Madam President ✓

39. Betrayal

Tanya

  I should be feeling betrayal. I know that. Instead, there's just pure anger to the point my nose is now pouring blood. Lynn tried to make me go to the White House clinic for blood pressure medication and sleep meds, but we compromised; somebody'll bring the first thing to me. I don't know how they could possibly expect me to sleep another hour after what I just found out. With every second that passes by I become more and more nauseous. How could I not have noticed anything?

  I certainly won't win any mother of the year awards. Once the media gets wind that she did this, they'll swarm the White House like flies, trying to get any sort of statement they can from my very small pool of staff.

  No matter what we try to tell ourselves, hope is non existent- because in  sixteen hours they've identified less than ten survivors. That won't stop them from continuing to search for the bodies of government officials, employees and their family members.... Yet I have a sinking feeling the survivors we've got now is all we're going to get.

She will be my legacy if I'm not careful.

I cannot allow that to happen.

We'll do our best to steer the media toward the fact that we began the process of rebuilding our senate almost immediately after finding out about the deaths, and then we'll harass them about the confirmation hearings and special elections so they don't have a chance to focus on her. She will be mentioned, of course. There will undoubtedly be a 60 minutes special on her along with a few documentaries, and people across the world will be glued to their tv's watching her trial... hoping for her death.

I will be one of them.

I walk across the room to Darrel's- my desk, and reach for the phone.

"Madam President?" The White House operator answers.

"Can you tell me if Agent Higgins is still in the building?"

"Yes, Madam President. Just one moment." There's typing and whispering on the other end. "Yes Ma'm. She was going through security to leave but we stopped her. Should I go ahead and send her up?"

"That'll be perfect. Hey- what's your name?" I ask.

"Luna, Ma'm."

"I'll try to remember it."

She hangs up and I let her. Everybody's plates are full since many of their colleagues and bosses are.... no longer breathing. Most of them have been going nonstop since six am yesterday morning, refusing to leave. I'm on the verge of sending them all home myself so they can continue to function and-

"Madam President you wanted to see me?" Agent Higgins says from the doorway, Lynn trailing behind her.

"Yes. I wanted to personally thank you for the sacrifices you've made."

"Madam President-"

"I'm not finished yet and it's just Tanya... please. Without you we would not have figured this one out. Your brain works in a way that I just... I don't understand. Agent Higgins I am so sorry for your loss."

"It wasn't your fault..." She sticks her hands in her pockets and looks down. "Goddamn that woman was stubborn."

"She was indeed that." I nod. "But you two were clearly close. How are you doing?"

"I deal with things better by not talking about them." She chokes. "Tanya..."

"You need a break. We all do."

"I know I'm.... I'm gonna... eat some real food and take a fucking nap."

I chuckle.

"Come on- the kitchen'll make us something."