by Mark Donovan
President Coleman, however, had no plans to resign. His team was preparing yet another speech for him, as he was planning to address the nation at 9:00pm local time. Though hearing a cacophony of voices demanding his resignation, and his hopes for enacting the Transportation Movement Act dashed, the President still hadn’t reconciled himself with the notion of leaving political office. Consequently, he planned to explain once again to the nation that the video released earlier today was a complete fabrication and that such a meeting actually never occurred. Moreover, he would portray the perpetrators who produced the video as terrorists that threatened the core of the country and its federal government, and that his administration was working diligently to bringing them to justice.
Chapter 90 (April 1, Monday 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
It was 7:05pm and ABO’s evening news anchor Gabe Hernandez had just completed summarizing the headlines of the day. Jeff Kolosky stood on the sidelines of Studio News Set A as he watched Gabe introduce Kevin Ames who was sitting next to him at the news desk.
“We start off tonight with an investigative report from Kevin Ames on the President and the recent video releases that have attempted to discredit him and his administration. As I mentioned in the top headlines, the terrorist group responsible for these videos, released another one just yesterday afternoon.”
Kevin Ames faced Gabe Hernandez as he framed the introduction to the report that Kevin was about to deliver.
“The video showed the President purportedly conducting a secret meeting at Camp David with two billionaires from China and Greece. For full disclosure I need to mention to the audience before you begin Kevin, that the supposed Greek billionaire in the video is ABO’s Chairman of the Board. So with no further ado Kevin, what have you learned in your investigation into this matter. “
“Thank you Gabe.” Kevin then turned to directly face the live camera.
“Over the past several days I’ve carefully reviewed all of the videos released by this group, with the exception of yesterday’s. Based on a number of confidential sources that I have spoken with, I can confirm that the events depicted in all of the videos, again with the exception of yesterday’s, actually did take place.”
Kevin Ames paused for effect before continuing.
“The Vice President’s unfortunate event in Buenos Aires, the Business Leaders conference in San Francisco and the ensuing discussion between the Secretary of Commerce and Dimitris Barbas, the President’s one on one conversations with members of Congress, and the President’s meeting with the late Speaker of the House, all occurred, based on numerous eye witness accounts and confirmation of travel reports and White House visitor logs.”
Gabe looked over at Kevin Ames with an alarming look on his face. Kevin Ames was effectively indicting the President and members of his cabinet. As Kevin continued with his report, Gabe quickly glanced over at Jeff Kolosky who gave him a look in no uncertain terms to allow Kevin to continue.
“I’ve also gone back in our own archives here at ABO and have uncovered never released video footage of the President, and various members of his staff, conducting and expressing themselves in a similar manner to what we’ve observed on the recent anonymous video releases. Similar to those releases, the video footage we are about to exclusively broadcast shows a President, and his administration, who are clearly not looking out for the best interests of this country and its citizens.”
The news broadcast cut to a video that Kevin Ames and Jeff Kolosky had pieced together over the past two days. As the film started to roll out across the airways and into peoples’ homes, Kevin Ames provided narration to what the evening news viewership was watching.
“In the first segment that you’re about to see, you’ll see our President and his Chief of Staff, meeting two years ago with the leadership of the international organization known as “Friends of Planet Earth” at a private meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. As you listen, you’ll hear our own President refer to the average American citizen as a “pig” when it comes to their energy consumption and massive carbon footprint size. You’ll also hear his Chief of Staff discuss the idea of a new initiative that they are just formulating to strip the American public of its personal vehicles, while at the same time raise funds for other global eco-friendly initiatives.“
As the segment began to play Gabe again looked over at Jeff and gave him a fierce look. Jeff waved his hand to signal to Gabe and the rest of the studio staff to keep the video piece running and allow Kevin to continue.
The video clip ran for over two minutes before Kevin Ames cut in again.
“Now in the next segment you’ll see our President and his Press Secretary meeting privately at a resort hotel in the Canary Islands three years ago with senior news media executives from two of our competing networks and one national newspaper Editor in Chief. The meeting’s purpose was a strategy session on how to boost the Presidents image, while at the same time undercut his opponent’s image during the last presidential election campaign. During the meeting you can hear the President negotiating favors to the media executives, in return for their support of his reelection. The favors included supporting reparation initiatives for parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa for past atrocities purportedly caused by the United States government in those regions over the past two centuries.”
Kevin Ames’s investigative report went on for nearly another ten minutes, showing a total of five video clips from ABO’s archives, before it finally ended. His concluding remarks reiterated what he had said at the opening of it, that the anonymous videos that had been released in recent weeks were by all accounts true and accurate events. And moreover, that they were consistent with, up until now, the President’s privately held beliefs and opinions of the people and country that he supposedly represented.
Gabe Hernandez was speechless when the camera focused back on him. The most he could mouth out was, “And we will now take a quick time out for our sponsors.”
Halfway through Kevin’s report Jeff Kolosky’s phone began ringing. He had noted that it was Christos Grivas calling, but he chose to ignore it. Only after Kevin’s report was complete and Grivas called again did Jeff hit the answer button on his phone. He wasn’t able to say hello before Grivas was screaming into the phone.
“Your fired Kolosky and so is Ames. I want you out of ABO offices immediately.”
Jeff hung up the phone and smiled. As Kevin walked off the set and came up to him, Jeff congratulated him and told him that Grivas had just fired the both of them. Kevin laughed and said, “It was worth it. Let’s go get a beer.”
Jeff laughed and slapped Kevin on the back. “Sounds great, let’s get the hell out of here.”
In downtown Calgary Canada, at the Hyatt Regency hotel, Dave and the rest of the NSurv team high five’ d and fist pumped one another at the conclusion of Kevin Ames’s piece. They had watched the news piece from the comfort of Dave’s suite at the Hyatt Regency hotel while they dined on food and wine, courtesy of room service.
“I knew he’d do it,” said Dana. “I’ve always been able to judge a man correctly. Underneath Jeff’s business suit of armor, I knew there existed a decent guy.”
“Don’t forget Kevin Ames,” said Ron as he popped another shrimp into his mouth. “He knocked it out of the park with that delivery.”
“Absolutely, he’s a great investigative reporter and well respected in the industry for his work. Jeff couldn’t have picked a better reporter for the job. If that report, along with the videos we’ve released, doesn’t take down the President nothing will.”
Dr. Gillian and Joe were both surfing the net on their tablets getting initial reaction.
“Based on what I’m seeing for instant public reaction, I give the President less than a day left in office. I’ve already seen three Senators from the President’s own party state that he needs to step down from office. And two of the Senator statements occurred while Kevin was still giving his report.”
“Let’s
hope you’re right,” responded Dr. Gillian. “I’d like to get back home soon to McCall.”
“And leave all this behind,” laughed Ron, as he moved his arm in a sweeping motion to highlight the fancy hotel they were staying in.
“Well I’m with the Doc here,” said Dave. “I’d like all of us to be able to get home soon so that we can go back to our normal lives and work at NSurv. We’ve got a lot of cool projects that I promised Joe here that he’d be working on.”
“And don’t forget those flying lessons,” responded Joe.
“No, that’s another promise I plan to deliver on once we’re back in McCall.”
Chapter 91 (April 2, Tuesday 9:00 am Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
The President sat in the Oval Office looking worn out and defeated as he prepared for his final address to the nation. White House media staff worked in front of him making final adjustments to the video cameras and lighting as he reviewed his short statement that he had written earlier that morning. Last night’s ABO news report had been the final death blow for his presidency. The number of calls he had received by Senators and Congressmen asking for him to resign had been overwhelming. Many other Congressional members, including members of his own party, were also talking impeachment. Even some of his own friends in the national press, who had stood with him up until last night, had now turned on him.
As he sat there and thought about his media allies, he couldn’t help but think of the old saying he had heard many times in his political career. “If they make you, they can break you.” No doubt the media had helped make him. And now, they were breaking him. They were taking him out and running for their lives, to protect their own careers and secretive political agendas. They’d find another vessel of a man or woman. Someone who was fresh and clean. Who had no political baggage. That could carry their hidden agenda. A new politician that they could build up and present to the public. A man or woman, who would solve all the problems of the country, and the world.
“Mr. President, we’re ready when you are,” said a White House staff member.
The President nodded at the staffer and looked into the lens of the camera. With a simple signal from the staff member the President read his last speech to the nation.
Chapter 92 (April 2, Tuesday 11:00 am Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
Jesse Coleman and his wife boarded a Marine helicopter on the White House front lawn, as the newly sworn in President Tom Landers and his wife looked on from the White House south portico entrance. A few moments later the helicopter lifted off the lawn and headed for Andrews Air Force Base. From there the former President would take a military jet to his home town outside of Albany, New York. As the helicopter left the White House property, cheers could be heard erupting all over the country. People were celebrating in the streets, and the Washington Press corps was already fawning over the newly sworn in President. Major news networks were also attempting to educate the public on the background of the newly appointed President Landers. Up until a few days ago, Tom Landers had been pretty much an enigma at the national level, even though he had already spent twelve years in Washington D.C.
Epilogue
The following day, the House of Representatives voted for a new Speaker of the House to replace the late Bob Daniels. The new Speaker was from the same party as former President Coleman. However, he was considered a moderate in the party and was anticipated to work well with Landers and the current Senate Majority leader.
Immediately following the election of the new Speaker of the House, a motion was made to impeach the former President and a number of members in his administration, including Chief of Staff Ken Hardy and Secretary of Commerce Nancy Devins. It was nearly a unanimous vote for passage of articles of impeachment against Jesse Coleman and his fellow administration members for treason and other high crimes.
Two days later, the Senate, with the Supreme Court Justice presiding, completed its impeachment trial of Jesse Coleman and his fellow administration members. By a 75/25 Senate vote they were all found guilty of treason and violation of public trust. The Senate went on further to strip them of their federal pensions that they were entitled to, and to bar them from ever holding federal public office or positions again. Lastly, the Senate recommended that all of them, including the former President, stand trial in a U.S. Criminal Court for the crimes they were found guilty of in the Senate.
A day after President Jesse Coleman’s resignation, down in the Caribbean, Dimitris Barbas’s yacht, the Kosmos, lifted anchor off the coast of St. John Virgin Islands. It was headed east into international waters enroute to the Mediterranean Sea with Barbas aboard. Though Barbas still had a controlling interest in ABO he had already heard from his friends in Washington D.C. that his U.S. banking accounts and properties, including his ABO stock, were about to be frozen and that he was effectively a wanted international criminal. In the subsequent week, the remaining ABO Board of Directors had summarily fired Christos Grivas for his role in the Presidential crimes over the past twelve years, and hired Jeff Kolosky as its new Chief Executive Officer. When they offered him the position, they expressed their full appreciation for his commitment to serving the public in an honest, accurate, and historically traditional journalistic manner.
Hours after President Landers was sworn into office, Dave Henson was contacted via Idaho Senator Dale Jones on his cell phone. He had been given Dave’s cell phone number by Jeff Kolosky. Senator Jones had indicated that he had already spoken to President Landers about him and his NSurv team, as well as Dana Cogswell. The President was willing to pardon them all for their numerous illegal actions, if they were willing to work with the White House and Congress. In particular, the President was interested in having NSurv help to educate them on their nano surveillance technology, and to help craft new safety policies that would protect the American public from its abuse of power.
Dave, Dana and the rest of the NSurv team agreed to the terms and flew back into McCall, Idaho the following day. Prior to their departure out of Calgary, Dave had contacted Dan Edmond the night before to ask him to re-open the NSurv headquarters and to call all the employees back to work. It was during his call with Dan that he had learned the sad news that Ed Clemons had been killed by Barbas’s men.
It was late afternoon when the Cessna Citation approached the McCall Airport. After landing, and deplaning all of the equipment and their personal belongings, Dana lingered at the NSurv hangar while Dave closed up the Cessna Citation. The rest of the team had already driven over to the main headquarters building to return all of the equipment to the labs.
“So Dave, you did it. You actually affected real change in this country.”
“No we did it. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to do it, or at least it would have taken a lot longer.”
Dave walked over to Dana and put his arms around her and gave her a big bear hug.
“Is that all I get for a thank you. I think I deserve a bit more than a hug.”
While Dave was still holding her in her arms, he looked down into her beautiful green eyes and put his lips to hers. They kissed for nearly a minute before she pulled back and looked up at him.
“You know she said softly, I could go for a lot more of this. I also think you owe me a vacation. Our trip down to the Virgin Islands didn’t actually have the rest and relaxation that you had promised.”
“I think we can swing that,” said Dave with a devious smile. “We’ll get everybody settled back at the office and I’ll fly us out to St. John tomorrow afternoon.”
The two laughed as they hugged and kissed each other once again. Finally, as the sun set on the horizon, the two of them walked hand in hand across the airport tarmac in the direction of the NSurv headquarters.
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