Free Presidential Shift - Episode 1 by C. G. Cooper Page B

of
a dicey operation months earlier to uncover a plot by Japanese
imperialists and Brandon’s own father, Senator Richard Zimmer, to
kill the president and take over the country. Richard Zimmer was
now dead. It was a bullet from Brandon’s own hand that had done the
deed.
    The event cemented the relationship between
Cal and Brandon. It had also tied them to the president. They’d all
agreed that the assassination attempt would be kept secret. So far
it had, and the president had won re-election without the sympathy
votes that such a revelation would have stirred.
    “Second, I know I don’t have to tell you
this, but what I’m about to say stays in this room.”
    The others nodded.
    The president took a weary breath. His face
sagged a bit as he looked down. When he lifted his head, his eyes
looked tired.
    “I have reason to believe that someone within
my administration is leaking information.”
    His small audience waited for him to
explain.
    “I know what you’re probably thinking. Leaks
are as common as liars on Capitol Hill. But…this feels
different.”
    He paused as if searching for the right
words. None came. The anguish on his face was plain.
    Cal broke the silence.
    “Maybe if you start from the beginning, Mr.
President?”
    The president nodded and began.
    “After the attack in Las Vegas, everything
seemed to go back to normal. Other than the usual threats, nothing
new came up. Right around the election, I’m not sure exactly what
day, I kept seeing the same man in the crowds. He wasn’t part of
any of my details. The man didn’t do anything except act like any
other onlooker. I can’t really explain what I saw. It was more
about what I felt. It was like he was watching me. I asked the
Secret Service about him, but by that time he had disappeared.
    “Election night rolls around and it’s all
excitement. We were leading in the polls and, of course, eventually
won. That’s when things changed.”
    “How, sir?” asked Cal.
    The president looked up from his brooding
with a half smile.
    “Sorry. I must be tired.” He took a moment to
gather his thoughts. “I won’t sit here and pretend that politics is
a clean sport. You know as well as I do that there are a lot of
shady characters running around D.C. trying to grab all the power
they can. I knew that going in. Before my first term, I made some
subtle promises. A wealthy donor would give X amount of money to my
campaign, and I promised to consider his help in the future.
Senator Zimmer can tell you that it’s as common as church on
Sunday.”
    Brandon nodded.
    “After the attempt on my life that you
gentlemen so bravely thwarted, I…I started thinking about my
legacy. I started…”
    He glanced over to see that Cal’s face had
hardened.
    “Did I say something wrong, Cal?” asked the
president.
    “It’s none of my business, Mr.
President.”
    “What’s none of your business?”
    “How you run the country.”
    “I wouldn’t have asked you here if that were
the case.”
    “I’m sorry?”
    “Why don’t you say what you were thinking?
I’d rather know it up front before going further.”
    Daniel cleared his throat and caught Cal’s
eye. The sniper shook his head. Cal ignored the warning.
    “I don’t like politics, Mr. President.
Senator Zimmer can tell you that. I couldn’t care less about the
back room deals you make to get in office. To me it’s a bunch of
horse shit. You make a bunch of promises and then turn the other
way.”
    “Is that the reason you didn’t come see me
the day I called?”
    There was no accusation in the president’s
tone. Just a question.
    “That was part of it. The other part, that
you might not know, is that I’d just buried one of my best friends.
Put the two together and yeah, you could say I wasn’t exactly in
the mood to visit.”
    “I’m sorry for your loss,” offered the
president. “I didn’t know.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Would you like to go on?”
    Cal rubbed his eyes