The Sins of the Fathers

Chapter Six

The White House

Washington DC

"Mr Ambassador...what a pleasant surprise?" President Sean Fletcher said, meeting the British Ambassador at the door with a knowing smile. Richard Montague nodded, and shook his hand, not speaking until the secretary had closed the door behind him, leaving them alone to talk in private.

"Mr President...thank you for agreeing to see me?" Montague said, taking the seat he was offered, watching Fletcher sit down opposite him. "I am sure that you realise that I am here on behalf of President Symonds to protest in the strongest possible terms about your actions last week...namely the illegal transportation of two fugitives out of Britain? I must demand that they are returned to us immediately, Sir?"

"Miss Skylar Hamilton is an American citizen, wrongly convicted of terrorism over thirty years ago, Mr Montague. Her case has been raised with your President many times...with all the proof he needs to confirm her innocence...but you chose to keep her? Despite our protests in the strongest possible terms? When I was offered a chance to right that obvious wrong, I took it...but feel free to challenge her repatriation in the courts, won't you? Public opinion will not be on your side on that one, old chap?" Fletcher replied, already enjoying himself immensely, having flushed one of the rats out of the sewer. Although, he had to admit that Richard Montague was not one of the really bad rats. Charles Montague's son was actually something of a liberal, by normal Reformist standards. His father had been the original leader of the Christian Democratic Alliance, serving as Prime Minister from late twenty-twenty right up until the Republic was formed in twenty-thirty, after the death of King Charles III in twenty-twenty-eight. He was only fifty at the time, but he chose not to take the Presidency for what were said to be private personal reasons. However, according to Gideon Palmer's dogged research, later confirmed by Sebastian Osborne, those reasons were serious concerns about the methods his colleagues were prepared to employ to achieve radical social change at a pace. And his only son was thought to be a chip off the old block, even if he remained a committed Christian Reformist and part of the problem. "Although that would be heard in public, of course...something Madame Delacorte is rather keen to avoid...whilst her people investigate various allegations..."

"It can be heard in camera, Mr President? We have taken advice..."

"Over my dead body, Mr Ambassador...both women have been abused by your system and they are not going back...if you try it, I will go public...with everything else." Fletcher growled, repeating his threat to turn a crisis for the British into a nightmare. He found it quite liberating, not having to worry about his sister anymore. He understood her choice, because it had taken so long to get near her and she had a family in Britain, and he had to accept it as her loving brother. But that pain gave him the chance to avenge her. He would not let worries about Caitlin stop him doing the right thing anymore. "And believe me, I don't care about any consequences that might mean for myself or my family...I can keep your monsters on the front pages all around the world for months and we can let the court of public opinion decide our fate?"

"Your threat is offensive, Mr President...and I do not believe in monsters...these so-called allegations are malicious and we will be mounting a vigorous defence of our interests...your personal issues with certain people are clouding your judgement..."

"Ask your father, Mr Ambassador." Fletcher snapped, talking over Montague. "One billion people died...Drew Symonds visited Wuhan twenty times in the two years before Covid was unleashed on the world...and all the people working in his laboratory disappeared during the pandemic. Only two countries benefitted from Covid...yours and the Chinese, who seem to have emerged from their brutal lockdowns richer and stronger...everyone else suffered with flat economies and devasted populations. And miraculously, the only man who could create a working vaccine was Drew Symonds? So...ask your father why he got out of the kitchen before the heat got too bad? Ask him what he knew?"