God of War: Part 23
Lynn Jepsen
I almost don't recognize myself in the mirror. It's not the gray hair.
It's not the dark circles. It's not even the telltale signs of fatigue.
No, it's the barely concealed desperation lurking around my eyes. That's
definitely new and strange and unwelcome. The story broke in the press. I
hadn't really considered what that would mean until it happened. People,
mainly Senator Troudeau, started second guessing our motives. Margaret
spent twenty minutes on the phone pacifying him before passing him off to
CJ. From what I hear, it took her over an hour to convince him that we
weren't going to war because we were angry over Josh. You'd think he'd
give us more credit than that, but I guess he didn't make chair of
Foreign Relations by assuming the best in people.
Ramon shifts from foot to foot behind me. He wanted to talk to me about
Rachel, so I had Margaret send him upstairs. "Mr. President?" Turning
away from the mirror, I nod at him. "Sir, I know you wanted me to take
Rachel home, but she didn't want to go, so...." He shuffles awkwardly and
I wonder if this is because I'm the President or she's my niece. Either
way, he's nervous. Eventually I'll let him know all the good things I
tell Sarah about him, but for now, I won't share those tidbits. Sighing,
I let him off the hook. I didn't really expect her to go home either, she
just needed a few minutes to calm down. "Sir, I.... was it as bad as she
said it was?" I'll be seeing it for years to come.
With that, Ramon leaves me to my thoughts. I should go back downstairs,
but I need more time.
*
There's a weird looking map covering half the wall in CJ's office. She
and Lisa are clustered around what appears to be the Middle East, except
it's on the far left. Didn't the Middle East used to be in, you know, the
middle? Toby is standing in front of Europe, which happens to be on the
wrong side of the map, and sticking a finger into the cluster of hands
around the Middle East. Uh, guys, clue me in here. Lisa doesn't turn
away, she just keeps talking real quietly to CJ and Toby, but she does
gesture towards some photos tacked up on the opposite wall.
Uh, wait, what are these pictures of? "They are CIA Intel shots of The
Wrath of God leadership leaving a strategy meeting in Cairo." Thank you,
Toby, but that's doesn't quite explain..... No. No, absolutely not. She
knows Josh. She was there for the whole summit. She and Lisa spent days
talking about their daughters. That is absolutely not who it looks like.
CJ turns away then. She shakes her head and tells me to think about it.
"This morning, what did you and the Joint Chiefs decide is our goal?" We
want to get rid of General Zeta and let someone with more realistic
expectations and a greater chance of cooperation take over. CJ glances at
Lisa, and Lisa's voice sounds strangely numb. "Someone with better
political instincts and a desire for any homeland at all?" Yeah. Oh.
Shit. Toby? "We're working on a few ideas."
I feel like a third wheel. CJ tells me that in the last twenty-four
hours, Ramon has taken my November agenda to the Hill and rallied the
troops. He's not as intimidating as Josh, but he's doing a good job.
We're going to get our energy package Friday. We might even get the crime
bill out of committee before my hair falls out. CJ's been doing an
admirable job administering my White House. If she's faltering under the
load of Josh's job, and Lily's, and her own, she's not showing it. Of
course, from what I understand, Rachel might be the organizational genius
of the West Wing. Then there's Toby, who might actually be immune to
trouble, except for the dull thwack of the bouncing rubber ball every
time I pass his office. Throw in the fact that Carol has become the
Stalin of the press room, and I'm not sure what to do.
"Mr. President?" Turning away from Toby's muted explanation of something
or another, I nod at Margaret. "General Wallace and Secretary Trinity are
waiting in the Situation Room."
That's what I do.
I lead.
I pray.
I fix this.
I have to.
God of War: Part 24
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