Josh Lyman sensed the trap too late. Leo was smiling which, given the disastrous vote yesterday, was unusual. There had been a policy on foreign aid put to the senate. The Vice President had helped the President put up a good argument against it, building on the foundations of his previous speech about needing aid at home. However their friend from Texas, Senator Matt Whyte, was back at the senate and his had been the deciding vote for the policy, which was to take away twenty-five percent of government aid for farmers and put it in the funding for less fortunate countries. It was obvious Senator Whyte cared little for the plight of Third World countries but apparently his desire for vengeance in the senate was great enough to shadow his personal opinion.
Now here they were, two days later and still reeling from a blow the senator was apparently promising his allies was just 'the warm up'. The loss of the vote still stung and the fear of what vote the senator might ruin next was high. It was exactly why Josh could not understand Leo's smile as he stepped into the Roosevelt Room.
Despite being morning, the lamps were on as the heavy grey of the rain cloud morning managed to cast shadows through the windows. Someone had an idea that as it was day time having the blinds open was better than closed. Over the mild hum of idle conversation there was a loud patter of heavy rain against the windowpanes. Josh hoped that it was day for staying in the nice, warm and dry White House.
Josh stepped up the already crowded table to take a seat when his brown stare fell upon Cadence McGarry. As he reached for his chair he blurted out, "what are you doing here?"
"Josh," Leo scolded him with a warning stare.
Leo stood at the end of the table in a smart, pale brown suit with a striped shirt looking ready to begin a presentation.
"I'm here for the cheese," Cadence retorted cheerfully as she smiled up at Josh.
Cadence was seated beside Sam wearing a grey skirt and jacket suit with a grey and black stripped scarf donned loosely about her neck. Her grey-blue eyes bore an edge to them and her blonde hair was fixed up in a high, wavy, messy ponytail with strands spilling out at the front. It was a style that was almost cute but verging a little too much on sloppy as if her efforts were half-hearted.
"The cheese?" Josh echoed dumbly. His expression turned to fear as he released the back of his chair. "Oh no." Josh looked to Leo pleadingly. "Leo no."
"Too late to run Josh," C.J remarked wearily, "just sit down, shut up and accept you'll be getting the worst case because you're late."
The press secretary was on Josh's right side cradling a large cup of takeaway coffee as if she could absorb the caffeine through the cup.
"What? That's not fair!" Josh snapped as he looked down at C.J. "I didn't know this was happening or I wouldn't have come at all!"
Leo crossed his hands behind his back and gave his subordinate a frown.
"Josh, I'm not starting until you're seated," Leo scolded.
"Leo I feel like we should be considering how we address this change to foreign policy," Toby interrupted with a grumble.
Toby was seated on C.J's right looking appropriately bored as he spun a pen round on the table.
C.J released her cup and rested on the table, she then raised her hands through her hair and let out a loud groan.
"Why can't you two learn?" she groaned. "He's going to make us go through this, all you can determine is whether it's slow or fast."
She leaned back and thrust her arms out in the direction of the closed doors dramatically.
"The doors may as well be barred," she lamented.
Josh sighed before taking a seat at last as he realised that C.J was right, there was no escape.
Leo gave a small smile of satisfaction before he brought his arms round to his sides and faced them straight down the centre of the table.
"Andrew Jackson, in the main foyer of his White House had a big block of cheese," Leo began loudly. The block of cheese was huge- over two tons," he enthused with a voice of awe and a wave of his left hand. "And it was there for any and all who might be hungry-"
"Leo," Josh whined, "we know this speech."
"I don't," Cadence remarked.
Josh gave the young woman a sardonic smile across the table and she returned it with a wide grin.
Sam wondered quietly if it was the polite political version of offensive hand gestures. He imagined if they had more stationary available they would be using rulers to flick rolled up paper balls at each other.
Sam clasped his palms together as he faced Leo with an attentive look. Big Block of Cheese day never bothered him as much as it did Toby and Josh, Sam just considered it as a nice quirk.
"President Jackson wanted the White House to belong to the people," Leo continued emotionally as if he was reciting the script of a play, "so from time to time, he opened his doors to those who wished an audience."
Leo paused and glanced over at his team and daughter with a pleased stare.
"It is in the spirit of Andrew Jackson that I, from time to time, ask senior staff to have face-to-face meetings with those people representing organizations who have a difficult time getting our attention," Leo concluded. "We are the people's servants after all."
"Wait," Cadence interrupted as she leaned forward to face her father down the centre of the table, "is the cheese metaphorical?"
Leo frowned back at his daughter. "Not exactly, President Jackson did share a block of cheese with the people."
"And we're honouring this by doing the same?" she quipped with a hopeful stare.
Sam smiled at this whilst Josh looked over at her with an appalled expression.
"No," Leo retorted in exasperation. "Cady what we do here is, for this one day, give people who otherwise have difficulties getting our attention a chance to voice their concerns to us."
"He means whack jobs," Toby remarked condescendingly as he glanced over at Cadence briefly.
"Um so let's be clear about this," Cadence said as she waved her hand in a circle over the table, "you're saying there is no cheese."
"Wait, did you really think there'd be a giant block of cheese?" Josh sneered as a grin slipped out. Despite his woes he couldn't help but feel a small sliver of joy at this.
Cadence frowned back at adversary. "You kept talking about Big Block of Cheese Day, how was I was supposed to know it was a metaphor? I want my cheese damn it!"
"Cadence language," Leo scolded her. He shook his head. "What is with you and cursing in this building."
Toby sighed dramatically as he leaned back in his seat and stared up at the ceiling. "It's like we're at school," he grumbled, "and being ordered to help the stupider kids with their assignments."
"I like cheese," Cadence complained as she turned her frown on her father. "If I knew this was about giving crazy people a chance to talk I wouldn't have come over!"
"Right because the Eisenhower is definitely more appealing than this," Josh mocked.
"Cadence," Leo said sternly, "you said you wanted to learn some of what we did here to help the people so that you could learn some new practices to introduce to the Eisenhower Team and so you could encourage team building between the West Wing and the Eisenhower to promote good relations between the President and Vice President's staffers."
Sam smiled encouragingly at Cadence at this. "Like with our dancing," he enthused, "you turned that into a positive spin for the press. We all looked well in that."
It was true, Cadence had slipped into Public Relations mode the morning after the State Diner and was quick to find and promote pictures of the Vice President and President's team dancing together, even though it had meant showcasing a photograph of herself and Josh. It was fluff of course with some harmless quotes about what designer they were wearing and how some of them had two left feet and so forth. Ultimately it had led to some nice feel good pieces that not only detracted from all the drama in Colombia but had the people reassured again that their President and Vice President really were on the same team and working well together. The absence of a decent photo of John and Jed together apparently did not matter.
C.J let out a mocking snort at Sam's comment. "You're just saying that because you were so photogenic with Sandra," she taunted.
"Well it certainly helped detract from other photos," Josh remarked pointedly as he gave Cadence a serious stare.
Cadence ignored them as she continued to stare up the table at her father in disbelief.
"I thought there was gonna be cheese!" Cadence cried out. "The P.R thing was a lie, I was going to use this an excuse to implement a cheese day at the Eisenhower! You know I like cheese dad, especially those cute little cubes that come on sticks with grapes, now why weren't there any of them at the State Dinner? Fifty courses and no cheese," she commented crossly. "I mean the menu was longer than Moses' stone tablets but no one could fit cheese in there?"
"Enough about the cheese!" Leo admonished her. "The cheese is metaphorical! I'm going to pretend you didn't just say you lied about wanting to promote good relations for cheese. You're here now and you're going to pick a group to meet with just like everyone else here!"
"And what fun choices do we have this time?" Toby queried sarcastically.
"Toby, The Secret Society of the Gold Rush, get into it," Leo ordered.
Toby sat upright with a startled look. "I thought we were picking what we wanted!" he protested.
Leo gave him a taunting grin. "You've all made me mad so I'm picking for you."
"I have to ask," Josh piped up, "how are they secret if Toby's meeting them?"
Leo ignored him.
"I'm really starting to see where Mallory gets the authoritative side from," Sam mused.
Cadence nodded agreeably. "Yeah if dad wasn't in politics he'd have been a good teacher," she retorted.
"Cadence and Josh, since you're so friendly today, The Foundation of Lakes and Lake Wildlife, that's yours," Leo ordered them.
"That sounds...okay," Cadence murmured as she wondered what the trap was.
"What?! No!" Josh snapped as he gestured to her with one hand. "She was talking to Sam, Leo, not me! And she's a Eisenhower cuckoo! This is a crazy thing but it's our thing!"
Cadence forked her tongue out at him.
"Josh the decision's made," Leo scolded him. "C.J, you and Sam can meet with The Brotherhood of Bells."
"Alright then," C.J said as she turned an amused blue stare on Sam. She nodded at him. "The Bells Brothers, got it."
"Why am I alone?" Toby wailed.
"Where do we start with that," C.J retorted brightly. When Toby turned a glower her way she smiled at him.
"You were the sassiest this morning," Leo informed him.
"Sassiest?" Toby echoed. He stood up from his seat and gestured outwards to Leo with his hands. "Leo sometimes, I mean, we are still running the country right? I didn't dream that."
"Go meet with the people, they're part of the country," Leo ordered him. "And Toby," he pointed at him sternly, "they're pro annexing California to Mexico and we don't need anymore potential wars on the horizon so try not to cause a nation upset over it."
"Did we annex California?" Cadence queried. "So wouldn't it just be returning California to Mexcio?"
"So now you're a Pancho Villa as well as Benedict Arnold," Josh retorted.
"Josh, Pancho Villa was part of the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, California was taken by America at the end of the Mexican-American War in the 1840s," Cadence scorned him.
Josh raised his hand. "Leo," he shouted whilst he kept his glare on Cadence, "I want to change partners mine keeps putting a negative spin on the American government!"
"I want to change assignments," Toby complained.
Leo just waved him out of the room with a 'shooing' gesture.
"Are we really not getting any cheese?" Cadence asked as she stood up. "Not even a sample? Or a reward slice at the end?"
"You want a slice of cheese for a reward?" C.J quipped with a dubious stare at the other woman.
"I had visions of a table spread of worldwide cheeses," Cadence complained, "I'm gutted."
"Josh take the poor girl out for some crackers and cheese for breakfast," Sam teased.
"She's not a parrot Sam," C.J scolded him.
Josh scowled and turned another hopeful stare on Leo. Leo gave him a withering look in response.
"Let's find these people about lakes then," Josh muttered.
The Vice President glanced down the polished mahogany table at Cal, Gavin and Jeremy. They were going through their morning briefing for the day and mercifully it was mundane. John didn't think he would welcome dullness but Colombia had taken a lot out of him and he was ready for a reprieve.
John's cerulean stare darted up to the tall glass windows at the back of the room. They gave a glimpse of greenery hiding the dreary grey of the morning from view. His expression turned to confusion as a man in an olive green uniform appeared amongst the trees.
"Who in the hell is that?" John quipped bluntly.
Perplexed rather than worried, he remained where he was seated somehow not considering that he should consider getting on his feet in case of an attack.
Cal, Gavin and Jeremy followed his stare to the window. Gavin jumped to his feet with a startled look and glanced to the door as he contemplated running for the Secret Service.
"Relax," Cal berated his subordinate. He turned a disinterested stare back to the table and the notes before him. "It's just pest control, we called them up last night."
"Why?" Jeremy queried curiously as he continued to watch the man stomping inelegantly through the greenery.
"For a pest," Cal answered sardonically.
Gavin gave a mocking snort at this in an attempt to appear dismissive of the matter and gloss over the fact that for a brief moment he had almost had an early bowel movement.
"What kind of pest?" Jeremy asked as he glanced over at Cal.
"Who cares?" Gavin interrupted. He glanced at his watch. "It's almost half eight here, we need to speed up, I have a meeting at nine and you are due to get on a plane at ten Mr Vice President," he remarked as he glanced over at John.
John nodded. "Right, let's get on with it then."
The group went over their notes again, summing up the itinerary for the day, additions to the news last night that might effect them, the policies that were up for discussion with the President today and a few queries that had come up in Congress. They had carefully avoided discussing the disaster of the foreign aid policy. The murky matter of oil was starting to get pushed by the Republicans as they were wary of rumours about an increase on taxes for fossil fuel producers which they believed were what would fund the financial incentives for people to switch to greener options all in the aid of a healthier planet.
As a man who had made his money in oil, John could certainly sympathise with people suddenly afraid of losing money in the business of fossil fuels. The President had already asked if he would go and put a pleasant spin on things when the issue was finally raised officially, it was just a matter of waiting for some senator to do so.
What John was wary of, was Senator Whyte raising hell over the oil business. Even though John might have sympathy to the plight the senator wouldn't care, he seemed to be out for blood at the moment. Apparently, he had suffered a serious financial loss over the guns matter.
With their morning meeting concluded, the men rose and exited the room. The room was like many others in the Eisenhower Executive Building- a polished, pristine piece of history that always seemed to be void of dust and debris though no one ever saw the cleaners. For all the use it got, the tasteful décor of portraits and naval themed ornaments seemed a waste.
Jeremy and Gavin separated from them in the corridor leaving John and Cal to head down it with the Secret Service. They moved towards the entrance of the building, ready to hasten to the airport to make a trip up to New York so John could make a promotional appearance with a local baseball organisation that was set up as a place for the troubled kids of the area to have a safe space to forget their troubles for a moment.
John filled with surprise and then a sudden moment of realisation as they turned a corner and met Suzanne in the corridor.
"Suzanne honey," John exclaimed, "I'm sorry, our meeting ran on and I forgot all about breakfast."
Suzanne gave John an icy stare even as she forced a smile to her face and resisted the urge to fold her arms in a universal stance of 'I'm pissed off'. She was standing in the company of Cal's assistant Tanya who was giving her an empathetic stare.
"Well you are the Vice President, it's to be expected," Suzanne murmured. "However, I suppose it means you don't have time to look at this charity appeal by the ladies of The Silver Ivy Club."
Suzanne reached to the pink Chanel handbag hanging from her shoulder, tugging up the flap and pulling out part of a thin, red leather backed file.
"No I'm afraid not," John retorted. He tried to sound disappointed but it was difficult to keep the relief from his voice.
When Suzanne had requested last night that they met for a quick breakfast this morning John had been a tad suspicious of her motives and now it was clear, she wanted to pressure him into supporting another charity ventured undoubtedly because some influential friends of hers were a part of it.
"Maybe later," John added with a suggestion of doubt as he saw her green gaze harden with a cold anger.
Suzanne released the file in defeat as she nodded. "Right, well I suppose it wouldn't be nice having breakfast while this place is getting fumigated or whatever it is," she murmured. She made it sound jovial and even added a sweet giggle at the end of her words.
Tanya smiled along before shaking her head. "It's not that bad Mrs. Hoynes," she said cheerfully. "Just one raccoon."
John's eyes widened in surprise at this.
The silent Cal frowned over at his female aide before his stern stare darted over to John.
"What?" John queried as he stared at Tanya. His mouth was parted slightly as his blue gaze wavered between disbelief and anger.
Tanya was taken back by it, unsure why the Vice President cared about the nature of the pest. She pushed back a stray strand of inky black hair as her wary gaze darted over to Cal and then back to John. She couldn't fathom why either man seemed angry about the matter.
"A raccoon sir," she retorted, "one of the secretaries spotted it last night just outside the offices."
"Who called pest control?" John snapped.
"I'm not sure but it's protocol," Tanya answered with another uneasy glance.
"John what does it matter who called?" Suzanne piped up. "Be glad they called them quickly, that's efficient."
"No," John snapped as he waved out his hands. "No, get them stopped."
John turned and suddenly hastened back in the direction of the office he had come from.
"Sir, we have a plane to catch," Cal called as he hurried after him.
"Sir I can call them to cancel," Tanya offered as she watched him retreat.
"No, they need told now," John said firmly.
"John what are you talking about?" Suzanne called as she followed after him. "It's a raccoon, they're pests and if you have no time for breakfast you certainly don't have time for this!"
John ignored his wife as he charged on back into the meeting room. Spying the pest control man still there through the windows, he hurried forward and stared banging on the window.
"Hey you!" John called angrily.
Cal sighed as he halted in the middle of the room. "Sir, it's bullet proof glass," he reminded him, "he can't hear you."
"John really, you aren't going to miss an appointment to yell at pest control, are you?" Suzanne demanded as she let some of her irritation slip into her voice. "You're the Vice President, you have people to sort this nonsense! Not that it needs sorted, he's doing his job. Is it any wonder people are calling you a novelty act?"
John glanced over his shoulder sharply to his wife. He scowled at her silently for a moment, letting her see the ire in his own stare.
"It's not a pest," he said flatly.
"Sir it is and it's protocol to get it removed," Cal interrupted.
John pointed at Cal crossly with one finger. "I know what that means and you do to. They're not killing it."
John turned back to the window and stared banging it again. Finally, he caught the man's attention.
The man stared back wide eyed and open mouthed, quite unwilling to believe that the Vice President of the United States was banging a window at him.
"You look a fool John," Suzanne hissed out angrily. "I won't let you forget it if you miss an appointment for a God damn raccoon when you couldn't miss it to have breakfast with me."
Realising she had lost her cool in front of Cal, Suzanne was quick to turn and hurry from the room, determined not to make another embarrassing outburst.
"Sir what are you going to tell them in New York if you miss this plane?" Cal queried as he tried to force John into action.
"That there was an emergency, I'm the Vice President, they'll just have to accept that things do come up. Now get these pest control guys out of here," John retorted sharply as he glared out at the pest control man.
"The raccoon has to go somewhere sir," Cal said pointedly. "It is a pest," he insisted, "and if you let it stay it will only cause problems."
"Get it to a park or something then," John grumbled irately. "You know what, you just get these pest control people away. I'll get Gavin for the other thing, he owes a favour."
John mimed an X motion to the stunned pest control man repeatedly, unaware of how it looked mildly threatening as he scowled with the gesture.
As Josh and Cadence headed down the corridor to meet with the lake people they met a slightly flustered Donna.
"Good, you're here," she said as she looked at Josh pointedly. She gave Cadence a slightly quizzical stare before looking back to Josh again.
"You did remember, right?" Donna queried.
Josh stared back at Donna in confusion. "No but I'm hoping it's something that will get me out of meeting with the lake people."
"Lake people?" Donna queried. "What is that...like people who live by the lake?"
"I'm hoping," Josh muttered. He shook his head. "No Donna, it won't be that simple," he said with a wave of his hand, "It's Big Block of Cheese Day."
"Big Block of Fake Metaphorical Cheese Day," Cadence grumbled as she folded her arms.
"So what pressing engagement do I have that gets me out of this?" Josh queried hopefully.
"Congressman Landis," Donna retorted. "He's here about the arts and history bill, apparently if Richmond gets its share he's on board."
Josh sighed. "Hmm, money for preserving a piece of Confederate history or lake people, choices, choices."
Cadence gave him a sideways glance. "History is important to preserve regardless of the nature, it's how we apply our knowledge that counts," she remarked.
Josh jerked his thumb in Cadence's direction. "We learned this morning that in addition to thinking the Senate is a Roman dictatorship, Cadence here also believes Mexico still has a right to California."
"I'd be mad at your exaggeration but you did call me Cadence instead of the devil so I'm counting that as improvement," Cadence replied with a small smile.
Donna smiled awkwardly as she nodded her head at both of them. "Uh huh, well what about Congressman Landis?" She gestured her hands back to the way she had come from. "He's waiting."
"Josh Lyman you are not leaving me to meet these lake people alone," Cadence said sternly.
Josh stretched a hand up to his brow and frowned. "You know a bill about financial aid to the preservation of arts is quite important," he remarked.
"So is not having my father, your boss, think that you purposely sabotaged our team building," Cadence answered chirpily. "Look, we'll go and greet them, then you can take a break to meet Congressman Landis."
Josh grimaced into his palm before lowering his hand. "Fine." He looked at Donna pleadingly. "Donna, please, stall him for a few minutes."
Donna gave him an exasperated stare. "Josh you have to learn not to double book!"
The blonde turned and retreated up the corridor.
Josh gave Cadence an irritated stare. "Are you happy now?"
Cadence shrugged. "Not really, I'm still annoyed about the cheese."
Josh shook his head before continuing up the corridor to the room they had been advised the lake people where waiting in. It was a small office in the West Wing with nothing that stood out about it save for its occupants.
Josh knocked the door before gesturing Cadence in first as he opened it.
Josh and Cadence stepped into the room and halted as a glowing image courtesy of an overhead projection on the front wall caught their attention. This room was gloomier than the Roosevelt Room as the lights were off and the windows were cast in the shadow of the clouds. The rainfall was louder now as it beat distractingly off the glass panes.
Josh wondered as he lingered at the front of the room staring at the projection if the place was cold or just seemed that way because of the gloom and the rain. He found the heavy patter a tad distracting and continued to hope he wouldn't be out in it today.
"Is that...Nessie?" Cadence queried dubiously.
"No, Chessie," a young woman corrected hotly.
The woman stood up from the desk she and a man had been occupying to give Cadence an indignant look. She was wearing a navy and green argyle jumper over a white collared shirt with a long navy skirt and brown, leather boots and had long, dyed copper-brown hair up in a high ponytail showing off a lightly freckled, fair face.
"Chessie," Cadence repeated as she glanced from the woman to her other companion- a young, affably looking young man who was dressed as if ready to attend a prominent private school in a navy blazer and trousers with a gold and green emblem on his blazer's left breast.
The man nodded enthusiastically as he grinned.
"It's one of the lake creatures we are hoping to seek a protected species status for," the woman explained.
The woman stepped up to Josh and held out a hand. "I'm Gillian by the way, Gillian Elder but everyone calls me Jill." She gave a wide smile.
Josh accepted the hand reluctantly and gave a quick shake before breaking away from it. "Josh Lyman and this is Cadence McGarry," he introduced.
The woman gave Cadence a hostile glance. "I know," she said bluntly.
"Is this not a Nessie knock off?" Cadence quipped as she ignored the comment and gestured to the image.
It was a collection of blurred photographs of dark humps in the water as well as some scanned illustrations depicting a serpent like water monster.
"No," the woman snapped. "It's the Chesapeake Bay monster."
"I thought we were dealing with lakes," Josh murmured dubiously.
Josh was looking at the pictures with the same stunned expression as Cadence.
"Lakes, bays, rivers, basically all localised water properties that play host to endangered creatures," the man explained eagerly. He stepped up to them and gave Josh and Cadence a warm smile. "I'm Gareth Jackson but people call me Jack," he informed them.
Cadence and Josh exchanged a quick glance before Josh shook his head. "So, how can we help you?" he queried.
Jack hastened over to the overhead projector and clicked it on to another slide. There was another collection of questionable photographs with font underneath them. There was Champ, Bessie, Tahoe Tessie, Chessie and Flathead Lake Monster amongst others.
Cadence leaned to the left slightly to put her closer to Josh. "Is this a prank?" she queried quietly.
"I wish," Josh retorted in a hushed voice.
"These are just examples of some of the endangered creatures out there in American waters," Jill informed them as she took up a stance to the right of the images.
"Endangered?" Cadence repeated. "Don't you mean fictional?"
"No I don't," Jill retorted angrily. She gestured to the images with a wave. "As you can see there is more than enough evidence to prove their existence."
Cadence pointed up towards one in the centre. "That is a seal," she retorted.
"Anyone can tell it's too high a hump to be a seal," Jill snapped back.
"So how are you hoping we will help you with this?" Josh interrupted with a smile.
"We've come to seek funding for both their protection and the preservation of their home," Jack explained. "We want to ensure they cannot be captured, imprisoned or exploited."
"Well there's no danger of that anyway surely," Cadence commented sardonically.
"Actually," Jill replied heatedly, "there are quite a lot of hunters hoping to find and capture these endangered animals for profit." She took a care to emphasise the word 'endangered'.
Josh glanced at his watch. "Well look, I have to take a break for a few minutes, I have another appointment-"
Josh halted as Cadence suddenly gripped his right arm tightly with her hand. "We," she corrected with a fixed smile, "we have another appointment."
"No-" Josh winced as Cadence's nails dug into his sleeve to pierce his skin. "Yes," he corrected with a nod and a forced smile. "Yes, we, just for a few minutes. It will give you two time to work on this presentation for us."
Josh glanced from Jill to Jack before turning to escape the room. Cadence turned with him and clung to his arm as he headed from the room.
"Would you get off me!" Josh snapped as he started to walk up the corridor.
He was too irritated with her to even ponder her willingness to grab him of all people. He was considering her behaviour a tad strange this morning. Cheese obsession not withstanding, her enthusiasm at the meeting had seemed a little forced and now she was choosing to spend time with Josh rather than embracing a chance to be free of him.
Josh figured he was just overthinking it, knowing Sam or Donna would be quick to suggest he just wanted to think ill of Cadence because she was Cadence McGarry. He could admit to himself that, that was probably true but, in his defence, it wasn't like Cadence had done all that much to sway his opinion.
Cadence released him with a glower. "You were going to leave me there with Jack and Jill to fall down a well after knock off Nessie," she accused. "You know, for all the mocking you do of the Eisenhower, we wouldn't entertain this kind of nonsense."
Josh shrugged. "Welcome to Big Block of Cheese Day," he said with another smile.
Josh headed up the corridor briskly, glancing at his watch again as he wondered how long Congressman Landis had been waiting.
Gavin arrived in the Vice President's office with a pant, looking unusually flustered for him. He doubled over slightly as John gave him a nonplussed look over his desk.
Gavin pressed a hand against his torso before standing upright again. "Sorry sir," he apologised, "I ran here, Cal said you had a flight to make."
"Yes, it took off five minutes ago," John answered calmly.
John fixed a cool stare up at his aide. Until he had learned that Gavin was the one who had leaked the story of Robert 'Robbie' Donovan's murder and Cadence's suicide attempt to the press, John had considered Gavin one of his most loyal team members. The fact that Gavin had done it out of loyalty to John didn't make up for it in John's books. It was Cadence who insisted that John keep Gavin, she had reminded him that Gavin had stayed on his campaign even when it was losing and even after she and Josh had both left it. She had also commented that she was certain Gavin had leaked the story to get her to leave because he didn't trust her intentions, feeling she was on John's team out of her father's mechanisms and not loyalty. After all, Cadence had previously left when things had gotten tough but Gavin had stayed.
John knew Cadence had a valid point and he had wanted to discuss it with Gavin but she had pleaded with him not to. So Gavin got to stay on but it was clear to him and John that he was under a form of probation.
Gavin glanced at his watch. "I thought you got it rescheduled sir, that's what Cal said," he murmured.
John glanced at his own watch. "I told Cal to cancel it," he said with a bitter smile.
"Well, that's good I guess," Gavin retorted, " because the Washington Zoo are happy to take the raccoon but they are insisting they honour this donation with a ceremony as they presume you will be making it personally."
"Donation?!" John snapped with wide eyes. He stood up from his seat suddenly. "Gavin what in the hell have you done? I just wanted it re-homed."
Gavin nodded. "Yes sir but when I rang the zoo they asked why they would want to take in a common pest, they said there are plenty of them for the public to view loitering in the trash cans outside. I explained it would be on behalf of the Vice President and then," he paused with a sheepish look and scratched at his short, dark hair briefly, "well then they got the idea that you wanted to donate a raccoon to them. You kind of do, don't you?"
John frowned over at him. "No Gavin," he addressed him calmly, "I just didn't realise how hard it was to shift a racoon from one place to another. I assume raccoons live in parks too, you could have just sent it to a park." He sighed and bowed his head to his desk before glancing up at Gavin. "Alright, when is this?"
"Well you wanted it removed today, right?"
"No, I wanted pest control gone today. Gavin, what have you agreed to?"
Gavin gave a weak smile. "A quick ceremony at two o'clock this afternoon, it gives them time to set up its new home."
"What does this ceremony entail?"
"You and the raccoon in a picture at the zoo with one of their zookeepers and managers," Gavin answered. "I'll have to talk to Cady but I'm sure we could make good publicity out of this."
"I am a novelty act," John grumbled quietly.
"Sir?" Gavin didn't hear what his boss muttered.
John waved him off with one hand. "Just get it arranged and make sure someone has the damn raccoon ready to go."
"Pest control didn't secure it?" Gavin queried with a surprised stare.
John looked back at him in irritation. "No they wanted to kill it, that was the point!" John snapped at him. "Damn it Gavin don't make me look the fool by going to the zoo without the thing!" He pointed at him accusingly. "And make sure it is the raccoon, I don't want a substitution and I don't want to learn that this one is either still rogue or exterminated, understand?"
Gavin nodded. "Right."
Gavin headed out the room quickly. He marched back to his own office with a few muttered curses. He paused at the secretaries' sector and looked at them accusingly, aware that they were the ones who had started this mess in the first place.
"Someone get me a cat carrier and cat food," he ordered before heading into his office.
Josh wondered as he entered the room to greet Congressman Landis if anyone else was having as bad a morning as him. Lake people, bills with confederate controversy attached to them and Cadence McGarry, it was difficult for him to decide what was the biggest problem so far.
The congressman was seated at a desk crowded with notes, a laptop and files. He had his jacket off and slung over the chair behind him and was seated, writing on a file block until he saw Josh arrive. He placed down his pen and stood up with an easygoing smile.
Josh was a little surprised to see how busy the congressman had evidently been and it made him feel a little guilty for not considering this business with any real thought.
"Morning Congressman Landis," Josh greeted politely. He glanced over to Cadence as he wondered if introductions were really necessary for someone who had been plastered all over the news for several days. "This is Cadence McGarry, she's here on work experience," he joked.
Josh gave a short laugh at his own joke and waved it off. "No, I'm kidding, I don't actually know why she's here."
Congressman Landis turned his easygoing smile onto the young woman and he raised his dark eyebrows slightly as a spark of amusement brightened his pale blue eyes. "Well good morning anyway, I'm Tom Landis," he introduced.
Cadence smiled back. "I do know why I'm here, I'm tactfully avoiding people talking about knock off Nessie."
Josh scowled and gave Cadence a scolding stare. "We don't have to share that with people," he murmured.
Cadence pushed back some of her hair from her face as she gave him an innocent look in response. "Why not? I don't feel like it's real if I don't tell people."
"Knock off Nessie?" Tom repeated with a curious look.
Cadence's smile brightened at this. "Chessie apparently, and then there's Bessie and Tessie."
"Oh." Tom gave her a wide grin. "So you've heard about our little sea serpent."
"Our?" Cadence gaped at Tom with surprise before turning her horrified stare on Josh. "Is this a prank?" she demanded again. She raised her hands to her hips. "I mean am I being hazed because I dared to intrude here on the hallowed West Wing ground or is this a seriously late punishment by my father?"
She gestured to Tom with one hand while continuing to stare at Josh. "Very good getting him and Donna and Jack and Jill on it, I mean really, you guys are talented."
Josh, who had raised a hand to his brow and was now shaking his head into his palm retorted, "no Cadence. The congressman is quite real and probably not impressed with us right now."
Josh lowered his hand and looked to Tom apologetically. "Sir I'm so sorry about this, keeping you late and...well this." Josh looked at Cadence pointedly.
Tom was still smiling at them with amusement. "It's fine Josh, I'm intrigued not offended." Tom gestured to his chest with one hand. "I'm from Chesapeake Bay," he explained to Cadence. "Chessie is a popular legend there. I can't say much for Bessie or Tessie however."
"Oh." Cadence's eyes widened as she realised her faux pas. "I apologise Congressman," she said sincerely. "We're having a meeting with people about lakes and other water bodies and their...en...endang...I can't say it, sorry, their dubious residents."
"Dubious," Josh said flatly. "Really?" He raised his eyebrows at her.
"I can't Josh," she answered as she waved her arms outwards. "I draw the line at sea serpents and still living dinosaurs."
There was a knock on the door and Donna poked her head in with an apologetic stare. "I'm sorry," she remarked before she stepped into the room. "One of the lake people was roaming the corridor looking for you guys," she explained. "I sent them back into the meeting room."
"I told them it'd be a few minutes," Josh grumbled.
Donna nodded sympathetically.
"I should go," Cadence said reluctantly. "I've intruded here anyway."
"No," Josh retorted with a wave of his hand, "you offended Jill and maybe Jack too."
"I've offended Congressman Landis too," Cadence pointed out with another apologetic look at Tom.
"No you haven't," Tom assured, "and please, call me Tom."
Cadence gave him another smile. "Well Tom I have intruded, this is your meeting with Josh."
Tom smiled warmly in response. "I think as far as a lot of people here are concerned, I'm the intruder," he said cheerfully.
Cadence's expression turned puzzled at this.
"I'm sorry, are the lake people called Jack and Jill?" Donna quipped with a look of disbelief.
"Yes, let's move on from that swiftly," Josh said. "Donna, get them coffee and ask them to show you the slideshow of endangered aquatic animals."
"Oh like manatees?" Donna queried with an excited look.
"Probably," Cadence retorted mockingly, "maybe some bloated otters too."
"What?" Donna cocked her head with a curious stare and a slight frown.
"Donna just go," Josh dismissed as he waved her off,"and don't forget the coffee."
Donna's frown deepened and she turned smartly on one heel and marched from the office. As she closed the door she used more force than usual and it caused a loud bang to echo in the room.
A sharp shriek followed stunning Josh for a moment.
Josh looked about the room in confusion as his mind tried to catch up to the noise and explain what it was.
Tom had moved from around the desks and was now looking down at it from the front.
Puzzled, Josh followed his stare and when Tom crouched, Josh crouched too. He saw Cadence under a desk, having darted there as quick as lightning, now hugging her knees and wearing a sunken eyed look of terror.
Josh was silent in his confusion.
"What happened?" Tom queried quietly, keeping his voice low as if afraid of startling her further. "Are you alright?"
Josh glanced at the door and back to Cadence. The door had made a long bang when it had closed and she had dove for cover. It hadn't exactly been that surprising a noise.
"I think she just got startled by the noise," Josh said weakly. He could hardly explain to the congressman that he suspected Cadence had imagined a gunshot.
Josh wondered briefly once again what the hell had happened in Colombia, both times Cadence had been there. He knew there was a lot Leo and the President weren't saying about her trip there with the Vice President and things were still murky regarding her charitable trip there.
"Cadence maybe you should..." Josh trailed off. "Take a break."
Cadence shuffled out from under the table and stood up, waving away Josh's offer to help her stand. She rose with a slight wince, her hand reaching up to a hidden scar on her right side before she let it slacken. Embarrassed, she avoiding looking at either man as she smoothed down her grey jacket and skirt.
"Yeah, maybe I'll go get coffee," she muttered, "and a cream cheese bagel," she added as she offered Josh a faint smile.
"I haven't had breakfast either," Tom remarked, "why don't we get coffee together and I can tell you more about Chesapeake Bay, I wouldn't want you thinking it's nothing more than a sea serpent's home."
Cadence glanced over at the man trying to gage if he was teasing her not. She saw only sincerity in his pale stare and felt a small smile slip out in response to his merry grin.
"Sure," she agreed. "Josh?"
"No, I need to take care of Jack and Jill," Josh muttered dismissively, still a little puzzled over Cadence's extreme reaction to a door closing. His thoughts seemed a few seconds behind and it was only when Tom headed for the door that he realised his error. "Wait!" he cried out suddenly.
Cadence and Tom glanced over at Josh in mild surprise.
"It's raining outside!" he blurted out.
"There's a cafe inside," Cadence reminded him.
"Right, with people we know."
"Yes," Cadence said. She gave Josh a confused look and raised her hands to her hips. "What's the problem?"
Tom shook his head as a slight hint of bitterness filled his smile. "Josh, I won't corrupt her with coffee."
"Well she might corrupt you!" Josh retorted childishly.
"Corrupt me to what?" Cadence queried. She looked from Josh to Tom. "To some sort of sea monster cult? Seriously, am I being filmed? Is this a prank?"
"You keep asking that, I'm telling Leo it's how you talk about Big Block of Cheese Day," Josh grumbled.
"I'm a Republican," Tom explained calmly as he looked to Cadence hopefully.
Cadence stared back at him quietly before her grey-blue stare darted to Josh and a wide smile appeared across her face followed by a giggle. "Oh this is too good," she commented as she crossed her arms. "Josh's two arch enemies come together."
"Arch enemies?" Tom repeated. "Aren't you a democrat?"
Josh let a snort of derision at this. "She's a seriously twisted one," he grumbled.
"I am," Cadence replied, "but to Josh I'm the devil."
"Huh." Tom smiled over at Josh. "I thought I was a devil to you lot, even though I'm here to try and make a deal for the greater good of the people."
"Tom, normally you're one of the nicer ones," Josh admitted, "and I wasn't trying to make any point about your political side. It's just, we're already running behind and we have another group of people to get back to, we should really make a start on this."
"Sure Josh," Cadence dismissed him with a grin. "Look," she turned her crossed arms into a self-embrace as she glanced about the room, "I really think I should go. I wasn't a part of this and I'm holding you back and this room smells of damp."
"No it doesn't," Josh retorted.
"It does to me," she murmured.
"I've been working in here for a while, I'm taking a break," Tom insisted. He gave Cadence another hopeful look. "You aren't going to turn me down because I'm a Republican, are you? What does that say for our parties' future relations?"
Cadence smiled again, amused by his persistence.
"Tom," she said quietly, "maybe you should reconsider the offer, surely you've seen what the papers have said about me. I'm not the democrat who's going to get you points."
Tom nodded. "No, which makes you the fun democrat."
Cadence's gaze brightened at this.
Josh saw the joy that filled Cadence's gaze and was surprised to realise it was sincere unlike the false show of happiness she had expressed at the State Dinner. It was odd but he didn't want to diminish the spark so he made no further argument and was quiet as they slipped out of the room at last.
As they exited, Josh wondered if he should tell Leo about Cadence's odd behaviour this morning. He didn't want to worry his boss unnecessarily but he wondered if Cadence was being open about her obvious need for help.
Big Block of Cheese Day is the best.
Congressman Tom Landis appeared in Season 4's episode Angel Maintenance, I don't know why but I always tend to like a lot of these brief characters, maybe it's a testimony to their actors, in this case it's Matt McCoy. I also tend to like the background characters in franchises who either get killed off or arrested or disappeared and never get that much development, oh well.
I don't know when this fic will end, I'm having way too much fun for it but yes I have a plot and ending in mind.