Back at my desk, I hear the news break. The first rioters have breached the Capitol. They’re inside. I’m registering the development as Pat Cipollone and Pat Philbin barrel past me and barge into Mark’s office. “The rioters are in the Capitol, Mark. We need to go down and see the president—now,” Cipollone insists. Mark is a statue on his couch. “He doesn’t want to do anything, Pat.” Pat calmly gives Mark direction. “Mark, something needs to be done. People are going to die, and the blood is going to be on your hands. This is getting out of hand. I’m going down there.”
