Or like the Roman dictatorships of Sulla and Caesar, both of a bit autocratic out of grim necessity.“Within ninety to two hundred days, there will b...e general elections for the Third Continental Congress, as I prefer to call it. Due to the present conditions, I shall retain whatever veto power must be kept in order to prevent repeal of my emergency code until I can get it codified as the permanent law of the land. A new Constitution will be drafted by the Third Continental Congress that. Well, dead eyes. Hand still poised.“The Director, Franklin O’Leary, said Sammy, my nephew, must have been confused, gotten in the wrong car. With a man we followed here.”Dead Eyes spoke into a shoulder mic on the epaulet of his white uniform shirt. And pulled out his pistol.I dived into the back seat as Felicity squealed in reverse, the momentum slamming the door shut behind me. She K-turned just as two black Range Rovers with some kind of emblem on the sides turned on their sirens.Felicity. No one.I can feel them out there. Dozens of them. Minds that are different, unbound. Vincent is there, sensing that something is wrong. Up in the tower at the Illusions, I smell the panic from his thralls. They're wrapped up in a sea of flesh around them, coming at them in naked waves, and they're not immune to the lure.There are a million and a half people in Las Vegas. Most of a million not too far from the strip. More than San Francisco. More power. More freedom. Less restraint.He's shouting. I'm going tohave to punish her for that." So it was done. Rose had succeeded in bringingat least two of her friends together. We all knew then and there that Rose'slunch group was never going to be the same.We all heard the front door open and a pair of heels walk across the entryfloor. Rose noted my inquisitive look and smiled. Nancy started to ask butRose cut her off. "Help Trish up and get her dressed. The driver will take herhome when he brings my last guest. You'll have to wait for.