Madam President ✓

70. Guantanamo Bay

Tanya
One year later
January 20th, 2023

  "We are here outside of Guantanamo bay where- for the first time in almost a hundred years, the sitting president of the United States will soon arrive. This visit is historic in so many ways- the most notable being the.... reason for her visit. As most of you know- today is the two year anniversary of the worst domestic terrorist attack in American history; carried out by the president's own daughter. Today officially marks the shortest period of time anybody has ever been on death row in the history of it officially being introduced in America. The president is facing pressure from certain members of her party to make this the last execution- but we'll just have to see how that plays out. Today will be one of celebration, not politics. Today- after the execution, the president and prime minister of Cuba will have their first sit down- face to face meeting. In a statement from the prime minister's office he said: I hope that we can both use this opportunity to put our differences aside and possibly move towards an allyship."

On Air Force one, about half an hour out, we sit gathered around the flatscreen. Meg Haines somehow kept her show after it came out that she was mistreating staff.

Mine are surprised if I so much as raise my voice on accident and apologize immediately after- I couldn't imagine that sort of work environment being productive. One day- one day she'll dig her own grave. Hopefully soon.

"Madam President- Mr.Vice President?" One of the assistant copilots emerges from the hallway leading to the cockpit. "It's time."

Anthony and I exchange knowing glances, then we rise and follow the assistant co pilot- a military one with forty years of experience. After all- you don't get to fly the president and Vice President thirty thousand feet in the air( or anywhere) without said experience.

I've only been in the cockpit once before, and looking at it now doesn't make the sight less incredible. There are three people flying this thing- and ten standing by in case they have medical emergencies. There are so many gadget thingies on the control panel I couldn't begin to name them or describe what they do. There is a central steering wheel- but it's just not that simple. The pilot in the middle still fiddles with the control panel, and continues to do so when we walk in and the others turn their attentions our way.

"Madam President- Mr.Vice President- we're five minutes out from Cuban airspace." The copilot says. "We should be picking up their welcome jets signal soon-"

The welcome jets. They, along with several of our own military jets- will be escorting us to and out of Guantanamo bay and Havana. We had a couple of our spies confirm nothing explosive was on them- as well as disabling the weapons systems just in case. What they don't know won't hurt em'- not in this case at least. The brand new prime minister's promised so many things so different than his predecessor, and as much as we all want to believe him- it's hard when your countries have been enemies for so long.

"Four minutes out."

Anthony and I stand as close as we can to the front without being a safety hazard, trying to get a good view of the jets when they come into focus, on the exact border between our airspaces.

Anthony nervously taps his foot. He was more reluctant about attending the execution- being half Cuban. His father was a paranoid man who tried to instill in him international travel was always dangerous since he'd be subject to the laws of said country.

Now, having diplomatic and criminal immunity because of our positions- we're not subject to shit.

"We're gonna be fine." I whisper, trying to assure him. "At the absolute worse- let's say they do try something. They'll discover pretty quickly what a bad idea that was when their jets won't fire and they go down in flames over the ocean."