AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not so fast. She might change her mind after she meets you.”
“That’s funny. You’re the fuckin’ President of the United States—what could I offer?”
“Suppose that’s not important to her?”
“Then I’d say she’s a good woman. Not a gold digger. I’d probably get along with her well. So would Moira.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I think I’m going to keep it on the down-low for a bit until I’m secure enough in our relationship. Besides, we have other dragons to slay, my friend.”
Dimitri knew he had more to tell him than just the president falling in love. It had to be a bigger reason than that. Now his stomach gurgled the morning double espresso he’d had. The two of them stared each other before President Collier stood up and looked out the oval office window made so famous by presidents in the past. Dimitri knew that view would always remain in a man’s (or woman’s) mind long after the presidency was over, as they pondered on their administration, the pluses and minuses, successes and failures. And of course those who perished in thefog of war as these things were planned, executed, and either failed or succeeded.
It was an army of people, Dimitri now knew, not just one man. But it took a strong man to lead the pack. It also took a strong man to lead the “troops” like Kyle had done when he was on SEAL Team 3. He hoped his successes for the president were half as brilliant as Kyle’s leadership was. He made a note to bring Kyle to D.C. to do another introduction. He’d like him to be part of the team that tried to ride this bucking bronco of a nation. It was like the Wild West all over again. Enemies came from all over the world now. The people and the troops wanted peace, but what they demanded in governance sometimes took violence.
Nobody, if they were sane, wanted bloodshed.
But there were so many evildoers out there, raising bands of up-and-comers—“The Devil’s Brigade,” as his pastor once said.
“Lay it on me, then,” Dimitri said to the president’s back.
President Collier turned and re-seated himself. “You remember our discussion some months ago about more men to help you out.”
“You’ve got Silver Team.”
“Silver Team doesn’t work for me. They work for the Executive Branch, which I’m part of. But the vice president is in charge now, more than I ever was.”
There had been a slight shift, Dimitri acknowledged. President Collier had somewhat distanced himself, and now he saw it was by intention.
“Was wondering about that.”
“Figures it wouldn’t have escaped your scrutiny. The long and short of it is I need people who work for me.”
“Just what do you have in mind, sir?”
“You tell me if I’m wrong, but over my next two years in office—because I have to start campaigning if I am going torun again, and I was planning on doing it—will former Senator Goldberg will be satisfied sitting in prison? He owes a lot of favors, even though he is behind bars. That won’t last forever. I have it on good authority he is mounting a campaign against me or throwing his backing to a Never-Collier group. I have a feeling it will get bloody. I’d like to survive. But I’d also like to see what the odds are. Can you give me your impartial opinion of that?”
“What, now? Right now, sir?”
“Think about it. Think about it hard. If you don’t want to risk it—”
“Fuck that, sir. Risk isn’t the issue.”
“No? How about your happy married life with Moira, the family vineyard, and the future babies I know you’re going to spawn?”
“Of course that’s important to me, sir. That is the most important part of my life. But I owe a debt of service to you, the oath I took when I got my Trident. As in the prayer, ‘I am that man.’ I intend to always be that man. What kind of a husband or father would I be if I quit? And do you think for one second I’ll ever retire? Why, they’ll be stripping me of my wheels as I try to navigate up and down the halls of Congress, the White House, or wherever I’m sent, hitting people with my cane and using my dementia as a tool to get them all cleared out, put behind bars, and forced to leave the innocents alone. I can never finish this job, sir. No such thing as quitting. And frankly, I’m surprised you’d think so.”
Collier laughed, more like a rolling, boiling wave of insanity. The same one Dimitri felt.
“We’re both snagged by the same hook, aren’t we?” he asked.
“Damn straight. Probably why we wear the same underwear.”
Collier had fun with that one. “Same pajamas too, I believe.”
“When they stop making them, I’ll be hiring it out, and I’ll give you my tailor’s information.”
“I would expect no less.”
Dimitri didn’t mean to check his watch and squinted as he looked back up at Collier. “Sorry, sir, I promised—”
