Luckily, the rest of that Saturday was quiet in the West Wing. A sense of calm settled over the building. After the Press briefing, CJ had called a full lid and she had gone home and immediately fallen into bed. The rest of the Senior Staff, Leo assumed, was also asleep. He had no reason to think otherwise. Leo himself had finally gotten to sleep about one o'clock after he had made some calls from his hotel room, mainly to check on last-minute details about some issues left over from Friday before all hell had broken loose. He notified the White House switch board that the President was asleep and was not be disturbed. Any emergency calls were to be routed to him first, and he would make the decision on whether or not to wake the President.
On the other side of the world, Abbey and her group was also asleep. They were all emotionally drained from their experience, and had nothing better to do than get some rest. Since they still had a day and a half before reaching land, it was the best thing to do.
The phone rang in Leo's dream. By the third ring, he realized that it was a real phone ringing, and he searched for it in the darkness, "Yeah?"
"Mr. McGarry, It's Ron."
Leo was instantly awake. Something was wrong. "Yes, Ron. What is it?" He saw the time on the phone. Eight pm.
"It's the President. I'm in the Residence with him."
Leo was totally awake and getting out of bed. "Tell me what's wrong."
"I've called for an ambulance. Apparently, he got out of bed and fell in the bathroom. An agent heard something and by the time he got in here, he found the President unconscious on the bathroom floor with a big gash on his head. Looks pretty bad. Hackett is here now, and he wants him in GW right away."
"What's his condition?"
"He's unconscious. Dr. Hackett has started an IV and said his vital signs are weak. The wound was bleeding badly, but he put a pressure bandage on it. From a non-medical perspective, he doesn't look very good."
"OK. I'm on my way. I'll meet you at GW. Bye." Leo hung up and gave himself a second to think. He then pushed CJ's speed dial button and waited for her to pick up.
Groggily, she answered, "Yes?"
"CJ, it's Leo. The President has apparently fallen in the Residence's bathroom and split open his head.. Hackett and Ron are with him. Says he looks bad. They are headed to GW. I don't have any more details. Call the others, and then you all get there. I'm on my way now. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I'll be there."
Leo called for his driver and hurriedly dressed. He closed his door and pushed the elevator button multiple times, trying to hurry the elevator's arrival. All the time thinking about his best friend, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into now. And how he was going to break the news to Abbey who was halfway around the world and couldn't do a damn thing about it.