The West Wing Secrets

Sam Seabourne sat in the limousine twiddling the thick A4 sized envelope in his hand. For the past week he had been running errands back and forth between the Whitehouse and Pentagon. Between President Bartlett and the Secretary of Defence. This was usually not the kind of work that Sam was called upon to do. He smiled as he thought of being the good little soldier.

The limousine pulled away from the Pentagon slowly as it became stuck in traffic. Now the envelope lay beside him. Without warning Sam's cell phone broke the silence and brought him back from reality. He waited for three rings before answering it.

"Hello." Sam said.

Leo the Chief of Staff was on the other end sounding impatient, "Sam. We do have a press release to prepare CJ for. When you coming in."?

The Pentagon trips were ordered to be secret. This wasn't what Sam wanted, but orders were orders. Only the people in charge had changed. For three years he had managed to avoid being at the Pentagon and suddenly he was there almost everyday and the others knew he was hiding something.

"I won't be long Leo." Sam said in a straight tone, "I'm going to have to see Bartlett as soon as I get in though."

"Sam you don't have time for that. And plus the President's busy right now." Leo tried to make it sound like an order.

"Leo. Bartlett, I mean the President is expecting me." Sam's tone changed. Disobeying someone was not his forte. But for now his orders were coming from outside the Whitehouse.

"Alright. Make sure though you get to the press room ASAP." Leo said and the phone just cut out.



Leo was just outside of the pressroom taking a break and sipping his coffee. He kept an eye on CJ's form as she answered the mock questions from Toby and Josh. He placed the coffee on the table when he saw Sam briskly walk pass.

"Sam!" Leo said struggling to keep pace with him, "Sam. The President's in a meeting and I don't have you in his diary."

Sam didn't break pace, "Leo. Trust me, he's expecting me."

Charlie was typing some records into the computer when Leo and Sam walked by, "I'll let him know you are coming in." He said as he stood up.

"No need." Sam said, motioning for Charlie to sit back down.

Sam and Leo entered the Oval Office quickly after one another. President Bartlett stood up from the chair behind the oak desk, "Leo you can leave now." He said sounding a little annoyed.

"Sir, I thought you had a meeting." Leo looked around the Oval. There was only the President, Sam and himself in the Oval, "So I thought since Sam wasn't pencilled in-"

"Thank you Leo. That'd be all." President Bartlett interrupted Leo, "Sam is here on my request."

Leo paused for a second before looking at Sam and then leaving. He knew something was being kept from him, and wished there was someway he could find out. He shook his head as he approached Miss Limingham, "I wander what's that all about." Leo thought out aloud in a vein hope that the Secretary knew something.

"It's secret I guess Leo." She said in reply, "Everyone's allowed to have a secret. Remember yours?"

"But everyone in the Whitehouse knows mine." Leo said.

"Well you didn't do a good job at keeping your secret then." Miss Limingham said with a dry smile.

"Thanks. You know the right thing to say."

"Here have a cookie." Miss Limingham said as she opened the lid on the jar of cookies sitting on her table.

"Thanks." Leo reluctantly took one and left for the pressroom through the office area.



Bartlett waited awhile before looking back at Sam who now had one hand on the oak desk resting on the yellow envelope. The President sat back down on his black chair and motioned for Sam to show the contents.

"Well you see here Sir." Sam said, "This shows several mobile Surface to Air Missile units and Surface to Surface sites. Most of them are or were pointed toward Iran and Israel."

Bartlett studied the satellite photographs of desert areas where missile sites were situated. Then looked up at Sam. He almost seemed surrounded by an aura of confidence that seem to disappear when he's in his Deputy Whitehouse Communications officer or even the speechwriter.

"Apparently what 'they' the group responsible for this wants to negotiate with the US for Arms." Sam continued, "And Mister President Sir. We don't want another Contras affair on our hands."

"Sam. Is there anyway else through this?" Bartlett asked.

"Sir, we want to exhaust all possibilities on this instead of handing them what they want."

"I need you to work with the Pentagon with this." Bartlett said, "We'll say you're going on holidays or something."

Sam nodded. The thought of lying to his friends about this, especially to Leo, was disheartening and concerning. But it had to be done. Bartlett called for Miss Limingham to send the senior staffers in. The look on Sam's face showed that he'd rather be on his way now rather than do this.

"Where would you like to go Sam?" Bartlett asked with a smile.

"Indonesia." Sam answered, "I've always wanted to visit there."

The President and Sam stood in silence as Sam put the yellow envelope into a bag, so that those who shouldn't see it wouldn't discover it. Due to the curiosity surrounding the 'secretive' meeting between the President and Sam, the senior staffers were pretty quick to enter the Oval with Leo in the lead.

"Alright guys." Bartlett said, "Sam's about to leave for Indonesia for vacation."

"Well have a great time Sam." Josh said, "Bring us back good photos."

The rest said their goodbyes and wished him a good trip. Bartlett noticed the look on Leo's face that knew there was more to this than going on a holiday. After the others left, Leo was asked to stay back so the President could have a few words to him.



Next episode: With Sam leaving for whiles how will the others reacts without him? What is Bartlett going to discuss with Leo? And where exactly does Sam fit in with all this?

Tune in next episode.