F Wilson - Implant

But he would. And pull her out of Lathram's place so fast her head would spin.

Gin ran into Dr. Conway as she checked into the doctors lounge at Lynnbrook. He was on his way out. She nodded absently. Duncan and Oliver's secret sauce was on her mind and Conway was almost gone before she realized she hadn't seen him since Harriet Thompson's death.

"I heard about Harriet Thompson, " Gin said. "Sorry."

"Yeah, " he sighed. He looked depressed. "Me too. But there's some lawyer in town who's real happy about it."

"Oh, no. You're getting sued? " He nodded. "For gross negligence.

The daughter in San Diego who couldn't get free to come look after her mother for a few days managed to find a lawyer as soon as she got to town. Probably called I-8:00-SUE-DOCS or whatever number the ambulance chasers are using today.

Never miss an opportunity to cash in, right? " Gin could understand his bitterness. "Why doesn't she sue the PRO? " "Don't you know?

Physician Review Organizations are immune from malpractice suits. That leaves me." Gin felt awkward and angry. Not knowing what else to do, she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. You'll win."

"Sure, " he said. His smile was humorless. "Bet you just can't wait to get into practice. He walked out.

ON THE HILL you're GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GAME, Hugh."

Gin slowed as she passed the closed door to Senator Marsden's office.

Her mind had been far away, wondering what the analysis of Oliver's secret sauce was showing. She'd die if there was anything incriminating in it.

, - The waiting was consuming her. She could barely concentrate on anything else. But the condescension in the voice slipping through the senator's transom pulled her up short.

She knew Senator Kramer had arrived for a meeting. Their voices weren't raised but even out here she could sense the tension.

Senator Marsden's voice sounded tight. "When I start thinking of the Senate as a game, I'll know it's past time to quit." Kramer chuckled.

"I was pretty self-righteous too when I was a freshman. But I learned.

And if you want to get things done in this town, you'll learn too.

You don't, you get left out in the cold." '"I'm not in favor of loosening up on offshore drilling at the moment.

I don't think we need it now."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Hugh.

Because it's important to my people."

"Do I take it that my position on easing offshore drilling restrictions will affect your vote on the Guidelines bill? " '>Oh, I wouldn't put it that way. Let's just say I'm reserving my judgment until your bill gets out of committee." I see."

"It's horse trading, son, " Kramer said, getting folksy all of a sudden.

"It's what makes the wheels turn. I'm obliged to keep the home folks happy and prosperous. Remember, One person's pork-barrel project is another. person's wise investment in the local infrastructure."

"How about simply casting a vote for something because it's the right thing to do? " Gin heard a chair scrape against the floor.

"Because what's right for you isn't necessarily right for me. We'll talk again sometime, Hugh." Not wanting to get caught with her ear to the door, Gin hurried off.

She related the conversation to Alicia on their way to the Senate cafeteria in the basement of the Dirksen Building. The Hart and Dirksen buildings were attached, but the walls down here were brick, the doors a dark oak, in sharp contrast to the antiseptic decor of the newer Hart.

They passed the Senate Post Office, then turned into the of. "I'm not surprised, " Alicia said. She picked out a tuna salad and a diet Pepsi. "A lot of the people on the Hill don't think he's for real.

And the ones that do are leery of him." Gin took a turkey on rye and a Mountain Dew.

"Care to explain that?"

Alicia scanned the tables. "Let's see if we can get off by ourselves and I'll give you the true facts."

"True facts? You mean as opposed to the other kind? " "Exactly."

They found an isolated corner table. Alicia sat with her back to the wall and watched the room as she spoke.

"First off, you should know that Senator Marsden ruffled a lot of feathers right off by coming to town with a selfimposed term limit. He said depending on how much he accomplished, he might serve only one term, and absolutely positively no more than two. That was a no-no. " "What's wrong with that? " "Because term limits is a very touchy subject around here. The members like to think of themselves as elected for life."

" How can they? Congressmen have to run every two years."

"Well, as I heard one member say to another back in the eighties, You have to be a real bozo to lose this job. Incumbents average a ninety-five-percent reelection rate."

"Wow." - "I tell you, Gin, nobody wants to leave this place once they get here. And can you blame them? You're part of the most powerful government in the world. And the most expensive. Salary, perks, and privileges come to more than two million bucks per member per year. No other government even comes close. And the few bozos who somehow fail to get reelected don't go home, they hire out as lobbyists. It's called Potomac fever.

I understand it's incurable."

"Do you think Senator Marsden will catch it? " "Maybe, " she said.

"You never know. I think he's sincere when he says he doesn't intend to stay here more than two terms. But I'm in the minority, Just about everyone else on the Hill thinks it's a pose. A holier-than-thou act that he'll use to squeeze the PACs for big bucks later. They're all watching, waiting to see if it works."

"That's sick, " Gin said. "Why do you put up with it?

Why've you been at it for so long? " Alicia shrugged. Her smile was shy. "Potomac fever. We staffers aren't immune either. Who knows?

Maybe you'll catch it too. Maybe you already have." Not me, Gin thought. I'm immune to that sort of thing. She felt a twinge of uneasiness. At least I hope I am.

Gin was straightening up her work area, preparing to call it a day as a legislative aide and change into her doctor hat. Another frustrating round of writing reports on referral and utilization patterns and wondering if anyone would read them. She was also sneaking in time on a freelance report, using the Harriet Thompson case as a paradigm of how treatment guideiines can backfire. She hoped the story's poignancy might raise a little consciousness as to the human COSt of well-meaning guidelines when they were mechanically implemented.

Maybe in the process she could help Dr. Conway.

Alicia bustled by then.

"Got a maybe from Senator Hirsch, " she said as she passed.

" Gust a maybe? " That surprised Gin. Hirsch always seemed to have something to say about health-care policy. "I thought he'd jump at the chance." Alicia slowed but kept moving. "It's a joint committee, not a permanenr thing. Too ad hoc. It might screw up his ranking position on his other committees, ones that guarantee serious, long-term PAC attention." Gin couldn't hide her annoyance. "Is everything about money, dammit? " "Senator Mark Hanna said something you should keep in mind when you're working on The Hill, There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money . . . and I l can't remember what the other one is. That's from the horse's mouth.

But what this place is really about is influence. And influence brings in campaign donations. And campaign donations help you come back for another term."

"So you can increase your influence, " Gin said without enthusiasm .

Alicia laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. "Now you're getting it! " "I'm afraid I am, " Gin muttered as Alicia disappeared down the hall.

Then her phone with the seal of the Senate rang. It was Gerry.

"The report's back." Gin lowered herself into her chair. "I thought you said not until tomorrow."