Identity Crisis (BWWM) COMPLETE

Chapter Five: Grow Up

Grow Up

Elliot sat at the table with Helen Shrifer across from him, and a bottle of wine along with plates of pasta between them. What was supposed to be a professional dinner turned into a more personal dinner once Helen invited Elliot to her loft in DC. He had flown from New York just to make it, he had been securing the endorsers- telling them if they didn't pay their promised money, he would kill them. Easy as that. Helen had become a little touchy, but Elliot didn't mind it. He hadn't seen his wife in years, considering she had left him, and he could use some relief. He had hoped she would invite him to bed where the two could continue their childish flirting, and hopefully, it would end up being something more. But, his dreams were soon forgotten when an ad screened on the large tv that hung in the dining room. As soon as the two heard the name Joshua Livingston, their eyes became glued to the screen, and they both took in the new ad his daughter had sent out to the world. This one was scarier than the predecessor, but not too scary. The American people could use some tough love concerning their voting choices, and they would get it. It was their turn to be scolded for not choosing presidents who were nice and yet stern- it was always either or- and that annoyed Elliot more than anything on the face of the earth.

Helen watched with wide eyes as the bombs dropped and the foreign soldiers marched, mumbling their allegiance to their ruler, and their deep hatred for America. Then, just before you thought it would get worse, it cut to Livingston who is surveying army forts and greeting the soldiers, depicting the perfect image of a hero, a president. Somehow, Naomi had managed to get Joshua to an army base just before the soldiers were heading back to their rooms, and they had met him with pleasure, hoping he would win so their benefits could continue. Elliot and Helen both smiled at the end of the thirty second ad when Livingston's picture popped up, showing the world his pretty face. Helen turned back to Elliot with a smile on her face, ready to talk business.

"Send more money," Helen stated simply, smiling widely at him.

"I could, but I feel we should talk about something else right now. Look Helen, he can only get so far with defense-"

"I know, and I know he has other points."

"And we need to start running ads for the other points."

"And what do I have to do with that?"

"I need you to talk to some people, I know you have friends, so talk to them."

"Hmm..." Helen trailed as if she had been in deep thought. She knew she would talk, and talk all the way to the bank, along with Livingston and his campaign manager. She liked the guy, and she knew he would protect the second amendment, as well as America, meaning D-PAC and it's members would never go broke, and she also knew it would take money. "I'll talk with a few friends, mainly from defensive companies who are big on health and family and such. We'll get her the money."

"Thank you, now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my -"

"What is with you two?"

"What do you mean?" Elliot questioned as he stood, and buttoned his jacket.

"I mean why are you so concerned about Naomi Washington?"

"Because she is handling my client. I'll see you next week, Helena," he nodded, turning the knob, tipping his fedora down, and heading out of the loft.

The room was thick with tension as every employee of the campaign sat with notepads and pens. It wasn't their worst nightmare, but it came in a close second, and Naomi hadn't stopped throwing out suggestions since the story had broken, but none of them would work, so she had finally gathered the team, and they had been working nonstop for six hours straight- no one came in the conference room, no one came out. It was a leak. Someone, who Naomi quickly identified, fired, and replaced, leaked Joshua's plans to visit the Middle East, along with a picture if Naomi and him speaking with one another, looking deeper into each other's eyes than they should have been. It looked real, it was, but the media didn't know that, and they ate it up like it was tossed meat to a lion. One person had leaked two stories in less than ten hours, and that sent Naomi into a fit of rage she was hardly able to control. When she had identified the source, she drug her into the conference room, and gave her the worst tongue lashing she would ever receive in her life, along with a threat to ruin her. The girl was gone in less than an hour, being replaced by an African American young lady whom Naomi intended on hiring, if she did well on the campaign trail. She had already saved her, twice, but she would've liked to sample her skills before she was added to Washington & Law's payroll.