Chapter 1
CRASH!
The noise from the Oval Office was deafening.
The Senior Staff, who had been talking in the hall, turned to see what the problem was and saw the President face down on the floor with a broken crystal pitcher in pieces around him.
Before they could reach him, the Secret Service Agent always posted outside the door ran to the stricken president. "Liberty is down!"
Other staff entered from the administrative area.
Multiple hands reached to check the President for a pulse. There was none.
"No pulse! Get the doctor here now!" Agent Anderson screamed into his hand mike.
The agent turned the President over and checked for breathing. No breathing either.
Agent Anderson immediately began CPR. A second agent knelt down to begin chest compressions. "One and two and three and four and five." Anderson forced air into the stricken President's lungs.
"One and two and three and four and five." Again another breath.
Someone brought in the automatic defibrillator from the hallway. Trained agents opened the container, place the adhesive pads on the President's chest and placed them in the appropriate position to assess his heart pattern.
Within seconds the mechanical voice said "Shock needed"
"Clear!"
The agent pressed the shock button and hundreds of volts entered the President's body. He shook violently with the intensity of the volts.
The machine analyzed the pattern once again. "No shock needed"
The machine's display showed that, as of right now, the President of the United States had regained his heartbeat.
Anderson checked the President's neck for a pulse. "There's a pulse!"
By this time Ron and Admiral Hackett had arrived.
The physician immediately took over the care of the President.
"I hope there's an ambulance on the way!"
"Yes." Ron answered.
Admiral Hackett was listening to the President's lungs and trying to assess his status. He placed an oxygen mask over his face. He quickly inserted an IV line in his arm and pushed some medication to stabilize his condition.
The others in the office were just watching this unfold.
Leo was watching anxiously. It was not only the President of the United States lying unconscious on the floor, but also his best friend for over 40 years. Josh and Sam were both stunned and frozen in place. Toby was holding CJ's hand and both silently hoping that the President would recover.
"What's wrong?" Leo anxiously asked.
Dr. Hackett briefly looked up from beside the stricken, unconscious President and said "Heart attack. I'll know how bad it is after I get him to the hospital."