'So the photos of us aren't related to Pete, nor to the agent, nor to the kidnapping of his son?' Jill asked, still standing on the third last step of the stairs where she had been as Joe came into the villa, bursting to update her on the news.
She had kept herself busy all morning. Trying to keep her own mind away from the deceptions and spycraft going on in the background of their lives these days she had rung Donatello, enquiring how Isabella's chemo had gone. She gave him a list of suggestions, things to do and not do, foods to try and things to keep away from. Before she hung up Isabella had woken up and they had a chat. They talked about the clinical trial and the possibility of securing a space. It would all unfold in due time, Jill assured her, telling her to just be kind to herself today and let the medicine work.
Curled up on the seat by the pool where she and Joe had been when the photos were snapped she had taken a few moments when the call had ended to ponder the situation. She thought about the cancer moonshot Joe and Barack had launched, the Biden Cancer Initiative, the Moonshot relaunched now under Joe's presidency. They had so much work to do, but so much hope to offer people too.
Her thoughts turned to Joe. She wondered how he was getting on this morning. She looked up the hillside to the command post, didn't see anything out of the ordinary, hoped it was a good sign. When David had rung to check in earlier and then Samuel called soon after she guessed some progress had been made but was still in the dark as to what.
She had remained where she was, lost in her thoughts for a while. Unsure whether a quick reappearance by her husband harkened good or bad news. Mostly though she just wanted Joe back with her. This whole situation was just unsettling but she had no doubt he would get to the bottom of everything that was going on. And she would help him in whatever way she could.
She had been coming back downstairs from their bedroom when she had heard Joe arrive back. 'Well, so Pete says, but maybe he's not as big a part of this whole story as we thought', Joe said looking up at her, 'or maybe we've exposed him before he's been tasked' Joe mused, standing up straighter, his spine tingling. 'What if we're actually a step ahead of him?', Joe said, his brow furrowing. 'Babe, remember the director of the Louvre, Monsieur Richleau?' Jill nodded, 'sure'. 'Why don't you ring him, ask him if there's anything in particular he'd recommend that you see while in Rome', Joe said, his hand automatically reaching out to take hers as she came down the last few steps.
'Tell him that you're looking for Russian artwork. That you want to host a display in the White House for Russian Americans' Joe said, thinking rapidly. 'Anything. Just get him talking, try to enquire if there's been much interest in Russian art or if it's fallen off the collectors list', he said. 'I suspect he'll tell you that there's little trade. Ask him if that's because it's seen as politically expedient not to be involved or if it's because trade has gone underground, I'll be very interested in his answers', Joe said. 'I'll get right on it', she replied, asking no further questions, demanding no information or answers from him.
He kissed her. 'What was that for?', she asked in curiosity. 'Because I love you', he replied simply, staying where he was, watching her retreat down the hallway to retrieve her contacts book. He would leave her alone to carry out her task.
Joe left her to make the call while he placed one of his own. He entered the secure office that had been set up for him in the villa, the same one that Glen was using to try to get a handle on everything. Although a couple more people had been called on for their expertise and the circle was a little larger now Glen was still central to everything. 'Take a break soldier', Joe called to him as he pushed open the door. Glen looked up, pulling his headphones back from his ears. 'I beg your pardon, sir?' he said. He needed the headphones for his current task but he had realized as soon as he began his clandestine mission in the presidential villa that the best way to give the First Couple some privacy was to put on his headphones and so he'd taken to wearing them pretty constantly while he was at work now. 'I said, take a break. Go get some fresh air', Joe repeated, he spoke again quickly as Glen opened his mouth to form his next word.
