylan’s main management tool is fear.”
    Erica gets a text and takes out her phone. “I know this is rude, but reporters get a pass. . . . It’s from Claire: T HANK YOU FOR THE VALUABLE LEAD, TEAMMATE . Fair enough, although I could have done without the ‘teammate.’ What a cliché.”
    â€œWith someone like Claire, you’ve got to beat them at their own game.”
    â€œFool me twice . . .”
    â€œExactly.”
    The waiter comes over and takes their order. Erica goes for a simple angel hair Bolognese, Greg for mushroom ravioli. She also orders an Italian lemon soda.
    â€œSo . . . I’ve been thinking about your next move,” Greg says.
    â€œAnd . . .?”
    â€œIn some ways the ferry incident is a mixed blessing. It launched you like a rocket,