A slow shake of his head, and finality was in his voice. "I'm afraid
there isn't any way." And that was that.
The President stood up in dismissal, and we all rose nervously. He
held out his hand. "Sorry, Pete. Perhaps some day...."
I shook his hand limply and the Old Man was at my elbow to steer me
out. Together we paced back through the dark hall, together we stepped
quietly out into the black Washington night. Our footsteps echoed
softly past the buildings of the past and the future. The car was
waiting; Stein, the driver. The heavy door slammed, and the tires
hissed me from the pavement.