When the Light Goes Out

Chapter One

The Day It Happened

Elizabeth

"Will?" Elizabeth strode into her office, stopped and peered around. They had ten minutes until the car arrived to take them to the White House. Now was really not the time to go walkabouts.

"In here," Will called from the bathroom. He was stood in front of the mirror, his fingers fumbling over the knot in his tie.

"Here." Elizabeth stepped forward and straightened it out for him.

"You don't need to mother me."

"How's that mothering you? There." Elizabeth smoothed the wrinkles from his shirt. "Henry doesn't complain when I sort out his tie."

"That's probably because you wedge your leg—" Will began, but stopped as Elizabeth slapped his chest. She fought back the blush that threatened to surge through her cheeks. Will smirked in reply.

Elizabeth clicked her tongue. So immature. The phone rang, and thankful for the interruption, she dashed across the room to retrieve it from its cradle. "Hello?"

"Hey, babe." Henry's voice crackled down the line.

Elizabeth smiled. "Hey, you." She leant back against the desk and twisted the cord around her finger. "You not boarded yet?"

"No," Henry said. The airport tannoy chimed in the background. "I'm at the gate now, just waiting. I thought I'd call to see how things are going before the big presentation. How's your date?"

Elizabeth's gaze followed Will as he emerged from the bathroom. "Tall, blonde and scruffy. I'm thinking of ditching him before we get there."

Henry chuckled. "Just play nice."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Only if I get to be naughty with you later."

Will shot her a look. "I can hear you, you know?"

Elizabeth turned her back on him. The line buzzed; a second call. "Babe, I've got to go."

"All right. I'll see you later," Henry said. "I love you."

"I like you okay too," Elizabeth said through her smile. "Stay safe, won't you?"

"I promise."

Elizabeth hung up and answered the second call. It was Blake. "Ma'am, the car is waiting for you."

***

The furniture had been cleared out of the room in the White House, leaving the floor open for the guests and press at the presentation. The major networks had already set up their cameras just below the stage at the far end of the room, whilst photographers lingered at the edges. Guests were already filing in and filling up all the spaces in between.

"Ma'am." Jay stepped forward into Elizabeth's path as she strode towards the entrance, Will at her side. He had a clipboard grasped in hand, and a look of mild anguish on his face. "Don't worry; it's not about today—"

"But?" Elizabeth dragged out the word. There had to be a 'but'; there was always a 'but'.

"But," Jay continued, and he winced at the word almost as much as she did, "China have requested a tiny change to the deal we agreed."

Elizabeth resisted the urge to groan. The whole point of the agreed deal was that it had been agreed. "What now? We've already gone through every last detail a gazillion times."

"Yes, ma'am, but there's been a slight change of wording in the final clause."

"How slight?" Elizabeth accepted the clipboard and scanned over the page. She glanced around. The Secret Service agents were beginning to swarm the corridor, a sure sign that President Dalton was on his way. "Accept the change. I need this deal signed by the end of the day."