ACT 2
CAPITOL BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM
Lou leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She’d shed the suit jacket she’d started the day in about an hour earlier, and she was tempted to wad it up and use it as a pillow or put it in the lap of the man next to her and use him as one.
She could hear a child telling his mother that he was hungry. She’d started counting on about the fourth time he said it, and was up to twelve. Each time, the mother told him she’d get him lunch as soon as possible. Somewhere in that room was a person who had a granola bar or something with them; why in the hell didn’t they give it to the brat?
She heard a noise; a quiet one, but a noise nonetheless, and opened her eyes. Amy was messing with her palm pilot. She’d been counting that too; Amy was up to eight. “You’re not supposed to have that on,” she said, closing her eyes again.
“I’m waiting on an important e-mail,” Amy mumbled. “I’ve got a meeting scheduled this afternoon.”
“Right,” Lou said. “I forgot that you’re more important than the rest of us.”
Amy shot her a look and she quirked a smile. Most people got on Lou’s nerves, and few with the frequency of Amy Gardner, but it was worth it. She’d never met anyone easier to irritate. “If the stupid security guard would turn around for a minute, I could call,” Amy said quietly.
Lou opened her eyes again. “If you’re going to do that, go to the other side of the room. I don’t want to be hit by the bullet aiming for you.”
Amy sneered at her. “It was just a thought.”
Lou leaned back and closed her eyes again just as the child told his mother he was hungry. “Thirteen,” she mumbled to herself.
It was blessedly quiet for a moment before Amy dramatically sighed, much the same way she dramatically did everything else. “How long have we been here?”
Lou rolled her closed eyes. “You just had your palm pilot on. You couldn’t have checked?”
“Why don’t you say that a little louder? Maybe they’ll arrest me.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
It was quiet again and she tried to relax. If she’d been in one of the coveted chairs instead of the floor, and had Amy not been there, it might have been the most relaxing day she’d had since they took office.
“That man is staring at me.”
“He must want you,” Lou replied without opening her eyes.
“He’s seventy years old.”
“So, seventy year-olds like sex.”
Amy made a sound as if the thought disgusted her. Good, that’s what Lou was going for. “We should’ve been allowed to wait in John’s office. We’re wearing White House badges; we shouldn’t have to be lumped in with the…”
Lou opened an eye and looked at her. “The…”
“With these people,” she whispered harshly, gesturing around the room.
“You know ‘these people’ can hear you, right?”
“I’m just saying, in John’s office, we could’ve gotten something done, at least.”
Lou shook her head. “Again, let me remind you that yours is not the only day being ruined here.”
“Whatever,” Amy said digging into her purse and pulling out a power bar.
Of course.
CUT TO
INT. OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
“How was your meeting with Congresswoman Payne?” Helen asked as Donna and Annabeth walked into her office.
“Very well, ma’am. She’s excited that you’re considering teaming up with her on this.” Helen raised an eyebrow at Donna. “I mean, Mrs. Santos.”
“Thank you.” Helen stood up and walked around her desk to one of the two couches in her office. Donna and Annabeth sat down on the other. “How far has she gotten?”
“About as far as saying it needs to be done and she’d like us to help.”
“Really?” Helen asked with wide eyes. “I thought we’d be coming in midway.”
Donna shook her head. “No, and I think that’s for the best. With the American Red Cross and the HPV vaccine, we just stepped in and helped out what they were already doing. The congresswoman wants us in from the beginning.”
“And this is good?” Helen said.
“It is,” Annabeth said. “We’ve got a chance to not only work on it, but to shape it.”
“And this isn’t two weeks of promoting the vaccine or a few months of helping out the American Red Cross,” Donna added, handing both the First Lady and Annabeth a copy of the notes she’d taken at the meeting. “This project will probably take a majority of the president’s first term.”
“It’s the sort of thing that can help define the role you’d like to play as first lady,” Annabeth said aloofly as she glanced through the notes.
“But only if it interests you,” Donna said.
Helen looked at Donna. “Inner city schools are smaller by nature. No one who can afford to move to a better district keeps their children in them. So they get less funding than a school with more students. That’s the first strike against them. Those schools then spend a higher percentage of their smaller budget on security, discipline, child safety, breakfast, school supplies, and other things most schools don’t have to offer. There’s a second strike against them. The lack of funding and alternate spending of the funding they do have leads to a shortage of teachers and teachers aids; there’s another strike. The shortage of teaching leads to lower test scores, which prevents them from receiving further federal funding. There’s another. Of course this interests me. I just don’t know that I’m ready for something this big quite so soon.”
Annabeth looked over at Donna and smiled. “Forgive me, Mrs. Santos,” she said, turning back to Helen. “But that sounded an awful lot like someone who’s ready.”
“We’ve gotten our feet wet,” Donna said. “I think we’re ready to see what we can do. And we’re both right here with you.”
Helen looked at them for several seconds before reluctantly nodding. “Then where do we start?”
Donna smiled widely. “Exposure’s going to be the key.”
“I agree,” Annabeth said. “I think you should take the press and tour one of the
“Meanwhile, our next step will be to get in touch with computer manufacturers,” Donna said. “HP, Compaq, Toshiba, Apple… all of them. I’m going to spend the next few days putting together a proposal packet.”
“That sounds fun,” Helen said with a grin.
“It better be,” Donna said. “Because then I’m going to work on a proposal for businesses to get involved. Although, I learned last week that they aren’t the bastards everyone wants to make them out to be.”
“We’ll want to start promoting it once we get some feedback from the proposals,” Annabeth said, making herself a note on the packet she’d received from Donna. “Get the buzz out right away.”
“How many schools are we talking about?” Helen asked.
Donna reached into her attaché case and pulled out several pieces of paper, stapled together. She chuckled as the first lady’s eyes widened. “It’s not complete, but the congresswoman thinks it’s a good start.”
Helen reluctantly took the pages from her. “I don’t want to step on Matt’s toes with this.”
“I’m meeting with the west wing today,” Annabeth said. “We’re going to try to work this in with the education plan.”
Donna shifted on the couch. “Speaking of working with the west wing…”
“Yes,” Helen said.
Donna put the papers in her hand down on the couch next to her. “Tomorrow’s Big Block of Cheese Day,” she said, looking at Helen and Annabeth. I think it would show some unity if we sent a few people over to the west wing to be involved in it.”
Helen’s brow furrowed. “What’s Big Block of Cheese Day?”
Donna smiled. “It’s a day where the unlikely get meetings with White House staff. Most meetings are with representatives of small, unheard of groups that can’t usually get meetings because they’re not contributors and they’re not lobbyists.”
Annabeth crossed one leg over the other and put her elbow on her knee. “That sounds interesting.”
“It is,” Donna agreed. “It’s usually… entertaining. Leo started it the first year of President Bartlet’s term. He wanted to remind the staff that we’re here working for everyone, not just the powerful.”
“That sounds like Leo,” Annabeth said quietly. Donna and Helen both looked at her and then at each other.
“It was important to him,” Donna replied quietly.
Annabeth took a deep breath and then looked at Donna with a smile. “Sign me up,” she said bravely. “I’ll take a meeting or two.”
CUT TO
INT. OVAL OFFICE
The president was reading a report on low income housing fund distribution when Ronna knocked on the door and walked inside. “Mike Casper’s here.”
He looked up at her with a questioning face. “Remind me who he is.”
Ronna smiled. “He’s from the FBI, sir. He’s here to update you on the lockdown at the Capitol.”
“Right,” he said, nodding. He needed to get better at learning who some of these people were. “Send him in and tell Josh and Lester he’s here.”
“Yes sir,” she said nodding before opening the door and showing in a man who was close to Matt’s age.
“Mr. President,” Mike said to him as he walked towards the president’s desk.
“Mike,” the president replied, standing and shaking the man’s hand. “Thank you for coming.”
“It’s my pleasure sir.”
Josh walked in from his office. “Mike.”
“Josh,” Mike said with a smile. “How are you?”
Josh smiled awkwardly. “Fine. You?”
“Well, thank you.”
“Have you got an update for us?”
Mike shook his head. “Not much since we talked last.”
“Still no casualties?” the president asked.
Mike looked back at the president. “No sir, none.”
The president sighed and nodded. Something going their way; he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it.
Lester walked into the office and Josh introduced him to Mike. Then the president walked around his desk and the four of them sat down on the couches in the Oval Office.
“Tell us what you know, Mike,” the president said.
Mike took a deep breath. “Well, as you know, three shots were fired in the Cannon building at approximately 8:15 this morning. The seven buildings connected by tunnels, including the main
“Have you found anything yet?”
He shook his head. “No sir. But there are a lot of places to hide weapons in those buildings. We expect it to take most of the day.”
“Do you know how many people are in the lockdown?” Lester asked.
“Yes,” Mike said, turning to Lester. “2437.”
Lester nodded and wrote it down. “And no casualties, right?”
“No, and we don’t expect any.”
The president looked over at Josh, who was sitting quietly on the couch. “Josh?”
Josh’s name seemed to get his attention and he looked over at the president. “Sir?”
The president looked at him for a second before replying. “Do you have any questions for Mike?”
Josh raised an eyebrow and sat up straighter. “No sir. I’ve spoken with him several times today.”
The president nodded and looked back at Mike. “Have there been any problems with detainees?”
“One man went into insulin shock,” Mike said. “He was treated by an FBI medic and is fine.”
“Do you have his name?” Lester asked.
“We’re not releasing it.”
“Anything else?” the president asked.
“No sir. Until we find the suspects or weapons, it’s just search and find. I know it’s tedious, but let me assure you that everyone being held is safe.”
The president smiled and nodded. “I’ve been through these before.”
“Of course,” Mike replied with a chuckle.
The president stood up, followed by Lester and Mike. “Ok then. Keep us updated.”
“Absolutely sir,” Mike replied, shaking the president’s hand again. “I’ve been talking to Josh every half hour.”
Josh turned when he heard his name and quickly stood along with the other three. “Thanks Mike. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Mike shook Josh’s hand and then Lester’s before leaving the room. When the door closed, the president turned to Josh. “Everything ok, Josh?”
Josh nodded slightly. “Yes sir.” The president walked back to his desk and Lester and Josh stood in front of it. Josh took a deep breath and looked at Lester. “You’re briefing now?”
Lester looked at his watch. “In twenty minutes.”
“Yes sir. One of the reporters…” he looked down at his notebook. “Katie… asked me why they didn’t lockdown the White House.”
Josh looked at him. “Don’t let Katie suck you in. Direct any specific questions to the FBI.”
Lester nodded. “Also, I’m not sure if I’ll get a question about it, but Lyle Edmonds resigned from the USGS this morning.”
“Really?” the president asked in shock. “Really?” he asked again, sitting down and looking at Josh, who appeared to be looking at something on the desk. Firing Lyle would have looked incredibly bad, like he was looking for someone to take the fall for him. Still, there were obvious problems at the USGS and Lyle Edmonds appeared to be at the root of them.
“Yes sir.”
The president nodded. “Well, I hate to say it but…”
“This is a good thing,” Josh finished for him, still looking down at the desk.
“Yes. It keeps me from asking for his resignation.”
Lester cleared his throat. “There could still be speculation that you did.”
The president looked over at Josh. “Josh?”
Josh looked up at him. “There will be speculation.”
“And?”
Josh raised his eyebrows. “And nothing. There will be speculation.” He looked at Lester. “Deny it.” Then he looked back at the president. “That’s all we can do.”
That answer shocked him and he looked to Lester.
“Sir,” Lester said. “It’ll help that we’re still continuing with the investigation. If we were convinced that Lyle Edmonds was the problem, we wouldn’t bother with it. I’ll push that. ‘Our main concern is making sure this doesn’t happen again. Mr. Edmonds’ resignation was his own choice and we’re not privy to his reasons. But it’s not stopping us from making sure the USGS is functioning properly.’”
He nodded. That was better. “Thank you Lester. And thank you for filling in for Lou today.”
“It’s my pleasure, Mr. President.”
When Lester left, he turned to Josh, watching him for a second. “The secretary of defense is ready to brief the vice-president on the Middle East and
Josh paused and then nodded. “Yes sir. You’ve got about an hour before that meeting, but then you’ll be in there most of the afternoon.”
“That should be exciting.”
A ghost of a smile appeared on Josh’s face. “Then our opinions of excitement differ.”
CUT TO
INT. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF
Josh walked into his office from the Oval Office and nearly fell into his chair. He closed his eyes and tilted his head up towards the ceiling. He was distracted and the president noticed it; he needed to get a grip.
He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his desk and propping his head up in his hands. His eyes caught hold of the picture of Donna that he kept on his desk, and he took a deep breath and reminded himself that she was fine; it was just a lockdown and she wasn’t even there.
He looked over at his cell phone, sitting on his desk, staring at it for a minute before standing up and shutting the door to the Oval Office. He sat back down stared at it again, then picked it up and scrolled down to Bob. After a pause, he hit talk.
“Yeah,” Toby answered, choosing for once not to scold Josh for calling him.
“Hey.” He paused before going on. “I uh…” Josh closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face. “I wanted to let you know that there haven’t been any casualties in the lockdown today, so Andi’s fine. I was just briefed by the FBI.”
“I talked to her this morning,” Toby said. “She’s not in the office today.”
“Oh…good.”
There was a short silence and Josh wondered if he should just say goodbye and go back to work. “But thanks for letting me know,” Toby added.
“Sure. I just didn’t want you to…” he trailed off and closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumb and forefinger. “Donna was there.”
“Is she ok?” Toby asked quietly.
“Yeah,” Josh breathed out. “She left just before the shots were fired.”
“Good.”
Silence filled the line and Josh could hear Toby breathing. “I was… when you… when you first found out about the lockdown, did it...” He stopped and took a deep breath. “Did it, you know, feel like…”
“Yes,” Toby replied quietly.
“Yeah,” Josh whispered, nodding.
CUT TO
INT. TOBY ZIEGLER’S LIVING ROOM
The line went quiet again save for their breathing. Toby hated talking about that morning; that fifteen minutes between finding out there’d been an explosion and finding out Andi was ok. And it had been worse for Josh, he knew, because Donna hadn’t been.
“I’m moving to
“What?” Josh asked, half confused and half surprised.
“I’m moving to
“University?”
“Yes,” Toby answered solemnly.
“You’re going to teach? Kids?”
“Young adults, yes.”
“But… you don’t like young adults,” Josh said in what would’ve been a teasing voice, had it not been for the strain Toby could hear behind it.
“I’m starting with a summer class to get my bearings.”
There was a slight pause and Toby wondered when that had happened between the two of them. Was it when Josh left the White House? When they fought? When he was fired?
“What about Huck and Molly?” Josh asked quietly.
“A weekend a month here; a weekend every other month there.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah,” he sighed. “It’s going to suck.” He couldn’t believe he’d become that guy. That guy who would move hundreds of miles from his children and only see them once a month. He’d already been that dad once; the one who wasn’t involved, but since leaving the White House, things had been different. So amazingly different. Now he was leaving, and he couldn’t help thinking that Leo was wrong when he told him he’d be a good father.
“Did you apply at
Toby cut him off. “I tried.” For months. Because father’s shouldn’t leave their children. “They’re less forgiving here. Maybe in a few years.”
“When?” Josh asked quietly.
“A few weeks.”
Josh sighed and Toby could picture him running his hands over his face. “We should get together before you go. Get a beer.”
“You know we can’t.”
There was another pause while Josh admitted to himself that Toby was right. “Are you keeping the same number?”
“Yes,” he said, the hint of a smile forming on his face. The phone had been their only means of communication for eight months, and although he’d never admit it, although he’d continue to tell Josh that his friendship was dangerous, he was more grateful than Josh would ever know that he hadn’t abandoned him the way so many others had. He should’ve expected that from him, but he hadn’t.
“Kay.”
Silence filled the air again. “Lean on Sanders.”
“What?”
“Lean on Sanders. He can get you three votes on the education bill. You just have to make him.”
“Lean on Sanders,” Josh repeated.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t care what you do,” Josh chuckled sadly. “You’ll always be a politician.”
Toby half-smiled, wishing he could thank him for knowing that.