72
Miranda’s phone rang loudly. She didn’t recognize the number, but the 703 area code told her it was probably the Pentagon.
“Miranda Chase. This is actually her, not a recording.” So many people paused and then were surprised that she wasn’t a recording of herself that she’d begun to say what she was up front.
There was a pause, then a brief chuckle.
That wasn’t a sufficient result to make it a permanent change in her phone answering technique.
“Hello, Miranda-actual. This is Drake-actual. What’s your status?”
“I’m sitting down.” Then she considered that might be an insufficient answer. “In the main conference area.” Probably still not enough. “As the Vice President is not aboard, this isn’t technically Air Force Two.”
Again the pause before he continued in a different tone. “What
