"Good morning, Gracie, how are you today?" "Hi, Mr. McDonald. I'm fine. What about you?" "I'm doing great. Listen. I wanted to apologize to you for what happened in Texas. I know that I wasn't the most caring boss in that situation, and I am sorry that I didn't listen to you and trust your judgment." "Oh, that's fine. I can't say that I really blame you. I mean, after all of the mistakes and rash decisions that I have made, I honestly have to tell you that I really would have done the same thing." "Ok, well, I just wanted to let you know that the Review Board has made an early decision on your hearing." "Really? Well, go ahead and tell me. What's my damage?" "Well," said McDonald, "they were very impressed with your actions in Texas. However, just because you did well on that assignment does not mean that you are excused from the mistakes that you made on the other one. Do you understand that?" "More than you know, Mr. McDonald, more than you know." "I figured you would say something like that." McDonald just stood there for a minute looking at Gracie as she toyed with some of the paperwork that was on her desk. It was clear that she was very nervous about the outcome and she was almost shaking with fear that they would take her job away from her. McDonald rather enjoyed looking at this. He hadn't seen Gracie like this before. She had almost always been calm and cool, and watching her linger was almost pleasing to him. However, he had a heart, and he wasn't about to let her fret forever. "Well, Gracie. I sat down with the Review Board and they asked me what my opinion was. They asked me what I thought should be done." "And what did you say, Sir?" Gracie asked nervously. "Well, I told them that I thought you should finish what you started." Gracie was confused. Hadn't the assignment been closed? The threat was gone, and everything was back to the way it was. Well, almost. Gracie hadn't left her desk since she returned from the Alamo. She feared that she would be chastised for turning over her badge, and she honestly wasn't quite sure whether she would be getting it back or not. Now she was really confused. "Sir? I'm sorry, I don't quite understand." "Cheryl Fraser was arrested yesterday for picketing in front of a veterinary clinic in Washington D.C." "Really? Wow! I thought that she would be using her title to help herself and her beliefs. I never for once thought that she would be continuing on the same road she was before!" "Neither did we. However, one of the stipulations in the Miss United States contract is that there shall be no legal involvement of the police with the Queen, unless it is for the better." "Which means...?" Gracie asked, still confused. "Well, this means that Cheryl has lost her title. She is no longer Miss United States." "Wow! Are you serious? I cannot believe that she would risk that! Winning that program meant the world to her! So what's going to happen now?" "Well, Gracie. That is where you come in. After a thorough talk with the Review Board and also with the Pageant Board, we have all decided that you will just have to continue with the reign." McDonald tried to hide his smile as Gracie's jaw dropped. He knew that she wouldn't like this, but he also knew that if Gracie was Miss United States, it would give her a good opportunity to shape up, and also to help the Bureau by speaking and working to make changes that would help them, such as harsher punishment for parole violators. "Woah...wait just a minute Mr. McDonald. That was not in my job description. It isn't possible for me to take the title. I wasn't an actual contestant. I was an undercover agent. It would be against all regulations for me to recover the title. And on top of that, I won't do it! I am an FBI agent, not a beauty queen! For Heaven's sake! When am I going to get the time to do all of my work? It would be like working two jobs, and I don't get paid enough here as it is!" "Calm down, Gracie. We have worked all of this out. The Pageant Board thought it was a wonderful idea to have you take over the crown. After all, you were the one who saved the pageant. And the Review Board have discussed this in length and decided that you will have to take a sabaticle from work long enough to complete your reign. In addition, you will be graciously compensated for your time away from work, and you will be offered a higher position with better salary when you return. You cannot say no to this Gracie. It's this or nothing. This is all the Review Board has to offer you, and you would be a fool not to jump on it. You have 24 hours to give me your decision." With that, McDonald walked away. Gracie almost started crying. Never in her life had she been faced with such an unfair decision. She would definitely have to think about this one. She would also have to talk to Eric about it. She had no idea how he would respond to it. After all, they had just started a beautiful relationship, and now she would not only have to take a sebaticle from work, she would also have to take one from him. Oh geez, how did she always manage to get herself into these situations? The next 24 hours were going to be the worst of her life.not to mention the next year she was about to serve as Miss United States.