At the Pleasure of the President
On the way to the embassy Josh relayed his conversation with the president to the Secretary. Once finished, he drew back into the corner of the SUV and glanced out of the window. The city rushed by but he didn't pay attention. Okay, he heard Donna's voice, she sounded angry but otherwise okay. So Josh the boyfriend had to leave and Josh Lyman Chief of Staff to the President of the United States had to get back on top of the situation. Just when he replayed the conversation once again in his mind two beepers went off. His and the Secretary's.
"Report to the Embassy ASAP," Secretary Vinick read aloud. "Yeah, the boys at The Agency are a bit behind," he remarked with a bitter undertone and then looked over at Josh. "Josh, we need…"
"I know. Donna is okay, she is with the President. I'm not worried about her," Josh hurried to reassure him. "Okay, that's obviously a lie, I'm worried about her but I'm here, I'm focused. What the hell happened to the Situation Room? Why are they in the Bunker? Why didn't we get a warning before?" He got angrier every minute.
"Josh, we knew about the earlier lockdown, there were not so many people in the building," Secretary Vinick said. "And we knew that there was an incident in Kazakhstan. In fact, you told Nancy's deputy to have Sam in on the meeting because he was briefed."
"Oh my gosh! Sam!" Josh exclaimed. "He said SHE was okay. And they are in the Bunker," Josh pieced the puzzles together. "There was something in the Situation Room. The President was probably on his way down but Ron must have noticed something and rerouted him to the East Wing. I mean there was no nuclear accident or biological attack or something else that would have warranted a trip to the Bunker. And I think Donna was just briefed about the situation because I heard her shout: "What?"", Josh said and then glared at the Secretary. "Yeah, you know you can contradict me anytime you feel like it," he said after ending his little tirade.
"Nah, I think you are right on spot," Secretary Vinick said just as they turned into the Embassy's street. "Look, there is the Embassy, we should find out what the hell happened and then get back in the game. I hate being out of the loop, and the meetings with these knuckleheads they call diplomats bored me to tears."
They rolled into the Embassy through the underground garage and Josh wanted to exit the car.
"Hey, Maurice Green, you might want to wait for your detail to check out the perimeter," Secretary Vinick warned him and yanked him back.
"Sorry, no time for that," Josh said. "The President comes first."
"And what good are you to him if you are gunned down in a garage?" Vinick asked him with an arched eyebrow.
"You don't really mean that, do you?" Josh asked him incredulously.
"Of course not, there are Marines in this garage," Vinick said.
"Right now I don't know if that's a comforting thought," Josh mused aloud. "I mean it's the Situation Room. And there are Marines in there too. What if it's a coup de etat?"
"Josh, it's really hard to have a coup de etat in the United Sates," Vinick told him, after they were allowed out of the car.
"Yeah, and we still don't know why the President is sequestered in the Bunker with my girlfriend of all people. And they do have a phone. Why did he call me from my girlfriend's cell?" Josh asked Vinick. "It's written coup de etat all over it. And it seems that the boys dropped the ball. Again."
"Yeah, that's really getting a serious problem," Vinick agreed.
"We need a new director," Josh said looking at Vinick pointedly.
"We are friends but it's not like I'm blind, Josh, I can see that he is fumbling," Vinick said in a strained voice. "Let's not get into this right now."
"You are right; we have more important things to do," Josh agreed.
"That phone has a direct line to my office. I wonder why no one picked up," Vinick mused aloud.
"There are really some strange details that puzzle me about this situation," Josh said.
"And that's why you think it's a coup de etat," Vinick stated rather than asked.
"Exactly. Okay, could you get together with the CIA guy, and I'll try to reach them."
"Josh?"
"Yes, sir?"
"You have to tell him…"
"I know."
They both nodded and then got separated. Josh was led to the military attaché's office where they had a secure line waiting for him, and Arnold Vinick was greeted by the CIA's representative. Josh was grateful that he didn't have to deal with him, he didn't like the CIA, he didn't like the DCI and he had a certain dislike for spooks. Oh, he enjoyed spy movies just like every average person but he knew what they did and what they were capable of. He respected them and knew that they were essential but he didn't like them. So he was grateful that the Secretary took that meeting. Once he arrived at the attaché's room, he asked his agents to escort the attaché out of the room, citing security reasons. He dialed the White House switchboard and asked them to put him through to the Oval Office. Josh wondered briefly whether the switchboard operators were all in on the coup but he decided that it was really not the time to become paranoid. To his greatest surprise Ronna picked up the phone.
"Ronna! What are you doing there?" Josh asked angry and concerned at the same time.
"I initiated the lockdown, Josh," Ronna said coolly. "I was just stretching my legs when the President was rushed away by Ron, and I crashed the building. Secret Service evacuated the bullpen."
"And how come they didn't evacuate you?"
"I went into the Oval; I guess they forgot to check that."
"You mean you hid in the Oval," Josh said with a chuckle. "Listen to me, Ronna. Go to the next Secret Service agent and let them take care of you."
"I don't think I will, but thanks, Josh," Ronna said. "Now, is there something I can do for you?"
"Yeah!" Josh shouted. "Get your ass out of the building STAT! Put me through to the Situation Room first. But then go! Ronna, I will know whether you left or not, don't make me fire you. This is a direct order from me and I'm your boss! Get out of there!"
"Keep your pants on, Josh," Ronna retorted. "Okay, I'll put you through and then I'll find a nice Secret Service agent."
"Good," Josh said and then waited. He didn't know what to expect but he had to try to reach the room.
"Yes?" Josh heard Nancy's deputy.
"Tom?"
"Josh? What can I do for you?" Tom asked him.
Josh knew that he didn't have the luxury to mull over the situation; he had to act right now. And he better made it believable. He knew that he can resort to half-lies, they were the best ones, even face-to-face they were hard to be identified as lies.
"I just heard that the President was delayed," Josh said.
"Yeah, we were wondering what takes him so long," Tom said.
"Yeah, he is talking to the Secretary, we have some kind of a situation here," Josh lied.
"Ah, I understand. I briefed Sam, do you want the rundown?" Tom asked nonchalantly.
"No, my brain can process only so much information. It has to be Sam this time," Josh said. "Can I talk to him?"
"Of course, hold on, he is on the other phone," Tom said, leaving Josh perplexed and relieved at the same time. And then he realized that he put Sam into a pretty dicey situation. Because if he was right there must be a gun pointed at Sam's temple right now; and knowing Sam, he wouldn't hesitate to put his life at risk when he thought that he could serve a greater good. The silence frayed his nerves but then the mute button was released.
"Josh?" came Sam's steady voice. "What's up buddy?" he asked, and Josh definitely knew that something was amiss. Sam never called him buddy in the workplace.
"We are good. The Secretary is on the phone with the President," Josh said, repeating what he already said and at the same time he hoped that it reassured Sam that the President was okay. "We have a situation here," he said.
"Ah, I see. Well, we have a situation here too," Sam said.
"I know the gist. Listen, Sam, I know that this is the first time you are down there but try not to piss off the brass, okay?" Josh asked him. "I need my deputy alive, and now that I'm not there I know they are looking for a new prey."
Josh hoped that Sam did get the message of staying calm and keeping himself alive.
"Okay, Josh, I promise," Sam said, and Josh sighed with relief. He did get the message. "I've gotta go."
Josh dialed the Oval Office again and Ronna picked up.
"Okay, I'm actually glad that you are still there," Josh said before Ronna could say anything.
"Goody," Ronna said sarcastically. "One of the agents from the portico was sent over to State, you might one to order him back."
"Okay, put an agent on the phone," Josh said.
The agent's voice was familiar and once Josh identified himself with his NSA code the agent sent another agent after the first one, explaining to Josh that they were experiencing range problems. Josh thanked him and asked him to put Ronna back.
"I need you to call the Situation Room," Josh said.
"Again?" Ronna asked back.
"Tell them that the President is still delayed," Josh said.
"Okay."
"And then get the hell outta Dodge!" Josh shouted again.
"Aye, sir!" Ronna said and Josh just saw her mock saluting him.
Josh then picked up his NSA card which contained a number. Realizing that the NSA might be knee-deep in this, he pondered how he could get hold of the number of the Bunker. Taking a chance, he dialed Nancy's cell. He trusted Nancy, besides she was the only one who didn't get snarky with Josh in the Situation Room. He had to trust someone, and the only people he really trusted were in the Situation Room and in the Bunker. So he had to pick someone else. Nancy was in Japan this week and since it was around six in the evening there it took a while until she picked up.
"MacNally," she barked.
"It's me," Josh said, hoping that she recognized his voice.
"What's up?" the National Security Advisor asked.
"Get to a secure phone and call me back at the Embassy," Josh explained to her.
He heard that Nancy disconnected and then pondered what to do while she got back to him. He tried to get the puzzles together, to get a clearer picture. Oh, he had a piece of the picture; he just didn't know how big the picture was. The phone rang two minutes later, and he picked up eagerly.
"Josh," Nancy acknowledged him.
"That was fast," Josh said.
"Yeah, I was at the Embassy already we are having a party here," Nancy told him and then Josh filled her in.
"Now, I need the number of the Bunker."
"They have a video phone and a normal one, which one would you like?" Nancy asked him.
"Both, actually," Josh told her.
"Listen, Josh, you have to tell him…"
"I know," Josh said and this time he clicked off.
TBC
