Madam President ✓

58. Murder Is Always The Answer

   President Ivanov stood in his office overlooking the kremlin wall, chugging a glass of water. His best friend- the one person in the world besides himself that he listened to, suggested he try to cut back on the alcohol. It wasn't the same- but it gave him the same feeling as his morning shots.

He looked past the wall- at the sidewalks where pedestrians were on morning walks, taking in the blinding sunlight. Some were clearly tourists from other countries; pointing and taking pictures. This was, after all- one of the most powerful places in the world.

In his entire life, there was just one thing that made him truly angry: Americans.

Because despite what their media liked to say about him, he thought he was a reasonable man otherwise. When it came to their government- their presidents and senators though, he had no respect.

His father was the president from the time he was eleven to thirty four. And for many years after it was the former prime minister who held the office- until one day, when he was fifty two- he woke up and decided he would run. The campaign he ran in that first "election cycle" was like no other.

It was kill or be killed.

So he killed the former prime minister- and then his allies in the senate appointed him to the presidency after threatening their colleagues lives to make them vote yes.

For the past ten years, presidential elections had been suspended- and as long as he reigned there would be none.

  How did the Americans play into this?

  They tried to assassinate him multiple times in the beginning- before they figured out nobody would ever get to him. He had  arguably more security than the current American president(despite what happened over there)- a woman of all people!!

  As he tossed the cup in a bin, he heard the door open. He turned around to face his press secretary, who looked like he'd ran up the three floors to get here(the elevator had been broken for a few hours now).

  "We have a problem." The trusted ally said.

  "This is Russia. We have many problems, many enemies." He shrugged it off- not worried until the press secretary opened his mouth again.

  "I just spoke to an investigator."

  This made him stop in his tracks. A million things ran through his head.

  "I have half a mind to execute you right here and now-" he stepped closer, a hand already reaching into his back pocket.

It wasn't like that!" The press secretary quickly said.

  "Then what was it like?" President Ivanov gritted his teeth. "I like to think I can trust you. You wouldn't want to ruin that impression, would you?"

  The press secretary gulped. He'd worked with Ivanov long enough to know to never get on his bad side- no matter what the cost of that may be.

  "Sir..." he cleared his throat. "I think she may know about....the plan. I could be wrong but the way she talked....it was like she was trying to analyze my body language."

   President Ivanov sighed.

  "Her finding out so early on could jeopardize everything. Christ- we haven't even put the team together yet." He started pacing.

  "So what do we do?" The press Secretary tentatively asked even though he knew what the response would be. It was always the same.

  "We kill her."