AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PRESIDENT
Donna let out a sob but then shook her head to clear her mind and looked up at Josh. His face was seemingly unreadable but she knew what he must be thinking. She knew that the feeling of guilt was already edging his way into his thoughts. She knew that he would blame himself for sending Sam there, for not being there instead of his best friend. She knew that once this was over they would need help to deal with it. She made a mental note to call Stanley once this was over. She was also aware of the fact that the next couple of minutes will be crucial and while the men regained their composure she�d need to keep a level head. She can freak out later; there will be plenty of time for that. Now, she just didn�t have the luxury.
�Josh,� she called out to him.
�Yes?� he acknowledged her after several moments.
�I want you to go to the nearest wall and do your breathing exercise. Mr. Secretary?� Donna addressed Secretary Vinick then.
�Yes, Donna?�
�Is there� Can you think of something that might bring us forward? This stalemate is not good for my nerves.�
�There is a contingency plan for a situation like this, but it�s no use right now because only the President and Ron have access to the Situation Room. No one can enter the White House during a lockdown, and Josh doesn�t want to alert anyone to the situation. I concur. Plus, they have cameras in the ante-room. If they saw Ron approach or any other agents with the intent to storm the Room they would kill the other hostages on the spot. Besides, Ron�s first and foremost duty is to ensure the President�s safety.�
�I know,� Donna sighed. �I just hate being powerless. Wait, can�t they feed a recorded picture to the ante-room? Like they do in the movies?�
�Donna,� Josh�s strangled voice came with a chuckle.
�Okay, okay, they obviously can�t,� Donna stated, as she watched Ron shaking his head. �There must be something else to do.�
�I could go there,� President Santos said, his eyes still a dead giveaway of his state of mind.
�No, sir,� came Secretary Vinick�s, Josh�s and Ron�s voice at the same time.
Donna sensed the President�s agitation and thought that only reason could deter him from charging down to the Situation Room. Throwing an apologetic glance at Ainsley, she spoke up:
�Sir, no matter what they say they�d kill everyone down there, even after they killed you. It�s simply no use, sir.�
�But Donna! They are held hostage, and the only thing that could save them is me going there,� President Santos argued, his eyes flaring up with anger.
�Forget what the millions of Americans would feel if another President of theirs was murdered; forget what your staff would feel!� Ainsley shouted. �Your family would be devastated, sir! And Donna is right. It�s no use. Sam� and the others are at the perpetrators� mercy; God only knows what they were initially planning to do. I don�t know why they did what they did but they must be ready to die for their convictions. It�s a kamikaze sort of coup de etat,� Ainsley said. �They are ready to sacrifice their lives in order to remove you from power, they won�t stop at mere pawns in the game,� she said in a whisper. �It�s simply no use,� she added, sounding defeated.
Donna crossed the room to get to her before she fainted. Ron leapt up to help her to hold up Ainsley, and together they carried her to the adjoining room.
�It�s probably for the best,� Ron said, surprising Donna with his insight.
�Yeah,� she agreed, and after removing Ainsley�s shoes she followed Ron out of the room. The President was talking to Secretary Vinick.
�If I resigned you�d be the President. I think that�s the best possible way to act,� Matt Santos said. �Then I could walk up to the Situation Room and open the doors. I could carry a weapon; it�s not like I don�t know how to use it.�
�Sir�� Josh said.
�Josh, there are men and women there who have families just like me. They have a better chance when I take action. So I will. I�m responsible for them,� he added in a whisper, and Donna knew that he already made up his mind. To tell the truth, Donna didn�t expect anything less from him. He was a man who saw his responsibilities not as a burden but as sacrosanct, as something he would never neglect. Donna admired him for that. She found that quality in men remarkable; she knew only a handful who behaved the same way. Josh was, of course, pretty much the epitome of those men.
�You are trying to pull a Harrison Ford on me?� Josh asked back incredulously.
�We are not on board of Air Force One. And I wouldn�t be President anymore,� Matt Santos said. �Take care of Josh, Arnie. He is the man I trust the most,� Matt said, making Donna�s eyes misty with the beginning of tears. �Donna, as my Special Advisor, what do you think?�
�The resigning part� I can get behind that, sir,� Donna said. �The heroics part is between you and Helen.�
�Right, I have to talk to her,� Matt said, and as if on cue Donna�s cell rang.
�It�s Annabeth,� Donna said, looking down at the display.
�More likely the First Lady,� Josh said with a sigh. �I told Annabeth that Mrs. Santos should call me, but I guess you really are the more powerful Chief of Staff,� he added in reference to their usual joke about the size of their offices. �Listen, Donna,� he addressed her when he saw that the President was already talking to his wife. �Before he goes off, call me back. I�ll talk to Nancy and we�ll try to come up with another plan.�
�He�ll sign the document, Josh,� Donna warned him.
�I know, and I can get behind that,� Josh echoed her earlier words, �but I don�t want him to go there and get into harm�s way. Please, call me before he does anything like that.�
�Okay. Should we fax the resignation over?�
�No, the faxes are not encrypted,� Josh said. �Just hang onto the document, Donna.�
�Okay. Are you coming home?�
�I�m sending the Secretary home,� Josh said with a sigh. �I�m not giving up this videophone unless there is a resolution to the situation.�
�Okay. See you later,� Donna said and the display became blank once again. She desperately wanted to tell him that she loved him but she didn�t want to do it with the Secretary and the President as witnesses. Not that she was ashamed of it; it was just an intimate thing she didn�t plan to share with anyone. And she was sure that Josh knew.
She sat down to read through the document Ainsley prepared. It was three lines, a simple letter of resignation invoking the 25th Amendment. Donna saw President Bartlet�s resignation letter in the Smithsonian a month ago, it was that simple too. It took her by surprise then because it was a document of momentousness, and had more weight than laws. And yet its physical properties were nothing in comparison to the several pounds of the Federal Budget, it was merely a single sheet of paper with three lines. She was done with the reading and then realized that someone had to countersign the letter. And for that there has to be an addressee. She knew that Nixon sent his letter to Kissinger but since they couldn�t fax it she had to be the one.
�Helen, I have to do this,� Donna heard then the President and she could just picture Helen Santos pacing the room in her hotel.
�Yes, I know. Yes, I�m thinking about our kids!� She heard the President raising his voice. �I�m thinking about how I could look into their eyes if I wouldn�t be ready to do it. I�m responsible for those men and women in there, Helen.�
�Yes, I�m bringing Ron with me,� she heard him promise. �Yes, Helen, the children are completely safe at Camp David. Listen, I just��
�Helen, let me say this,� he apparently pleaded with her, but Donna understood why Helen didn�t want to hear those words. They actually meant they would admit that he could lose his life in the endeavor.
�Okay, then I won�t say it but you know what I meant to say. I love you.�
�Thanks. I�m signing the letter now, and then Ron and I will have a strategy session, maybe we are taking some more agents with us,� Matt Santos said.
�Okay, I�ll try to be careful. I have to go.�
�Well, that went better than expected,� he finally said. �Okay, I�m ready if you are ready, Chicken Fighter.�
�You are resorting to my old nickname in a time like this?� Donna asked him taken aback.
�I just wanted to show you my appreciation,� the President said. �Donna, it was a pleasure to��
�Don�t say that!� Donna warned him. �You�ll jinx it. You and I�ll have dinner tomorrow with Helen and Josh. Maybe I can convince Helen to invite Annabeth and the Secretary. And Sam and Ainsley. Definitely Sam and Ainsley,� Donna said, noticing that she was rambling but actually didn�t mind. �There will be two Republicans at the table so you can�t talk shop all the time.�
�They both work for me,� Santos said with a chuckle. �And you just sound like Helen. You�ll take care of them for me?� He sobered when he asked that.
�Of course, sir. You know that. Both me and Josh,� Donna promised.
�Good, let me sign the letter,� President Santos said.
�You have to change the addressee. Someone has to countersign it, and it can be only me,� Donna said.
�Why not Ainsley?� President Santos asked.
�She is unconscious at the moment, sir,� Donna said. �It has to be me.�
�Okay then, let me copy the letter and then I�ll sign it and you�ll countersign it. I�m sorry you are forced to do this, Donna,� President Santos said while he pulled paper and pen closer.
�Don�t worry about me, sir. It�s just putting my signature next to yours,� Donna said, but the sadness in your voice betrayed her feelings.
GO TO PART EIGHT