Madam President ✓

82. Anthony

Anthony

"Godamnit Tanya!" I curse under my breath and slam my office door. I want to believe there's a good reason she didn't give me a heads up- but I also want to punch something until my knuckles bleed. The only thing stopping me?

I don't want to scare my secret service with the noise, since they're already on high alert.

I know I won't be able to sleep tonight, so I try to go through the process in my head. I'll be handed the extremely small binders containing information I don't have access to as the Vice President within minutes of being sworn in. Other world leaders'll be blowing up- figuratively speaking- our phones trying to get a word in. I imagine it's already started over in communications.

I'll take as many as I have time to, but ultimately those phone calls will fall on other people. I will be expected to be appoint my own Vice President within weeks- what a strange thought. My secret service'll scramble to instill even stricter protocols to keep me alive. I picture screaming matches between them and Tanya's team, asking why they didn't get a heads up. I'll defend her security on that- but I cannot defend her on this..... unless I know exactly what's going through her head.

A few puzzle pieces slowly come together.

Former presidents don't have nearly the same level of security sitting ones do.... and they can choose to refuse protection at any time. While they're not necessarily immune from criminal prosecution- almost all prosecutors are reluctant to pursue a sitting or former world leader.

It's with that thought concern washes over me like a tsunami, destroying the anger. Tanya is smart, but she's impulsive at times. She somehow manages to be portrayed as an icon and a war criminal by the same media stations. During moments where it really matters, she's an amazing leader.

I pace across the room to the window overlooking the rose garden and sigh.

The conspiracy theorists say she blew up the capital to become president and used her daughter as an escape route. Republicans call her an enemy to traditional values.

What do they say about me?

I'm their favorite bipartisan negotiator. The Democrats say I'm the perfect mix of moderate and progressive- when really I just follow progressive policies in a way that makes me seem moderate. The republicans also say they respect me because I respect them- bullshit. They can't stand women having higher ranks or disagreeing with them on key issues, even one who helped get them their seats to begin with. They'd have voted for her impeachment in a heartbeat. If I were the one on trial, there might have been five in favor of removing me from office.

Feminists, of course- love her for not taking anybody's shit. They love Evelyn nearly as much- though some are annoyed by her being chairwoman of both the judiciary and ethics committees. I can see how the two would conflict at times.

The Internet'll have a field day with this one.

I flip my tv on and groan. Somehow, Meg Haines has managed to get out of the briefing room and to a cameraman to deliver the breaking news in just minutes.

".....and we did just learn of President Clark's resignation, which will take effect at 8 am tomorrow morning. Nobody saw this coming, with her previous promises to uphold her oath of office by serving until her term was up no matter what. I guess plans really do change. Let me just play back that clip of her talking about the press secretary....."

Suddenly, the screen goes black.

No no no, we can't do this right now. On top of everything else we don't have time for a hack or-