Couldn't leave it like this... I needed a closure for today. Have fun!
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Campaign Speech
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Jack was just about to get going.
There's a man out there- a president- of a very big country. You all know his name, I don't have to say it aloud.
He paused, looking out into the crowd in front of him. Speaking these lines so far had made him free. Audrey's stare on his back - he felt it, he was sure that she was there, without having to look back, standing somewhere behind him- felt no longer like a dagger forcing him to air his private life. On the contrary.
He channelled all the stirred up emotions into anger and power, instead of trying to swallow them down any longer.
For sure, Parker was the source of the video somehow. Parker had economic connections to the Russians that he preferred to the good of the country. Parker and Suvarov.
Suvarov.
Renee.
Petrovsky.
Jack remembered how much he had loved David Palmers enthusiastic speeches. They had been personal.
He couldn't hide his private life any longer if he wanted to do this job good. To make this job good, he needed to become the job, the President - not just act like one.
It was not long ago that this man told me I'd be unqualified for the job I'm doing here. He said it would take a long time and hard work to make a good President out of somebody who had been an ‚agent' - saying this, as a man who had been an ‚agent' himself.
There's one thing he was right at: It takes a lot of time and a lot of change to leave this dark world below the law behind and become not just a ruler of a nation but a President for the people of it.
The last time I wore a badge of one of our government's intelligence organizations is ten years ago. I've seen the world, I've lived in every class and I've seen every struggle that there is out there, believe me. First handed. I've been at rock bottom! I know how the vast majority of this country lives like! I have fought my way back up! I didn't bring CIA, MI or CTU or whatever job I ever worked in with me as came into this office!
I left this all behind me, not like others. I left that behind for a reason.
Two weeks ago, I reached out towards this man, towards the country represented by this man - on behalf of the US. And what did we get in return, as an offer?
He tried to fool us. He tried to make a deal where in the same moment they would have come in through the back door, robbing our nation's heart!
He just got going, channeling his hate against Petrovsky, Page and Parker along with Suvarov's attempted treason into a speech.
I don't call somebody like this a President!
We didn't go for an agreement just to have an ‚agreement' - I want an agreement with a real benefit! For both sides, and no fake deals! - he roared into the microphone -
This man is not more than a simple agent to me. Trying to build law and undermining it at the very same moment! Agreements are to be kept, not exploited!
He had talked himself into rage.
Looking out into the crowd he took a few moments to calm down and catch his breath.
Today is a historic day. We're going to sign a historic agreement.
In which we offer real benefit to all parties in it. No exploit. No fake deals and no stabbing the others in the back.
There's a price to pay for this. One must give things to earn something in return. We will.
What we earn through this is a chance on stabilizing the most valuable, precious good on earth that there is: it's peace.
He took a deep breath, looking at the faces of these reporters, dressed in their good suits. Born and raised probably in DC, rich family, best college education… ass kissers of the DC political league and vice versa.
You don't even know how valuable that good is, he thoughtfully added, I know most of my predecessors praised our military strength and everything… and somebody will try to make it sound like me praising peace is already an offense to our troops.
But I'm telling you, it's not, and you better believe me, because I feel like I'm entitled to make this decision. I've seen it all. I was there. I've fought in so many conflicts, seeing so many men die and also seeing what our forces can achieve that I know exactly what is worth giving up and what not, to preserve peace.
Allyson Taylor knew that as she asked me to be part of her team. She was confident- and so am I. That today, we're going to start a new era, leading us into an age of peace after so many attacks and so many losses we had here, on our soil. Whoever is still out there - we will have the power to fight them back and drive them away from our homes. So help us God!
Exhausted, he stepped back from the rostrum.
The journalists waited half a second until they started throwing questions at him. He'd not answer now.
Thank you, he silently said, before closing the press conference.
Still besieged by question, he stepped down from the rostrum.
Like always, he was awaited by a crowd of applauding White House members.
There she was.
She stood among them, having raised her hands too applaud him, too. There was a big smile on her face, one that he hadn't seen there, for a quite a while.
Right now, he only had eyes for her and that smile.
Slowly he approached her, careful not to lose sight of everything else completely. He couldn't just lean over and kiss her out here in public, although he would have loved to do nothing else more than that.
„You did great", Audrey smiled at him.
Just saying thank you was so inappropriate and so far too little after everything she had done for him in the past hours. She had saved this all. She had kept him from going insane.
He couldn't await to see her somewhere in private, where he could tell her everything- and make them rip their clothes off and…
He had probably five more seconds until somebody would start asking questions about him and Miss Heller - „they scheduled three meetings for now and the ceremony with the Chinese is scheduled for 2 p.m. Can I -"
„No problem.", she interrupted his awkward try to ask her for forgiveness why he'd leave. „I'll see you there."
The entourage started moving, eventually taking him with them.
That smile. Walking down the hallway, back into the building, he treasured the picture.
Don't turn around, he told himself, it'll only get rumors going.
He couldn't not turn around.
Looking back, he found her still standing there, out in the sunlight. That beautiful face, framed by the beautiful blond hair the sunlight brightened even more, her classy dress… that smile.
It let him forget all the problems that he would have to deal with, eventually, later. Or never.
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I think Jack really deserves a happy end for once. He's been through enough. Thank you for reading!
written to:
Kadavar/The old man
also inspired by:
speeches of POTUS#44