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Once upon a time, in a political process far, far away, the candidate selection results were known before they were announced to the general public. With necessary enhancements in security and increases in the number of delegates who chose to vote remotely, this has changed over the last twenty years. These days, no one knows whos taking the nomination until the announcement is made. Call it part of a misguided effort to reinsert drama into a process that has become substantially more cut-and-dried as the years went by. Reality television on the grandest of scales.
Emily and Peter Ryman were sitting in a pair of folding chairs near the stage, his left hand clasped in both of hers as they watched the monitor that was scrolling current results. David Tate was pacing not far away; he shot me a poisonous look as I entered.
Miss Mason, he said. Looking for more muck to rake?
Actually, Governor, I was looking for more facts to pass along, I said, and continued for the Rymans. Senator. Mrs. Ryman. I hope youre ready for the results?
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Georgia, said the senator gravely. Then he laughed, releasing his wifes hand and standing to grasp and shake mine. Whatever the numbers say, I want to thank you and your crew. You may not have changed the race, but you made it a hell of a lot more fun for everyone involved.
Thank you, Senator, I said. Thats good to hear.
After Peters had a few weeks to rest, all three of you must come and visit the farm, Emily said. I know the girls would love to meet you. Rebeccas very fond of your reports, especially. It would be a real treat for them.
I smiled. Wed be honored. But lets not assume a break just yet.
Far from it, said the senator, with a glance at Governor Tate. Governor Tates return look wasnt a friendly one. I think were going to go all the way.
A bell rang as if to punctuate his words, and a hush fell over the convention. I stepped back, lifting my chin to bring the camera on my collar to a better angle.
Lets see if you mean that, I said.
Over the loudspeaker, the voice of a third-rate celebrity whod gone from bad sitcoms to convention announcements blared: And now, the Republican Partys man of the hour, and the next President of these fabulous United States of AmericaSenator Peter Ryman of Wisconsin! Senator Ryman, come on out here and greet the people!
The cheers were almost deafening. Emily gave a little squeal that was only half-surprise, and wrapped her arms around the senators shoulders, kissing him on both cheeks as he lifted her off the ground in a hug. Well, Em? he said. Lets go make the people happy. Beaming, she nodded her agreement, and he led her onto the stage. The cheers doubled in volume. Some of those people wouldnt be able to talk at all the next day. Right then, I doubted any of them particularly cared.
Tate stayed where he was, expression blank. Before I moved toward the stage exit, still filming, I paused long enough to get a reaction shot of a man whose dreams had just been dashed. Go, Pete, go, I murmured, unable to keep from smiling. He had the nomination. That was our man out there on that stage, accepting the nomination.
We were going on the road.
My ear cuff beeped three times, signaling an emergency transmission. I tapped it, stepping away from the opening. Shaun, what did you
Buffys voice cut me off. It was all business, and so cold I almost didnt recognize it at first. Georgia, theres an outbreak at the farm.
I froze. What farm?
The Ryman farm. Its on all the feeds, its everywhere. They think one of the horses went into spontaneous conversion. No one knows why, and theyre still digging in the ashes and setting the perimeter. No one knows where the where theoh, God, Georgia, the girls were in there when the alarms went off, and no one knows
Slowly, as if in a dream, I turned back toward the opening. Buffy was talking, but her words didnt matter anymore. Senator Ryman had formally accepted the nomination and was standing there grinning, his beautiful wife holding his arm, waving to the crowd that chose him to bear their banner toward the highest office in the country. They looked like the happiest people in the world. People who had never known what a real tragedy was. God help them, they were about to learn.
you there? Mahirs trying to control the forums, but he needs help, and we need you to find the valid news feed into all this, we
Tell Mahir to contact Casey at Media Breakdown and arrange a fact-only feed-through of the situation at the farm; tell him well trade an early release on my next candidate interview, I said, tonelessly. Wake Alaric, get him backing Mahir until Rick finishes on the floor, then throw him in there, too. He wanted to join the party? Well, heres his invitation.
What are you going to do?
Emily Ryman was laughing, hands clasped together. She had no idea.
Grimly, I said, Im going to stay here and report the news.
BOOK III
Index Case Studies
The difference between the truth and a lie is that both of them can hurt, but only one will take the time to heal you afterward.
GEORGIA MASON
We live in a world of our own creation. Weve made our bed, ladies and gentlemen, whether we intended to or not. Now, we get the honor of lying down in it.
MICHAEL MASON
Ive done a lot of difficult things over the course of my journalistic career. Few, in the end, were pretty; most of the supposed glamour of reporting the news is reserved for the people who sit behind desks and look good while they tell you about the latest tragedy to rock the world. Its different in the field, and even after doing this for years, I dont think I grasped how different it was. Not until I looked into the faces of presidential candidate Peter Ryman and his wife and informed them that the body of their eldest daughter had just been cremated by federal troops outside their family ranch in Parrish, Wisconsin.
Emily and Peter Ryman were sitting in a pair of folding chairs near the stage, his left hand clasped in both of hers as they watched the monitor that was scrolling current results. David Tate was pacing not far away; he shot me a poisonous look as I entered.
Miss Mason, he said. Looking for more muck to rake?
Actually, Governor, I was looking for more facts to pass along, I said, and continued for the Rymans. Senator. Mrs. Ryman. I hope youre ready for the results?
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Georgia, said the senator gravely. Then he laughed, releasing his wifes hand and standing to grasp and shake mine. Whatever the numbers say, I want to thank you and your crew. You may not have changed the race, but you made it a hell of a lot more fun for everyone involved.
Thank you, Senator, I said. Thats good to hear.
After Peters had a few weeks to rest, all three of you must come and visit the farm, Emily said. I know the girls would love to meet you. Rebeccas very fond of your reports, especially. It would be a real treat for them.
I smiled. Wed be honored. But lets not assume a break just yet.
Far from it, said the senator, with a glance at Governor Tate. Governor Tates return look wasnt a friendly one. I think were going to go all the way.
A bell rang as if to punctuate his words, and a hush fell over the convention. I stepped back, lifting my chin to bring the camera on my collar to a better angle.
Lets see if you mean that, I said.
Over the loudspeaker, the voice of a third-rate celebrity whod gone from bad sitcoms to convention announcements blared: And now, the Republican Partys man of the hour, and the next President of these fabulous United States of AmericaSenator Peter Ryman of Wisconsin! Senator Ryman, come on out here and greet the people!
The cheers were almost deafening. Emily gave a little squeal that was only half-surprise, and wrapped her arms around the senators shoulders, kissing him on both cheeks as he lifted her off the ground in a hug. Well, Em? he said. Lets go make the people happy. Beaming, she nodded her agreement, and he led her onto the stage. The cheers doubled in volume. Some of those people wouldnt be able to talk at all the next day. Right then, I doubted any of them particularly cared.
Tate stayed where he was, expression blank. Before I moved toward the stage exit, still filming, I paused long enough to get a reaction shot of a man whose dreams had just been dashed. Go, Pete, go, I murmured, unable to keep from smiling. He had the nomination. That was our man out there on that stage, accepting the nomination.
We were going on the road.
My ear cuff beeped three times, signaling an emergency transmission. I tapped it, stepping away from the opening. Shaun, what did you
Buffys voice cut me off. It was all business, and so cold I almost didnt recognize it at first. Georgia, theres an outbreak at the farm.
I froze. What farm?
The Ryman farm. Its on all the feeds, its everywhere. They think one of the horses went into spontaneous conversion. No one knows why, and theyre still digging in the ashes and setting the perimeter. No one knows where the where theoh, God, Georgia, the girls were in there when the alarms went off, and no one knows
Slowly, as if in a dream, I turned back toward the opening. Buffy was talking, but her words didnt matter anymore. Senator Ryman had formally accepted the nomination and was standing there grinning, his beautiful wife holding his arm, waving to the crowd that chose him to bear their banner toward the highest office in the country. They looked like the happiest people in the world. People who had never known what a real tragedy was. God help them, they were about to learn.
you there? Mahirs trying to control the forums, but he needs help, and we need you to find the valid news feed into all this, we
Tell Mahir to contact Casey at Media Breakdown and arrange a fact-only feed-through of the situation at the farm; tell him well trade an early release on my next candidate interview, I said, tonelessly. Wake Alaric, get him backing Mahir until Rick finishes on the floor, then throw him in there, too. He wanted to join the party? Well, heres his invitation.
What are you going to do?
Emily Ryman was laughing, hands clasped together. She had no idea.
Grimly, I said, Im going to stay here and report the news.
BOOK III
Index Case Studies
The difference between the truth and a lie is that both of them can hurt, but only one will take the time to heal you afterward.
GEORGIA MASON
We live in a world of our own creation. Weve made our bed, ladies and gentlemen, whether we intended to or not. Now, we get the honor of lying down in it.
MICHAEL MASON
Ive done a lot of difficult things over the course of my journalistic career. Few, in the end, were pretty; most of the supposed glamour of reporting the news is reserved for the people who sit behind desks and look good while they tell you about the latest tragedy to rock the world. Its different in the field, and even after doing this for years, I dont think I grasped how different it was. Not until I looked into the faces of presidential candidate Peter Ryman and his wife and informed them that the body of their eldest daughter had just been cremated by federal troops outside their family ranch in Parrish, Wisconsin.
