Dana said, «There's a rumor that you're planning to run for the Senate, Mr. Winthrop. Is there any truth to it?»

Gary Winthrop smiled. «I'm testing the waters.»

«They're pretty inviting. In the straw polls we've seen, you're way ahead.»

Gary Winthrop nodded. «My family has had a long record of government service. If I can be of any use to this country, I will do whatever I am called on to do.»

«Thank you for being with us, Mr. Winthrop.»

«Thankyou. »

During the commercial break, Gary Winthrop said good-bye and left the studio.

Jeff Connors, sitting next to Dana, said, «We need more like him in Congress.»

«Amen.»

«Maybe we could clone him. By the way—how is Kemal?»

Dana winced. «Jeff—please don't mention Kemal and cloning in the same breath. I can't handle it.»

«Did the problem at school this morning work out?»

«Yes, but that was today. Tomorrow is—»

Anastasia Mann said, «We're back. Three…two…one…»

The red light flashed on. Dana looked at the TelePrompTer. «It's time for sports now with Jeff Connors.»

Jeff looked into the camera. «Merlin the Magician was missing from the Washington Bullets tonight. Juwan Howard tried his magic and Gheorghe Muresan and Rasheed Wallace helped stir up the brew, but it was bitter, and they had finally to swallow it along with their pride…»

At 2:00A. M., in Gary Winthrop's town house in the elite northwest section of Washington, two men were removing paintings from the walls of the drawing room. One man wore the mask of the Lone Ranger, the other the mask of Captain Midnight. They worked at a leisurely pace, cutting the pictures out of the frames and putting their loot into large burlap sacks.