Chapter 1
"Sir, I need to talk with you."
The President looked up from the newspaper he was reading while eating breakfast. "What?" He laid down the paper and motioned to Leo to sit. "This is unusual. Couldn't this wait until I got to the office?"
Leo sat down, his face expressionless as usual. "No, sir. I needed to tell you something rather important. Personal."
Jed sat silently, waiting for Leo to continue.
Leo opened his jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Sir, here is my resignation and it is effective immediately."
Jed's mouth dropped open. "What the hell are you talking about, Leo? What has happened?"
Leo swallowed hard, knowing what that statement had done to his best friend. "Sir, there's a story that will break this morning that will drag you into a swirl of trouble if you don't allow me to resign immediately."
"Leo, what are you talking about? You're my best friend and a damn good Chief of Staff. No matter what those press people have dug up I'll stand by you."
"Sir, if you don't let me resign, I know that eventually you're get covered by the mud that will for sure fly."
"Leo, I will stand by you no matter what. You're my friend. My best friend for a very long time. Now tell me what's wrong."
"Sir, I'm about to be arrested for securities fraud. This fraud supposedly occurred about seven years ago when I was a partner at Bern Securities. The FBI is waiting for me downstairs. I need to go but I wanted to tell you first. Here is my resignation and you WILL accept it."
"Leo, you're not going anywhere until you tell me the story."
Leo stood and turned to go until Jed grabbed his arm. "Leo, tell me what's going on."
Leo looked at the floor and said nothing.
Finally Jed let go of his arm and watched his friend of 40 years walk away. Walk away from one of the few people in his life that thought they knew the real Leo McGarry.
Jed watched the elevator door close, knowing that as much as he didn't want to accept Leo's resignation, if the story was true, he knew that maybe at some point he would have too.