Eve In Utopia

Chapter Ten

Maggie Ryan stood at the rail of the ferry and watched the lights of Victoria twinkle and disappear behind them. It was a cool evening with a slight breeze that made her shiver and she knew she should go inside and find a jacket, but that would be likely to end her up in the middle of yet another argument, so she stayed put where she was.

"Yo Maggie," came a voice from behind her and the appointments secretary saw Bryce Turner walking towards her and holding out her jacket to her.

"You are a saint," exclaimed Maggie as she slipped into the jacket and zipped it up. "I was afraid to go back inside with Mitch on such a tear."

"Ingrid is mounting a counter attack," replied Bryce with a roll of his eyes. "I think it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

Maggie nodded in agreement. Mitchell O'Brien or Mitch to the few friends he had was the President's Chief of Staff and in Maggie's opinion, a loud mouthed arrogant prick. Ingrid Swanson was the President's spokeswoman and head of publicity. O'Brien and Swanson hated each other's guts and were always fighting about something with each trying to enlist the support of the others in the President's inner circle. It was virtually impossible to stay neutral in one of their disputes as both lived by the axiom that either you were with them, or you were part of the unholy alliance they were fighting. The current bone of contention was what to do with the Mexico problem. Two years ago, the President had decided or been convinced that the best way to deal with the border problem was to push it further back. In effect, the US had sent troops into Northern Mexico and all but annexed it, so now the border was a couple hundred miles further south and much more difficult for illegals to cross. The Mexican President had initially invited the American troops in to "restore order" though rumours were that he had his arm badly twisted to make that request. O'Brien was now pushing for an outright takeover and annexation of Mexico to further deal with immigration issues while Swanson opposed this strategy. It wasn't that Swanson didn't think it was a good idea, but rather that it wasn't a good idea just before an election in which such an action might trigger widespread opposition from the Hispanic community. After they won the election, she would be just fine with doing it, while O'Brien wanted it before the election to help portray President Lopes as a strong, decisive leader. Maggie had gotten tired of being caught in the middle of the fight and had made her escape out to the deck of the ferry.

"Well, I am glad you showed up," said Maggie as she turned back to the rail, "and not just because of the jacket. Jill Barber was doing her best, but I could see she was in over her head trying to run security. I wish to hell I knew what Franklin was thinking by dumping it on her. You should have heard the President go off on her when she told him about the ferry ride we had to take to get to the resort. He was demanding she whistle up a helicopter to take him there and the Dragon Lady was backing him on that one."

"So I heard, and my ears are still ringing from the hearing when I got to Victoria to greet Air Force One," said Bryce with a grimace. The 'Dragon Lady" was the name everyone used to refer to First Lady Winona Lopes, though of course not to her face. "There were just too many people and luggage though for helicopters that we didn't have anyways. Security wise, it made more sense to keep everyone together and use the ferry and the security arrangements already in place for it." Bryce gestured at the planes flying cover overhead, "That also includes the nuclear sub that is keeping pace with the ferry just in case somebody gets a bright idea about sending a torpedo our way. Even with all those precautions though, I will still be glad when we reach the resort where we aren't so exposed."

"I can't see anyone attacking the President there," agreed Maggie.

"No one thought Vegas would get nuked either," pointed out Bryce. "Personally, I won't be able to sleep until the President is back in Washington and he is Franklin's problem again. I suspect the reason he bowed out of this trip was due to that stupid Renaissance Coding Society get together they are having in Washington. I know they raise money for good causes and the proceeds from this one are supposed to go to the Veterans Hospital, but I still find the whole thing rather silly. Franklin said something about trying to code a Dungeons and Dragons game in Fortran. To me it is a colossal waste of time, but he's the boss and can set the schedule as he sees fit."