Organized Lightning [Revolution]

Epilogue

Six Months Later

"Thank you for your confidence, Governor Deaton," I told the woman as I walked her to the door.

"You've been doing your best, Ciara, we all see that," she told me. "I have a feeling you'll have plenty of cause for celebrating tonight."

"Even if it doesn't go my way, the war is over. The troops are returning home, I think that's enough cause for celebrating right there." She smiled at me and gave my arm a squeeze. When she walked out the door, I closed it behind her and leaned against it. I sighed.

"Well?" Governor Braxton asked coming into the foyer.

"I've got Tennessee's vote," I told him.

"Was there any doubt?" He shook his head at me. "Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina were on your side the moment you told them you were pregnant."

"Voting for me to be the Governor of Georgia is not the same thing as voting for me to be President."

"It's the Georgia Federation, what are they going to do? Change the name every time someone dies?"

"About the name. If we're really going to start incorporating the Republic, we're going to have to do something about it."

"That can be one of your first acts as president." He glanced out the window. "Now, I've got to get going, or I'll miss the vote." I must have looked panicked because he laughed. "It's two blocks away, I don't think I'm going to get lost between here and there. You've got my vote."

"Thank you, Charles."

"I believed in you father, and I believe in you." He opened the door and headed out towards the street. Just as he was leaving, I noticed a wagon was unloading in the driveway. I headed toward it.

"Excuse me, sir, do you have a permit to park your wagon here?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound deep and threatening. Miles turned around and grinned. He jumped out of the wagon. "I missed you."

He gave me a hug. "There's a lot more of you to hug these days."

"Please don't even get me started." When Miles let go of me, I looked around. Rachel and Charlie were walking back over after sitting some bags down. "Oh, y'all don't need to do that by yourself. Let me get you some help." I waved inside for someone to come out and help with the bags.

"Y'all?" Charlie asked laughing.

"Oh, believe me, the southern is back. I've got an IV pumping sweet tea right into my veins, and a plate of cheese grits at every meal." She laughed again and gave me a hug. "How have you been?"

"Great, honestly. We won!"

"It's finally over. It's really, truly over."

"Not quite," Rachel said. "There's this the matter of the nano."

I shuttered. "I almost forgot about that."

"Aaron and Priscilla are working on a way to shut them down. I'm going to help them."

"Does that mean you're turning down Governor of Wisconsin?" I asked. She nodded. "That's okay. Honestly, I really just wanted you for the vote. But it was decided pulling the north back together was going to be too much work. We wouldn't have time to get all the new governor's appointed in time."

"When is the vote?" Charlie asked.

"Today."

"Today?" She repeated. "Shouldn't you be there?"

I shook my head. "This is just a vote on whether I should remain president or not. If the vote is no, then the floor is open for the other governors to run." Charlie made a face.