Incest/Taboo Lady in Red

At that moment, in a different room, Steve slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Gwen's beautiful face watching him. Her smile lit up the room before she bent down and kissed him soundly.

"How are you feeling, Darling? Are you in much pain? Can I get you anything?" asked Gwen between kisses to his lips and cheeks.

"Where am I? How did I get here? Is Chip okay? You're beautiful!"

"Chip is recovering in another room. You're in Sparta, in the hospital. You have some broken ribs, your left arm was broken, and you've got some nasty bruises all over your body. The swelling in your face is just beginning to go down. It must have been horrible!"

Steve looked away before speaking. "I thought I was going to die. I keep seeing that lunatic swinging a sword at me. I thought I'd never see you again, never hold you in my arms, and never see our kids. I'm not proud to admit that I was pretty scared."

"You wouldn't be human if you weren't!" countered Gwen. "What you did was the bravest thing a person could ever do, but you'll never do it again! I've already let it be known that none of our friends or family will ever deal with terrorists, except to bring them to justice."

"How did I get here? I remember that dark, dank cave. Then I woke up with your beautiful face smiling at me. What happened?" asked Steve.

Before Gwen could respond, a doctor and two nurses ushered her out of the room so they could examine Steve. She saw Kate speaking to a woman in the hall and joined them.

"Steve's awake and talking!"announced an almost giddy Gwen as she approached the two women. "How's your stud doing? Has he come around yet?"

"Marian Martin, meet my sister Gwen. Gwen, this is Chip's mother, Mrs. Marian Martin," grinned Kate as she made the introductions.

"It's a real pleasure to meet the very famous Gwen Anderson," responded Chip's mother. "And to answer your question, Kate's 'stud' was speaking to us before the doctor and his nurses insisted we leave the room so they could examine him."

"That's great news! You don't seem to be too upset about Kate staking a claim on your son. I'm glad of that. You and your husband must be very proud of Chip. He's one of the bravest men I've ever met, and believe me, I've met my share."

The women wound up discussing the relationship Chip had with his dad until they were allowed back in with the patients. Both men were asleep again when the girls returned, so they sat down to wait for them to awaken. Chip's mother told Kate that she was going to rent a room at one of the local motels. She had flown to the capital and rented a car as soon as she learned that her son was a patient in Sparta.

"Marian, you won't find a room. In case you didn't notice, this town is teeming with visitors. There are several motels under construction in the area, but I'm sure every available room within twenty miles will be rented. Why don't you stay with us? I'll call Mom. She'll be glad to have you," insisted Kate.

"I can't put her out like that, especially this time of night. I'll go back to the interstate and drive until I find a room. Your mom doesn't need me bothering her right now," worried Marian Martin.

"Let's see. Chip saved my life less than a week ago. He saved Steve's life a few days ago. Do you think my mother would mind helping out a woman whose son saved her daughter and her favorite man under forty?" asked Kate. "I'm calling her now."

"Mom? Nothing's wrong. Chip's mother arrived to see Chip. Yes, she got to speak with him for a very short time. I'm going to sit with him all night, but she's really bushed and needs some rest. I thought you'd say that. She was worried that she'd be putting you out. That's what I told her. Okay, I'll give her directions and she should be there in ten minutes. Thanks, Mom!"

"You heard my end of the conversation, Marian. Mom will be hurt if you don't show up. She's anxious to meet you. She'll probably ask all about Chip so she'll know what her grandkids will be like," teased Kate as she wrote directions to her parents' home on a note pad.

Over the next few days, Steve once again demonstrated that he was a fast healer. His bruises turned from black and purple to bright yellows. His chest was extremely tender and his arm was immobilized in a cast. His wounds from Colombia were completely healed and he was anxious to leave the hospital. Laura consulted with the staff and agreed to release him on the fourth day, under the care of Gwen and her family.

Chip was doing well, but his leg required closer monitoring and he was told it would be a few more days before his release would even be considered. On the first evening Steve was out of the hospital, Paula prepared a huge meal and invited all of the family and friends that risked so much to find and rescue Steve and Chip. Everyone was eating and chatting when Kate's question caught Steve completely by surprise.

"Did you know that Chip talks in his sleep? He talks a blue streak when he gets going."

"Well, I'm not surprised," chuckled Steve. "He talks all the time he's awake so it's only natural that he'd keep talking in his sleep. Now that you mention it, I've heard him jabber a few times when we bunked together in a room. I've learned to ignore him, whether he's asleep or awake."

"So maybe you can tell me how he knows about that big freckle on my left ass cheek and the small birthmark just above my little kitty? He's been making comments about me, as well as most of the ladies here, that he should know nothing about," continued Kate. "There's only one person that's seen most of us naked and also spent time with Chip."

Steve felt his face turn red as he considered Kate's conclusion. Chip had been telling stories out of school, even if it was in his sleep! Steve wondered just how much Chip had revealed.

"To whom are you referring?" asked Naomi with a big grin as she watched Steve squirm. "We all know what a gentleman Steve is. If we ever thought he'd blab about us, we never would've let him have a peek at the goodies."

"Chip's been talking almost nonstop about all of you. Naomi has really amazingly firm, large breasts that defy gravity. Lisa's nipples really scrunch up when she's cold. Did anyone else notice that Charlotte has little dimples on her ass?"

"I made him promise to never mention any of that," revealed Steve as he looked around the room. "We were dehydrated, had lost a lot of blood, and were in a lot of pain. I was just trying to help take his mind off the situation."

"You took his mind off by telling him personal things about us?" asked Kate accusingly. "Is that the chivalry that the famous Steve Hammer is known for?"

"Now Kate, you insisted that you get to be topless in front of Steve, so you really shouldn't complain that you made such an impression and he remembered every detail. You should be flattered that Steve looked so closely," reasoned Paula.

"Oh yeah? How about you having long nipples that get hard real fast and look like erasers when they do?" demanded Kate.

"Oh dear!" mumbled Paula as she turned to look at Steve, and then at a grinning Ted. "I can't control that reaction. I didn't realize he ever saw that."

"This isn't fair to Steve," chided Gwen. "He's a man that shared a little information with another man during a time of extreme stress and pain. Like Mom said before, you should all be flattered. If Steve was able to describe you so well, it meant that he really appreciated what he saw. They're compliments!"

"Oh, I see now," countered Kate. "It's okay if he tells Chip that you taste like a mixture of honey and cherry, that you're very enthusiastic about giving and receiving oral, and your body is absolutely perfect in every way possible."

"Steve said that to Chip?" asked a very red-faced Gwen. "It's a little more than he needed to reveal. I admit that, but I'm pretty happy that he feels like that. He's going to get so lucky tonight, even with bad ribs and a broken arm!"

"Wait a minute! Did he say anything about me?' asked Jordan with a big smile. "I'll feel terrible if I was left out."

"Are you kidding? Remember the night he washed the vomit out of your hair? He couldn't believe how firm and full your breasts were and how he much he enjoyed rolling your nipples in his fingers while he washed your hair."

"Really? He did that and I was too drunk to remember it? Damn! Thanks, Steve, for mentioning me in your delusional, water deprived, pain fueled observations to Chip. If you didn't have broken ribs, I'd hug you!"

"Ladies, I realize now that I crossed the line. I apologize and promise it'll never happen again. This is all pretty embarrassing. Don't blame Chip. He was pretty badly hurt and in a lot of pain. I was trying to keep his mind off our situation, so I may have revealed more information than I should have," admitted Steve.

"I can't even begin to forgive you until I hear what you told Chip about me," interjected Ashley. "I'm with Jordan on this one. If you didn't say anything about me, I'll feel terrible."

"Don't worry about that. When he first found out that you were his teacher, he had unspeakable fantasies about you. They were the usual teacher/student fantasies where you keep him after class for some test he has to make up and before he knows it, your nipples are in his mouth and he's in heaven," recounted Kate.

"Was that Steve's fantasy, or Ashley's?" asked Charlotte as a very red faced Ashley covered her eyes and mouth with her hands. "Do I really have dimples on my ass? How come you never mentioned it, Billy, or is Steve paying more attention to my ass than you are? I, for one, want to make the record clear. If looking at my ass, talking about my ass, or any of my other body parts helps Steve and Chip get through horrible situations like they were in a few days ago, by all means, tell Chip all of my secrets. If you need to do any extra research so you have more to reveal in the future, just let me know!"

"I'm not even going to repeat what he told Chip about Aunt Diane and Jordan's mother. This officer and gentleman has been cutting quite a wide swath," concluded Kate.

"My mother? Steve's seen Mom naked? Why haven't I heard about that? I bet she was trying to convince him that her breasts were bigger and better than mine. I thought she was over that sort of behavior," complained a suddenly dejected Jordan.

"Please excuse me for a few minutes," stated Steve as he stood and asked Jordan to step into an adjoining room. "Jordan, your mom is way better than she used to be. Kate's referring to an incident back when we graduated from high school.

"She did try to get me to compare and I explained that there no comparisons. You are beautiful inside and out, a woman that cares about others and helps those less fortunate. I told your mom that she'd never have tits anywhere near as nice as yours until she improved as a person and as a mother. I told her that you were perfect and I meant it. Since then, she's been much better, as far as I can tell. Please don't say something to her to cause her pain. She's improved her attitude, hasn't she?"

"So I have nicer tits? Cool! I won't say anything to Mom, so don't worry. But I do want to thank you for being such a great friend. I remember Mom acting different that weekend. Now that I think about it, she really did start behaving better and making better decisions after that. She must have taken your words to heart."

Jordan led Steve back into the dining room by the hand. "Gwen, this guy's a keeper! You probably already know what he just told me about Mom, but I'm very grateful to have such a loyal, thoughtful friend."

After dinner, everyone went to the living room to discuss the events of the past few days. "Charlie and I had a scare when he was hit in the head. We'd like to get married Labor Day, at the LiR CPA, if that's okay with everyone. We'll invite pretty much the whole town, if you guys are good with it. I was hoping that the company could pick up some of the expenses. We have a fair amount saved, but I know how costly weddings can be."

"Don't even say another word!" interrupted Lisa. You never batted an eye when the company paid for my wedding and that was pretty expensive. As a member of LIR board of directors, I make the motion that our company covers all of Jordan and Charlie's wedding expenses, including the honeymoon."

"I'll second that, especially since I expect my extravagant wedding to be covered in full by the company!" laughed Kate. "Jordan never asks for anything for herself, so we really need to do this right. We need to start making wedding plans, like yesterday!"

"You know that Steve and I want you to have the very best wedding possible," added Gwen. "Let's get to work on this right away. This'll be a wedding the likes of which this town, or state, has never seen before!"

"I hate to change the subject, but I feel that I've got to explain a few things to Kate," interjected Steve. "I didn't tell Chip about all of the beautiful ladies I have in my life to be crude or to brag.

"We knew there was a real possibility one of us, or maybe both of us would die. In fact, it was a given that neither of us would ever leave the other, so it was pretty much both of us survive or we both die. Jason, Jared, and Charlie understand how we stand by our brothers. Chip was limping through desert with a leg busted by a bullet and with another one buried in his shoulder, because he risked his life to save mine. We had no water and he had lost a great deal of blood. He needed a reason to continue on. He started asking me all about you. We spent a few hours discussing everything I knew about you and every experience you and I ever had together.

"Eventually, I ran out of stuff to tell him about you, so I started telling him about Gwen. I guess I became too personal and detailed, but it kept us alive and moving. When I finally exhausted my knowledge of Gwen, we naturally continued on to discuss the rest of you. Neither of us ever meant to be crude or sexist, or whatever you might call it.

"Right after we killed... after the fight to escape those bastards that were so intent on separating me from my head, Chip told me to leave on my own. He said that he couldn't walk and he'd never make it. He wanted to get some weapons and wait for the rest of the terrorist cell to show up so he could go out in a blaze of glory. He was more than fine with me leaving him there to face his fate. I had to remind him that you, Kate, were expecting him to come back and that you'd never forgive me if I returned without him. He realized that his desire to see you was greater than the pain he's have to endure to accomplish it. I can't begin to tell you how much he suffered to get to that cave, and to get back with you."

"Oh, Steve!" cried Kate as she moved close and kissed him briefly on the lips. "I was teasing about you telling Chip about me. Like Charlotte said, if it helped you guys get back to us, I'm honored. Thanks for telling me about it. Gwen says you're reluctant to talk above those things, so I know it wasn't easy, but it's important for the rest of us to know what you went through in order to help you get past it. No wonder Gwen loves you so much. I'm just beginning to understand how love like that feels. It's scary and uplifting at the same time.

"Forgive me for being such a bitch, teasing you over something so meaningful to you and Chip. I didn't understand, but I do now. You weren't a couple of hormonal teens bragging about conquests. You were wounded warriors, struggling to survive and to find a reason to take the next step, cover the next mile, regardless of the pain it caused. I'm humbled by your courage, and embarrassed that I didn't understand and appreciate how much you guys suffered. Please forgive me?"

"Kate, we decided years ago that I can't stay upset with you," answered Steve. "Remember that prom? I told you then that brothers love sisters no matter what. It's only gotten stronger over the years. You never need to ask me to forgive you. I can't do otherwise. You're in my heart forever."

Kate sobbed and stepped close to Steve and gently hugged him. The slight pressure she exerted against his chest caused him to gasp. "Look how much pain you're still in. I hardly touched you. Thanks for being you, and for bringing Chip into my life. I think he's going to be the guy for me, especially since he now knows me intimately. You're an amazing man."

"Not to change the subject again," stated Paula, "but I was notified this morning that Gwen's new recording, 'Woman in Love' has debuted on the top one hundred charts at number ten! I have no reason to believe it won't be number one next week and for a few weeks after that."

"That's no surprise! Have you seen the video? It's entirely from news clips. There's no acting or pretending in any of it," added Ashley. "The part where Gwen runs to meet the helicopter bringing in Steve still makes me cry. And where she pulls out that handgun and walks into that cave looking for Steve gives me goose bumps! That song's perfect for the way things have been going the past couple of weeks. It's amazing, and it's all true! That and the great way Gwen sings it make it a lock for all kinds of awards and honors. It won't hurt her non-attempt to be elected to congress, either."

"I may be able to add some interesting information about the election," remarked William Patterson. "My sources tell me that the Democratic candidate is going to bow out of the race by next week. Polls coming out this week will show that Gwen has almost sixty per cent of the voters' support. The Republican has about thirty per cent and that leaves about ten percent for the Democrat. I've also heard that he's going to throw his support to his Republican rival. That's unheard of in politics. It demonstrates how the major parties don't want outsiders in Washington. They want to keep a two party system and will go to great lengths to block Gwen's chances of being elected."

"That's interesting," replied Ashley. "We've been contacted by the Secretary of State's office. He wants to meet with Steve so he can get to the bottom of the bungled hostage situation, or so he claims. He's going to toss his hat into the presidential election ring this fall. I told his office that we'd get back to him. Do you want to discuss this with Gwen in private before you respond to his request, Steve?"

"Honestly? My feelings right now are that you are all my friends and your advice and suggestions are important to me. I can't speak for Gwen, but I'd like to have you all around for decisions like this. There will be things I don't think of that someone else will."

"Steve's right," agreed Gwen. "If I do get elected to the house, I'll want all of you to be my advisors. I'll make the final decision, but I need to know that people I trust and that have my best interests at heart are supporting and advising me. If we're ever important enough to have an 'inner circle', all of you will be considered part of it. It should come as no surprise that I'll be leaning heavily on Steve's knowledge of world events. He seems to understand things that fly over my head and I'll rely on him to keep me on track and supporting the right policies."

"I don't see any reason to not meet with the Secretary," said Steve. "Do any of you see a problem with it? My gut feeling is that this action, or lack of action, by the state department is going to become a major headache for some government agencies. They're going to do their best to stonewall it."

"Vincent Rosen wants to be the next president," pointed out Jason. "He'll start actively campaigning this fall. He'll resign his position to devote all his time and efforts to the election in two years. He will do anything he can to make this situation go away. If Steve's treatment in Iraq is laid at his door, he'll never get elected. He wants to meet with Steve to find out what he knows, and how determined he is to seek justice."

"I'd say that you almost have to meet him," opined Jared. "When the sitting Secretary of State asks a current member of the military for a meeting, it really can't be declined. The request is a formality. Just be cautious with what you say to him."

Two days later a motorcade made its way into Sparta. The Secretary of State was in town to visit with the injured Steve Hammer and to delve into the possibility of Steve being set up by unknown entities.

Steve and Gwen met the Secretary and his wife at the Lady in Red Center for the Performing Arts. Hordes of reporters were on hand to record the event and to ask the usual questions. Secretary Rosen and his wife welcomed the media coverage as they shook hands with Steve and Gwen while smiling broadly for the cameras. After an opening statement, The Secretary excused himself and his wife as they walked into the building with Steve and Gwen.

As soon as they reached a private room, Rosen spoke to Steve and Gwen. "We got off on the wrong foot back in Russia. I was out of line with my characterization of Gwen, and I apologize for it. I hope you can forgive my insensitive remarks and that we can move forward, working together to accomplish our mutual goals."

"That would depend on what you feel our mutual goals are," responded Gwen. "What do you want to come from this meeting?"

"For starters, we're both running for office and the exposure will help us both. Then there's the matter of you feeling that the state department left Steve in the lurch in Iraq," responded Rosen.

"For starters, I'm not running for any office," countered Gwen. "There happens to be a movement to get voters to write my name in on Election Day, but I've had nothing to do with it and I am not campaigning in any way.

"The state department did leave Steve hanging, almost literally," continued Gwen. "Maybe you can explain its role in the entire fiasco. Why did you ask Steve to help and then abandon him?"

"Why do you think we asked Steve to help?" asked Rosen. "The first we knew about Steve's involvement was when it was announced by the French that Steve had been traded for the kids. We were as surprised as everyone else. It was our understanding that he was recovering from his Colombian adventure here in Sparta."

"You're denying the call to Captain Neary?" asked Gwen incredulously. "You deny telling Steve to report immediately?

"I deny knowing any Captain Neary. We don't negotiate with terrorists and we told the French exactly that. Once we found out that Steve was in the hands of the terrorists, we contacted the CIA to find out what intelligence they may have picked up. They told us that they felt they could find Steve and to sit tight for a day or two while their operatives worked to find him. They insisted that we not involve the military because it would endanger their people as well as force the hands of the terrorists."

"So you're telling us that you followed the advice of the CIA, and that the state department never called Captain Neary to have Steve report? Do you have control over the CIA?" asked Gwen as Steve sat quietly listening to the exchange.

"The CIA is supposed to answer to congress and the president, the same as I do," answered Rosen. "That's the theory. The fact is that the CIA is so covert and secretive that most of the rest of us in government have very little knowledge of what they're doing. This Captain Neary is not someone I'm familiar with. Is he with the Navy? "

"I'm beginning to wonder about that," admitted Steve as he spoke for the first time. "He seemed extremely relaxed and easy going for a JAG officer on an assignment. I didn't think about it at the time. That's on me.

"Could you use your position to find out if a Captain Mark Neary was sent to Sparta to interview me? President Hanson said that I would be debriefed the day after I returned from Colombia. Then Neary showed up and told us he was there for the debriefing, which was cursory, at best. It never occurred to me to check into his credentials."

"Certainly," replied Rosen as he dug out his cell phone and hit a number. He had a short conversation with an assistant, telling him to find out who was sent to debrief Steve and to find out if there was a JAG officer named Captain Mark Neary.

"While we're waiting for information on this mystery, I'd like to speak to you both about your position regarding Vincent's campaign. It's no secret that he's going to be declaring his candidacy this fall. Can you tell me if you two will support him, or will you work for one of the other candidates? I know you're friendly with President Hanson, but he'll be leaving office. How do you feel about Vincent's candidacy? I know we had a shaky start, but he's a very good man and would make an excellent president."

Gwen and Steve exchanged glances before Steve responded. "We aren't likely to publicly support any candidate. If Gwen is elected, it will because she is her own person with no party affiliation and no debts to anyone. If she becomes the typical political animal, her base will dissolve and her constituents will be disappointed. By the same token, we will not voice any negative thoughts about Secretary Rosen's candidacy.

"I understand that a lot of people in your party are lining up behind you, offering their support for your campaign. I doubt that what Gwen and I think will make any difference to most voters," concluded Steve.

Mrs. Rosen studied Steve for a few seconds before nodding. "You're sincere about that, aren't you? I'm beginning to see just how genuine you two really are. You guys are huge! Your support could possibly make the difference in the election. All of our advisors agree on one thing. 'We need to get Steve Hammer and Gwen Anderson in our corner if we want to win.' Your heroism, charity work, business success, movies, music, and international diplomacy have all combined to make you two the most famous, most admired couple in the country. The simple truth is that if you work against Vincent, he probably won't be elected president."

"Mrs. Rosen, you're very flattering, but I'm afraid you've drastically overstated our influence," replied Gwen modestly. "We aren't politicians and I doubt that either of us will ever run for an office. The likelihood of write-ins carrying either of us to a high office is small, at best. We certainly aren't king makers, or president makers in this case."

"That genuine modesty of yours is exactly what makes you so endearing to the public, along with your beauty, brains, talent, and generosity," observed Mrs. Rosen. "Can Vincent and I take this away from this meeting? You two will not criticize Vincent, nor support a rival during the campaign?"

"We haven't promised that," responded Gwen. "We're going to get to the bottom of who knew what about Steve being sent to Iraq. If The Secretary truly had no knowledge of the situation and played no part in any cover up, we'll not criticize him in any public forum. If Mr. Rosen was involved in placing Steve's neck on the line, literally, I'll do my best to see that all Hell rains down on him. We'll expect complete cooperation from the state department in getting to the bottom of this. If your husband is totally honest about this situation, we'll be fine."

"That's fair enough. I think we can live with that," conceded Mrs. Rosen. "I would ask that if you should learn something that appears to reflect poorly on Vincent, please give us an opportunity to respond before you go public with your concerns. Will you agree to that? If Vincent is fortunate enough to be elected president, we'd very much like to have as close a relationship with you as President Hanson now enjoys."

"To get back to the matter of Captain Neary," interrupted Rosen. "I was just told that he was sent here by the Navy to debrief you. He's a distinguished looking man in his forties. He walks with a limp from an old injury. Does that sound like the same man you met with? He hasn't been heard from since the day after you came back from Colombia."

"Not even close!" gasped Gwen. "The Neary we saw was in his early thirties, athletic, charming, and an impostor!"

"I thought so. Neary was discovered yesterday wandering the streets of your state capital. He's been hospitalized. Toxicology tests reveal all kinds of drugs still in his system They think it'll be several more days before he begins to return to normal. Someone impersonated him.

"The government will be extremely interested in this situation," insisted Rosen. "We need to find the man that impersonated him. When we find him, we should have some answers to this mystery. Believe me, I had no knowledge of any of this, but I want to know all about it. You'll be contacted by investigators, probably FBI, but check their credentials! Please cooperate with them. We'll get to the bottom of this."

The two couples discussed the situation for another half hour before Rosen received a call telling him that his schedule made it necessary for him to leave. Once again, reporters called to him as he and his wife left the building. Rosen answered a few non-controversial questions and climbed into his limo with his wife.

Twenty minutes later, Gwen and Steve emerged from the building to face the same reporters. Gwen was momentarily stunned by the first question hurled at her.

"What is your response to the pictures that appeared on the internet today that show you and your 'good friend', Jared White naked together? What about the pictures of Steve Hammer naked with Naomi Wilson? Are you two swingers? Do you think voters will approve of that type of conduct?" demanded a reporter from a cable channel.

"I'd have to see those pictures before I'd hazard a comment," replied Gwen as she contemplated where and when the pictures were taken, and if they were even real.

"I have several copies with me," replied the reporter as he handed five 8 X 10 glossies to Gwen as Steve calmly looked over her shoulder.

"They were taken in that log cabin on Jordan's July 4th Ride for Pride," whispered Steve. "The owner must have had security cameras or something, although the quality is really good for a security camera. You really have a beautiful body! Can I get a copy of those pictures?"

Gwen had difficulty appreciating Steve's humor as she studied the photos. The first clearly showed Jared standing close to her and they both were naked. The second showed a three- quarter backside view of Gwen, with Jared's face and broad shoulders showing above Gwen's shoulders. The third photo had Gwen perched on Jared's lap with her beautiful breasts on display. She and Jared were sharing a grin as they looked at each other.

The fourth photo was of Steve hugging Naomi as they both stood near the hot tub. Steve's face was easily identified, but Naomi's backside was toward the camera. The last photo was a close up of Steve sitting in the hot tub with Naomi sitting on his lap. His arms were around her abdomen, but her very generous bosom appeared to rest on his wrists. Both were smiling broadly.

"Do you still think voters will write-in your name after they see these pictures," asked the persistent reporter as his colleagues waited for Gwen's response. "Don't you think the electorate deserves and expects higher moral standards from candidates? Will you bow out of the race now?"​