by Kurt Winans
Then there was the glaring difference in the surveillance of his residence as opposed to that of Commander Foster. Unlike the latter that lived in a townhome within Washington D.C., the Ambassador still maintained the suburban high-end residence which he and his family lived in while he served as a United States Senator. There had never been a call to place listening devices in the residence of someone who was both prominent and thought of as a patriotic government servant, and it would be most difficult to do so now. It was true that an agent posing as a repair man or something of that nature could gain entry into the house under false pretenses, and once there, attempt to install listening devices. However that course of action might jeopardize the intended operation, as the Ambassador, based on his more devious designation, could be wary of such a ploy.
Fortunately there was a storm drain opening within the curb on the opposite side of the street from his house, so the Secretary had ordered his team to quietly access it through a series of tunnels. Once in position, they were to mount a tiny camera within that would be able to monitor the driveway and front door. If nothing else it could be determined when the house was theoretically empty, and attempts could be made to plant listening devices along the exterior when a solid opportunity presented itself. In closing the Secretary added that as of two hours before the current briefing, his team had returned safely from a late-night installation of the storm drain camera.
Nodding his head in approval, the President said, “That’s good work Mr. Secretary. And are you confident in the ability of your team to keep this information contained?”
“Yes sir, as they will report only to me. Since you will have no idea as to whom or how many of them there are, you can without question maintain plausible deniability.”
“I understand Mr. Secretary, and I thank you for the protective measure on my behalf. Now what is the hopeful gain of monitoring the exterior of each residence if we can’t hear what’s going on inside?”
The Secretary glanced at Heath, who in turn stepped forward to add, “Mr. President. We believe that the meetings involving Lieutenant Royce, number eleven, and number twenty-nine could not have taken place at any of their respective residences.”
“And why do you believe that Heath?”
“It seems highly unlikely based on the amount of risk involved. The appearance of an Ambassador, possibly recognized as a former Senator, entering the apartment of a young female Navy Lieutenant in a highly populated area of the city could cause alarm. The same could be said if either of them visited the townhome of Commander Foster. And low to mid-ranking officers would never randomly visit the neighborhood where the Ambassador lives.”
“Alright Heath, I can see how that would all fit. Now please continue.”
“Yes sir. There is also no record of the Ambassador visiting the Pentagon for what could have been a clandestine meeting, and frankly sir that would have been very risky to attempt given the security measures within the building. Therefore it seems logical that in order to ensure secrecy they must have been meeting somewhere else. Although we have certain phones tapped if number eleven and twenty-nine were to communicate in that manner, they may still meet at that secret location. Therefore the Secretary and I feel that it would be prudent to keep tabs on their vehicles, as comparing when and where they move could lead us directly to their meeting place. If we could determine where that location is, then it would be possible to install a series of surveillance devices within and they would probably never suspect that it had been done.”
Nodding once again, the President responded, “Alright Heath, I understand the motive behind it now. Let’s keep pressing forward on this matter without tipping our hand, as Lieutenant Royce confessed to knowing the identities of many operatives other than the two men discussed today. Of course that information will need to be vetted for authenticity just like number eleven and twenty-nine were. In the meantime Mr. Secretary, have your team put an ear to the wall if need be, and keep me posted on any pertinent findings.”
In the closing few days of January 2028, President Jordan Harwell prepared to give his fourth, and hopefully not last, State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress and millions of television viewers. As would be generally assumed, the process of preparing for such an address had become easier for the President with each passing year, even if the message could be difficult to deliver or hear. Although it was largely dependent upon which topics of both national and international scope would need to be addressed, the same ease of repetition could be said for his team of speech writers.
In spite of that, the underlying message which had been delivered by the President during his first few weeks in office, to that of what would soon be voiced at the conclusion of three full years, had gone through some dramatic changes. Unfortunately the myriad of political analysts spewing out their pre-speech thoughts would not allow the viewing public to forget what had occurred during the Harwell administration.
During the evening hours of January thirty-first, while waiting in a quiet room within the Capitol Building for the proceedings to begin, President Harwell had a few minutes before delivering his speech. He used the time to reflect back upon the parallel moments during each of the previous three years, and in every instance, depending on the current disposition of the nation, there had been a level of apprehension and internal discomfort when he stepped forward to deliver his message. Those feelings had been primarily caused by a wide range of emotions such as excitement or joy to that of sorrow, anger, and despair. However as one analyst had so poignantly observed after reviewing the tapes of those three prior addresses, President Harwell had always done a decent job of masking any self-imposed feelings that he may have had with regard to either triumph or failure.
In thinking back upon his initial State of the Union address, Jordan Harwell attempted to use that memory as motivation for what currently lay in front of him. He was the newly elected President at that time, with his inauguration less than ten days into the past. Bright and untarnished as a brand new penny he stood in front of the assembled mass and spoke of the future prosperity for the United States. Since that time there had been a considerable amount of prosperity for many within the country, but as it was impossible to address the needs of all, not every citizen had benefited.
As a consequence that course of positive intent had been altered by negative influences of both external forces and from within his supposed inner circle. Still, the President hoped that in slightly more than nine months the voting citizens of America would see their way clear to giving him another four years in office. He knew that only time would tell with regard to that desire, but Jordan Harwell felt strongly about his reelection chances.
Based upon what had been learned from the confessions of Lieutenant Royce during the past few weeks, there was mounting evidence which could eventually implicate several key members within the Texas political structure. Thanks mainly to the continuing efforts of Agent Bishop to uncover such a deep and treacherous conspiracy; the President possessed a valuable secret weapon which could be used before the election to help him rise above any and all opposition. When and if more undeniable proof was obtained, the President believed that he could initiate an action against Texas to correct much of the damage that had been done to his legacy.
An aide knocked and entered the room to inform the President that it was time.
A moment later, after being escorted down the hall toward the House Chamber, Jordan Harwell once again heard the announcement cry of, “Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.”
The somewhat lackluster applause which followed seemed more respectful of his title than that of genuine affection and appreciation toward any effort or success of policy, but President Harwell took it all in stride. He understood that various circumstances within the past fifteen months had been painful for many within the country, but he also was keenly aware that the memory of most American citizens was often short lived. That belief of the President wa
s not intended to be disrespectful or express malice toward individuals or groups, but there was plenty of evidence to back up his stance. Unless constantly reminded of a social tragedy or misstep by an individual in the past, many would simply forget that it ever happened. In short, the public tended to move on quickly to whatever the latest over sensationalized distraction might be in much the same manner that most dogs would alter their focus when a squirrel ran past.
Climbing the few steps toward the podium, President Harwell first shook the hand of his host, the Speaker of the House. The man was a steady ally and friend through both good times and in bad, which was ultimately one of the best true measures of personal character toward another human being. Therefore, the President knew that the firm handshake he received from someone who also happened to be in the same political party was both supportive and sincere. After a thankful smile and nod, the President turned slightly to shake the hand of the other person who would be seated above and behind him during the address. Vice President Sutherland was that man, and when the Vice President reached out a hand toward his boss while offering the faint disguise of a smile, President Harwell knew that the accompanying grip would be less than sincere. That instinct proved to be correct, as the ensuing brief handshake lacked both strength and warmth.
It was no real secret that there had been growing feelings of distrust between the two men, and Vice President Sutherland had publically announced his own candidacy for their upcoming party nomination the previous summer. As President Harwell released the hand of his second in command before returning his gaze for a moment to the Speaker of the House, many felt that it symbolically proved the rumor which had been circulating during recent weeks. That rumor surmised that the Speaker of the House would soon become the running mate on the upcoming ticket with Jordan Harwell, and the only mystery which remained in that regard was when such an announcement would be made.
Unfortunately what speculation and rumor rarely accounted for, especially within the politics of a single company or that of a government which possessed unequalled global influence, was how the individual who would make such an impactful decision felt about the topic at hand. In this particular instance, those assembled or watching the media broadcast had no real insight as to the mindset of their current chief executive. Unknown to them was the fact that President Harwell had no intention of asking the Speaker of the House to be his running mate in the upcoming November election. Although the man was most certainly well qualified for the position, and would perhaps be better suited for the job than many who had become Vice President, his current position yielded more clout. Therefore the Speaker would be more useful to the President by remaining where he was.
When the ambient noise within the chamber began to diminish, Jordan Harwell stepped forward to the podium and placed his hands upon it.
After a momentary pause to ensure that all within had settled into near complete silence, he began with, “Good evening my fellow Americans.”
For those who were paying attention to actions other than that of the President and what he was saying, a strange scenario was taking place directly behind him.
There had been numerous times within the history of American politics during a State of the Union address when both people seated behind the President were visibly in agreement with what was being conveyed. Such an occurrence usually required that both be in line with the party affiliation of whichever President was speaking, but that wasn’t always the case if both sides of the aisle happened to be in harmony over the discussed topic. On the other hand, there had been multiple examples when the two individuals showed visible signs of not being in agreement with one another. Unfortunately that sometimes disrespectful and childish stance tended to lean toward the established norm throughout recent decades, with the message focus of many speeches being diminished as a result. To be fair there were times when mature restraint was noticeable out of respect for the office of President, but there were also times when an unmistakable level of distain was exhibited based upon an altered perception of how an issue or challenge should be addressed.
Such behavior was often puzzling to the viewing public, but what made the current example of disrespect toward the President even more so was that of where it originated. Typically if the two behind the President had differing views on a certain topic, then it would be the Speaker of the House who would be opposed to what the President conveyed. That followed simple logic, as except for the earliest years of the nation when the man who placed second in an election automatically became the Vice President, both souls that represented the executive branch of government were of the same political party. Beyond that affiliation, there was the glaring reality that the Vice President had been handpicked by the President to form a team which could theoretically move the country forward. Therefore such trappings inferred, if not demanded, loyalty and support of ones viewpoints while in the public eye. However in this instance the negative facial expressions and body language were coming not from the Speaker, but from the Vice President.
Not needing to witness the behavior of his ticket mate to know that it was going on, the President continued with his address. It pained Jordan Harwell to know that a man whom he had trusted to carry out a similar path forward if constitutional circumstances called for it was no longer interested in doing so, but it was the current reality. As a consequence of how drastically things had changed between the two of them, President Harwell now privately referred to Vice President Sutherland as his personal enemy within, and would treat him as such whenever an opportunity arose. So in anticipation that some form of childish behavior would be utilized by the Vice President to taint the evening address, the President believed that one such opportunity for a counter punch would present itself.
Several minutes later President Harwell neared the conclusion of his shortest State of the Union address, and while choosing to ignore the closing remarks which scrolled by on the teleprompter screens, he created his own rhetoric.
Jordan Harwell cleared his throat and stated, “My fellow Americans. Before I leave you tonight, there is one more topic which I feel must be addressed. You are all undoubtedly aware that Vice President Sutherland seated behind me has openly announced his intention to seek our party nomination for the office of President of the United States in the upcoming November election. Although that may cause some concern among many of you with regard to how we will behave as a team throughout the upcoming months, let me assure you that he and I will continue to govern this nation to the best of our ability as was promised when we were elected more than three years ago. I, as well as all of you, am aware that Vice President Sutherland will have his own agenda to pursue, and a campaign to run in an effort to achieve his goals. As a gentleman I wish him well in that endeavor, but at the same time realize that you the American people have hired the two of us on a temporary basis to lead. It is with that in mind that I believe our task and obligation toward you is not yet complete. Now I want to be perfectly clear on this, as he has not yet broached the subject with me. I will under no circumstances jeopardize what the two of us can and will accomplish together in the coming months by accepting, or even entertaining the thought of, an intended resignation of Vice President Sutherland. From my point of view he will remain in his current capacity until the inauguration day of 2029, even if he wins the nomination of our party over me to be placed on the ballot in November. It’s also important for all of you to understand that one aspect of what makes America great is the ability for every individual citizen to exercise some personal level of freewill within the framework of the law. I fully and without hesitation support that ideal which was put forth and established by our founding fathers. Therefore should Vice President Sutherland be adamant in his desire to shirk his current responsibilities while in quest of higher ones, then none of us, including myself, have the power to stop him from pursuing what he believes to be the proper course. Now I would like to thank Congress and the American people for your attention, and
it is my great honor and privilege as your President to wish you all a good evening.”
As the crowd rose to applaud President Harwell for his words of duty and obligation toward the nation, he turned once again toward the Speaker of the House and shook his hand. Then he moved slightly to his left and offered a hand to the Vice President.
Out of obligation for the moment if nothing else, the man clasped the hand of the President. As he did so, Jordan Harwell tightened his grip and pulled slightly on the hand of Vice President Sutherland while also leaning toward him. Even though the President was positioned on a platform level which was a few feet below that of his subordinate, the move had been calculated to exhibit that he was still the man in charge. With the gap between them closed significantly, the President then whispered a brief message. Although the audible sounds could not be heard by any other, a zoomed in camera on the faces of the two men revealed what had been conveyed. Even a novice lip reader would have been able to discern that the message was simple and direct. President Harwell claimed that the two of them were in this together until the end of the term, and millions of viewers witnessed that Vice President Sutherland could offer no reply other than a puzzled look of shock by what had transpired within the last few moments.
Then as quickly as he had grasped the man and his full attention, President Harwell released the hand of the Vice President and turned away. Before leaving the podium platform and the House Chamber for his return to the White House, he gave one last wave to the assembled mass while making sure to point directly with thanks toward a few trusted elected individuals.
