Chapter 34
Chief of Staff
Washington, D.C
A uniformed army Captain walked alongside Hayden McDonald as he was escorted towards the Oval office. Hayden had been Whitehouse Chief of Staff for two and a half years and felt a certain amount of protective pride in his Whitehouse. He certainly didn’t like being ‘escorted’ to the Oval Office.
Especially when the President, his President, wasn’t in there. Hayden McDonald straightened his suit jacket and tie and waited by the door. The Captain, a dour faced gentleman, knocked on the door.
“Come in,” came the new voice in the room. Hayden McDonald walked into the Oval office and saw that General Pierce was still holding court. There were three other officers in the room. Two were generals, the other was a Colonel. But the Colonel was the only one that General Pierce was really paying any attention to.
“General, this is Hayden McDonald. He was chief of staff to the former President,”
Announced the Captain. General Pierce waved the Captain away with a hand.
“Hayden, take a seat. Would you like a drink?”
Hayden stayed on his feet. “No thank you General,”
“We’re all in the same boat here Hayden,” stated General Pierce.
“I see,” replied Hayden.
One of the other generals spoke now. “Mr McDonald, I know you aren’t entirely happy with what’s happened. But we in control now. This farm needs a firm hand at the teller,”
“Farms don’t have tellers General Marx,” replied Hayden McDonald.
General Pierce laughed at this.
“I know your reputation Hayden, that you were a feared ball buster in D.C. The President's hit man?” enthused General Alex Pierce. General Pierce had been a three star general with major promise until a few years ago. Then he had fallen afoul of a newly elected Presidential administration.
General Pierce had orchestrated a swift and brutal coup and was now ‘de-facto President.” However Hayden McDonald had been summoned to him which meant that he needed him for something. The two other Generals were lickspittle allies, trying to suck up to the new chief. Colonel Carpenter, grey eyes shining, was the real danger.
“I wouldn’t say I was his hit man,” replied Hayden.
“Indeed not. Well, those days are over. What you are now is a fount of information that I need to tap,” continued the General. “You know every player in Washington and beyond,”
“I think my knowledge extends only as far as political players, General.” Said Hayden, leaving the emphasis on the word General.
“You don’t approve of what we’ve done?” asked General Pierce.
“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” said Hayden cooly.
“I see. But you’ll help wont you?”
“Why? Why would I help you?” replied Hayden.
“Becausse you believe in this Republic. And I’m going to need your help to hold it together,” said General Pierce.
Hayden kept a poker face but he had heard the word ‘need’ in there.
“General, I’m a straight talker. Surely you’ve heard that about me?” he began.
“I value honesty,” said General Pierce.
“I find that hard to believe. But I will be honest with you. The political establishment are not going to cooperate with you willingly. I’m surprised that after this coup you’ve gotten as much support from the military as you have. You’ve endangered not only the Republic but the entire country. We’re in the most serious domestic situation since the Civil War and you endanger us even further like this,”
General Pierce’s face darkened.
“I see. Well if you aren’t going to cooperate then I’ll find someone who will,”
“Theres no one around here who knows all of the players like I do, no one who has all the pressure points. Now I know you could just beat it out of me. But that’s not going to help you make a case for yourself as the savior of our Republic is it?” said Hayden.
Colonel Carpenter got to his feet. “Excuse us for a moment General,” said the colonel. He escorted Hayden out of the room back into his old office.
“Okay Mr McDonald, cut the bullshit. You know we need you for something. What is it you want in return?” said the Colonel.
Hayden tried to size him up. He was a smaller man, five feet nine or ten. He had a wiry strength though and those intelligent eyes. Hayden didn’t know his career but saw an airborne patch on his arm and a ranger jump school badge on his jacket.
“Colonel Carpenter, I will help you and the General sort this mess out. But I want four things. And I’m not negotiating with you. I’ll have them all or you can just shoot me now,”
“No one is shooting anyone,” replied Carpenter. “Go on, what do you need?”
“Okay, first of all I wanted Jack Krane in here. He’s my deputy and I trust him,”
“Done. Next?”
“I want a signed document stating that I am not a part of your coup or whatever you call it,”
“Again, that’s easy. Next?”
“I want all non essential Whitehouse staff sent home or at least no longer held under guard. There are a lot of young men and women here and they are terrified,”
“Okay, that’ll take some time to organize but I can do that. What else is it you want?”
“I want a promise that I’m fairly sure will be broken,” replied Hayden McDonald.
You are Hayden. He talks just like you do.
ReplyDeleteYou do like cliff-hangers, don't you.
I don't!!! Especially when I'm going to have to wait for days to have this one resolved!!! There are so many things about this story that I don't understand and want to be clarified. I think I'm beginning to hate you. [Heart-felt, but not serious!]