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The lawyer on TV continued talking with the press. "Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord was recently in Geneva with my client. I have cell phone records that show they traveled to Champfromier away from the official itinerary. My client is only guilty of a romantic tryst with the Secretary of State, which last I checked, was not a war crime."
"How do they have phone records?" Stevie asked. "None of this makes any sense!"
Lydia grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. The silence stretched on for what felt like days.
"I'll give you all a minute," Lydia said, retreating to the other room with President Dalton. She gave a Henry an apologetic look, and pulled the door shut behind her.
"Babe," Henry said, approaching Elizabeth slowly. "It's going to be okay." He knelt in front of her while she sat in the chair. He reached forward to pull her in for a hug and she melted into him.
I hate this for you.
"I thought we would have a few more days. How can he say that?" she whispered against his shoulder through tears.
Henry rubbed her back. "I know, it's terrible."
"Mom?" Stevie asked. "What's going on?"
"Who is that man they were talking about?" Jason asked.
Henry pulled back slightly from Elizabeth to address the kids. His arm remained wrapped around her shoulder because he could tell she needed the contact right now. He cleared his throat. "Farhad Azimi is the man that kidnapped and beat Mom. He has a trial coming up and apparently that was his lawyer. We were told by President Dalton at the house earlier this evening that news might be breaking soon about a supposed affair between them."
"But it's not true!" Ali shouted.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
Henry tightened his arm around her. "Of course it's not true, but the media doesn't care."
Jason stood up, hands balled into fists. "That has to be illegal. How are we just supposed to stand around and watch this…trash?"
"Jason…" Henry said.
"I'm serious, Dad! It isn't fair that people are allowed to spread lies about Mom just because she's the Secretary of State. There has to be something we can say to respond and clear the air."
Henry shook his head. "That's what the trial is for."
"Can't President Dalton say something? You're in his cabinet," Stevie suggested.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Just….wait."
Great. We upset her more.
"Babe?"
"I won't let another man speak for me."
Silence fell over the room.
Henry grabbed her hands and kissed them gently. He made sure that she was looking only at him when he spoke. She tentatively met his gaze.
"The choice is entirely yours. I won't pressure you into responding to anything that comes out in the news. If you want to wait until the trial, fine. If you don't want to go to trial and testify, that's fine too. This experience is yours alone and I don't want your position as Secretary of State to influence your decision."
"Staying silent doesn't make me look weak?" she asked.
He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Not even a little bit. Healing takes time. Processing what happened takes even longer. You're allowed to wait as long as you need to."
Elizabeth smiled. "You always know exactly what to say…"
He chuckled. "I like my marriage. And I love you."
Alison approached her parents slowly, interrupting their moment. "But don't the lies bother you? Some people will think that you really did cheat on Dad with that guy."
"Noodle, of course it bothers me. But your dad knows the truth, and his opinion is worth a thousand times more than everyone else's."
Same, Babe.
"But what about our family? You're our Mom. They shouldn't get away with this," Jason said.
"I know it's hard to hear, Jase, but we need to support your mom's decision."
Jason walked over to where she was sitting, and stood directly in front of her. "But this man hurt you," he said, voice hitching on the last word.
His need to protect you is one of the better qualities he got from me.
Elizabeth smiled sadly at Jason. "I love that you want to stand up for me, but I promise I'm okay. Justice will prevail. The truth will come out at the trial."
"What if the jury doesn't believe you? Are you willing to take that chance, Mom?" Stevie asked.
Elizabeth looked down at Henry's hand that was linked with hers. "I have faith that they will." Henry squeezed her hand and she looked up at him as he recalled a conversation they had not that long ago. One where she begged him to have enough faith for the both of them that everything would work out.
My faith in you is unwavering.
He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
Seconds later, Ali came and sat on the armrest of Elizabeth's chair, leaning her head against her mom's shoulder. "I miss the farm."
"Me too, Noodle. Maybe we can try and go there soon," Elizabeth suggested.
"That would be nice," Ali said. "But I meant I miss the farm from before. When you weren't Secretary of State."
Henry's heart sank. What have we put the kids through?
Elizabeth said nothing, but Henry could see the pain written all over her face. Hurting their children would definitely be something that would make her consider quitting.
"I know, Baby. I miss it too." Elizabeth pulled Alison into a hug.
I wish we could protect the kids from all of this.
Stevie yawned, causing Henry to look around the room, taking stock of the furniture. It was getting late, and they were obviously not going home tonight. There were two couches, a recliner, and a stiff chair that was covered in a floral print that reminded him of his grandma's living room back when he was a kid. Not even close to enough places for all of them to sleep.
Maybe President Dalton had some inflatable mattresses they could use? Or maybe they could leave the bunker and sleep in the guest quarters? Not likely if the gunman was still on the loose…
Someone knocked on the door, and President Dalton stuck his head in the room. "Elizabeth? Daisy is on the phone for you."
She stood up from the chair and gave Henry a knowing look, as she walked into the other room.
"Dad?" Jason asked.
"Yeah, Jase?"
"Are we going to sleep here? There aren't any beds…"
He's so much like me it scares me sometimes.
Henry couldn't help but chuckle. "We'll figure something out. I can ask President Dalton what our options are."
Stevie plopped down on one of the couches and closed her eyes. "I could sleep right here. It's been a long day."
Elizabeth stepped back into the room and fell into the seat she was sitting in previously.
"Everything okay?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, Daisy wanted a statement in response to what came out in the news. I said no."
Good for you, Babe.
"I'm going to ask if we can get some blankets or something," Henry said, gesturing with his head toward Stevie. Her eyes were still closed as she laid on the couch.
Elizabeth nodded, looking exhausted herself.
Henry walked back into the other room where President Dalton and Lydia sat at the table, whispering in heated tones. He paused, realizing he walked in on an argument.
"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" he asked.
"No, we were just discussing…family matters," Conrad said.
Henry cleared his throat, attempting to break the tension. "So, are there any beds or blankets we can use? It's getting late and I assume we aren't cleared to go back home yet."
President Dalton turned to one of the Secret Service agents. "Can we move them to the guest quarters?"
The agent spoke into his wrist and waited for a response. "No, Mr. President. The threat is still too high right now. It's safest for the Secretary in the bunker. Same for you and the First Lady. You were at the Secretary's residence tonight just hours before a gunman shot through the window. I'm afraid you will all have to stay here tonight."
Conrad frowned and then gave Henry an apologetic look.
"There are some inflatable mattresses in the closet by the Lincoln Bedroom. We can have some brought down for the kids. I'll make sure there are blankets and pillows too. Hopefully security releases their hold soon so you all can go home and rest," President Dalton replied.
"Thanks."
I don't think Elizabeth or myself is going to sleep much tonight. Not while down here in the White House bunker and a gunman on the loose.
President Dalton turned to the Secret Service agent. "Let's get the mattresses and blankets down here."
"Yes, Mr. President," the agent replied, speaking into the communication device at his wrist. "Someone will be here shortly with the supplies you requested."
What were you and Lydia arguing about? Something pertaining to Elizabeth? I wish I could ask, but that doesn't seem appropriate right now.
"Can I help you with something else, Henry?" President Dalton asked.
Henry shifted his weight, debating on whether or not to bring up what he's been wanting to ask ever since Elizabeth went to Geneva.
"Did you know?" he finally said.
President Dalton gave Henry a confused look.
"Know what?"
Henry crossed his arms, and lowered his voice so the kids and Elizabeth couldn't hear. "What Teresa Hurst was planning. She was your Vice President. I'm just having a hard time with how she was able to hide all of this from you for so long. There were no signs?"
Conrad shook his head. "How can you think that? I can assure you—"
"Henry?!" Elizabeth called from the other room, sounding slightly panicked.
His heart stopped.
What happened?
He ran into the other room where she and the kids were, eyes searching.
She sat in the same chair as before, breaths coming in short bursts. "Babe? What's wrong?" he asked, kneeling in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees, trying to reassure her.
She wrung her hands together and avoided his gaze. "I must have dozed off. When I woke up, you weren't here."
I'm sorry, Babe.
"Hey, I'm here now. I was in the other room, asking for beds and blankets. Do you want to lie down? You must be exhausted."
"I'm fine."
You are not fine. Why can't you admit it?
Henry brought his hands up to her shoulders. "It's okay to not be okay," he said, softly.
"I'm fine. There are some other things I need to talk to President Dalton about while I'm here." She pushed his hands off her shoulders and stood up from the chair she was sitting in. Henry backed up, confused as to what changed her mood.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"Yes. I'm fine." Elizabeth walked right past him into the other room to talk to the president.
She's limping again. Exhaustion and pain might be making her cranky.
Henry looked over at the kids, hoping they could provide some insight into what just happened with their mother. Stevie was still resting her eyes on one of the couches, Alison was picking off her nail polish, and Jason was sitting in one of the hard-backed chairs, staring off into space.
"Did something happen while I was in the other room?" Henry asked.
Jason shrugged.
"Not that I saw," Ali replied.
Well, something must have happened to cause Elizabeth to react that way.
"I'll be right back," Henry said to the kids, walking into the other room.
Elizabeth sat at a chair across from President Dalton. Her hands were folded and resting on the table. "I think it's best that I resign as Secretary of State."
What? She already decided?
"Bess, are you sure? Let's not make any rash decisions," President Dalton replied.
"It's not a rash decision. I've thought about it. I can't put my kids through this anymore. It's not fair to them."
"Babe?" Henry said, calling attention to himself. "Are you sure?"
Elizabeth whipped her head around to look at him. "Why does everyone keep asking if I'm sure?!" she snapped back.
Henry raised his hands in surrender. "I just wanted to make sure you've thought it through and won't regret your decision later." His eyes softened as he walked closer. "I'll support whatever you decide."
Man beside the woman, Babe. Forever.
The Secret Service agent spoke into the communication device at his wrist again. "Copy that." He then walked over to the entrance to the bunker. "The blankets and mattresses are here. Permission to open the door, Mr. President?"
"Yes," he replied.
Once the items were inside the bunker, Henry gave President Dalton a pleading look that said 'I'll talk to her.'
Conrad, Lydia, and the Secret Service agents gathered the blankets and mattresses in their arms. "We're going to take this stuff to your kids and see if we can get some sort of beds set up. Be right back," President Dalton said.
"Thanks," Henry replied.
The door to the other room was pulled shut and Henry turned to look at Elizabeth. "Babe? Something happened a few minutes ago. You're clearly upset. Help me understand."
"Nothing happened."
Right. We'll pretend that's real.
Henry walked toward Elizabeth and took a seat next to her. He reached over to move some hair out of her face, gently tucking it behind her ear. "Baby. Talk to me. Please."
Elizabeth let out a shaky breath. "I can't do it anymore."
"Do what?" Henry asked.
A tear rolled down her cheek. "Hurt the kids. Disrupt their lives with my job."
What am I supposed to say to that? I've thought about her quitting too, but I don't want this to be like the CIA all over again. I won't force her to choose between her job and us.
He wrapped an arm around her back, hoping she didn't shove him away this time. "The kids will be okay. We'll get to the bottom of what Teresa Hurst was planning and then things will get back to normal after the trial."
"You don't know that. Who's to say that they won't hurt the kids to get at me? Or you? I can't let that happen. Not if it's in my power to stop being a public servant. Ali said she misses the farm from before I was Secretary of State. Do you have any idea how much—"
"How much what?" he prompts.
"How much it broke my heart to hear that?" she whispered, closing her eyes.
He kissed her temple. "I'm so sorry, Babe."
My heart breaks when I think about everything that has happened to you the last few days.
"If I quit, all of this stops. I can just be a professor again—worrying about students not coming to class or turning in a paper late. Our kids would be safe."
"I completely understand where you're coming from and I fully support your decision to quit if that's what you want. But we need to figure out how deep this whole thing with Teresa Hurst is before we give up security for you. I know we don't trust many people right now, but we are safe in the White House bunker with the kids because of your current position. Can you just hold on a little bit longer?" he asked, eyes full of concern and love.
Elizabeth wiped away her tears.
His breath hitched as he pulled her closer. "I can't lose you. I can't."
She rested her head on his shoulder, leaning in to him. "I keep seeing Farhad's face when I close my eyes, Henry. I just want this all to stop."
Oh, Babe.
"Is that what really freaked you out earlier when you dozed off?"
She nodded against him. "Yeah, and then when you weren't there…"
"I'm sorry. I was just trying to get Conrad to find us a place to sleep since we're stuck down here for a while with the kids."
Elizabeth lifted her head off his shoulder. "But that's just it, Henry! You can't be with me every waking hour of the day. It's not feasible. And it isn't fair to you. I have to be able to move on."
Henry gently cupped her cheeks with both of his hands and made sure that she was looking at him. "Babe. I will gladly be with you as many hours as you need me to. I don't find it unfair."
Elizabeth stared at him, not fully believing his words.
"It's not unfair. I'm the luckiest guy in the world." He smiled at her.
The phone inside the bunker rang loudly, startling them both.
"Do we answer it?" Henry asked.
Elizabeth shrugged and glanced at the closed door where President Dalton, Lydia, and the kids were.
The phone rang again.
The door to the other room opened and President Dalton appeared. He walked quickly over to the phone to answer it. "This is President Dalton," he said into the receiver. Several seconds passed while Conrad listened to the person on the other end of the call.
"I see. Do you have a name?" he asked.
I wonder what this is about.
"Okay, keep me posted," President Dalton said and then hung up the phone. He turned to look at Elizabeth. "That was the FBI. They caught the gunman that shot through your window. He's in custody right now."
"Who was it?" Elizabeth asked.
"Someone unknown. But his name is a match to one they cross-referenced in the files on Teresa Hurst's computer."
This just keeps getting worse. How much can someone set up to make sure their political opponent doesn't run for office? How can one person have that much hate in her heart?
"So he was hired to kill her?" Henry asked, breaking the silence.
President Dalton sighed. "Yes. It seems that way."
Silence fell over the room while Henry and Elizabeth digested the implications of that statement.
"I don't understand," Elizabeth said. "Teresa Hurst hired Farhad Azimi to kidnap me and blackmail you into resigning. She wanted me dead and you out of the way so she could put herself in power and then help Iran in the process. You're telling me that she had multiple steps in place as backups just in case I survived the original kidnapping?"
"I know this is a lot to take in, Bess, but—"
Elizabeth slammed her fists on the table. "A lot to take in?! That's an understatement. I want to see Teresa Hurst's computer myself."
Henry reached for one of her hands, trying to calm her down. "Babe, hang on."
She pulled her hand out of his grasp. "Don't."
I know she's not mad at me right now. It's the situation.
Elizabeth stared at President Dalton. "I don't think you fully grasp what has happened to me over the last few days."
"I've been briefed on it, Bess."
"Then you know why I want those files. I will never feel safe until I see all of her plans laid out. I need to know what else is coming so I can keep my kids safe. And my husband." She locked eyes with Henry.
"It's classified information," President Dalton explained.
"It's about me!" she shouted back, louder than she intended.
Henry stood close to where Elizabeth sat, but didn't touch her. He wanted his proximity to show solidarity.
Conrad straightened himself and stood taller. "I think it's time to go to bed. You need the rest. We can discuss this further in the morning."
Elizabeth stood up and walked slowly over to where President Dalton was standing. Henry followed and then watched her lean on the desk. "Don't dismiss me. I know you can get me access to those files."
President Dalton backed up a smidge, thrown off by her brazenness.
She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Conrad, you know I'm a damn good analyst. I might find something the team missed. Especially because I'm the subject."
You tell him, Babe.
The president took a deep breath. "Bess, it's not that I don't think you are capable of finding something in the files that was missed. It's that the snippets I was given are disturbing. I didn't want it to upset you."
Elizabeth scoffed. "It was pretty upsetting when I was shot, kidnapped, and beaten."
It was a million times more upsetting for me to witness that happening to you. It never should have happened in the first place.
President Dalton closed his eyes momentarily, thinking. "Look, Bess. I hear you. But there isn't much we can do right now. Are you planning on getting any sleep here tonight?"
She shook her head and crossed her arms. "No. I want to look at those files."
Henry squeezed her shoulder. "Babe, you can't stay up all night. You're exhausted. You need to rest."
"I'm fine. You go in the other room with the kids and lie down if you want."
I'm not leaving you alone. Not even with President Dalton. I want to look at the files myself and see if I can help you piece together the reason for all of this. And see everyone involved.
"Let me go check on them and say goodnight. I'll be right back," Henry said, kissing her cheek quickly. Elizabeth watched him walk into the other room and turned back to face President Dalton.
"So are you going to call someone to bring Teresa Hurst's computer down here?"
Conrad cleared his throat. "It's not that simple."
"It can be." Elizabeth's lips were pressed into a thin line.
"You don't understand."
"Then help me understand, Mr. President."
President Dalton sighed. "Do you remember what I told you when I first asked you to be my Secretary of State?"
Elizabeth smiled to herself, thinking about the president coming to the horse farm where she was literally shoveling poop when he completely turned her and Henry's lives upside down. "You said that I could help you affect real change in the world."
"That's right. And do you feel like you accomplished that in your time with my administration?"
"I would like to think so, yes."
Conrad folded his hands in his lap. "I actually don't think that's true."
"What?" Elizabeth said, taken aback by his statement.
"I don't think you helped me change the world. I think you changed the world. You changed the way I strategized for retaliatory attacks against other countries. You made me realize that the road to peace is a difficult one, but that it's worth it."
Elizabeth's cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Mr. President."
"The files on Teresa Hurst's computer showcase my failures as a President. I failed to see that someone in my administration was so hungry for power, she was willing to have the best Secretary of State this country has ever seen killed to ensure her place as President. I never picked up on the signs, and you were severely hurt for it."
"I don't know what to say, Sir," Elizabeth said.
"Don't you see, Bess? I don't want you to see the files because it's a list of every single way I failed you and this country."
"You didn't fail the country, Conrad," Henry said, returning to the room. "You just failed my wife."