Mr. President 1(55)

29





Ashley





“What’s gotten into him?” I ask Tracy as we walk down a corridor at a brisk pace, heading toward the conference room.

“No idea,” she shrugs, trying to appear calm and in control, but I know that she’s a wreck underneath her professional demeanor. Against his own advice, Austin has decided to hold a press conference, and he hasn’t even told Tracy a word of what he’s going to be saying. Maybe all this stress has gotten the best of him. And if that’s what’s happening … well, then, we’re all fucked. But it’s not like we can stop him; he’s the President of the United States, after all, and when the President wants something, he usually gets it.

Even if that’s a press conference that might dictate his own impeachment

I know what you’re thinking; what am I doing back at the White House, right? After the heated exchange of words between Austin and I, I was on the verge of leaving for good. And I did. Went back to my apartment for the night. But a deal is a deal, and I’ve never backed out of one. And I’m not going to start now. And, besides, despite how much of an asshole he was toward me… I still believe that he’s the right man to be leading this country.

“Thing is,” Tracy tells me, stopping before we enter the wing of the White House opens to the reporters, “a bug was found in the Oval Office. Just like you said. And it’s as clear as water that Walker is the one behind it. There’s a forensics team up there as we speak.”

“Maybe he plans to use that as leverage against Walker?”

“If that were the case, I doubt he’d call a press conference. He’d do it behind closed doors.”

“Well, let’s hope he has a plan then,” I whisper as I step with Tracy inside the conference room, taking our seats on an area cordoned by the Secret Service. The room is completely packed with the White House press corps, and the mood is one of nervousness and excitement. Whatever Austin says at this press conference, history will be made—one way or another.#p#分页标题#e#

“He’s late,” I tell Tracy as I look down at my wristwatch. My heart aches as I remember the first time I saw Austin, back when I was being briefed on what my job would be; but this time the mood is a sour one, and no intern joke finds its way to my lips. Tracy opens her mouth to respond but then closes it again as Austin strolls inside the room by a side entrance, buttoning his jacket as he assumes his position behind the podium.

“Good evening, everyone,” he says into the mic, his gaze wandering over every single person in the room. His voice is deep and serious and, for the first time, he has adopted a presidential posture that would make George Washington proud. “Ever since I assumed the Presidency, the press has been obsessed with my personal life. With this new allegation that the Speaker of the House has made against me, I think it’s time I finally address all that has been said. Bob Walker was correct: Ashley was brought on board as my fake fiancée.”

His words hit the room like a nuclear bomb and, before he’s bombarded with a thousand questions, he raises one hand up in the air, calming everyone down. It isn’t that hard: everyone’s too stunned to do anything, and that includes me.

“It’s time this country knows the truth. I owe it to all of the Americans who have put their trust in me.” Pausing for a couple of seconds, as if gathering his thoughts, he then continues. “Despite what I’ve told you, I’ve broken no laws. No crime was committed; Ashley wasn’t given access to any classified information. But, yes, I’ll admit this whole ruse was an ill conceived plan, and the country deserves better of me.”

“The Speaker of the House is, however, trying to use this mistake against me. And he’s doing it in such a way that proves he’s the wrong person to hold the Presidency. As we speak, a special forensics team is investigating Bob Walker and it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Speaker of the House was involved in illegal wiretapping.”

This time, there’s a slight oh of surprise washing over everyone in the room. The President is revealing that his fiancée is fake, the Speaker of the House is involved in wiretapping—what’s happening with this country?

“I take full responsibility for my mistakes,” Austin continues, his presidential tone demanding the attention of everyone in the room. “But I also want to take responsibility for the good I’ve done. Under my presidency, the nation is better off than it's ever been. Public funding has improved, our ill-conceived involvement with foreign states has been reduced, and unemployment is at an all-time low. During the past decade, the world has looked at the United States as an empire too big for its own good, but now the tide is turning. The world is, once again, looking up at us as a role model, capable of leading by example instead of by force.”