Author's Note: This whole episode is a flashback to the night of Rebecca's kidnapping (September 20- 2018)… "Present Time" is actually on the year 2019..
Chapter 2:
The night of September 20
SEPTEMBER 20. YEAR 2018.
9:45 PM (Washington time)
White House.
Agent Daniel Carter, head of the Secret Service, was finishing his shift and getting ready to go home until the following day. Suddenly, another Agent, called Johnson, showed up, really worried…
Agent Johnson- Sir… you have an emergency call… from California…
Carter immediately picked up the emergency phone and told the person on the other line…
Agent Carter- this is Agent Carter… identify your self…
Voice of a female Agent on the phone- This is Special Agent Dolores Donovan, from the "Princeton team"… sir… I'm reporting an AOP…
Daniel Carter got pale. He couldn't believe it… The Female Agent continued explaining…
Agent Donovan- we are already in "Code Black", sir… "Velour" was taken and we have an Agent down on the scene… Repeat: we are up in "black"…
He immediately gave orders about how to proceed and now it was time to tell The President. Secret Service protocol said that, in cases like this, the Head of the Secret Service had to inform first the Chief of Staff. And it was up to the Chief of Staff giving the First Couple the bad news. However, Daniel didn't know what to do in this case, because the First Gentleman was the Chief of Staff. He decided that since he couldn't follow exactly the protocol, he would have to find some other person to tell the First Couple the bad news. Thinking quickly, he rushed to get as fast as possible to the Vice President's office. Luckily, Jim Gardner was still there. Jim was finishing his work for the day, and was surprised to see Agent Carter practically running into his office… The Agent was very agitated and worried… Jim had never seen an SS Agent so scared and so pale…
Jim- Agent Carter… what's wrong?
Carter- Mr. Vice President, We have a "Code Black" situation…. Normally it's SS protocol to tell the Chief of staff first, but in this case… you know…
Jim was beginning to feel very worried. Whatever happened was obviously bad.
Jim- Agent Carter, just tell me what's wrong…
Carter- Rebecca Calloway is missing and there is a dead Agent in the scene…
Jim didn't need to hear more. Without a hesitation he started running towards the residence. Jim (followed by Daniel Carter) ran all the way from his office to the residence and stopped abruptly when he reached the Presidential Bedroom door. He knocked the door…
Rod and Mac were still in bed talking about the twins being grown ups, suddenly they heard a knock on the door. They knew that it couldn't be good if there was someone looking for them at that hour. They quickly put on they robes and answered the door. They saw Jim and Daniel… both of them with scared expression on they faces… Mac immediately feared the worst.
Mac- what's wrong?
Jim- Madame President… I'm really sorry. Somebody took Becca after killing one of her Agents…
Situation Room.
10 Minutes later.
Mackenzie and Rod (now changed into normal clothes) entered quickly in the Situation Room. Mac looked at Tony Prado, who was already there, and she didn't need to ask the question, he already knew what Mac wanted to know…
Tony- all airports and borders are already closed ma'am…
Daniel- Secret Service is in Code Black… and the "Yale Team" secured Horace and is bringing him to the White House…
Mac nodded, overwhelmed. Rod asked angrily at the Agent….
Rod- just tell me something… who the hell took my daughter? And how do we get her back?
Daniel- we don't know that yet, Sir… but we will know that for certain when the kidnapers contact us to tell us what they want… which I think will happen pretty soon…
Mac jumped in, asking in disbelief…
Mac- do you think they will just send a ransom note like this is just a regular kidnapping?
Daniel- Well… Yes, Ma'am. By the information we have so far… it looks like we are dealing with an extortive kidnapping and they'll ask for a ransom soon…
Rod sighed frustrated and yelled, again, to Daniel Carter…
Rod- how the hell could this happen? HOW? How could someone kill Agent Greer, take my daughter and leave the bar with her… without even getting stop? Where the hell were the other Agents while all that was happening?
Daniel- sir… the other Agents were guarding outside the bar, but they didn't noticed anything unusual until they lost contact with Agent Greer…
Rod- I just don't understand! All Becca had to do was push the panic bottom…
Agent Carter knew very well why Becca didn't asked for help. The investigation had already revealed why Becca didn't reacted at all while she was being abducted from the bar… But it was something really hard to say to the parents of the teenager… Carter didn't know how to tell the First Couple what he knew. He eventually looked at Mac and managed to explain…
Daniel- yes... that was al she had to do… but she didn't do it. She didn't pressed her panic button. Actually, it was found on the bathroom floor. And there was no evidence of a struggle at the bar. None. At first, we didn't understand why… but then they tried to question Becca's boyfriend, James, and he passed out… he was completely high…
Mac didn't like at all where that was going… She asked seriously…
Mac- what are you trying to say, Agent Carter?
Daniel- according to the boy's friends… he and Becca took LSD an hour before the kidnapping…
Mac was stunned. She felt that she was about to cry. Rod was completely outraged…
Rod- that drug addict son of a bitch! I'm sure he put the drug in Becca's drink behind her back… that bastard British guy… there is no way Becca would have taken LSD willingly…
Daniel- Actually… they didn't really took LSD…
Now Rod was confused.
Rod- What! But you just said…
Daniel- Becca and James THOUGHT they were taking LDS… but they were clearly tricked… what they were taking, not knowing it, was GHB. Gamma hydroxybutyrate.
Mac felt like she was about to get sick.
Mac- GHB is a rape drug… isn't it?
Daniel- yes, ma'am… the victim passes out shortly after taking it… the guy who sold James the drugs must work with the kidnappers since whoever took Becca, clearly had a plan based on knowing that she would need to use the bathroom and she wouldn't be able to fight back…
Mac- What will the kidnappers ask? That I free the terrorist we have in custody? That we get out of Iraq for good?
Tony- we don't know yet…
Rod suddenly lost his temper…
Rod- You are gonna have to stop giving that answer soon!
Mac was now even more overwhelmed, and she felt she wouldn't be able to hold her tears any longer… She was trying to do her best to keep the calm thinking desperately "Don't fall apart in the Sit Room… Don't cry in front of the Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs". She simply said, trying her best to sound strong and Presidential…
Mac- I'm gonna take a minute to check on the rest of my family, when I come back you better know all those things you "don't know yet"…
Tony- yes, ma'am…
Mac left the Situation Room and started walking towards the residence, followed by Rod. They entered in the living room. Before they could go to Amy's room, where Amy was being comforted by a devastated Kate, Mac collapsed in the big couch and started crying openly… Rod sit next to her and hold her, making his best to try not to cry him self…
Rod- Mac, everything will be fine… Becca will be home soon…
Mac- I just don't know what to do to get her back…
Rod held Mac's hand and tried to calm her, even when he was going out of his mind him self…
Rod- we are already working on it… honey… everything that can be done is already being done…
Mac was really afraid that the efforts the FBI and the Secret Service were making to rescue Becca wouldn't work. But she was even more scared by the thought that it might already be too late…
Mac- Rod, I need you to tell me, right now…. do you think she is already dead?
Rod shook his head firmly. Horrified by the mere idea.
Rod- NO! No... Mac, listen to me carefully: I really don't think that... I think Becca is alive and I definitely think she will come back home safely…
Mac nodded. Wishing with all her heart that Rod was right. Mac sighed deeply and then said…
Mac- if they show me a video or a picture of her alive, with a gun on her head, and tell me that they'll kill her if I don't take all the USA troupes out of Iraq… or something…
Rod knew what Mac was trying to tell him. He shook his head and cut her off saying firmly…
Rod- You won't do it…
Mac- I might. Rod… Whoever took her, is counting on the fact that a mother would do anything…
Rod interrupted her again.
Rod- Despite what's happening, you won't loose your head.
Mac insisted one more time…
Mac- I might! And you might too… What if they show us a picture of her with a knife in her throat and ask me, I don't know… to aim cruise missiles at Cuba?
Rod- There are people around us who won't let you, or me, do anything crazy…
Mac- What if they show us how they have a bomb around her and ask me to get our troupes out of Saudi Arabia?
Rod refused to think of such scenarios. He shook his head on denial…
Rod- you shouldn't think of images like that…
Mac looked in Rod's eyes and said very serious…
Mac- ALL I can think of are images like that…
At the same time… in the West Wing.
Kelly had just finished preparing the press statement for the press. Dickie revised it and now they were both walking to the pressroom while Dickie gave her some last instructions….
Dickie- Just remember…"Government is functioning"… "We are in control"…
Kelly nodded, already knowing she was supposed to say that…
Kelly- yeah…
Dickie- and whatever happens do NOT get into a discussion over the President's emotional state…
Kelly- ok… I got it…
Kelly was about to enter in the Press Room but Dickie stopped her, and told her solemnly…
Dickie- Kelly… this is the Press conference of your life.
Kelly nodded, understanding perfectly how big this was. She entered in the Press Room, some reporters started calling out her name and some photographers even started taking pictures. The room was chaos of reporters shouting Kelly's name or directly asking questions frenetically. Kelly took a deep breath and walked to the podium and spoke to the microphone…
Kelly- Ladies and gentlemen of the press… We are staring this emergency briefing; please… hold your questions until I finish my statement.
The reporters calmed down and Kelly continued with the official statement…
Kelly- tonight, at 9:45 PM, Special Agent Donovan of the U.S. Secret Service, called in an AOP, which means: "Attack on the Principal"... In California, the President's oldest daughter was kidnapped from the bar where she was playing pool with her boyfriend and some friends. We are all confidents that she will be found, and brought home safely. While we all wish and work for her safe return, the world community must know that this country will not be taken hostage, that our efforts towards peace and freedom continue unabated…. Do you have any questions?
Of course, all members of the White House Press corps raised their hands and started calling out Kelly's name frenetically… Kelly pointed at Reporter Steve first…
Steve- Kelly… Associated Press said that one of Rebecca's escorts was found dead in the scene… Can you confirm that?
Kelly- yes.
Steve- can you tell us the name of the late Agent?
Kelly- No… I'll release the name as soon as the President can talk to the Agent's family…
Reporters continued raising hands and calling out Kelly's name…
Kelly- Charlie?
Charlie- is there concern that Becca is being raped?
Kelly got a bit upset and replied seriously…
Kelly- Charlie, for the sake of a number of distraught people, I'm gonna ask you not to publicly speculate on what's going on.
For the next question, Kelly chose Reporter Gilda…
Gilda- The kidnapers have already asked for a ransom?
Kelly- no.
Gilda- and when they do ask for a ransom… Who will handle the negotiations?
Kelly- there'll be no negotiations, Gilda… the President of The United States doesn't negotiate with terrorist…
There was some murmuring among the reporters. Nobody believed that. They all went crazy calling Kelly's name but Steve spoke over the others reporters…
Steve- her own daughter was kidnapped, Kelly… Do you really expect us to believe that the President will get on the phone will the kidnapers and say: "I'm sorry… but I just don't negotiate with terrorist"?
Kelly replied simply…
Kelly- yes.
Later that same night…
Situation Room…
Mac and Rod rushed to get inside the Sit Room. They knew that there were important new about Becca. News that would answer some questions…
Tony- Madame President… We have just received an E-mail… It's a ransom note…
Mac and Rod looked immediately at the laptop they had there… they could read the message quite clearly… it said: "We have the girl. She is alive… for now. To get her daughter back, President Allen must pay 5 millions dollars and free ALL the members of the organization Almu Harif she has in custody. But that's not it… Mackenzie Allen also has to publicly apologize for what she did to Terik Asahm. If she does all that, she will have her daughter back and alive."
After that, there were only some instructions about how to pay the money. Besides, the e-mail had attached pictures and a video of Becca pretty bruised, with her eyes covered and a gun pointed at her head. Which showed that whoever sent the e-mail actually had Becca. Mac couldn't even look at the pictures. She was stunned, and horrified, by the realization that what happened with Tarik Asahm had something to do with Becca's kidnapping.
Mac- oh God…
Rod was very angry and confused. He suddenly noticed that Mac was really pale and completely petrified. The people in the room were looking at her worriedly….
Tony- Madame President?
Mac didn't responded. Which scared the hell out of everybody. Rod decided to get Mac out of there and take her to the Oval Office. They entered in the Oval, and Mac, broke in tears one more time…
Mac- Oh My God! This is all my fault… this is all my fault… this is all my fault…
Rod got closer to her, took her by her arms and tried to cal her down…
Rod- Mac… please, calm down… this is not your fault…
Mac- They are getting back at me…
Rod was incredibly confused.
Rod- Mac… I don't understand…
Mac- they hate me and wanted revenge… Rod, I killed Tarik Asahm.
Rod was shocked. He was sure that he had misheard.
Rod- What?
Mac- in the year 2014… I killed Tarik Asahm… so now, members of Almu Harif kidnapped Becca to get back at me for what I did… Oh God… they are gonna kill Becca because of what I did!
Rod- Mac! Nobody is going to kill Becca! Do you understand that? We will get her back alive… Now… explain to me how is it that you killed someone…
Mac tried to calm he self sown so she could explain to Rod what she had been hiding from him for 4 whole years…
Mac- Do you remember our First Halloween here? We had that terrorist threat…
Rod- yeah… they arrested a guy from the cell Amul Harif who was planning to attack a school… Actually… the cell had planned attacking several schools, but the guy in prison talked, gave all the information needed, so you could stop it…
Mac- yes… That guy was Tarik Asahm. What you didn't know, and not only because it was classified, but because I was too ashamed to tell you, is why he talked… Rod, He was tortured…
Rod couldn't believe it…
Rod- you ordered a torture?
Mac- NO! I mean… technically, yes… but I didn't mean to.
Rod- I don't get it…
Mac- I said something… the words I use… I mean, the words I said, could be interpreted as if I ordered the torture… but I really didn't… I wasn't using a code… I really meant that I didn't want a torture… She must have known I wasn't using a code…
Rod- who the hell is "She"?
Mac- Melanie Blackstone, my first AP… oh God…. She told me that Asahm was barely alive… and she was right… He died the next day… he could never recover from the brutal torture that happened on my watch… Dam it… it was my fault and now Becca is paying for what I did…
Rod was too overwhelmed to respond. It was too much information to process. Mac started crying again… She just felt so guilty and scared for what might happen to Becca…
Mac- I have to do something… I have to apologize… yes… I'll apologize publicly and beg for Becca's life…
Mac started walking quickly and with determination towards the Press Room. Rod desperately followed her trying to stop her… He was sure that Mac had really lost her head now…
Rod- Mac… Don't…
Mac- I have to apologize… If I apologize publicly and beg for her life they will have what they want and will let her go…
She never stopped waking. And Kelly and Dickie watched with horror how the President was about to burst into the Press Room. Both of them rushed to stop her…
Kelly- Ma'am… what are you going to do?
Mac- I have to beg for her life… I have to apologize to them so I can have Becca back…
Dickie looked at Rod desperately…
Dickie- She can't do that!
Rod took gently, but firmly, Mac's arm…
Rod- Mac… that's crazy, you can't go in there and do that…
Mac brushed him off and opened the door of the Press Room… But she couldn't go in. She got petrified like a deer in front of the light as soon as the photographers started frenetically taking pictures of her. Mac immediately closed the door. Realizing the mistake she was about to make. Kelly gently took Mac to her office.
In the Press Room everybody was stunned. Some reporters couldn't even believe that the woman they just saw, who was in a terrible state, was really President Allen… Charlie asked Steve, pretty shocked and confused…
Charlie- Was that the President?
Steve asked, even more shocked and confused…
Steve- and… was she crying?
Mac had felt her self being dragged to Kelly's office and didn't fight. Kelly made her sit in the couch, and Mac tried muttering and explanation…
Mac- I thought… I thought I could apologize publicly for what I did and beg for her Becca's life… I figured I could get her back doing that… oh God… this is all my fault and I can't fix it…
She started crying again… She was breathing so hard that she was practically hyperventilating. Rod said alarmed…
Rod- I'm gonna get the doctor….
Before he left, Mac said in sobs…
Mac- Tell him I want the same drug Becca had…
To be continued…Thanks for the reviews you already sent! And please… keep the coming… you all know how I love reviews! )