Faster her feet flew, faster and faster. It was rough going, but they had to keep up the pace. Soon they would stop, he must be running out of breath too. Just a little longer though, and she'd be safe...safe...

She might have gotten away, but his foot got caught in a pothole and he fell heavily with a loud cry. Her strength was almost gone, she could barely pull him to his feet. She could no longer struggle. She shut her eyes...

Was it the wind and rain that drowned out the sound of the bus bearing down on them from the curve? Neither Paul McNulty nor Monica Goodling heard it until the glare of the lights was upon them, silhouetting their straining bodies sharply against the darkened Capitol Building. The brakes screamed as she pushed away from Paul...there was a loud smacking sound and a grunt and then a crunching thud...Senator Schumer leapt from the bus, unnaturally tall in the blinding white light...He reached out his arms to Monica...

"Paul! Oh, Paul! Where is Paul?" she cried out, but she already knew. He lay crumpled in the mud of the road under the bus.