Vatican Ambassador Read Online Free Page A

the picture.
    “Who are you?” the man who must be Julius Spears asks BC over the com unit.
    “I’m Father Bernard Campion, Mr. Spears. Would you please put the governor on?” BC asks. The man’s brow furrows.
    “He’s not taking calls right now, Father,” Spears says tersely. “I’ll pass your message along. Good Day.”
    The com cuts off.
    What a prick! Like father, like son, I guess! What the fuck is going on?
    Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeep.
    I thought I turned that off?
    “What?!” BC yells out.
    “Take it easy, BC. It’s me, Edwards.”
    “How did you do that? Get through past my message, I mean?”
    “Oh. Some kind of Governmental override, I guess. I just told the com to get me through to you. Sorry about Spears. Ad guys. You know how they are.”
    “Yeah, his kid’s a real charmer, too. He cut me off, twice before,” BC tells him. “What are you doing, talking to him about the campaign?” BC asks Edwards.
    “Yeah. I obviously need the help,” Edwards explains.
    “Spears was a political consultant before branching out into commercial advertising. When I found out he was here on Lunar Prime, I thought I’d talk to him, see if he could offer me any advice.”
    “Could he?”
    “Sort of. But I’m not listening to some of his advice, or I wouldn’t be talking to you, ” Edwards laughs.
    “What? Has it come down to you not being able to talk to me? Because of McEntyre?” BC asks.
    “Yeah. He’s turned you into a ‘hot potato’, Spears said. Told me I shouldn’t go anywhere near you or be seen talking to you,” Edwards tells BC.
    “That’s probably good advice,” BC admits. “Thanks for ignoring it.”
    “You’re welcome. But I do need you to lay low, and I can’t be seen talking to you. Not until this election is over,” Edwards breaks the news to BC. “I’m sorry, BC. You do what you have to, but I’m going to have to show everyone you aren’t somehow pulling my strings, you know?”
    “It’s stupid, I know, but it’s true. Spears has it right,” BC admits with regret. “I’m just going to make a statement, and then try to ride this out and ‘lay low’ for you, like you say,” BC assures him. “I’ve been told to lay low by the best of them, trust me. I’ve got lots of practice,” BC says wryly.
    “You know, Marc, I’ve gotta say one more time, you could always bring up the charge that he cheated on Meredith with that girl back on Earth…” BC suggests, already knowing the answer.
    “No way!” Edwards protests. “I know, I know, you keep telling me I should, but I don’t want to go negative! Besides… how ‘come I’ve gotta remind you one more time that you’re a priest? You shouldn’t be sharing her information in the first place! I’m just… I don’t wanna go there. End of story, okay?”
    “Okay. I just had to try one last time before I go incommunicado,” BC says.
    “Thanks for understanding,” Edwards says earnestly.
    “You’re welcome,” BC tells him. “Good luck, Marc. Com unit off.”
    Well, fuck. This isn’t looking good. Edwards is getting desperate. Huh. Getting? He already stinks of desperation! McEntyre acts like he can smell Edwards’ fear like a dog. And Edwards won’t go on the attack…
    BC’s life the next day and a half becomes a continuous game of cat and mouse with the news media: They keep trying to get him to comment on McEntyre’s allegations; he keeps dodging them. It accomplishes what McEntyre obviously hoped it would: a sideshow is created that distracts people from the real issues over the weekend before Election Day.
    BC leaves his quarters to vote first thing Monday morning, Election Day. He pushes past the perching media people and walks to the polls with a parade of them trailing behind. McEntyre set us up to lose, but good. If we had ignored him and continued to meet and strategize on the election, McEntyre would’ve been able to point and say, “There! See! They are collaborating! Edwards is in the