Clark took a drink and gauged the sincerity of the thinly veiled threat. "What are you hearing?"

"I'm hearing Kennedy won't play ball. I'm hearing if she finds out about our little arrangement she will blow us out of the water."

Shaking his head, Clark replied, "As for your first point, I'm not entirely convinced she won't play ball, and as for your second point, she would never go public with our business dealings."

"How can you be so sure?"

With absolute sincerity, Clark replied, "She'd probably have you killed instead."

Taking half a step back Ellis gave the senator a questioning look. "You can't be serious?"

"Oh, I'm very serious. I don't know who your other sources are, but I will guarantee you they don't know Dr. Kennedy as well as I do. She was taught by the best. That agency has never seen anyone as competent, efficient and lethal as Thomas Stansfield, and I doubt they ever will ... but Kennedy will be the next best thing. I have no doubt that Stansfield has left her with his files." Clark turned and looked out over the water. "All the secrets he compiled during his fifty-plus years of service in the intelligence business. I know some very powerful men in Washington who are very nervous about her nomination."

Ellis clenched his fists in a show of frustration. "Then why in the hell don't you guys tell the President to withdraw his nomination and get someone in there who we can manage?"

"It's not that easy. Mark. These men are afraid of her. They are afraid of what she knows, and they would prefer not to draw any attention to themselves."

"Bullshit! I don't care how many of them are afraid of her. I don't care how many of them lose their jobs or their wives or whatever it is they are afraid of losing--"

"How about their freedom?" Clark asked with an arched brow.

"What do you mean, freedom?"

"Some of them would like to stay out of jail."