AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PRESIDENT
Josh called Nancy McNally at the Japanese embassy again. After briefing her about the situation she told him that there is nothing else they could do. Josh hung up, feeling drained of all the energy. Matt Santos was not only the President of the United States for him, he saw not only the politician who held the highest office in his country but also the man, the husband of Helen and the father of Miranda and Peter. He saw the man who offered him his friendship.
He knew that it was thanks to Donna and the friendship she formed with the First Lady but he was thankful nonetheless, the President and he were a better team because of it. They still had the occasional clash of opinions, and Josh was still hurt when President Santos didn�t take his advice but he learned to live with it. Like he always said during the campaign Matthew Santos was his own man, and Josh knew that he wouldn�t admire the President half as much if he weren�t. His cell phone rang and he saw that it was Annabeth. Or more likely Helen.
�Good morning, ma�am,� Josh greeted her before she could say anything.
�Morning, Josh,� Helen said, and Josh heard the slight smile in her voice.
�What can I do for you?� Josh asked her although he had a pretty good idea what she was going to ask of him.
�You have to talk him out of it, Josh,� Helen said.
�He already made up his mind. And it�s not that I didn�t try,� Josh said with a tired sigh.
�You tried?� Helen asked.
�Ma�am, he is not only my boss,� Josh said. �But you know him better than I,� he added. �He will do this; he thinks it�s his duty.�
�I know,� Helen said with a sigh. �Are you coming home?�
�Not for the time being,� Josh said. �I�m their only secure link to the outside.�
�I see,� Helen said. �Okay, Josh, see you soon.�
�Sam is down there,� Josh said then instead of saying his goodbye. His disclosure was met with silence.
�I�m so sorry, Josh. I�ll pray for him too,� Helen said.
�Thank you, ma�am,� Josh said, and then Helen hung up on him.
The videophone�s display flickered to life, announcing an incoming call. He pushed the button and Donna�s face appeared on the screen. She looked so sad; his heart was breaking for her. She long confessed to him that despite being on Russell�s campaign she felt admiration towards Matt Santos. And after they won the White House she became his fiercest supporter. She wasn�t blind to the man�s faults but she forgave him his mistakes sooner than everyone else in the country. Besides, they always had an odd connection. Josh never really knew how it came to that but Donna and the President seemed to have a rapport, an ease with which they treated each other. And now she was sad because of the loss. She mourned for the whole country since the country didn�t know what they lost in the last couple of minutes.
�Did you talk to Nancy?� she asked him, her voice subdued.
�Yeah, we couldn�t come up with anything. It�s done?� Josh asked her.
�Yeah, I countersigned it,� Donna said, and Josh knew that she was on the verge of tears. �Is the Secretary airborne?�
�He said he would call me once he got to the airbase.�
�Okay,� Donna said. �They are leaving in five minutes; do you want to talk to him?�
�No, I don�t want to disturb his concentration,� Josh said. �Leave the line open, I want to know everything you know.�
�Okay,� Donna said, and Josh saw that she stood up to approach Matthew Santos.
�Sir,� he heard her addressing the former President of the United States.
�It�s Matt, Donna,� Santos corrected her with a smile. �I don�t think I�ve ever heard you say my name.�
�Yes, sir,� Donna said with a chuckle. �Not likely to happen now either.�
�Okay. Any good advice from my Special Advisor?� Matt asked her, and Josh heard the gentleness in his voice. He was extremely grateful that the President was trying to make things easier for Donna; he was truly worried about her. And then Donna surprised them both when she shook her head, stepped one step closer and hugged Matt.
�Good luck, sir,� she said and then wanted to let go, but Matt squeezed her to him and sighed.
�Take care of Josh, Chicken Fighter,� he said in a whisper, barely audible for Josh, and then he was gone.
�You have another agent outside?� Josh asked her when it was only him and Donna.
�Yeah, Steve,� Donna said. �The others went with the President and Ron.�
�He is in contact with them?� Josh asked.
�I guess so,� Donna said and then opened the door. Josh lost sight of her, but then she came back, shaking her head. �He can�t leave his post but he said he would tell me if he heard anything.�
�Good. Donna?�
�Yeah?� Donna asked him absent-mindedly.
�I know this is probably not the best possible moment for this but I have to tell you something,� Josh said, suddenly feeling the urgency to voice the thoughts he had on his mind ever since his talk with Secretary Vinick earlier.
�What do you want to talk about?� she asked, looking up from her seat at the table.
�I just wanted to tell you that once this is over we have to talk about something important. Once I�m home, I mean,� Josh said.
�Okay. What about?�
�Our future,� Josh said, aiming for nonchalance and failing miserably.
�Our� future?� Donna asked. �Will this talk leave me in tears?�
�Donna!� Josh exclaimed indignantly. �I love you, you know that. You have to know that.�
�I know that,� Donna reassured him.
�Okay, there might be tears,� Josh said, and one look on Donna�s face made his heart clench. He hurried to add, �Happy tears, Donna.�
�Oh, okay then,� Donna said with a smile. �I can get behind happy tears.�
�I would never deliberately hurt you. You know that, right?� Josh asked, suddenly feeling insecure. Would Donna marry him? Okay, they talked about the possibility but they also said they don�t want to do it until after re-election. But Josh didn�t want to wait until that. Re-election was more than a year away.
�Josh, what�s this sudden insecurity?� Donna asked, proving once again that she was tuned to him. �Of course I know that you love me, you tell me everyday, if not with words then with deeds. And of course I know you�d never deliberately hurt me. That was clear from the first moment on. What�s this all about?�
�Remember what we planned to do after re-election?� Josh asked her and he saw that he might have rendered her speechless. �Donna?� he cued her.
And then, even through the ether he felt a sudden change in her attitude. He only hoped that it was a good sign.
�I want to talk about that thing,� Josh said when he still didn�t get any response from her.
�And you said there might be happy tears?� Donna asked.
�Yeah,� Josh whispered.
�Okay then, we�ll talk about it once you are back,� Donna said, her voice stronger and lighter.
�Ms. Moss,� Josh heard then Steve�s voice. �They are at the Situation Room, ma�am.�
GO TO PART NINE