Madam President ✓

40. An Unlikely Survivor

Tanya
Four days later

With D.C passing by, Melissa and Walter grill me like reporters. It's a nice change of pace from the constant negotiation and tense conversations we've had with world leaders since the explosion- a few of which even threatened to expose exactly what happened before I had a chance to. My response was always the same: "Mr.President/ Prime Minister/King, I understand why all of you may be reluctant to trust anything that comes out of my mouth right now but let's not make this about petty politics. I have disowned that thing I used to call my daughter. She is simply not a part of my life anymore- not in the same way at least. I may have done a shitty job raising her but that does not make it my fault."

"While it may not be your fault-" the king of England leaned forward once, so normal looking compared to how he's dressed in public appearances. "How the hell did you miss that?"

He was angry and I understood. His granddaughter- the duchess, was in attendance. All of the diplomacy he had around the initial search disappeared when he was told there would be nothing even to bury. His entire world came crashing down around him and he had to announce that to his country.

So now they are mourning too.

"I don't know." Was the only thing I could say. "Just.... The words need to come from my mouth. The county needs to know they have a commander in chief they can trust right now."

After a long pause, he finally said: "Fine. But do it quickly. My citizens are thirsting for someone's blood."

"So are mine." A chill ran down my spine as I thought about it.

The crime rate has increased across the country with people thinking they can get away with things on a local level while the federal government is not at its full capacity. As they've come to discover- that is far from the truth.

"Tanya-" Melissa's voice snaps me out of it. "Were you listening?"

"Uhm... no not really. Can you repeat the question?"

She rubs the bridge of her nose.

"Adding that to the list of things not to say at a press conference...." Walter adds.

"Hey- I've only been doing this for four days and so have you." I gesture to Walter.

"Not really-" he shrugs. "My mother was the governor of Utah for eight years. I was there at every single one she ever held and almost every prep session."

"That explains a lot." Melissa mumbles under her breath. "The questions?"

"Right. Sorry. Hit me."

"Madam President do you plan on stepping down after selecting a more qualified Vice President?"

"We have discussed all of our options, yes- but at this current moment in time that is not a plan of mine. See I took an oath of office, no matter how rushed- to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic. I can't exactly do that if I don't keep the position I hold."

"What do you have to say to the Americans that are doubting your leadership?"

"Damnit Melissa, this isn't a campaign stop! This is a press conference to tell them my offspring is a fucking terrorist."

"Like it or not everything you do will be viewed as political from now on out. You can either embrace that or say that you're different from all the others and piss people off."

"I'm the president and a female. I'm gonna piss people off regardless." I sigh as I look out the window.

With each day, the number of ambulances has greatly dwindled. Where most of them used to be there are now reporter's and media companies cars. They are still tirelessly searching through the rubble for one of the missing bodies- Darrel Lowe, who they expect to find dead if anything.