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| Early in the morning on a Sunday the phone rang. CJ groggily reached for her phone. She had been up all night working on finishing up with the news of the terror attack on the temporary US embassy a week and a half ago in – as Leo had put it Guatala-who-the-hell-cares and she was in no mood to deal with whoever thought that it would be a good idea to call her at such an ungodly hour – 9:30 am – especially on the one half day the president actually promised that nothing bad was going to happen. “Go home, CJ!” he had told her. And after patronizing her instance that she should probably just stay seeing as how it would be morning in an hour or three he continued, “CJ, Go home… take half the day off. Tell’em you slept in. Get some sleep. God knows one of us should. Nothing bad is going to happen between now and then, I promise.” She had again begun to protest, but the President cut her off. “Get some sleep. That’s an order, CJ.” All she would have said there, before now, before she got used to him as the president, was “Yes Sir, Mr. President.” But now that she was a little more comfortable in her role she didn’t… She said, “Mr. President, I know you are just joking about that half a day off, but I’m taking it. And when they ask me why Toby was up there giving the morning announcements instead of me, I’m blaming you.” With that and a slight roll of her eyes that only she could do right, although she had caught others trying it, she turned to walk off. Just before she got to the open door she said behind her back without turning around, “I’m serious!” “Bright and early, CJ!” the President had retorted in his I’m-the-president-tone with that all too familiar muted laugh following behind, “Eight AM.” CJ had simply just waved it off behind her and continued out without missing a step. She now laid on her bed, her left hand frantically searching for the source of the offending ringing on the night stand. She slightly growled when she finally woke up enough to realize that she wasn’t going to be able to find the ringing phone without looking over to her table. She then laid there more comfortable than she had been in weeks and listened to the ringing, hoping that if she waited long enough it would stop. It didn’t. Nearly a half a minute later and it was still ringing. “Well,” she said turning on her side so she could see her in table, “they certainly are persistent.” Her eyes slowly focused on a small red cell phone vibrating and slightly moving as it rang on the table. All at once she sat up grabbed the phone and raced around to her closet. Opening and putting the cell phone to her ear as she quickly answered as she searched for something to wear. “What is it?” she said not waiting for anyone to say anything. “Flamingo,” came an unfamiliar voice, “I’m going to need your conformation code.” CJ quickly searched her memory and then rattled off the code she hadn’t used many times while she worked at the white house. “Code confirmed. Thank you. Please hold for Toby Zieglar" The voice said and then the line fell silent. No more than a half a minute later the all too familiar voice of Toby filtered onto the line with a hint of worry, “CJ?” “Toby,” CJ said irritated at the wait she just incurred almost fully dressed now, “What is it?” CJ wasn’t ready for what she heard next. When she heard it, it almost knocked her off her feet. “The President’s swan has flown away.” Somehow she managed to regain her composure in time to not let on much of a clue, “North or south?” she continued on with the coded message. “East.” came the reply. “Are you sure?” “No” “Is it around the bend?” “We’re not paddling hard enough.” “Oh my God. Toby, I’m on my way.” And she was too. During the time of that short conversation she had gotten completely dressed and had packed her things, including her everyday cell. “Yeah, faster now.” And then the line went dead. She ran to her car and, as she instinctively drove the car, her mind wasn’t even on the road, but on the phone messages. “Zoey is missing.” “Was she kidnapped?” “Possibly, but we don’t know for sure.” “Did she set off her panic button?” “Yes” “Does she still have it?” “It was moving we’ve lost its signal.” CJs car speed in the direction of the White House. By the time she came out of the trance she was in and realized where she was, she couldn’t remember driving that far. Had she been in the car that long!? *** The White House was in an uproar Charlie had never seen before. Men and secret service were everywhere. He had had to go through more security than ever before. He now wished that the security had, like they had done others, prevented his passage into the White House, but they hadn't. He now stood at the door to the oval office. He took a deep breath and then opened the door to the waiting eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Bartlet, Leo McGaury, Sam Seaborn, a few others he recognized, and about a half a dozen men dressed in black. The President and Mrs. Bartlet sat on a small love seat both obviously shaken. “Mr. President!?” he said as he entered. “Any news?” came the solemn voice of Mr. Bartlet. “Nothing new at this time, sir.” Charlie had the unfortunate job of telling them that. Mrs. Bartlet had begun to break down at that, but this was slowed when the doors again opened and Toby stepped in and announced, “I’ve just spoken to CJ. She’s on her way in now.” |