Chapter Eight – Coming Together

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she hung up the phone.

If the situation hadn't been quite so serious – and if it wouldn't have been weird – Elizabeth would have started dancing across her office. While there was still a whole list of things she needed to get done, she wanted to take a moment to revel in her victory. They were making progress.

I'm coming, Stevie.

Blake had heard her excited shouts from outside the office and couldn't help stepping in to find out what was happening. On principle he needed to figure out what she needed next as well since she had obviously completed her last phone call. He was pretty sure he knew the cause of her shouts, and his eyes were gleaming as he stopped in front of her desk. While he tried for his usual bland and professional expression, a smile kept making its way onto his face.

"Good news, Ma'am?"

She quite literally beamed at him in response.

"Great news, Blake. The French agreed to help us, and they're actually going to offer more aid than I was hoping for."

"More aid?"

"I had just planned on borrowing French military uniforms. They decided to make us look even more convincing by providing a few of their own soldiers and the military chopper to get to and from Africa."

It had actually been amazingly easy to get France's support. Elizabeth had barely even had to try. After she'd described the situation and explained that all she wanted was uniforms and a stopping point between the US and Nigeria, France had been all too willing to help. Elizabeth wasn't sure if that willingness was totally based on friendship and empathy or if it was simply a way to have the US in their debt. She honestly didn't care what the reason was though. With France's agreement one part of the plan was confirmed and she was a step closer to rescuing Stevie and the other hostages.

"That's wonderful, Ma'am."

"It is, and hopefully the Nigerians will be just as easy to convince."

She doubted that would be the case, but at the moment even the thought of a verbal sparring match with Nigeria couldn't bring her spirits down. If everything went as planned they could have a rescue force deployed by early tomorrow, maybe even tonight. There was no way she couldn't be excited about that.

When Nadine stepped into her office Elizabeth's good mood slammed to a halt. Her chief of staff looked far too somber, and that did not bode well. Hopefully whatever problem Nadine was bringing her – because Elizabeth was positive that's what was happening – wouldn't be related to their current situation.

"I'm sorry to ruin the celebratory mood, Ma'am, but another hostage video has just come in."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and forced every other reaction down. She did not want to see that video. She didn't even want to know what was on that video, but she had to watch it. If the situation was escalating she needed to know.

"Alright, show me."

Nadine handed Elizabeth her tablet but remained where she was. She'd already seen the video and had no desire to see it again. Elizabeth noticed that but didn't comment on it. She had to assume that Nadine would have told her if something happened to Stevie in the video. It didn't make her any more willing to watch it though. There had to be a good reason why Nadine was purposefully avoiding watching the video again.

"Ma'am, may I?" Blake asked, motioning toward the tablet.

"Sure, Blake, but I get the feeling this isn't going to be pretty."

"That's alright, Ma'am. I still would like to see it."

He may not need to see the video as much as the secretary did, but he could at least offer Elizabeth a sense of solidarity. Ever since he'd started working for her Blake viewed supporting Elizabeth McCord in any way possible as part of his job. If there was a way that he could protect her then he would do that too. He moved to stand behind her so he could see the video.

Most of the video went the way Elizabeth had expected it would. There were more warnings about how they only had two days left to send the money and if they didn't people would die. The rebels were a little more hostile and demanding than the first video, but that was to be expected. At least she'd expected it to be worse verbally. It had been. Quite a bit worse actually. What she hadn't been expecting, and what was so much harder to face, was the increased physical hostility. The first video had shown some evidence of violence against the hostages. Bruises and cuts mostly, and Elizabeth remembered one hostage had had a bloody nose. That had been it though. This video highlighted violence. For almost five minutes hostage beatings were front and center. Elizabeth didn't even try to keep track of the number of times fists and feet impacted with flesh. She allowed the screams to go right through her and forced herself to watch without flinching or so much as responding. When she saw one rebel carve "two days" into a hostage's back it almost broke her resolve, but she managed to remain outwardly unmoved. Blake didn't do nearly so well. She could see him cringing throughout the beatings, and the moment the knife work started he turned away, hand over his mouth. He was clearly trembling and possibly ready to puke, but Elizabeth didn't comment on it. His reaction was completely understandable. If she didn't have the training she did she probably would have reacted similarly. As if the torture wasn't enough of a warning, the rebels finished the video by saying it would only get worse from here. She wasn't going to let that happen. With one quick jerk she slammed the cover on the tablet shut, symbolically locking the images away with it.

"Blake," she stated without looking at him. "Take a few minutes and then I need you to get the Nigerian Ambassador on the line."

"Y-yes, Madam Secretary," he replied before striding from the room.

Elizabeth didn't show any outward response to Blake's obvious distress, but Nadine's eyes followed him as he left. Personally she was less concerned about Blake's reaction than she was the Secretary's. Elizabeth McCord wasn't showing any emotion, and it was her daughter that was one of the hostages. Nadine knew Elizabeth was very, very good at keeping her emotions and feelings masked, but this good? This good was somewhat unsettling. Scary even.

"Ma'am," Nadine began but was cut off before she could even voice her concern.

"Has the rest of the staff seen this, Nadine?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Good. Let's keep it that way. They don't need to see that."

The absolute pain over what they had just viewed flashed across Elizabeth's eyes. That brief display of emotion was enough to convince Nadine that the secretary was still functioning and still herself. She was simply doing what she had to do in order to remain in enough command of herself to do her job. It was an incredible display really and a talent that would serve her well in the very near future.

"Of course, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Nadine. And if you get the chance would you mind checking on Blake a little later for me?"

"Not a problem."

Nadine nodded her head and left, leaving Elizabeth alone with her emotions. Now really wasn't the best time to process them though. Besides, she would do better if she simply continued working and let the rawness of what she'd seen fade. It hadn't been Stevie, and she would make sure she got troops there before anyone else was harmed. Her time would be best used planning out what to say to the Nigerians.

O . o . O . o . O

The Nigerian Ambassador had easily gotten Elizabeth into contact with his president. Convincing the Nigerian president to let US troops enter the country wasn't as easy. At least he hadn't shot her down outright, and she could tell he was wavering. She knew she would be able to convince him and she had just the tools to do it.

"It's really not going to look good if twelve American aid workers are killed in your country. Not including the fact that some of your citizens are hostages too. They're also at risk."

"I do not want to see your citizens killed any more than I want to see mine, but you are asking to allow military access to my country. Forgive me, Madam Secretary, but the US's track record when it comes to avoiding conflict in other countries isn't very good."

"I understand your concern President Buhari, but I promise you we would only be bringing in 25 US soldiers and a handful of French soldiers who will be there to sell our Trojan horse. This whole plan is designed to avoid as much conflict and as many casualties as possible."

Elizabeth watched his face, reading his expression and trying to determine what her next move should be. He was at the tipping point. She could see that. One more tiny nudge could bring him around.

"Let us in so we can help these people. Please. We can save them and we'll be ridding your country of dangerous rebels in the process. You have nothing to lose."

"Except possible military aggression against my people."

Elizabeth slid her glasses off and moved closer to the computer, meeting President Buhari's eyes as firmly as he could. He may not entirely trust the United States government and their motives, but he did trust her. She was counting on that trust.

"You have my word that the only military action being taken will be against the rebels. We get in. We get our people. We get out."

President Buhari watched her in silence for a moment, clearly considering. Finally he nodded his head.

"I will take your word on that, Madam Secretary. Bring your men in and save both of our people. Just remember that the lives of the Nigerian hostages are a priority too."

Elizabeth wanted to break into a smile right then, but she forced herself to keep a straight face and remain professional.

"Of course, President Buhari. We want to get all of the hostages out of this mess alive, and that's what we're planning on doing," she assured him.

"Then you have my permission to bring your soldiers in, Madam Secretary. I hope your plan works."

"Thank you, President Buhari. I hope it works too."

She ended the call and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. Everything was set. All she needed now was military go ahead. The sudden release of tension caused her to grin and break into laughter. She'd actually pulled it off. Now she needed to call Henry. He was just as worried about getting Stevie home as she was.