THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
December 21
2.35 pm
The White House Situation Room
“Are you really saying that one of the agents blabbed about the President’s schedule while having sex with his girlfriend, and the fate of the President of the United States was sealed?” Sam asked incredulously.
“Yes, sir,” Ed McAlpine, Head of the Secret Service answered. “He was the bullet-agent,” Ed added.
“The bullet-agent?” Sam asked confused then comprehension dawned on his face. “Oh, I see!”
“And he was hit first, sir,” Ed added, answering Sam’s unuttered question.
“How do we know about it then? I mean that he told his girlfriend?” Sam clarified.
“Well, sir, he told Agent Henry McCaskey, and Henry was alive when we got there,” Ed told him.
“I see. Thank you. Mike?” Sam then turned to the Deputy Director of the FBI.
“We detained the woman in question, sir. She is not talking,” Mike informed him.
“Is she a US-citizen?” Sam asked him.
“Yes, sir. She became a citizen five years ago. She was born in Russia, but is not a Russian,” Mike said.
“Not a Russian?” Sam asked back. “How do we know that? Okay, forget I asked, that’s none of my business. What nationality is she then?”
“We don’t know, sir,” Mike said, shaking his head.
“Well, try to find out,” Sam said and then looked at the projected map on the display. He studied it for a minute, and everyone respected the silence. After a minute, Sam turned to the National Security Advisor, Dr. Greg Porter. “What about Qumar, Syria and the happy gang of the Stans?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Nothing new on Qumar and Syria, sir. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan are under close surveillance,” Dr. Porter briefed him. “There is some movement near the Kazakh-Uzbek border, but we are watching them.”
“Good, thank you. General?” Sam then turned to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
“Yes, sir?” General Robertson asked back.
“How do we go about it?” Sam told him.
“Sir?” General Robertson asked back.
“Let’s say Director Lansing tells me it was some terrorist group in Kazakhstan. Where are we on our CVBGs and how much time would they need to get there?” Sam asked the general.
“Sir, you want to deploy carrier battle groups into the Gulf?” General Robertson asked.
“Theoretically speaking, General,” Sam reassured the general.
“In that case, you would have them there in approximately 72 hours,” General Robertson informed him.
“I see,” Sam said with a nod. “Okay, keep up the good work, gentleman. Dr. Porter, please come with me,” Sam said and then left the Situation Room. He was seemingly oblivious of the meaningful glances the Chairman and his Chiefs exchanged when the door was closed behind him.
December 21
2.45 pm
The Oval Office
“Is the gang here, Mrs. Kellerman?” Sam asked when he and Dr. Porter entered the office.
“Senior staff is waiting in Mr. Bailey’s office, sir,” Mrs. Kellerman told him.
“Thanks,” he said before they stepped into the office.
“Dr. Porter, I asked you to come along because I need a pretty big favor,” Sam began.
“Sure, sir. What can I do for you?” Dr. Porter asked with a smile.
“I wanted to ask you about it two weeks ago but then you went on the Asia-trip and I kind of forgot about it. Until now, that is,” Sam added with a smirk. “Well, the situation is a bit… Delicate,” he finally decided.
“I see, sir,” Dr. Porter said non-committal.
“Okay, I don’t want to beat around the bush. You are aware of the fact that a year ago the DCI and I had a… What would you call it?” Sam asked.
“A heated debate, sir?” Dr. Porter smiled at Sam.
“A clash of opinions would describe it more precisely, but let’s stick with heated debate. So, a year ago in November, we had this heated debate–and lo and behold!–Commander Harper was transferred to Nicaragua the week after that,” Sam said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Well, sir…” Dr. Porter said hesitantly.
“Dr. Porter, I wouldn’t ask you to fire the DCI,” Sam patted the younger man’s shoulder. “I’m simply asking how I would go about a transfer for Commander Harper. I don’t even want her in the White House; it wouldn’t do any good if Will would be distracted by his lovely wife on a daily basis. I want her transferred back to the D.C. Department State or Defense or whatever,” Sam explained.
“Sir…” Dr. Porter hesitated.
“I just want you to find out the ways and means, Dr. Porter, I’ll be the one doing it. You understand, I cannot tell my staff to ask around. I trust you with this delicate matter,” Sam said, looking into the National Security Advisor’s eyes. “I know that this “finding out or asking around” is below your qualifications and professionalism, but I would be forever grateful if you could present me a solution tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” Dr. Porter said, his voice sounding firm for the first time during the conversation.
“Okay, thank you,” Sam said and then escorted the NSA to the door. “Mrs. Kellerman, senior staff in the Oval.”
“Yes, sir,” Mrs. Kellerman said with a nod and then returned to her computer.
Sam looked at the executive secretary’s desk, and after a long, scrutinizing look he turned and went back to his own desk in the Oval Office. He lovingly caressed the wood and then sat down to sign some documents. When he was done, he stood up, crossed the room in three strides until he stood at the door that connected his and the Chief of Staff’s office. He opened the door and called out to Will. A few seconds later, Donna, Josh, Will, Steve, Jessie and Charlie appeared in the doorway.
“Come on in!” Sam ushered them into the Oval Office. “Let’s get down to work, people” he suggested, after everyone took place. “Where are we on the candidates, Will?”
“Well, sir,” Will began, “there was only one.”
“Only one?” Sam asked perplexed. “You don’t say that you have vetted all possible candidates and found only one.”
“No, sir. But we think Josh’ idea was the best so far and we wanted to present you the idea, basically to give you the heads-up in which direction we are looking,” Will explained.
“And Josh’ idea was…?” Sam looked at Josh.
“Andie,” Josh answered.
“Andy who?” Sam asked back.
“Andie Wyatt, Mr. President,” Will clarified.
“I see,” Sam said and took a minute to digest the information. His staff waited for his reaction in silence. “Okay. Sell it to me,” he ordered.
“Well, sir,” Steve began, “first of all, she is a woman.”
“That didn’t sell me anything, Steve,” Sam said grinning. “Although it would be a change if that’s what you meant.”
“Steve meant, sir,” Donna took over, “that this is a unique chance for a change. They talked a lot about female Presidents and Vice Presidents but no one dared to take the leap. Now, you don’t have to take too big a risk. She is more than qualified. Four times in Congress, two times in the Senate, senior member and head of various committees. Plus, she would bring her knowledge of international politics.”
“Which I lack,” Sam whispered and then nodded. “That was a good argument. Anything else?”
“May I?” Charlie asked Will.
“Of course, Charlie,” Will and Sam said at the same moment.
“Thank you, sir. Two words: running mates,” Charlie said. His words were met with a deafening silence. Jessie even forgot to breathe.
“Charlie is right,” Will and Josh said in unison.
Sam turned to the two of them as they shared a quick smile.
“Would she be a good running mate?” Sam asked them, and Jessie was finally able to breathe regular again.
“Yes, sir,” Will answered. “Not that you would have any trouble to bring the women’s vote but it helps. She is also an expert on international politics, we could use that and you can concentrate on national matters. So, yes, she would make a good running mate.”
“There is only one problem with her,” Donna whispered to Josh. The others must have heard her because suddenly every head turned to her.
“And what is that, Donna?” Sam asked her.
“The trouble named Toby,” Donna answered. “As far as I know they are not married and while I think that the public and the Hill would accept a female Vice President, I don’t think that they would accept someone with two kids but unmarried.”
“I was unmarried during the campaign,” Sam inserted.
“That was a totally different situation, Mr. President,” Will told him.
“I know,” Sam sighed. “Okay, let’s get to the bottom of this. We can’t show up at her door and ask her if she ever considered remarrying Toby. So we need a neutral operator,” Sam said and threw a glance towards Josh.
“I serve at the pleasure of the President,” Josh said with a grin.
“We also need some polling data, I think,” Sam turned to Will.
“You can’t put a poll into field,” Josh and Will said again in unison.
“It would tip off the GOP and the media,” Donna added.
“I need some numbers when you want me to go with this,” Sam said.
“We could use the poll of three years ago,” Steve said and his words too were met with a deafening silence. Josh’ eyes were fixed at Sam, Jessie and Charlie looked perplexed. But it was Will’s and Donna’s reaction that mattered to the President.
“Steve, let’s say you are one lucky man that looks can’t kill,” Sam joked and only Josh and Donna noticed that his jocularity was a bit forced. “I want to see that poll, Will.”
“Yes, sir,” Will said, but not without shooting another glance full of daggers at Steve.
“Good, thank you everybody,” Sam closed the meeting. “Go back to work. Donna, I would like an update about the funeral in an hour. Will, stay please.”
The others filed out of the room, leaving Sam and Will alone.
“First of all, give Steve a break. He is not one of us, he needs some time to adjust,” Sam told his Chief of Staff.
“Sure, sir,” Will agreed.
“Secondly, I want Margaret at that desk,” he said, pointing toward the executive secretary’s office. “I don’t care how you do it, but find Mrs. Kellerman a better job. Maybe a better paying job or maybe at the embassy in Paris, I don’t really care. I want Margaret.”
“Sure, sir,” Will said again.
“I don’t think that the Chairman and his Chiefs have a good opinion about me,” Sam uttered then.
“Give them some time, sir. They will come around,” Will reassured Sam.
“Is there any way…?” Sam asked Will, but Will shook his head.
“You don’t want to go there, sir,” he advised Sam.
“How could I…?” Sam tried again, but Will cut him off again.
“No, sir. It would only be okay if they resigned,” Will told him. “And you don’t want them to resign, it would send a dangerous sign,” he added then, seeing where Sam’s thoughts were going.
“You are right,” Sam said with a sigh. “I didn’t want to bring it up in the meeting, but I think it’s not only their marriage that could become a problem.”
“Yes, sir, we know,” Will agreed. “He was sentenced for treason.”
“Yeah, he was pardoned, but that stays with you for the rest of your life,” Sam said in a dark voice. “You are vetting other candidates?” he then asked.
“Of course, sir. Josh will take care of this. Maybe we shall fight for her, but it’s a good fight and if we were to fight and win, it would send the right message,” Will explained.
GO TO PART 8