Chapter 18
Leo caught the President by the elbow as his knees gave way, and guided him over to the sofa and let him fall gently to the cushions. He motioned with his eyes to the Senior Staff to leave them alone, which they gratefully did, gently closing the door to the hallway behind them.
"Jed, Jed, look at me."
The President looked at Leo, but his eyes were glazed over and the color on this face had drained to the palest of pale.
"Now, we don't know what's going on out there. The Australian jets and ships could be very nearby. We just need to wait and hope that help will be there shortly, if they are not already on the scene. And remember, its daylight there. I'm sure as soon as Andrews gets word, they will share it with us. You have to have faith that everything will be okay. The crew on the plane are professionals, and they won't let anything happen to their passengers if they can help it. Do you understand me?"
Leo couldn't tell if Jed had comprehended any of his words. Jed still had a blank stare on his face and his eyes were still glazed over. He walked over to his desk and called for the people he thought could help the President the most at that minute. In a matter of moments, Ron, Dr, Hackett and Charlie quietly entered the office to see about the President and offer what assistance they could.
After a quick assessment, they quietly assisted the President to stand and helped guide him over to the Oval Office so they could further assess and treat him in a more private setting. He still had not uttered a word since his last words with his wife.
"Mr. McGarry, I'll let you know more about the President once Dr. Hackett checks him over. And you keep me informed if you hear anything."
"Yes, Ron, I will. Take care of him, please."
"I will."
Ron shut the door quietly as Leo wondered what else could go wrong tonight. If anything bad happened to Abbey, Leo knew the President would end up in the hospital tonight and Leo would have real trouble on his hands.
Leo opened the door into the hall, and motioned the Senior Staff back into the room.
"How's the President?" was the only question from all four staffers.
"He's in a daze. I think he was talking with Mrs. Bartlet when whatever happened on the plane occurred. Dr. Hackett and Charlie took him into the Oval to assess him, and Ron is with them. But now we just wait. I don't know of anything else. We wait to hear from the Australians. I hope they are nearby and can reach the scene soon. If not, then we wait some more. We just have to have faith that everyone is okay and help is on the way. But I really don't know how long the President can wait. I don't know how much more stress his body and mind can take."