“Uh huh.” General Foxx stepped up to the map, walking on top of the papers now strewn on the floor. “I assume you don’t need any of those?”
“Probably not, General.”
“Well, whad’a ya have?”
“This.” Jenner handed Foxx the paper that had started this sort.
“What is this?”
“The word circled at the top, sir. Brezhnev.”
“The former Soviet leader? Is it code?”
“Not quite, sir. Although spelled the same, it is a different person.” Jenner leaned down on the map with his palms flush against the table. “All these piles on this side have Brezhnev’s stamp of approval on them. These on the left side, do not.”
“And that is important, why?”
“None of these on the left were authorized by the Russian Air Force command directly, specifically General Anton Brezhnev.”
“Someone’s playing cowboy.”
“Looks to be that way, sir.”
“Shit.” General Foxx turned away. “I’ve got a call to make.”
The ravages of winter had cemented its grip on the nation’s capital. A blanket of white, pristine and smooth covered not only the political sins of the city, but the grounds of the White House as well. Tensions were running high. The incident with the Russians had cast a pall over the preparations for a formal, state dinner that had been in the planning for months. It was intended to smooth over relations that had simmered just beneath a boil, ever since the Russian intervention in Ukraine the previous year. If it was up to the president’s chief of staff, he’d have canceled it all. Protocol be damned.
“They’ll be gathering in an hour, sir.”
“Thank you, Mary.” He turned and looked at his secretary, a term he probably shouldn’t use in these days of political correctness. She was his assistant, but that term just didn’t sit well with him. They had been together for many years, and she understood him. After his wife was killed in a car accident, she was the only woman’s voice in his life.
“How do I look?” Martin Powell was more than just a throwback in words. Politics was a dirty game and he did everything he could to keep it clean in this White House. He ceased being a politician the day he accepted his current role. She walked over to him and slid her fingers beneath his lapels.
“You did just fine. I couldn’t have picked a better suit myself.”
“It’s the only tux I own. It wasn’t really hard.”
“You’re expected in the Oval Office in fifteen minutes.”
The chief of staff nodded and grabbed her hand, squeezing it softly as he walked by and out of his office. He took his time as he strolled down the hall to what he considered the most important room in the world. This part of the White House, even on a night where there was an official gathering, would be rather quiet. There were a few more bodies walking about, several of those included extra security, both visible military, and undercover Secret Service. There would be nothing that would go wrong this night. He nodded as he passed the Marine guard as he stepped into the Oval Office.
“Evening, Marty.”
“Mr. President,” he replied, another nod as he made his way to one of the two white couches near the center of the room.
Arrayed about the room were various cabinet members and ranking members of Congress. The discussion was light-hearted until the meeting hour, then things began to get serious.
“Gentlemen,” POTUS began, “tonight we have a chance to smooth over some things that have been festering. President Novichkov and I will have some serious discussions as time permits. He must be made to understand the intervention in Ukraine is unacceptable to the United States and, although he knows this, I intend to reaffirm our position.”
“What would you like us to do, Mr. President?”
“Thank you, Simon, that was my next speech.” POTUS smiled, knowing full well not everyone in the room was on his side. But tonight, it wasn’t his side, it was the side of the United States. “I know several of you wouldn’t care if I was in this office tomorrow or not, but this isn’t about me. This is about the future of our national security and our NATO partners. What we achieve here tonight could help stabilize the situation in Europe.” He scanned the room for reaction. There was none, at least none he could read. “Tonight, we offer help.”
“Offer help how?” Wallace Chambers, the senior senator from Florida chimed in.
“With whatever we can. If you’re asked about trade, talk trade. Look to make minor concessions.” POTUS straightened in his seat. “I know we can’t promise the world, but we can at least look like we want to engage in a positive manner.”
“What if they don’t bite, Mr. President?”
“Well Simon, then all we can say is we tried. Even if it doesn’t bring results immediately, it might open up some channels we haven’t looked at before. We can always look at contacts down the line.”
“But Mr. President, the people of my state…”
“Are not the issue here tonight, Senator Chambers,” POTUS interjected. The look in the president’s eye was steadfast. “This is a foreign policy initiative, not some gerrymandering function of a local party hack.” POTUS stood, then buttoned the top button on his jacket. “Thank you gentlemen. Uh, Martin, could you stay a second?”
“Yes sir,” Martin said as he sat back down on the couch.
“Marty,” POTUS said as the door closed behind the last visitor. “I’ve got something for you to look into as well.”
“I suspected as such.”
“President Novichkov’s chief of staff will also be here tonight. I’d like you to cozy up to him some. You know, sort of the same two guys doing the same job for a bastard of a boss sort of thing.”
“Should I use that phrasing, Mr. President?” Martin smiled.”
“If you need to, yes. See if you can gain any insight on the Alaskan situation.”
“Yes sir.”
“Let’s do this, Martin.” POTUS pushed through the door and into the hallway, his chief of staff just steps behind.
The state room was brimming with conversation, mostly between sub-level dignitaries of nations. Although several European countries were represented, the highlight was Russian president Yuri Novichkov. It was to be the first time the American president and his rival had met during either’s tenure. The situation in the Ukraine had heightened tensions between the powers, but what happened in Alaska put a severe damper on the visit. Edwin Kiger looked over the room quickly as he stepped to the door and the announcement was made.
“Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests and dignitaries, the President of the United States.”
There was a polite smattering of applause as President and Mrs. Kiger entered the room. Both smiled nonchalantly with a nod and a brief wave of the hand. President Kiger was not fond of formal announcements of himself, except into the halls of Congress. There, it was an invocation of his office. Here, it was personally uncomfortable. He wanted it over as quickly as possible. He was a tall and handsome man of mid-fifties, looking every part a presidential man. Susan Kiger was his perfect match; professional, intelligent, his confidant, and drop-dead gorgeous. She was more than the perfect political wife. She was a political asset, born to be the First Lady. But she did love the spotlight a little more than he preferred.
After a polite smattering of applause, POTUS began a reserved mingling within the crowd as the groups and parties quickly returned to their own conversations. He just had to give it some time and let the alcohol begin to flow. POTUS was not a stranger to dealing and deal-making. Though he was a principled man, he, like others in the war of politics, knew how to dig for information and dirt. Booze was always an ally. Edwin Kiger looked up, nodding as he caught the eye of his chief of staff. Things would heat up soon.