"Zac! Zac wake up!" Taylor said, smacking his brother around. It was a good four months later. Zac had toured with Madison throughout the summer, however she had to go back to school once fall came. The bill hadn't passed and now it was his birthday and things were looking down. He hadn't heard much about it, but he kept working the president, whenever he could get through, so he could wear him down and get him to sign it. Nothing just yet. There was still hope, though.
"What do you want?" Zac asked, putting his pillow over his head. It was around noon and Zac was at home to celebrate his birthday with his family, and he had already slept most of the day away. He had good reason. He did two shows the previous day and took a late flight there, not getting into Tulsa until about four o'clock in the morning. When he got home he crashed and now eight hours later Taylor was bugging him.
"Get up!"
"Why?"
"The bill passed!" Zac sat up immediately.
"What?"
"I was downstairs watching CNN and they announced that the bill passed! It just has to go through the president and�" Zac's face dropped. "He can't be all bad, Zac. He might not veto it." Zac threw off the covers and walked towards the bathroom.
"He hates me, Tay. He's going to veto it."
"Well, cheer up. You're eighteen today!" Zac yawned.
"Don't remind me."
After a shower Zac went down the stairs. His family was in the living room watching CNN, and the little ones complained that they wanted to watch cartoons. "Mom!" Zo� said in her whiny little five-year-old voice. "This is boring! Can't we watch cartoons?"
"No, this is important. Go watch cartoons in Mommy's room with your brother." Zo� got up.
"Zac!"
"Hey Bubs!" Zac said, smiling. "How are you doing, honey?" Zo� ran over and threw her arms around her big brother. "Gosh, you're getting huge! Stop growing, I'm missing out!"
"Happy birthday, Zac!"
"Thanks, kid. Go watch cartoons." She smiled and ran away. Her attention span didn't last longer than that of a goldfish and usually she was running from thing to thing, trying to stay interested. Zac sat down next to his mother. "So what happened? What was the count?"
"Only ten nays, the rest was all for it. It just has to go through the president." Zac groaned. "You never know, Zac."
"Mom, I know the man better than you do. I've spoken to him a number of times and I've met him personally. He'll veto it just to spite me."
"Well, we'll see. Maybe you should call him again."
"I'll do it in a bit, let me wake up first."
"What time did you get in last night?"
"Four," he said, yawning. "I am so exhausted. I'd sleep but this is too suspenseful, and it is my birthday and all�" Diana nodded. The front door opened and Walker came in with the mail. He walked into the room, sorting through it. "Hey Dad."
"Oh, hey son! Just wake up?" Zac nodded. "There's something here for you." He handed a letter to Zac. Zac turned it around and his expression turned to wonder when he saw the presidential seal on the back. "Who's it from?"
"The president," Zac said. "Hmm�" He opened it up quickly and took it out to read. His eyes quickly scanned over it and in a moment tears fell down his cheeks. "Oh my God."
"Is everything all right?"
"Oh my God, oh my fucking God he did this on purpose!" Zac yelled at no one in particular. He stood up and ran to the kitchen where he collapsed, the letter on the table and his head falling into his arms where he began to cry.
"Zac? Zac, honey, what's wrong?" Diana asked. He picked his head up.
"How old am I today?" he asked.
"Eighteen."
"And what happens when you're eighteen?"
"Lots of things," she said, not seeing the relevancy. "You can vote, you're a legal adult�if you wanted to you could run off and get married, but honey, I don't see what this has to do with anything."
"What could happen when you're eighteen and there's a war going on?" Diana froze.
"You could get drafted."
"Exactly." Zac got up and walked to the stairs, wiping his eyes. "He did it on purpose."
"Who?"
"The fucking president of the United States! He issued me a personal, hand-written letter stating that I am going to Korea. He did it so he could get rid of me! He did it so he could veto the bill and I wouldn't get on his case about it. Fucking bastard!" Zac yelled. "I'm not going!"
"Zac, it's really not your choice."
"They don't need me there! They don't need to even be there! Oh my God!" He shook his head. "What the HELL am I going to do?" Fuming with anger, he punched the wall. "Ow." He looked at his hand and rubbed it.
"Zac�"
"I have to call Madison." Zac ran up the stairs. Taylor stepped out into the hall when Zac did.
"What's going on?"
"I got drafted," Zac said, going into his room and slamming the door behind him. He picked up the phone and sunk to the floor in the corner, upset. He dialed Madison's cell phone number and put the phone to his ear.
"Hey birthday boy," she answered. "What's up?" He immediately began to cry and she sensed it. "Oh my God what happened?"
"I�I got drafted," he whispered.
"What? Zac they can't do that to you! You're still in high school!"
"It doesn't matter, the president issued it himself. I'm of age. I'm going to Korea." He shook his head. "I need you, baby."
"I'm coming. I'm in town, I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"Why are you in town?" he asked.
"I was going to surprise you by jumping out of your cake but I don't think that's such a good idea now." He cracked a smile.
"Maybe that's just what I need."
"I'll be right there, babe. Hang on." She hung up the phone and Zac broke down, crumpling into a little ball in his dark corner. Taylor knocked on the door but he ignored it. He counted the seconds until Madison came rushing in. "Honey, honey�I'm here." She put her arms around him, pulling his head against her chest. "We're going to make it through this, okay?"
"I'm not going."
"Honey�"
"I'm not going," he repeated. "I don't care what I have to do to not go; I'm not going! Don't let me go."
"I won't. You and me, first thing in the morning we'll go to Washington and clear this up. I won't let you go over there. You're a conscientious objector. They can't send you."
"He did this on purpose, you know. He did this to get rid of me so I can't bug him into not vetoing that bill." She shook her head.
"Well we'll do something about it, okay sweetie? There's no way you can go. There's no way I'm going to let you go." She gave him a kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Now let's go downstairs, get you something to eat, and plan our strategy. I'll call the White House later and let them know we're coming." Zac, despite the current situation, laughed.
"That sounds so weird. 'Honey, call the White House! Tell the President we're coming over for tea!' " He smiled. "You always know what to do." She stood up, bringing him with her. "Do you really think he'll reconsider and keep me here?" he asked.
"We might have to give up the bill," she admitted, smoothing out his shirt. "I think the only way he'll let you stay is if you let him veto the bill." Zac sighed.
"I�I don't know if I can do that."
"Then you're going to Korea. Zac, you think about yourself for a moment. This isn't about anybody else�not anybody's family or your family or anything. This is about you. You've been doing so much for so many other people for so long, you need to do something for you. If you don't want to go to Korea, if you think your place is here and not there, then give up the bill. We can find another way to stop this war."
Zac sighed. "You're right."
"I know I'm right. Let's go downstairs." She opened the door and the two of them walked down the stairs to the kitchen. "Have you had breakfast?" He shook his head. "Pancakes or waffles?"
"Pancakes," he said. She smiled and gave him a kiss before starting his breakfast. Diana walked into the room.
"So�" she said. "What's going on?"
"We're going to Washington tomorrow to speak to the president," Madison answered, plugging in the griddle and setting it before she walked to the pantry to get out the pancake mix. "And we'll do whatever it takes so he won't go to Korea."
"Can you do that?" Diana asked.
"We can try," Madison said. "I won't rest until the draft is overturned. I know that�that man only did it because he's on a power trip. 'If I can't control my country, I can take their beloved hero from them! I'll show him who's the most powerful man in the country!' Fucking egomaniac, pardon my French."
"No, that's quite all right. The house has been full with colorful language this morning, thanks to my lovely son over there," Diana said, placing a hand on Zac's shoulder. Zac grinned a bit. Madison flipped her hair around and looked back at him, giving him a large smile.
"Zac's language has always been colorful," Madison said. She turned around, whisking the pancake ingredients together. "And honey, why don't you go get me your cell phone instead of sitting there like a bump on a log waiting for your food?" Zac gave her a look but got up and looked around for his phone. He found it and went back to the kitchen. "Thank you, darling. White House, please."
"Wouldn't it just be easier if I called instead of you doing that and making the pancakes at the same time?"
"Why don't you make the pancakes and I call? It always takes you forever and I'm sure he won't want to talk to you, especially after today." Zac took the bowl of pancake mix and stirred it while Madison moved to the kitchen table. "Hey Tim, it's Madison, how are you doing?"
"I'm afraid I can't put you through, Madison."
"Well, I don't necessarily have to talk to the president. I just have to make sure he'll be in tomorrow when Zac and I stop by for a little visit."
"I don't believe he will be�"
"Make him. We're coming in tomorrow. I think you should add us to your little list of people you'll be expecting because we'll be there and we'll be damn pissed, thank you."
"Madison, I�"
"You're a good man, Timothy, aren't you? You won't let the most powerful man go to Korea at the hands of that corrupted bitch in office, will you?"
"Miss Ashton you shouldn't speak of the president that way." Madison smiled. Tim had shown his one sign of weakness; changing from an informal name to a formal one. They had their spot. "But I'll let you'll see him. He's open for ten minutes tomorrow at noon. Come in by 11:15 so you can get to the Oval Office on time. I hope it won't take longer than that."
"It shouldn't. Thank you Timothy. Zac and I will be there." She hung up the phone and smiled to Zac. "We're in. Noon tomorrow."
"You kick ass, honey," Zac said.
"Do I look all right?" Madison asked as they waited for noon to approach. It was eleven fifty at the White House and she was beginning to freak out. She posed in front of Zac who only shook his head.
"You look fine, babe."
"I don't know. Maybe I should have worn nicer shoes," she said, looking at the stylish flip-flops on her feet.
"Madison they're just happy you wore shoes. You look fine; don't fret. We hate this man, remember?"
"Well I didn't know what to wear. I mean, what do you wear when you're going to meet the president?" she asked.
"Sit down and relax, babe. If he senses that we're nervous he'll jump on it the moment we walk in there. We're supposed to be calm and collected and pissed off," Zac explained. "Our goal is to walk out of their with that bill passed and with my ass firmly in this country. We can do both if we try hard enough."
"I don't know. He really doesn't like you, Zac."
"But he might like you. You're a beautiful seventeen-year-old. He might give in to you. Maybe you should show more cleavage."
"Zac! This is the president! You don't 'show more cleavage' to the president!" she said, her voice rising. Timothy looked up from his desk. Luckily, they were the only people in the room. She blushed. "Ignore us, Tim."
"Already done."
At noon the clock on the wall began to make noise and Timothy pressed the button to speak to the president. "Mr. President, your twelve o'clock are here."
"Send them in." Zac was surprised at how cheerful the president sounded. He gave a look to Timothy.
"He doesn't know it's you. He never would have agreed to it if it he knew." Timothy stood up and Zac and Madison followed him into the Oval Office, where the president was hard at work at his desk, doing absolutely nothing. He looked up and the smile that had been on his face quickly disappeared. "Well, well, Mr. Hanson and his underage girlfriend, Miss Ashton! Please come in." They walked into the room and both sat down. "Shouldn't you be halfway to Korea by now?"
"Shouldn't you be�?" Zac's soon-to-be insult was quickly cut off.
"Uh, Mr. President, we've come for a reason," Madison quickly said, shooting a look at Zac. "His draft was appointed by you, but as you know, he's still in high school. Isn't there a law stating that, along with age, one must be completed with their secondary schooling and not be attending college?"
"You're very wise, Miss Ashton. Na�ve, but wise. You see, I am the president and I have the power to overlook that rule."
"With all due respect," Madison said, looking directly at him. "No you don't."
"Is this why you came? Fly halfway across a country to negotiate a legal draft? I have better things to do with my time."
"Mr. President," Zac said, "I know why you've done this. You want me out of your hair so you can veto the bill and not have to hear about it from me."
"Why, Mr. Hanson, I have the bill right here," the president said, holding up the bill. "And I've already vetoed it. As much as it would please me to have you blown to bits in Korea, this was not my doing. I just simply informed you about it. I don't handle drafts; I have nothing to do with them at this point."
"Mr. President," Zac said, standing up. "I'll make you a deal. Override my draft and I will take this�" He took the bill in his hands. "�and rip it up and you'll never hear from it again. You won't have to worry about the House overriding your decision, you won't have to worry about me anymore. I'll let you get rid of me a different way. You can't send me to Korea."
"Mr. Hanson, you're going to Korea."
"Are you sure? You'll never have to deal with me again�I'll leave you alone. You won't have to worry about me again."
"Yes, but there are still your millions of followers."
"You can be the better man here and do what you wish. Send me to Korea and your country will hate you. I can't guarantee that there won't be riots�"
"All right, Mr. Hanson," the president said. "Stop this bill and you can stay." Zac smiled and glanced at Madison, who nodded. Zac himself didn't have the power to literally tear the bill in half and throw it away, but he did have the power to call Davis and have him stop it. The president handed him the phone.