Chapter 6
Ron looked around at the agent, holding the phone out.
He quickly picked it up and answered. "Who's this?"
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that we have your President and the First Lady and we will kill them." The female voice spoke perfect English. "They have supported our enemies and we cannot allow their lives to continue."
"What do you want?"
"We want the President to suffer so he can understand what our people are going through. The First Lady is a doctor. She understands suffering but apparently not ours. So they must suffer so they can increase their understanding of our plight."
"Let me talk to one of them now." Ron watched as Leo sat down on a nearby chair, trying to make some sense of what was happening.
"No. They cannot talk."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean just that. They cannot talk."
"I demand to talk with one of them."
"You can demand but they cannot talk. They're sleeping."
"Sleeping?"
"Yes. Of course, with some help from me." The female laughed. "And they won't wake up unless I wake them up."
Ron stopped talking, trying to gain some sense of the situation. He motioned to one of the agents to come over to him, using the writing motion of his hand to indicate he wanted to write a note."
"Are you still there?"
"Yes." Ron was temporarily distracted by the note he was writing. The second agent looked at the note and nodded. He ran to the elevator.
"Yes, yes, I'm still here."
"I will call back in a minute. And I will only talk with you. You may think you have the power but today you do not." With that the line went dead.
Ron put the phone back on the hook and turned to the waiting agents. Leo stepped up to hear the news. "Okay. Here's the story. They have given the President and First Lady something to make them sleep. They say they will be killed but right now it appears we're dealing with a hostage situation. They want them to suffer as their people have suffered. These have to be Chechen rebels. Our worst nightmare has come true. Thompson, you and Marks go downstairs and get the plans for the vent system. Richards, you and Jones secure Zoey Bartlet and Leo McGarry. And…"
"I will not be secured Ron. I'm going to stay right here. I have to be here."
Ron turned his full height and presence to the much shorter Chief of Staff. "Mr. McGarry, I need both you and Zoey in a secured location while this is being resolved. I can't worry that you or Zoey would get hurt."
"Ron, we don't negotiate with terrorists. How do you think this will be resolved?"
"Hopefully, we'll get both of them out. But my first duty is to the President. My primary responsibility is to get him back alive. And then…"
"And then Abbey? She's just a second thought to you? She's not as important as the President? Like HELL she is." Leo's voice carried throughout the narrow hallway.
"Mr. McGarry, that's not what I mean. She's just as important as the President. All I'm saying is that my primary responsibility is to the country. My primary responsibility is to get the President out of this alive."
Leo dropped his shoulders. He knew Ron would try and get both out alive but if he had to make a choice, there was only one choice for him to make.
The President.
The First Lady would be sacrificed.