THE LAST SHIP 7

DEALBREAKER

Julia was released from hospital early on a weekday morning and Connor pushed her down the corridor of the white house in her wheelchair towards POTUS' office. He paused in the door for a moment before he knocked. Tom looked up from the documents on the desk in front of him and smiled. "Julia! Connor! It's good to see you. Come on inside." Connor pushed Julia inside and closed the door of the office behind him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still some pain from the injury, but I'm winging it sir," Julia replied with a brave smile.

"Well that's a good sign isn't it?"

"My surgeon feels positive."

"And you?"

"I'll have to wait and see. I won't be going back to the navy for a while that's for sure."

Tom sat back and admired Julia with a smile. "I still need a Deputy Chief of Staff. When can you start working?"

"Ah..." Julia pondered for a while. "As soon as possible I guess."

"What does tomorrow look like?"

"You're really hiring me? No formal applications? No interviews?"

"Well you're going to have to fill in the application form obviously, but I know you Julia and I really think there's no need to interview you."

"Well, I don't know what to say. I guess thank you would do." Julia replied surprised.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Tom replied with a smile.

**********

"Damn, you're one ahead of me," Connor replied as he pushed her towards her Volkswagen Bug that was parked on the curb in front of the white house.

"Are you jealous Connor Levine?" Julia asked with a smile.

"No."

"Really?" she asked him teasing.

"Well maybe just a little," he replied. He opened the passenger door for her.

"Connor..."

"Okay, a lot. I admit. But you deserve it." He helped her into the car and closed the door before he struggled to get her wheelchair in the back of the car. He then got in and closed the door before he looked at her with adoration. "I'm proud of you Julia Slattery."

"Levine..."

"Yeah I know. But you're obviously a Slattery through and through. Now all we need to do is to get you walking again and get rid of that damn wheelchair."

"I don't know," Julia shrugged.

"You heard what the doc said. The damage wasn't so bad as for it not to heal again. I know of people who broke their backs and walked again. If they can do it, so can you."

**********

Mike was sitting in his quarters again in front of his laptop talking with Nasser Noorani. "So Admiral Slattery. Do you have an answer for me?"

"As much as I would like to say yes, there is no way I can give in to your demands. Send her to me then we can talk and work out something else."

Nasser chuckled. "Haha, you have a trick up your sleeve, don't you Admiral?"

"Well let's just say you've got something on your ship I want. And I've got something on my ship you want."

"Very clever Admiral. How about I trade your wife for that girl. The blonde one."