Josh stood motionless. Donna's hand had come up over her mouth. It couldn't be Leo.
"Do you – do you know if he's – alive, Lou?" Donna asked.
Lou shook her head. "I don't know anything right now. It just came in from the Secret Service."
"Was there anyone else in the car?" Josh said, so barely audible Lou couldn't understand him.
"What?"
"Was there anyone else in the car," Donna translated.
"We think Annabeth was."
"Oh, my God," Josh said, beginning to pace and rubbing the top of his head.
Lou and Donna exchanged glances. This was the worst possible situation for Josh.
"But we don't know for sure," Lou continued, "because we've been getting different reports from different people. Someone from advance said that Annabeth put Leo in the car and went to follow up on some more stuff, leaving about five minutes after."
"Have you tried her cell phone?" Donna asked.
"Yeah. All I'm getting is voicemail."
Lou looked over at Josh again, still walking, off in his own little world.
"I'll give you guys the room, and I'll be in here as soon as I have anything else, all right?"
"Thanks," Donna said, walking Lou out and closing the door behind her. When Donna turned to face Josh, his back was towards her. What was she going to do? It's pointless mentioning trying to call someone to help him right now, Donna thought. Plus, is he even seeing Stanley anymore? It had been a pretty long time since Donna had been in this sort of position, being Josh's anchor. What could she do, what could she say?
Instead, Donna walked up to Josh, hugging him tightly and putting her head on his shoulder. He tensed up at first, then relaxed, holding her and letting her hug him. They stood that way for a minute or two, rocking back and forth, side to side, when Josh's cell phone rang. Instantly, Josh broke his embrace with Donna and dove for the phone on the desk.
"Hel—Hello?" He stammered, nearly dropping the phone before he put it up to his ear. Donna stood behind him, holding her breath for any news that she could hear one-way through Josh's conversation with whoever it was.
"Josh?" The phone was full of static, making it nearly impossible for Josh to hear her. Still, he could recognize that voice.
"Annabeth?"
Donna's heart skipped a beat upon hearing her name.
"Josh, Leo's – Leo's been in an accident," Annabeth stammered out.
"I know, we heard, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, I wasn't in the car."
"What about Leo? Is he okay?"
"I—I don't know."
"What's happening? Do they have medical teams there?"
"Yes. They put him into an ambulance."
"Did they say anything about his condition?"
"I don't know."
"Where did they take him?"
"What?"
"I asked where they took him."
"Oh. G.W."
"I'm going there right now and I want you to get there as soon as possible, OK?"
"Alright," she said airily, and Josh closed his phone.
"What's happening?" Donna asked.
Josh hesitated before answering.
"Annabeth wasn't in the car. She arrived at the scene a few minutes after the crash, but she isn't sure what Leo's condition is. She knows he was put into an ambulance going to G.W."
"Okay. Are you going to go?"
No reply.
"Josh?"
"Annabeth – she sounded weird, Donna. It wasn't her usual self. You could just hear how scared she was in her voice."
"I can't blame her."
"She's usually so put together, though."
"I know. But she's scared and we all are. You, I, the Congressman, we all are."
"I wish this wasn't happening."
"I know, Josh, but it is," Donna said, trying to keep his head in the game. "Are you going to go to G.W.?"
"Yeah," he replied slowly, coming out of a stupor. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going. Right now. We've gotta – you've gotta – someone has to tell the Congressman, and then I'm going. You – Lou – we should have her – I want you to come with me."
"Okay."
"Lou can handle it, right?"
"Yes. She can."
"Someone's gotta call the President, too, though."
"He probably knows, but you can call C.J. on the way. We'll take your car and I'll drive."
"Okay, I'll go get the car; you tell everyone what's up." And with that, Josh ran out of the room and down the hallway out of sight.
Lou approached Donna. "You know something?"
Donna grabbed Lou by the arm and drew her over away from everyone. She leaned down and began to speak in a whisper-like voice.
"Annabeth called Josh's phone," she began. "She wasn't in the car, and she didn't see what happened. Her car was a few minutes out. All she knows is that Leo was sent to G.W. and Josh and I are heading there. We don't know what his condition is, or the condition of any of the agents involved."
Lou's face was a mixture of relief and confusion. "We have no idea what his condition is?"
Donna shook her head.
"Okay," Lou continued. "What should I tell the Congressman?"
"Just that. Nothing more, nothing less. Josh and I will call you from the hospital once we know more."
"If I know anything I'll call you, too."
"Thanks, Lou," Donna said, as she grabbed her coat and purse off the hat rack and walked at a brisk pace down the hall after Josh.