Madam President ✓

86. The Team

Tanya
9 am

  "You wanted to see me-" Lynn is the last to open the door to Roosevelt room before I lock it. Her eyes dart around, as confused as the others. Melissa and Carlos are standing so close together they might as well be conjoined twins, while Alex awkwardly picks at her nails. "Tanya what are-"

"Sit down." I say. "Try as they might, the defense and state departments, FBI, pentagon, CIA and military haven't been very helpful. It's fucking pathetic really, that the supposed most intelligent agencies in the world haven't been able to put together a rescue team with enough guts to go in and kill everybody who gets in the way of returning an American citizen home alive. So one way or another- with or without help or approval from the government, I am going to go in there and get him my damn self. I will not be talked out of this. You all have connections of varying degrees- I know that for a fact. So I'd like to hear some of them."

"Tanya I'd advise against-" Carlos starts.

"We are long past the 'advising' stage of this mission. You were in the military for three years. Surely you must know somebody who can help?"

After a long pause, he leans forward. "Myself."

"You can't be serious." Melissa shakes her head. "You're not....fine. I'm going too."

"I received special training in hand to hand combat- haven't quite lost touch with it yet. I'm a little rusty on weaponry but let me fire a few rounds and I should be good- and no you're not." Carlos says.

"Neither of you can-"

"Both of our deputies were prepared for any potential leaves of absence before their first days on the job. They also know not to ask questions unless we directly tell them what's going on." Melissa interjects. I hadn't noticed before, and I hate myself for it, but the fire in her eyes- the longing to get her hands dirty, is strong. "Why are all of you looking at me like that? Christ, I know I'm the only one here with nothing more than basic self defense training- but so what?"

"I've been in the secret service for ten years." Lynn replies. "It's not a competition so much as it is a... safety concern. I'm in. Melissa I really don't mean this how it's gonna sound but.... You would die instantly."

  "How much do you weigh?" She ignores Lynn, focusing her attention on Carlos.

This should be entertaining.

  "Uhm... I don't know- around.... Two hundred pounds?" He shrugs.

Melissa purses her lips together and looks away for half a second- hardly enough time to blink, then she's somehow got him pinned against the floor.

Having made her point, she releases him.

"Besides- who goes isn't up to you. I'm in."

I never would have asked them to risk their lives like this- though I guess I should've expected they would offer to.

"Alex?" Lynn yawns.

Because of her experience in bombings and hostage situations, she would be quite useful.

"Oh what the hell-" she says. "I'm in too."

"We won't get two feet on the grounds without highly classified weaponry-" Carlos rubs his neck. "I have a friend at the pentagon who might help if we ask nicely enough."