A simple bridging update that brings in some other characters who will be a participate in this story. I believe this chapter is a necessary adaption to the rest of the story. So hopefully it does the story justice. Thank you everyone for reviewing, following and favoriting. Also to my guests who read, thank you.
Also I have done a little research when it came to writing this story and I have answer for those who wondered why Regina didn't have access to certain files and other things. It's because there is in fact another level of security above the President. Which means things in that security level, which is very small and has very few things in it, is out of the Presidents reach. They don't even know what goes on within that level of security. So yes the President doesn't know everything 'top secret'. Somethings are just too important. Enjoy.
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"In the latest news, there is still no new information surrounding the attempted assassination of the first female President. One of the President's security agents are currently in intensive care still with no word on how they are fairing. We will continue to keep you updated as more information comes ou-"
Emma flicked the TV off and turned to face the USSS Agent's standing behind her, some dressed casually and some dressed in those penguins suits. Emma herself was dressed in the black and white uniform that made up her suit. It was customary, as head of the security detail her spot was beside the President at all times, so she had to be dressed formally. The exact same President who refused to stay at home only three days after the shooting. The exact same President who had continued to remain on her mind since she had met the woman and even more so now. The exact same President who was getting another member to the team thanks to Emma's decision to go after the shooter instead of staying behind to look after the President, she had made sure the woman was secure, three agents were more then enough, and she couldn't let the shooter get away. But she had failed.
"How important do you have to be before it's assassinated instead of murdered?" Ruby asked handing over the newspaper to Mary-Margaret. The headline bulging with the proclaimed 'Attempted Assassination On President'.
"Well you know what they say," one of the agents said from behind Ruby. He was sitting back listening to the radio.
August, Emma believed his name was, or maybe it was Adam? Andrew? Alex? She shook her head. She wasn't good with names, that's why the majority of the time when she saw one of her Agent's she pointed and ordered 'you', no names necessary. "What do they say?"
"With great power comes great responsibility." He said with a smile.
"Quoting Spiderman now are we?"
Neal? Emma looked at the other man, No, no it was Nigel? Nathaniel? Crap!
"I could quote Shakespeare if it would appease you," August said keeping his smile in place.
Neal countered with distaste, "How about you not quote anything at all, word boy."
August's smile didn't falter as he asked, "Was that supposed to be insulting?"
"Zip it both of you!" Emma exclaimed cutting the argument off before it could happen. It was true everyone was on edge after the shooting, wondering who was next to be in the hospital with a tube shoved down their throats and on life support. But they couldn't let that get to them. No matter what. This was their job. They signed up for this. "I know we're all little shakey right now."
"I'm not shakey!" Neal exclaimed, "It's Mr. I'm-too-good-with-words over here that gets on my nerves."
"I don't give a damn!" Emma yelled back silencing the room.
"Is this you trying to take charge?" Neal countered back as he stood up and moved to get right in Emma's face, "Cause after the little incident with the President, I'd rethink what your going to say. Secret Service Agents don't abandon their posts, but it seems that you seem to think that they do. Remember Vorkuta?"
Emma paled. With a swallow she looked back towards Neal, "This has nothing to do wi-"
"This has everything to do with that. Are you not here because of-"
"Enough!" A voice boomed from the doorway causing all Secret Service Agent's in the room to swivel in the direction of the loud interruption. "Agent Cassidy I suggest you step away from Agent Swan immediately," the voice was cold and sharp. So were the President's eyes.
Neal glared once more at Emma before taking a step back.
"Now what is going on here?" Regina looked around at her Agent's. Each one bowing their heads respectively, most likely out of fear. from the look in the brunettes eyes. "Is someone going to answ-"
"Grandma!" the voice of a little boy yelled, but it didn't exactly hold very much excitement.
It was Regina's turn to pale this time. Her face as white as a ghost as she cringed and turned to find her mother entering the room with Henry beside her. "Mother," Regina nodded in the older womans direction.
"Dear, come and give your mother a hug," she said opening her arms with what Emma noticed was a forced smile.
Regina did what she was told, crossing the room to hug the woman. What is she doing here? Better yet how long is she staying? "Good to see you mother," Regina took a step back.
"You've looked better dear," she said with that same fake smile. "Could do with a little more make-up, clothes could change a little, how do you expect to get married at your age looking the way you do?"
Emma could hear the disdain in the older womans voice and wanted to voice her thoughts. Personally Regina was by far the most beautiful woman in the room, possibly the world or at least what parts of the world Emma had seen. Any guy would be lucky to have the brunette as their wife, any woman for that matter as well. But she couldn't, she was already walking a fine line and speaking up against the President's mother wasn't exactly the right thing to do.
Regina cringed. She loved her mother, she truly did, but sometimes she wished she could make the woman disappear, better yet make herself disappear but alas she couldn't. Well by her knowledge she couldn't, note to self; research magician's vanishing act. Shaking her head Regina put back on her mask, "Always a pleasure mother."
With a wave of her hand, the woman looked around the room. "So which of you Agent's was the one that abandoned my daughter?"
"Mother!"
"Hush dear."
Regina did. She hated admitting such things. But even as President, even when she had been Mayor of a small town, then had taken up a spot in the Senate she had been fearful of her mother. She knew what her mother was capable off and it wasn't pretty.
Emma stepped up to the woman. "That would be me."
"They still allow her to guard your safety?" the woman turned to face Regina.
"I requested she stay."
"But she is incapable of doing her job," she countered. Turnign to her own Secret Service Agent she asked, "Jones?"
"Yes ma'am?" his accent was Irish which made Emma look towards Ruby and Mary-Margaret. It was unsual to get a USSS Agent protecting important people who weren't born in America. It was difficult to get such a position.
"What's a Secret Service Agents most important duty?"
A tinge of a smile and he spoke, "Sticking to their posts of course."
"Which is exa-"
"Mother enough!" Regina could handle her mother saying things about herself but she would not stand for the woman saying things about her detail. About Emma. This was her choice. "My choice was made and I stand by it. I believe Agent Swan is more than capable of doing her job."
"Ma'am?"
Regina turned to find her Advisor standing in the doorway. Cringing again, Regina waited for the storm to hit shore. It already had a name before it begun brewing, Hurrican Cora.
"Robert dear how good to see you?" Cora moved to the older man and embraced him in a hug that to Regina's liking was way too long.
Wait for it. Wait for it. Regina told herself as she awaited the incoming disaster.
"Don't tell me dear you expect him to call you President, Ma'am or any of those ridiculous phrases. He is after all the only father figure you have."
And there it is! Oh how I know my mother Regina rolled her eyes, folded her arms and replied. "Yet he is not my father. I'm not related to him in no way and he is my Advisor so he will refer to me as President."
"Am I too call you Madame President as well then?"
"You wanted something?" Regina asked.
Emma looked between Regina, Regina's mother and the Advisor with the unruly brown hair that she now had a name too 'Robert'.
"Yes ma'am," he answered with a smirk when Cora shook her head in disdain at the use. "The new Agent is here."
All eyes flew to the doorway as the man waved the Agent over and he stepped around the corner a smile plastered on his face as it fell on Regina.
"Daniel?"
"Daniel!" Henry yelled from his spot in the corner of the room.
Part of Emma didn't blame the kid for slipping into the shadows. It had gotten rather tense and if she hadn't of forced her legs to remain locked into position she would have bolted with over to that dark corner with the boy. Yes it was cowardly.
"Hey Henry," Daniel waved at the young boy as he sprinted towards him arms open ready for an 'upon impact' hug. Daniel eagerly reciporcated.
"Your the new Agent?" Regina looked the woman up and down. She hadn't seen the man since she had been Senator and Daniel had been the head of her detail as she rose up the ranks in politics.
"Well apparently I got pulled out of Iran because off an emergency involving the President. Apparently someone pulled some strings to get me back into detail, let's just say they are very convincing." Daniel said with a smile.
Regina's eye twitched. Oh she knew who had pulled strings. Only two people in this room had the power, her mother and her Advisor. Both people who she was currently loathing at this very moment. Question that remained was, why? There was no love loss between her mother and Daniel. She knew that. She had seen it with her own two eyes. Her mother hated the man for everything he was worth. So why bring him back?
"You accepted?" Regina inquired.
"As I said very convincing."
"Are you not happy to see him dear?" Cora asked from her position next to Gold.
Regina looked over to her mother, then to her Advisor Robert Gold and then too Daniel. She couldn't deny the small flutter her stomach was giving off at seeing the man again, but there was still something overriding the happiness. Curiousity? As to why he was here?
"It's always good to see you Agent-"
"Daniel dear," Cora corrected.
"Daniel." Regina nodded.
Next chapter will more than likely be up before 'Bucket List' but after 'Your All I Have' and 'What Comes Next?'. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. More on the shootings and on the new threat in the next chapter.
