Foster looked up at the man. “What do you mean?”
“Damn it, because of what Williamson has cooked up, I am now sending men into harm’s way! One person has already died and many more might follow because somebody forgot that we serve the people instead of the other way around. The rescue team is in the air, so now you’re going to get an early taste of what it’s like to be a President. You are going to sit right here with me until it’s over, one way or the other,” O’Bannon said pointing his finger at Foster. He sat back in his chair. “I’m also keeping you here so that you can’t get any deeper into this. Williamson’s head is going to roll. I might be able to keep one head chopping quiet, but not two. You will remain here until it’s over, then you will continue your campaign. Can you imagine what the American public would feel if they found out what your campaign did. They are already deeply suspicious of their elected officials. According to the polls, we are just one step away from the entire nation calling for a constitutional convention. We might find our entire form of government rewritten, just because of what has happened. So I am now going to protect you. Your secrets will be buried deep. You will continue your campaign, but with the resignation of your Chief of Staff, things will understandably fall apart. The nation will never know just how bad this system got. Greg, you will be allowed to bow down with dignity and move aside. But not before we both get this system fixed. It’s going to be you and me. In my next four years, we have to fix things in our parties so that this bickering and this type of backstage win-or-be-damned attitude ends. We are going to turn things around so that the word statesmanship is returned to political vocabulary. Our nation has suffered enough,” he said, finally calming some from the rage he felt.
O’Bannon got up and poured another drink. “I’m not going to be like Williamson. None of what we have said will ever come out. I’m not out to control you, Greg, but I have a real job to do. I’m inviting you to do this with me. Are you in?”
Foster looked up at the man. O’Bannon could see a change in his face. The fear was gone, but more, there was a look of determination. “You would work with a guy some would call a traitor?”
“Greg, you’re no more a traitor than I am. I don’t like what happened, but as far as I can tell, you weren’t the one who planned this. The FBI has dug into everything and we have it all. Members of your staff even noticed when the change occurred in you and in the office. It didn’t happen until the plans for this were well underway. When this eventually comes out, Williamson will hang, not you. But I wasn’t kidding when I said I needed your help. It’s going to take the leadership to make things change. Right now, we’re at the top. So I ask again, are you in?”
Foster stood and offered his hand. “Mister President, I will do whatever I can to make sure things change. You have my word,” he said.
O’Bannon nodded and smiled. “Good. Now let’s get through this mess together. Maybe we can let everyone know it was a true bipartisan effort. Follow me to the war room,” he said leading Foster out the door and down the hall. It was going to be a long and very stressful operation.
“So he called me a monkey? The American bastard thinks I am beneath him, does he? It appears we need to send him a message on who has the upper hand here,” said Parente angrily.
“That is all we got from this conversation, Señor Presidente. We are still monitoring his calls,” said the communications technician in his personal guard.
Parente nodded stiffly. It was blatantly apparent that he was still angry, but containing his anger at present. “No. You have done your jobs well. Keep monitoring the line and let me know everything that is said. Thank you for your assistance,” he said dismissing the man. When he left the office, Parente picked up the phone and pressed the button dialing Jonas’ office.
“You can call off your search for the traitor,” said Parente. “I have decided it is time to end this situation,” he said immediately after Jonas picked up his phone.
“What is wrong, Mister President?” asked Jonas.
“It is none of your concern. It appears my own pilot is talking to one of your agents. I feel I can trust no one on your end as well as mine. So I will take things in my own hand,” Parente said abruptly.
Jonas was immediately frightened. Something had happened and Parente was going to kill everyone, maybe even him. He had to act quickly. “Mister President, I don’t know what has happened, but please allow me to work on this. Either someone has provided the wrong information or you are being deceived.”
“Deceived? You may be right. I need the name of every operative in Venezuela within 24 hours or I start killing your people. I am going to make sure no one will move against me again,” Parente shouted into the phone before hanging up.
Jonas was seeing his life passing before his eyes. Everything was coming unraveled. He immediately dialed Williamson’s number. “We have a big problem,” he told him.
Williamson let out a cry of anguish. “What do I have to do to get people to do their jobs? We are within an inch of this paying off and this son of a bitch is getting cold feet?”
“It’s more than that. He says his pilot has been passing information to one of our agents. If that’s the case, the word is out. We need to do something fast,” Jonas said.
“Damn it, I have been talking to Rutter up at the Agency. If anyone would know of information coming in to us, it would be him. You need to tell your friend that he needs to calm down.”
“You tell him that. The man’s insane with anger right now. He says if he doesn’t get the name of every agent in Venezuela within 24 hours, he will kill the hostages,” cried Jonas. “And what if your man doesn’t know? What if it’s all being kept to a limited few? They may be coming down on us right now,” Jonas almost pleaded.
Williamson thought a moment, and then sat back. “Well, then let him do it. After 24 hours and he has no word, he can just have his little flight of power. And Jonas….”
“Yes.”
“You better start packing your bags, because he’ll be coming after you too.” The line went dead.
Jonas stared at the now dead receiver. Only now did he realize the situation he was in. No one would be looking out for him. No one would say much. Parente would one day snuff his life out as if it were a candle. He started looking around the room, but there was no place to go and he was quite alone. He grabbed the phone he had hidden in his desk and ripped it out. Then he opened a hidden panel in the credenza and began pulling out papers and throwing them in a trash can. He didn’t hear the door open.
“Ambassador Jonas, I am here to place you under arrest for violation of Title 18, U. S. Code. You have the right to remain silent…” said Wilson as he went behind the desk, lifted Jonas up and placed hand cuffs on his wrists. As he finished Mirandizing the man, Jonas slumped down like a rag doll. He began to whimper. As Wilson and Lozier took him from the room, he even wet himself.
In Washington, Deshawn Jackson was the last one in the campaign office, making himself available if the Chief of Staff needed him. He was surprised when he saw Agent Kelly and several others enter the office. Kelly came up to his desk.
“Mister Jackson, is Mr. Williamson in his office?” asked Kelly.
“Yes sir, he’s been in there for the past several hours,” Jackson said.
Kelly winked at him. “Thanks, bud.” The men headed to the door and walked in. After a few minutes, Jackson heard Williamson shout, “I am a former United States Senator!” Scuffling was heard in the office and in another minute, the men came out with Williamson in handcuffs and being held on each arm by very large FBI agents.