Chapter Two: My Country
Claire blinked, staring silently at the man before her. She had heard a load of BS in her lifetime, but this one might have to take the cake. However, not one to judge or jump to conclusions, she merely studied the young man before her. "Is that so. Interesting." She said stoically, watching as the man's smile fell a little. She was a politician and a mother: she had heard it all, and all that was left was for the man to crack. If this was a ploy, she would find out. "Um, yeah." The man said, shuffling awkwardly. He glanced at the woman curiously. Her eyes seemed to be boring into his, the gaze of a mother's eyes searching over her child. Those green eyes… that gaze… they were so much like-
"Prove it." America started, wrenched from his thoughts. "Wh-what?" "If you indeed are the United States of America, and you expect me to believe you, please prove it." She gave him a stern glare, but it wasn't as strong as the curious and excited smile on her face. Dang, this lady was a tough cookie. America smiled. He liked her.
"Very well!" He said dramatically, running to one of the bookshelves. He pulled out an ancient looking album, and carefully handed it to Claire. She opened it, and was shocked. It was a small drawing of George Washington and the young man before her. The paper was clearly very old, yellowed and ripped. The next picture was of the young man with John Adams, then Thomas Jefferson. As she flipped through the pages and pictures turned into photographs, the photographs bettering in quality, she saw one president after another, each with the man standing before her. Barely aging, always smiling, this man had known centuries of presidents, had lived hundreds of years, and therefore….
Claire closed the album gently, handing it back to the excited man before her. "I see." she said, and couldn't help the huge smile on her face as she looked up at this man- no, her country. The country she had loved ever since she could remember, the country she had enlisted in the army for, vowing to protect until the very end, the country that she would be serving and governing for the next four years. She held out her hand, her smile widening as the man in front of her lit up. "It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, Mr. United States of America. My name is Claire McKinnon, and I will be your President for the next four years. Let us work together to better the country and the state of the world." They shook hands, and the air seemed to charge for the moment they shook hands.
Country and Leader. Contract complete.