Friend on the Inside.
Hello! So, this is my first story for Madam Secretary!
It's based around the friendship of Elizabeth and Ellen Hill.
~When Elizabeth turns to Ellen in a tough situation she realises she could have a friend on the inside.
Thank you so much to 'Sardixiis' who beta'd this story for me and made it somewhat more readable! I hope everyone enjoys this and you all decide to leave a review at the end!
Disclaimer – I own nothing.
"Ellen!" Ellen Hill turned to see who had shouted her name as she left the Oval Office.
"Madam Secretary…"
"Please, call me Elizabeth." Bess smiled warmly as the two began to walk side by side.
"Elizabeth, is there something I can help you with?" Bess nodded, turning to grab a file off Blake who was following her.
"I need your help with something. I was wondering if you could stop by my office so we could discuss it?" She handed over the file to the National Security Adviser who stopped and took a step to the side so she could focus on what she was reading.
"You want to evacuate a school in Pakistan?"
"Yes, last week Saint Anne's school gave the go ahead on a trip to Pakistan. I am still unsure why Pakistan was chosen, but either way, there are 30 innocent lives in that school and with our current situation in the country the Headmaster is concerned about their safety. He rang the State Department last night. I only got the message this morning," Elizabeth explained as she quickly took a look around since she didn't want to be overheard.
Of course, she wouldn't worry the president with this unless she had to but she needed some help. Watching carefully as Ellen continued reading she wanted to start pacing or do something to alleviate her nerves.
"With the play for power in Pakistan and the suggestion of riots, I think this might be our only chance to get them out alive and if Jibral Disah or his group get wind of a school full of American kids…" Bess trailed off and Ellen realised what she was saying.
Both women sighed, but it was Bess who seemed more on edge.
When she got the call she so badly wanted it to be a joke, some cruel joke, but it wasn't and now this was on her. The press would say the State Department was at fault, but everyone knew that if this went wrong it would be her that took the blame.
Now, she was looking at Ellen Hill wondering just how she could be so calm.
Ellen scanned the file again before closing it and handing it back to Elizabeth.
"We can set up a meeting, although I do have a pressing meeting in a half hour."
"Can you reschedule?"
"It's my daughter's parent-teacher conference, so I am afraid not." Elizabeth nodded in understanding, though part of her thought about pressing the issues. She'd missed many of those conferences for the job when her kids were growing up. Hell, even now she'd missed one or two. Instead, she decided against pressing and handed the file back to Blake. Folded her arms, going through all the things she could say.
"How old is she?"
"18 nearly."
"So, this is her last year?" Ellen nodded as the pair began to walk again.
"Yes, thankfully she is going to the University of Virginia, so she won't be far away." Bess smiled.
"If only my kids had the same idea," Bess mused out loud.
"If you'll excuse me, ma'am, I must go. Please call my secretary. She will set up an appropriate time for me to come by and we can discuss this matter further,"
Ellen told her, giving her a smile that she hoped would reassure the Secretary of State.
"Of course. Speak to you later."
Bess watched the woman leave. She knew Ellen well, and she was all for a team of women in positions of power. Maybe Ellen could be her friend on the inside, someone she could discuss everything with, someone she could moan to when the President wanted to blame her for something. Smiling she walked out to her own motorcade, thinking to herself how the meeting later might run a little more smoothly.
It was getting close to seven when Ellen Hill finally arrived at her office.
"Ellen Hill is here, ma'am," Blake said with a smile as he entered her office, Ellen only a few paces behind him.
"Thank you, Blake. Are any of the staff still here?" Blake nodded.
"Nadine is still in her office. Daisy and Matt are here also." Bess nodded with a smile and watched as Blake left. Standing up to greet Ellen she offered her a seat on one of the chairs in front of her desk.
"Thank you for coming back so late."
"My work day starts at 0600 and doesn't finish until 2200, ma'am." Bess smiled. That seemed to be how her work days went too. Sitting quietly for a moment she realised she couldn't get lost in her thoughts again. Getting back to her feet she motioned to the counter top at the other side of the room before offering Ellen a drink.
"Can I get you a drink or anything?" Ellen shook her head.
"I am okay for now, but thank you. I brought with me some more information on the school and the few options we have."
She pulled out another folder from her briefcase and handed it over to Elizabeth.
"What would you recommend?" Ellen sighed slightly.
"Madam Secretary, from the intel we gathered and with what we know about the situation in Pakistan, I don't think there is an easy way. My advice would be to evacuate them with the Embassy should it come to that or get in contact with the school and advise them to leave the country. Once they are in either Afghanistan or India we would have a military squadron pick them up, but sending US forces into Islamabad might compromise our current mission." Bess nodded as she scanned the documents.
"Okay. Well, I don't see the Embassy evacuating anytime soon. Do we have anyone who can help get these people out of the country?" Ellen nodded, leaning forward to point to a section Elizabeth hadn't scanned yet.
"We have a task force out there, more so for surveillance than anything else but they are trained. We have a unit in the embassy. Their job is to protect the staff, but I think it may be possible to give a few of them different orders. However, I looked into the school and to me, it seems like the best option would be to have them make the trip to Afghanistan. If they can make it to Torkham in Afghanistan, then they can gain access to the Forward Operating Base run by the US."
"If they get there we get them home, but they would have to pass through the border and that could be difficult. Americans were told to come home if they could due to terror threats…"
"If too many go through it might tip off the Pakistani Government," Ellen interrupted.
"How long will it take them to get there?" Bess asked, standing up from her desk and walking around so she could pace. Something she had learnt about herself was that pacing made her think.
"Around four hours, maybe closer to three, but I would say four after you add in the traffic and the children needing to make various stops." Bess stopped, turning to Ellen. Her mind hadn't stopped since she got the news and had been running a little faster since her chat with Ellen at the White house, she knew dealing with situations like this one was her job, but when thirty lives were on the line, she was happy for the help.
"How far away from the international airport are they?" Bess asked running a hand through her hair before returning to her desk, hoping to get a map up on her computer to try and visualise it better.
"Would it be wise to send them there? The airport could be a target." Ellen had thought about the airport herself, having security from the Embassy take them, but she knew it wouldn't be safe. Even with an escort the airport could be a target and despite what people thought they wouldn't be safe when they got inside anyway.
Ellen wanted to reach out and touch Elizabeth's arm, tell her to just stop for a moment, but she knew it wouldn't work so instead she interlinked her own fingers, found a spot on the floor and began to focus on it, letting her mind run through the situation and thinking of every exit strategy and military tactic she could use.
"No," Bess admitted as she looked up. Sitting down she began to toy with her ring.
Admittedly she could do with a power nap or four days of sleep and she knew had thirty lives not been at risk she would have asked Ellen to come back in the morning, but right now she had to hold back the yawning and focus. Reaching down she took off her heels and undid the top button on her shirt before she once again stood up. She knew if she sat down for long enough she'd eventually let sleep take over.
"Ma'am, if I can ask…"
"Elizabeth, please…"
"Sorry, Elizabeth, do you know why these kids are in Pakistan anyway? I understand France, Spain, Poland, maybe Germany, but Pakistan?" Ellen questioned. Bess frowning slightly before walking to the office door. Pulling it open she stuck her head out and called Blake's name.
"Yes, ma'am," Blake said before she'd even closed her mouth. His way of seeing things two minutes into the future would be a gift Elizabeth always wished she'd have.
"Is Nadine still here?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Okay, I need her in here, and also call the White House. See if the President and Russell Jackson are still there."
"Yes, ma'am…"
"How does a long night at the White House sound to you?" Bess asked Ellen as she moved back into her office, giving a small smile to the National Security Adviser.
"It wouldn't be the first time, and I doubt it will be the last. Much like you, I want these kids home."
"Ma'am, you wanted to speak to me." Nadine took a few steps into the office, smiling as a way of acknowledging Ellen.
"Yes, the Saint Anne's school are currently in Pakistan, a class of around 30 students went on a school trip. I want to know why." Nadine frowned but nodded anyway.
"I will find out right away, ma'am. Anything else?" Bess shook her head.
"I will fill you in tomorrow morning, but I really do need that information."
"I will try and find out as much as I can tonight, but I assume most of the staff has gone home."
"Home phone, personal emails, this is important. I really need to know why they're there, so blame me, blame the White house, I don't care. Wake them up, interrupt their evening. Hell, take Blake to their houses if you have too!"
Bess took a breath calming herself a little.
"I spoke to that Headmaster this morning but he never told her why and I never thought to ask, so Nadine, please, find out." It sounded slightly like begging and Bess wondered if that would get her anywhere, but instead she pushed the thought aside, moving to stand next to her desk once more and putting a hand down to steady herself.
"Of course, ma'am." Nadine nodded with a smile before leaving the office. Bess took a moment to look at Ellen before smiling.
Ellen had seen Elizabeth in some of the worst situations that they'd been in.
She knew how Elizabeth dealt with things, but this was all new. She assumed the saying 'behind closed doors' applied to Elizabeth. Unlinking her hands, she turned to look at the secretary as soon as she asked for her Chief of Staff but never moved from the chair. She couldn't blame her for pacing then sitting down for a moment and then getting up again. Ellen knew that had she stayed with the Pentagon much longer she would have worn a hole in the carpet from all of her own pacing.
"I think you and I could become somewhat good friends, Ellen." Elizabeth's comment brought Ellen back from her thoughts and she chuckled slightly.
"Is that your way of saying I will be your friend on the inside?"
"I can hardly bitch about the president to the president…" Ellen laughed and nodded.
"I guess not."
"As much as I enjoy being a woman in a position of power, I can't do it alone." Ellen laughed again.
"With great power comes great responsibility," Ellen said with a small smile as she watched Bess sit down once again, assuming that within the next two minutes she would stand back up.
"And right now, our responsibility is getting those kids home," Bess told her before letting her head roll back and sighing.
Yes, it was going to be a long night.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope it was enjoyable to read and you decide to leave a review to let me know what you thought!
Bethany-Louise.