Henry glanced at his watch. Time seemed to be crawling at an unusually slow pace as the team in the Situation Room worked to identify the monster responsible for harming his wife. Don't we have super computers with better capabilities than this? Henry worried that Elizabeth didn't have much longer since he learned that she had been shot in the leg. He knew that she was in pain from the way she sounded on the phone and he tried to forget the sound of her being hit repeatedly.
"We just ID'ed the man, Mr. President," Ephraim Ware said. "His name is Farhad Azimi and his uncle is the assistant to the Foreign Minister of Iran."
Farhad's image was projected on the screen. Henry stared at it and imagined wrapping his hands around the man's neck and choking him until he died. That wasn't very Catholic of Henry, but current circumstances warranted exceptions. This guy had taken his wife, beat her, shot her, shot and killed all but one of her DS agents, and killed her assistant. He deserved so much more than being strangled.
"That's a loose connection to the government of Iran. What do we know about the uncle?" President Dalton asked.
"We know that he's been the Foreign Minister's assistant for two years now and that he lives with the Minister's family full-time."
"Do you think the uncle is trying to gain power or incite another coup?"
"Hard to say. His internet activity doesn't show anything that is concerning. But that doesn't mean he didn't convince Farhad to kidnap the Secretary of State for some other nefarious reason," Ephraim responded.
"None of this makes sense," President Dalton said. "We need better intel."
"My team is working on it," Ephraim responded.
Work faster. Elizabeth's life depends on it.
Henry walked over to President Dalton and leaned in to whisper so that only he could hear. "There has to be something more we can do. I can't just sit around here and wait for something else to happen to her. I need…"
"I know, Henry. I want her safe just as much as you do."
Henry nodded, his eyes downcast.
You can't want her back as much as I do. She's everything good in my life.
Conrad directed his eyes back to the image of Farhad Azimi on the screen. "What else do we know about him? Did he go to school? Where does he work? Someone has to know something about when he was radicalized."
Ephraim Ware pulled up some more information and it appeared on the screen next to Farhad's face. "Looks like his mother and father died six years ago. He lived with his uncle for a while before going to school at Cairo University to study physics."
Physics? So he's not dumb. But why kidnap Elizabeth? Just for revenge?
"As fascinating as his life story is, how did he get involved with the plot to kidnap the Secretary of State?" asked Russell.
Ephraim locked eyes with Russell. "That part is unclear. After graduating from Cairo University, he disappeared from the public eye for two years. He never had a job on record anywhere."
"Well someone had to be funding him," President Dalton remarked.
"I agree, Mr. President, and we are still looking into overseas bank accounts. We just need more time."
Conrad nodded, his lips in a straight line as he attempted to suppress his anger at the situation. Henry watched as Ephraim Ware cleared the screen of Farhad's face. His team sat hunched over computers, searching for more information on the man.
Ellen Hill spoke with a hand pressed to her ear. "Yes, go ahead."
When all eyes turned to look at her in confusion, Secretary of Defense Gordon Becker, offered an explanation.
"The extraction team is nearing their target location. They are ten minutes out from Bluebird."
Finally. Hang on, Babe.
Part of Henry couldn't wait to see and hear Elizabeth because he needed to know that she was truly okay. Another part of him was terrified thinking about how badly she was hurt. He was bracing himself for the worst possible scenario.
"Patch them through and give us a visual," President Dalton ordered.
Three men in military gear appeared on the screen.
"Can you hear us?" Ellen Hill asked.
"Loud and clear, Admiral Hill."
"Good, we're here with President Dalton, Vice President Teresa Hurst, and Dr. McCord," she replied, gesturing to each of them.
They all nodded in acknowledgement and silence permeated the room.
"Dr. McCord, we'll get her out," one of the men in the backseat of the van promised.
Henry smiled sadly the man. "Thanks."
"Can you see a way in?" Gordon Becker asked the men.
"Yeah, there's a side door we plan to enter through so that he won't expect us. We have soldiers ahead that will surround the building first, clearing our way to the Secretary."
President Dalton spoke to them next. "Remember she is severely injured so she needs to be taken to a hospital as quickly as possible."
"Copy that, Mr. President. She'll be taken to the same hospital as her DS agent. He arrived there about twenty minutes ago."
Help is coming soon, Babe. Just hang on.
"Yeah, we just got word that he's in surgery to repair the damage done by the bullet," President Dalton replied.
"Secretary McCord is in good hands, Sir," the extraction team reassured.
"See, you've got nothing to worry about, Henry," Teresa Hurst said.
Henry took a deep breath and unclenched his fists. Fighting the Vice President in the Situation Room is not helpful right now. Even if I do want to punch her to wipe that smug look off her face.
A few minutes passed and the van slowed down. Henry's eyes grew large as he stared at the building when they pulled over. One side was surrounded by soldiers and it looked like some sort of warehouse.
The extraction team got out of the van and walked over to one of the soldiers against the side of the building. "The Secretary is inside with one other man who is armed with one gun. The dogs didn't alert us to any bombs being present anywhere around or inside the building."
Thank God for small mercies.
"Do you have audio of inside the building?" one of the three men from the van asked.
"Nothing that is clear enough. We can hear shouting, but that's it."
"What about exits? I see this side door, but where is the front?"
"Around that way," replied the soldier against the side of the building. "We have four men stationed in front of it. He can't get through us and our equipment."
Ellen Hill looked at President Dalton. "They are ready when you give the order, Sir."
"Go get my Secretary of State," Conrad ordered to the extraction team.
"Copy that. Move in!"
Henry's eyes were glued to the screen. He was thankful for the technology on the extraction team's helmets that allowed him to see video in real time while they rescued Elizabeth from Farhad Azimi. The side door was kicked in, and heavy gunfire could be heard. "Stop! Put your hands up!" yelled one of the men.
Once the extraction team got closer, the image that came into view made Henry's blood boil. Elizabeth was sitting in a chair, hands tied behind her back. Her left eye was swollen shut, and there were so many bruises on her beautiful face that if Henry didn't know it was his wife, he wouldn't have recognized her. Blood covered her right leg just above her knee.
My God, Baby. I am so sorry.
"Hands up! On your knees now!" demanded one member of the extraction team.
"So they sent in the cavalry?" Farhad joked, while slowly raising his hands. He was shoved down onto his knees, and a gun was pushed into his back.
"Shut up!" the soldier ordered.
Farhad chuckled. "You're too late."
No. No. No. She's not dead. I can't live without her. I would feel it in my heart if she was dead. She has to be alive.
Henry watched as Farhad was grabbed by two soldiers on the extraction team and forced outside at gunpoint.
The image cut back to Elizabeth as one of the soldiers still inside the building walked over to help her. He reached for her hands to untie them and she flinched away and then whimpered.
Henry's chest flooded with relief.
Thank God she's alive.
The soldier gently touched her arm to reassure her that he was here to help. "I'm here to get you out, Secretary McCord. Let me untie you. We'll get you to a hospital soon, okay? You're going to be fine." He began to work her hands free from the rope.
"Henry..." she whispered, with her eyes still closed.
"He's not here right now Madam Secretary, but he's watching this in real time back home. Do you want to talk to him?"
At once, her right eye popped open and she frantically looked around the warehouse. "Henry?"
Henry knew that he was in the Situation Room with government officials that outranked him tremendously, and that this was an official mission. But his heart couldn't take it anymore. Screw protocol. He needed to reassure his wife. He walked closer to the screen so that the microphone would pick up his voice better.
The soldier took off his ear piece and handed it to Elizabeth. She looked confused until he gestured for her to put it in her ear.
After the ear piece was in place, she closed her eyes. Henry could see the exhaustion on her face.
He shut the world out as if the two of them were the only ones that existed in that moment.
"Babe? I'm here. You're going to be just fine. I love you so much. You've been so strong," he said softly.
Elizabeth's face crumpled and she began sobbing. "Oh my God, Henry. It's really you. I thought I would never hear your voice again."
Tears pooled in Henry's eyes. "I know. I'm so sorry. I'm right here, Baby. You're okay."
"Everything hurts…." she choked out, while continuing to sob.
"I know. I wish I could make it stop. But soon you're going to the hospital and they're going to make it better. I promise. Can you hang on for me?"
Henry saw her nod on the screen. "I wish you were here…"
Henry's heart physically ached to hold his wife. He hated seeing her like this. He knew it must be really bad if she was telling him that it hurt so much. "I know. I would give anything to be there right now."
"Henry..."
"Yeah, Baby?" he asked.
"I'm so tired…"
"I know you are, Babe. But you have to stay awake. Talk to me. We can talk about math facts. Or the kids. Whatever you want."
Elizabeth smiled briefly and her eyes drifted closed.
"How are the kids?" she asked, starting to relax now that Henry was talking to her. His voice always lulled her to sleep and made her feel safe. He used to read to her at night when they first got married because she had trouble falling asleep. Anything about Thomas Aquinas read by Henry put her right out.
"The kids are fine. We need you to come home, so you have to stay awake for me."
Elizabeth said nothing and her eyes remained closed.
"Babe? Can you hear me?"
Henry's heart began to race. Did she pass out?
The soldier lightly tapped her arm to try and wake her. "Madam Secretary?"
Elizabeth remained quiet with her eyes closed.
"Elizabeth!" Henry said, louder than he intended. Panic was rising in his chest. He watched as the soldier lifted Elizabeth carefully from the chair and carried her outside the building.
She didn't wake and Henry knew she was in tremendous pain. That had to mean she passed out. He got a closer look at her leg wound and it took everything in him not to throw up at the sight of it.
That's so much blood. She doesn't deserve this.
Henry felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around to see Vice President Hurst looking at him, smugly.
"I told you there was nothing to worry about. She's fine."
He roughly shoved Teresa Hurst's hand off his shoulder. "I don't call my wife passing out from pain and blood loss fine."
"Henry…" warned Russell, stepping in between them. "Let's not start a fight."
"No, I won't stay silent anymore. What is your problem? Do you even want her to live? Because from where I'm standing you're no better than Farhad Azimi."
Vice President Hurst put her hand over her heart. "Of course I want her to live! How could you suggest that?"
"You said that her opinions got her into this situation. What else am I supposed to think?" Henry said, crossing his arms.
Teresa Hurst got in Henry's face. "That she needs to be careful with her opinions. She still works for the President of the United States and it would help her in the long run if she remembered that."