The Art Of Politics

Chapter 4 : The Darkest Hour

"We have uncovered a plot when you were shot by the sniper during VP Bolton's funeral." The CIA director explained, looking at me in the eye. "They were going to destabilize the most powerful countries in the world, starting from America."

"And let me guess, I'm among the leaders of the countries that have trigger-happy snipers biting their arms off for to kill." I finished his next sentence.

"Yes, Madam Vice President. You are correct."

"America's not the only powerful country in the world. Russia, China, the Brits and the French, you forgot them." The director lets out a laugh and stared at me.

"You're the first one to bust my ass Madam Vice President." I allowed myself a little smile.

"It was not that difficult, everybody knows that we have nukes." I said. "When did you came into power? Reagan's time? Or Khrushchev's?"

"You're not as dumb as what the dossiers say madam."

"You're from Louis Freeh's time aren't you?" I questioned again. "My patience has a limit." Then the director laughed.

"I'm impressed, Madam Vice President. True, I served under Freeh and did not became director until George W. Bush became president."

"You were born during the 1960's. That makes you a man who has seen the dangers of communism in America, just like the First and Second Red Scare." He merely chuckled to my answer and straightened his cuffs. 

"You did your homework." He said, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I want answers." I demanded. "If you're wasting time I will call for someone more competent than you."

"All right, that's enough." Dad stepped in. 

"Whatever you say Mr. President." I said. "What shadowy organization is lurking in the shadows this time?"

"Definitely not Al-Qaeda. They don't have the guts." He ruled out. 

"China or the Russians. You make the call." I told the director.

"Not them." The old man replied calmly.

"Then?" I asked.

"Terrorists, no known allegiance, who financed them is unknown." He replied cryptically. "They, are the fearsome terrorist group The Rising Jihad."

"Shit, shit." Dad cursed, falling back on the chair. "Didn't the president before me killed that son of a bitch leader?"

"No sir, I don't think so." He said as the computer screens showed a video clip. At the background of the video fires were burning wildly like Hell, then the image of a bloody sword showed up, with the Arabic variations of the terrorist group's name underneath. My knuckles whitened as the thought to be dead leader showed up after the blaze.

"Mr. President," he begun, holding a gun. "did you really think that you have killed me?" Now dad's worried look resurfaced as he held my hand and wrapped his fingers with mine. "I tell you now, I am not dead. I will kill you and watch your country burn in Hell!" Then he held up the former president's picture, waving it in front of the camera and shot the head six times. "Nobody threatens the leader of The Rising Jihad, you hear me?!" Then dad pulled me tight into his grasp, stopping me from seeing what was to come as he shuts my eyes with his free hand and a gunshot was heard. When he lets go of me I found myself staring at the dead body of a prisoner of war. I was mortified and dad turned off the screens, gently rubbing my shoulders to calm me down but that image was horrifying.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm here sweetheart." He said, hugging me tight as I was horrified of what I saw. I may be a soldier, but seeing someone dying in front of me and I couldn't do anything was the torture I endured when I was trapped in the Afghan town. "Mike, get your ass out of the room. I have to speak with my daughter alone." He barked. When the director left I started crying, I wasn't there, in the Situation Room, I was back at that day. That was the worst day, my friends and comrades all dead in front of my eyes, by IEDs and gunfire. Shrapnel tore past my skin, spilling blood on the hot sand and I was nearly dying. I breathed heavily, slowly, heavily, slowly, as I calmed myself down, snapping out of the horrible memory. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here sweetheart." He said. 

"I..." I stammered. "I'm sorry... I didn't..."

"I know, The Darkest Hour has arrived." He said with a sigh. "You're thinking, how the hell did I know the keyword don't I?" I stared at him.

"Legit, how?" I asked.

"When we first meet that day I asked Coulson for access to your files. He did warn me that you haven't trust me yet as I was your new boss. You and Coulson were exchanging cryptic glances to one another. I received a text from him the next day in the Oval Office, he said that there is only a code word to gain your trust : The Darkest Hour."

"I knew. The Darkest Hour is the files that I have compiled about every terrorist group that I can find on the private drive Fury gave me. Only I have the access to it, not my team, not my allies. I'm still deciding that whether I should tell you or not." I sat on the chair, my gaze still fixed on dad's. "That video was stolen from one of my less secure files."

"Mike hacked your systems?"

"Please, I'm not that dumb to let some middle-aged man to simply hack into my files. Remember the time that we're running from the Iraqi sniper?"

"Uh huh." He said. "What is this? A connection?" I simply pinched my nose and laughed afterwards. 

"You're in the army before. You tell me." I said cryptically. 

"That was the day you purposely leaked the video to the FBI and the CIA, telling them to watch their backs?" I smiled in respond.

"Great work Mr. President. I was beginning to think that you still haven't figure that one out yet."

"I might have to learn a lot from you. You've managed to compile files of terrorist groups behind my back."

"You're learning, you just don't know." I said, my eyes still looking at him. "When I told you that I have a secure line I was getting ready, the attacks on our lives have prompted me to tell Mike. I know that I and him doesn't see eye to eye but in this kind of situation? All cards are now placed on the table."

"Wait, that e-mail you sent me last night... the file's name is..."

"The Darkest Hour. Officially daddy, you have earned my trust. Well... you have earned it when you promised to stop the FBI from leaking Bruce's nightly activities to the public."

"And why is it so long for you to send that?"

"I was going to send you before hand but then that stupid assassin tried to kill us both."

"'Stupid assassin'." Dad repeated after me. "You know something Dame Isabella Reagan?"

"What?"

"You're currently the smartest woman I have met in my life." He said. "Even smarter than your own mother and birth father." I lets out a low laugh.

"And now you know it." I replied. "I got the job of VP because one : the Speaker of the House resigned in disgrace after the 'dumb assassin' fiasco. Two : the President Pro Tempore of the Senate got expelled herself when Al-Qaeda contacted her to hire that man to kill me. You know that they are allied with the terrorists, trying to kill us both and take power."

"You got me." He said, smiling while sitting at his chair. "Vice President Reagan, if weren't for you we wouldn't have solved this murder mess. Your files told me everything, the dossiers you have compiled."