Madam President ✓

53. Security Breaches

Tanya
10pm

    I bury my face in the expensive, fake feather pillow- washed and replaced every single day. Sometimes it feels like things are frozen in time when you're in the most powerful office in the world. You leave your skincare sitting out because there's some national emergency right in the middle of it that needs your immediate attention- and by the time you come back the bottles are clean, your tools are washed, and they're in a perfect line. I don't remember the shower or sink ever clogging- kinda like my parents house except I saw the maids cleaning. Now, I rarely run into the housekeepers even though I hired some of them.

When it does happen- like a few minutes ago, the interaction is brief.

I was ready to pour myself another glass of wine and angrily glare at the room Katie slept in just once when I came up for the night, but I heard rustling around in the bathroom. The agent stationed to my living room told me who it was, so I went and cracked the door open. Like our maids she was sweaty and exhausted- I get it. I've only cleaned a few things in my life and I can't imagine doing it for a living- the seven hours it took to clean my car once was fucking brutal.

She immediately threw the cloth and whatever spray was in that clear bottle in her basket like she was doing something wrong.

"Madam President-" she started. "I am so sorry I'm still here, it's just there was so much to do today and I had to clean the tops of the picture frames and the chairs and the chandelier-"

"Slow down. Don't apologize- and go home. Get some rest."

"But-"

"I think I'll survive if my mirror isn't cleaned for an entire day. Go home and sleep. Do I really have to pull the "As your commander in chief this is a direct order" card?"

"No Ma'm." She sighed. "Okay. I'm going."

"And please, please stop calling me Ma'm. I'm not fifty."

"Force of habit."

"Bed."

I pointed to the elevator. She messily put her supplies in the basket and opened the large drawers under my sink- I never knew there was stuff under there, closed it and left. I know my cosmetologist and dermatologist will definitely have a talk about this if I tell them- but I didn't have the energy for their ten fucking step routine today. I washed the day's makeup off, brushed my hair, and am now lying face down in the silk sheets trying to block out my problems.

But like always, they are never ending.

The second I feel like I might be able to fall asleep, there's a tap on my shoulder. I try to hide the annoyance present in my expression as I turn over and come face to face with living-room agent.

"What?" I ask. Don't be rude to him. He is just doing his job you fucking asshole-

"You're needed in command opps- like now. There's been a security breach."

Those words are all it takes for me to spring straight up and be at the elevator in less than twenty seconds despite being lightheaded, and in the west wing a minute later. Upon seeing me in a wrinkled pantsuit with no makeup- a few of the lower level employees start panicking, though they try to hide it. They know by now if they see me speed walking to command opps somethings up- even though I might not know what it is yet. At the second elevator- I run into Melissa, Carlos, and Walter.

"Y'all are still here? They sent you alerts too?"

"Melissa had paperwork. Walter was... I don't remember but General Lawrence asked we come down."

  Oh boy.

If he personally requested my staff... this is serious.

  So we step into the elevator, and I try not to hyperventilate. Is Russia retaliating for something? Did we manage to piss a longtime ally off? Did I?

  We step out into the oversized room, the three trailing only slightly behind me.

  Instead of pure professionalism, the looks on the faces of those already here mean business. Instead of letting me speak first like normal, the general does.

  "Madam President- the chairwoman of the judiciary committee. Tell her what you just told us." I turn my attention to the screen, where Evelyn Mathews- the current representative for what used to be my district, is displayed.

  "Madam President. Earlier today I received an audio clip through an email... that really should never have fallen into my possession."

  Oh no.

"Are we talking about something that came from this room?"

  "Yes."

  "So that means...." Behind me, Carlos thinks aloud. "Somebody in here right now was... recording. When was this audio clip taken?"

  "January 20th,2021."

  I freeze. Oh no.

  "Madam President.... Regardless of what was said in that clip.... This is a huge National Security issue. It means-"

  "Somebody was able to come into and leave this room with a recording device and... it'll be almost impossible to find out who." I finish Carlos's sentence.

  All at once, we look around the room, at each other's faces- all looking for someone who might be the slightest bit guilty. Nothing. Fucking nothing.

  "Okay..." I swallow. "It might not be... that bad. Can somebody play me the clip?"

  The general's personal assistant clicks a few buttons on her laptop, then her screen- and Evelyn's face is replaced with an audio player.

  My heart drops out of my chest, past my stomach, and into the floor when I recognize the conversation.

"So what's this call really about? Control? Fucking with us just because you think you can right now?"

"Madam-"

"Well let me tell you something- We may be missing a few branches of government, that is true. What hasn't changed is the commander in chief's willingness to do what is necessary to keep all Americans safe from all threats- domestic or foreign. So let me make this very clear, Mr.President: If you ever threaten a member of my staff again- and I want you to know I am quite the creative person and I do not lie- I will personally kill you."

I close my eyes, trying to block what I know is coming. When I do open them again, Evelyn Mathews is back on the screen.

"Madam President forgive me but... regardless of the origins or how this audio got to me... I took an oath to protect the constitution."

"What the hell does that have to do with this? I didn't violate my oath either."

"At first glance- maybe not." She shrugs. "But when you analyze what you said- directly threatening the president of the second most ... equipped country in terms of nukes.... Is not keeping your oath to defend this country from all enemies."

"And....."

"I have my own oath of office to uphold. I've scheduled an ethics committee hearing for next Friday."