"I don't get it." '"It's what Oliver Lathram puts in his brother's implants."

"Oh, hey, I didn't, " '"Analyze it, Gerry. Satisfy your curiosity, resolve your suspicions, and then let me know what you find.

That's a list of what's supposed to be in the solution. See if the analysis matches it." She was so stiff, her expression so grim.

'"Gin, what's wrong? ' "I don't like what I'm doing, Gerry. I'm not proud of myself for sneaking this out of Oliver's lab."

"But you didn't have to. I was only, " "You started me thinking, you got me worried. So now I want to know too."

"I'm sorry." She started to say something, then seemed to change her mind. It looked as if she'd been about to say, You shogld be, but she said, "It's okay.

You're just doing your job." He offered the tube to her. "You can have this back." She shook her head. "Too late now." The tension was so thick between them Gerry doubted even a Ginsu knife would cut it.

"Dinner was great the other night, " he said. "You're a super chef. " "I'm glad you liked it." No thaw yet. He'd have to pull out the big guns.

"Martha loved it. And she loves you." Gin's features softened.

Finally.

"And I love her, " she said. Then she pointed to the test tube. "But let me know about that stuffs soon as you hear, Gerry. It's important to me."

"Don't worry. As soon as I hear, you'll hear. But in the meantime, what are you doing for dinner tonight? " She shook her head.

"Moonlighting at Lynnbrook." She turned and started walking away.

"You will let me know, . . . .

won't your Gerry raised three fingers, Boy Scout style. "Promise. " Damn right I promise, he thought. Because I can see you're going to be a basket case until I do.

As he headed upstairs to get a lab requisition form, he didn't know whether he should be elated or depressed. He had a sample of Duncan Lathram's solution, but he'd also made Gin terribly upset. Was the prize worth the cost? If analysis turned up a toxin, how would he tell her?

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?