"These hearings, Bud."
Instantly the Senator felt the crush of the whole family arrayed against him, and he wanted to snarl at her in shame and anger and shout, "Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone, for Chrissake!"
"They've got space flight. We can't even begin to guess what else they've got. What does Senator Stilson do? And you're there on his side, right with him!"
Bud puffed his cheeks and his skin grew hot and prickly. It's none of your damned business, he thought viciously.
"They have space flight," she repeated doggedly. "Think what that would mean to us."
"I haven't time to discuss it right now, Sis. We'll have to talk this out later." He stood up, anger pounding in his temples.
She stood with him. "Tonight. You and I and Frank."
"I don't quite see how...." His voice was weary, and he let the sentence hang short of blunt refusal.
"Tonight, Bud. We've got to see you tonight. He's flying in."
"Well ..." he sighed resignedly. "My place, then. I'll see you at, nine o'clock there."