A/N: A certain fellow by the name of Plisskin pops up again after the events of the 1986 movie "Escape from New York". Ignores the sequel which I haven't seen.
Everybody Seems to Think That Anyway
Things weren't getting any better.
Crime was continuing to increase, so much so that parts of the East Coast of the United States were on the precipice of falling into lawless zones. Even the capital had been moved inland to Denver as a "temporary measure" until order could be restored. Privately, most of Congress was pessimistic that there would ever be a move back to Washington DC.
John Harker, President of the United States, made his way from bathroom of the New Oval Office to the bedroom. Attired in pajamas, he shuffled along in slippers on the plush carpet of the room. He left a scented trail of toothpaste, soap and mouthwash as he trudged across the expanse of the room toward the large bed he slept in alone. Tonight though, he found someone sitting upright on the side of the bed. His heart leapt in surprise and fear, but he didn't panic for long - the light cast from the bathroom was enough to illuminate the visitor.
"Hello Mr. President."
"P-P-Plisskin," the president said as he stayed frozen in his tracks. The man could have killed him in the bathroom or waited until he was in bed asleep but didn't. That alone made it feel like a different kind of visit, but it was no guarantee.
"Ah, you remember me. It's so heartwarming when you remember the little people that helped you get where you are." The visitor was clad in a dark leather outfit and had any number of pockets and straps that provided places for God knew what weapons. The patch over his left eye made him seem even more menacing as his rough appearance stood out in sharp contrast to the furnishings of the room.
Despite the visitor's low voice, the president could detect a note of sarcasm. "I thanked you for saving my life and getting me out of Manhattan. I even thanked you publicly when I made my last speech. Some said that you were the one that switched tapes on me, but we just had to get another copy of the information. I still thank you for what you did for me."
"Yeah. Right. You see, that's the problem." Snake wrung his hands a little before clenching and unclenching his fists a few times. "It's bad enough mentioning me in your little speech. But referring to me as a friend has a few of my...associates...thinking that I agree with your administration. I don't. I don't agree with ANY administration. I saved you strictly to get out of prison." He rubbed his neck where a microexplosive charge had been implanted as an additional inducement to get the president out of New York alive. Snake made a mental note that he still hadn't fulfilled his promise to kill Police Commissioner Bob Hauk yet. "And to save my life, as it worked out. Beyond that I don't know you, I don't hang out with you and we're not going to sit down and have a beer together while we talk about old times."
"Maybe, but I'd be dead right now if it weren't for you. As it is, I didn't come out unscathed." The president rubbed the nub where his ring finger used to be. "In my position I don't have many friends; at best, I have allies. My wife died years ago and I threw myself into work rather than make new friends or even keep the old ones we used to have. Sorry if I offended you." The president sat down on the bed several feet away from his visitor.
"I wasn't offended, but that may be the only thing we have in common - I haven't got anybody in the way of friends either. Bill Taylor...well, he's gone now. I never got the chance to learn the name of the girl in the Chock Full O' Nuts shop before the Crazies got her; hell, she could have ended up being my wife. But I want to tell you that you're not going to have any friends if you treat them like those people that died to get you out of there. Maybe they weren't my friends but Brain and Maggie and Cabbie all died on that bridge so that you could get out, and all you could say afterward was a mumbled 'sorry'. It don't cut it, Prez."
"Look Snake, I'm really am sorry about your fr...associates. I care about people. I gave the world the secret to clean, cheap energy because I want war to stop and this crazy planet to rebuild itself. Do YOU want war?"
"No. I've seen more war than anyone should in their lifetime." Snake had been a Special Forces lieutenant during the Leningrad and Siberia battles, but the president may not have known that and Plisskin certainly didn't want to go into any details - he tried to leave that past buried along with his fellow soldiers who didn't make it out. The previous president may have personally given him his purple hearts, but the nightmares were just a bonus that came free in the box.
Now it was the president's turn to wring his hands. "I don't know if you had anyone under your command or not, but I've got the whole military under mine in this war. Those losses are MY losses." He looked down at his missing finger - in the month since they made it out of New York the wound was still healing over and was bright pink. "Just more blood on my hands."
Snake softened somewhat and he got up to pace the floor. He still had a limp from his leg injury incurred while freeing the president from the Duke. "Listen, I don't know if you can do anything about this world anymore or not. Give the world free energy and they'll probably just find a way to use it against each other. At some point every man is out for himself 'cause there isn't anyone else in the end that's gonna take care of me except me."
"Taking care of 'A' Number One," the president said softly, mimicking what people called the Duke. USED to call the Duke; that is, until he himself had gunned down the man to save Plissken. Or for revenge, he had to admit to himself. "I never killed anyone before."
Snake caught the reference to the Duke all too easily as he headed to the window. "That's right. Political allies are just for the time being, and friends...well, they're really hard to find. Remember that, Mister President. Good luck finding one. And don't get used to killing people - at some point you'll kill what makes you human in the process." Plisskin slipped open the sash and vanished out the window quietly.
Shortly after an aide knocked softly and came into the room. "Is there else you need today, Mr. President?"
"No, but have someone put a new lock on that open window over there tomorrow. I think you'll find that it doesn't work properly."
-O-O-O-O-
The president sat in the observation car alone as the countryside rushed past the wide bulletproof windows. The natural beauty of the scenery did little to soothe the president's mind. Urban decay was spreading quickly in the country and nothing he did seemed to help. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
"Life isn't any easier even without the burden of leadership," a voice said beside him. "Not that you asked." He opened his eyes and saw a man in the uniform of the train service wiping down a window with cloth after spraying it with cleaner. The president couldn't help but notice the man was wearing an eyepatch.
"I made sure not to call you a friend anymore," the president said. "You can't be here because of that." Plisskin's demeanor seemed to be less confrontational than the last time they had met and more conversational.
"No. But calling me an 'advisor' isn't any better. I don't give you advice, I'm not a teacher or a mentor and I'm certainly no role model. Hell, I'm not even smart. I can't figure out why you take a train when you could fly and spend less time traveling." Snake continued to clean the glass and polish odd bits of chrome so as not to draw attention. It had taken too long to gain the trust of the security people as it was. He watched the president and nearest security guard for any sign of alarm but there didn't seem to be any.
"I can't bring myself to get on another airplane after Air Force One was hijacked. The National Liberation Front of America may have been a few crackpots that got lucky, but if the train gets shut down I can always walk - not an option while traveling at 20,000 feet" the president explained.
"Suit yourself."
"Just looking out for myself, just like you said. You ARE smart, Plisskin."
"If I'm so smart, how did I get caught robbing the Federal Reserve Depository? If I hadn't gotten caught, I wouldn't have been in a position to have to rescue you."
"Circumstances. You almost got away with it - I read the file a few weeks ago. You gave up when you knew you were caught and never shot anyone. You got me out of New York and you managed to visit me twice now." Snake started to object but the president cut him off. "Let's just say you're resourceful, then. Okay?"
Plisskin relaxed somewhat. "I don't know what difference it makes, but I like the sound of that better."
The nearest security guard poked his head into the observation car. "Everything okay, Sir?" he asked. He eyed Snake from a distance.
"Just fine. It's refreshing to talk to someone who isn't in politics and knows what it's really like out there. Just let me know when we're thirty minutes out of Phoenix please."
"Certainly, sir." The guard closed the door but kept an eye on the two.
The president seemed to gather some inner strength and addressed his visitor. "Plisskin, this country - the whole world for that matter - is going to hell. You may not be smart but I think you already predicted that. No matter what policy I tried to implement, things just seem to keep getting worse. I'll probably get voted out of office at the next election unless they want to use me for a scapegoat during the next term. I have no hopes for the future. Any suggestions?"
"Don't try to rob the Federal Reserve."
"Anything else?"
"Don't run for reelection. Leave it for some other patsy, find a deep hole and pull the dirt in behind you. As president, you've got to have some resources - set yourself up a retirement somewhere safe and remote and watch the fireworks from a distance."
"I might have a few people I can trust that aren't involved in either party. I don't suppose..."
"Forget it. But for the record, I almost like you now. For a politician, that is." Snake picked up his cleaning equipment and started toward the door with the guard behind it.
"Would it help if I told people you were dead?" the president asked.
"Nah. Everybody seems to think that anyway." Snake smiled for the first time in ages and then knocked on the door to be let out.
The End
A/N: Definitely a popcorn type adventure movie, it had some nice supporting parts while still showing Kurt as the action hero. I never was interested in the sequel as it seemed a bit derivative, but I understand Carpenter actually like it better.