Chapter 51
In The Shadow of The Assassins
The House Chamber, Capitol Building
Washington, District of Columbia, American Consortium
May 8, 2271
11am
He knew it was coming. After he had finished addressing a joint session of the American Congress, he would be walking outside to a waiting limo to travel to the White House, where he would meet with the president of the American Consortium, Ronaldo Hernandez. He had sensed the assassins perched on the rooftops on the surrounding buildings, but said nothing. He didn't want to give anything away just yet.
"And so, we have given not only the world, but the galaxy itself, the precious gift of freedom, liberty, and democracy that began in Philadelphia so long ago. It has not been an easy process, and there have been plenty of leaders who have abused those gifts for their own personal gains. It was one of my predecessors, President Anwar Suliman, who said that freedom was ingrained in the genetic code of every being in the known universe, and it is our responsibility as statesmen and stateswomen to help people unlock that which is inside them."
His speech was going well with the crowd of Democrats, Republicans, Freedomists, Progressive Conservatives, and the other parties in American politics. Centuries ago, it was only a two-party system, but the triumph of the Freedom Party over the ruling Republicans and opposing Democrats in the 2020 Presidential elections led the way to the diversification of power in America. Professor Ravi Sarkesh had drilled that home to him in his American Political History class back at UNC ages ago, and he still could remember how funny it was to hear a man from Mumbai speak with a southern twang.
He ended the speech, turned to shake the hands of Vice President Nancy Steen and House Speaker Horatio Allison, and stepped down from the dais where many American presidents had given state of the union speeches over the near half-millennia of the former United States of America. The name was just an artifact of history, but the flag remained in the hallways of Congress, as the Earth Senate realized early on that America would never give up the Stars and Stripes.
It was a short walk to the Rotunda, then out the door and down the steps. He dropped his psychic walls and searched for the assassins. This time around, he didn't want to be caught off guard.
Flashback Babylon 5
July 22, 2263
It was to be an historic day, but it ended in tragedy. ISA President John Sheridan had pledged to back Martian independence from Earth, and Hollifield had long vowed to follow through with that edict. Much to the chagrin of many politicos inside the Dome, he jammed through the Senate the Martian Independence Treaty, and he was here to sign it along with the Martian president, Shawn Fleming.
Fleming was a black man with a deep voice reminiscent of James Earl Jones and Kwazi Motabo, and his looks would have stolen plenty of women from the likes of Denzel Washington and Philip Montrose. He was, though, a devout husband and father, and his gravitas, compared by many to that of Martin Luther King Jr., had won him the presidency he now held.
They ascended the platform for the public signing of the treaty. Sheridan was there, along with Delenn. Hollifield was joined by his wife, Pamela, on the platform. After a brief speech by each dignitary, they signed copies of the treaty. Fleming stood up and walked towards the middle of the table to shake the hand of Hollifield. Pamela walked beside him to the center of the stage, as did Fleming's wife. The two dignitariess shook hands and posed for the cameras. It was then that Security Chief Zach Allen noticed a gun pointing at Fleming and Hollifield. He yelled out, "Gun!", and his team, along with presidential security,began to swarm towards the shooter. It would be too late though.
Hollifield stood there, and waited for the shot. He was tired, and he wanted to be freed of his responsibilities, so being killed in the line of duty was an honest way to go. However, his wife flew in front of him and took the PPG shot. She collapsed onto the stage, and he went down with her.
Chaos erupted, and the vice-president refused to leave his dying wife's side. Memories flashed in her head, and he could sense them in his mind...
Their first meeting after he had finally been given an assignment to a fighter squadron...their one night stand before the climatic Battle of The Line in the Minbari War...the reception at Earthdome for the 200 survivors of the Line...their wedding at DisneyWorld in Orlando...life in Geneva as he served President Santiago...the collapse of their marriage during Santiago's re-election campaign...their separation after the assassination of Santiago and his insistence that she go to Mars...their reunion when he became vice-president...their vow renewals on New Years Eve...
They rushed her into medlab, and Dr. Hobbs and her staff fought to save her life. Hollifield knew it was for naught. He saw her spirit standing beside the bed. He'd done only two other deathbed scans, both involuntary, so he didn't flinch when he saw the luminality open beside her.
She turned to see her on the table as the doctors raced to save her life. She shrugged and looked at her husband.
I'm sorry. I wish I could stay, but I had to save your life.
You knew I wasn't going to move, didn't you?
I know you've been depressed lately, even suicidal. Earth needs you, Garrison. That's partly why I saved you. The other reason is that I want you to live.
Why?
Because you are a creature of destiny, Garrison, and you have to accept that. Please, make my sacrifice have meaning. Live and make Earth a better place for generations to come.
She smiled and walked to the luminality, turned and waved back at her husband, and then her body dissolved and spiraled into the doorway. She was gone.
Back to present
The shots came as he was halfway down the stairway. He knew it was coming, so he had worn a slim flak jacket underneath his clothes, and the snipers had went after his body. He shook from the impacts of the blast, but he didn't feel the plasma burn through the jacket and into his skin. The guards rushed around him and dragged him into the limo. Hollifield could feel several death rattles as the snipers kept shooting, but he was inside the limo, speeding away to a local hospital.
Secret Service agent Harrison Ross felt the president for wounds, only to find the flak jacket. "Sir, you knew it was coming?"
"Yeah, I had a sense that they might try something. And you can make damn sure I get to that hospital."
Ross flinched as Hollifield scanned him. When he was done, Hollifield said, "And after I get checked out there, we can go to the White House, where the President can give me his resignation."
"Sir?"
"I know he's behind it, and if he doesn't want me to rip his mind apart in the Oval Office, he'll be the soul of cooperation and fall on his sword, and take all the others involved in this plot with him."
After being checked out at George Washington University hospital, another motorcade was being assembled when the news broke of President Hernandez' suicide. He had shot himself when he found out that the assassination attempt had failed. The news nets were going wild. Hollifield shrugged and went back to Geneva, letting the Americans handle things themselves. He had bigger fish to fry.
The next day, he finally faced the media in a press conference. His press secretary looked like she hadn't slept in days, and she pretty much told him to address the media or she'd resign. So, he decided to meet the press and face the world.
The press conference was intense, as the reporters asked about every conspiracy theory imaginable. He deflected it to the investigative committee, headed up by his own handpicked people. After it was done, he went back to the presidential suite and collapsed onto a couch in the living room.
Ivanova looked in and asked, "Sir, are you going to be ok," Hollifield laughed and said jokingly, "Ask me that when I'm out of office. For now, I'm fine. It's just another day at the office."