Page 9 of State of Retribution (First Family #9)

N ick’s morning security briefing was twice its normal length while his intelligence, national security and defense teams covered every detail of what had occurred the day before and updated him on what was now known, which wasn’t much.

As tedious as it was to listen to them discuss the particulars, it was much better than listening to a report on a mass casualty incident, which was what they’d narrowly avoided.

The thought of all those happy kids, dressed in their Easter finery, mowed down by a terrorist attack sickened him. Not to mention his own family, friends, staff… Sam, Scotty, the twins, Eli… His father, stepmother, brothers… Sam’s sisters, nieces, nephews…

Life without any one of them was unthinkable. Knowing they’d been in danger because of him was unbearable.

“Mr. President?”

Nick snapped out of his grim thoughts to realize Teresa Howard, the national security advisor, was speaking to him. “I’m sorry. Would you repeat the question?”

“I asked if you’d like to table this for now until we have additional updates.”

“Yes, please. Let’s do that. Thank you, everyone.”

After the others had filed out of the Situation Room, Terry O’Connor moved to sit next to Nick at the head of the table.

“Are you okay?”

“We don’t know a single thing we didn’t already know yesterday. How’s that possible?”

“The case is being worked from every angle by the best people in the world.”

“This was done by someone who knows how not to be found.”

“It does seem that way, but the government’s resources are vast. We have to give them the time to do their jobs.”

“While hoping this group or individual doesn’t strike again in the meantime.”

“Derek is coming down to brief us on a mudslide and flooding in Juneau that’s expected to result in significant casualties, including students and staff at an elementary school.”

Nick’s deep sigh said it all.

Deputy Chief of Staff Derek Kavanaugh arrived with two of his colleagues, who put images of the devastated area onto the screen at the front of the room.

“Oh my God,” Nick said when he got his first look at the buried area.

“We’re in contact with the governor of Alaska,” Derek said.

“He’s activated the National Guard to assist in the search and rescue.

We have Coast Guard in the area as well as military members being sent to aid in the recovery.

Secretary Jennings is working with all the branches to get as many people there as possible with support personnel to bring in food and temporary housing. ”

“What about FEMA?” Terry asked.

“They’re mobilizing as we speak from their Seattle office.

The governor said a combination of an extra-snowy winter followed by a milder-than-average spring melted the snowpack and sparked the mudslide and flooding.

It happened so fast, there was no time to evacuate.

We could be looking at hundreds dead or missing in the school alone. ”

Derek’s team had called up a feed of the local news in the area. On the screen, frantic parents were screaming for their kids outside an elementary school buried in mud while firefighters and others frantically worked to dig them out.

“We need to get you into the briefing room,” Terry said to Nick. To Derek, he said, “Let’s have Trevor and his team work on a statement.”

“Already underway,” Derek said. “Give us fifteen minutes.”

He and his team left as quickly as they’d arrived.

Nick was riveted to the scene in Juneau, his heart aching for the parents and families of those trapped in the school as well as the nearby homes and businesses.

“Mr. President,” Terry said.

Nick looked up at him.

“We need to get you upstairs to make a statement.”

“Right. Okay.”

If compassion and empathy were the two most important qualities in a leader, Nick felt them both in spades for the families dealing with the unfolding tragedy in Alaska.

The way natural disasters struck out of nowhere…

People never saw it coming until they were buried or stranded or shattered…

And it was his job to respond to every one of them, to offer reassurance, help and support, not that any of it would matter to the parents who’d possibly lost their precious children.

As they took the elevator up to the West Wing, Nick felt hollowed out inside, his legs wooden under him as he went through the motions of walking, breathing, thinking, processing.

His communications director, Trevor Donnelly, and press secretary, Christina Billings-Gonzales, were waiting for him in the Oval Office.

“Good morning, Mr. President,” Trevor said. “We’ve prepared a statement regarding the events in Alaska.”

“Morning.” Nick sat at the Resolute Desk to scan the statement, which laid out the details of the situation as well as the federal, state and local response. “Thank you for the quick work.”

“Thank you, sir. We figured you’d want to add your personal thoughts as well. Shall we notify the press that you’ll be making a statement in fifteen minutes?”

“Yes, please.”

After they left the room, Nick looked up at Terry. “Are we having fun yet?”

“An absolute blast.”

Julie, one of the admins, called on the desk phone. “Mr. President, Lieutenant Commander Rodriguez is here to see you.”

Hearing Juan’s name immediately raised Nick’s spirits. “Please send him in.”

Nick got up to meet his military attaché, who’d recently been presumed murdered until they learned he was cooperating with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in an investigation into the former Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Juan stepped into the office, wearing his uniform and a big smile.

Nick walked over to embrace his friend and aide. “I’ve never been so happy to see anyone.”

“That’s surely not true, Mr. President.”

“In this case, it is.” Nick kept his hands on the younger man’s arms as he stepped back to take a good look at him. Other than seeming a bit tired, he appeared no worse for wear. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m doing okay. It’s nice to be back to work.”

“It’s nice to have you back.” Nick released him. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t do that to me again.”

Juan smiled. “I’ll try not to, sir.”

“I realize the reason you were sucked into such a situation was because of your loyalty to me, which will never be forgotten, Commander.”

“Thank you, sir. I was raised to do the right thing. I have no regrets.”

“Honor has gone out of style in some quarters. It’s a quality I appreciate in those closest to me. I hope you’ve been cleared to return to full duty, as I requested.”

“Yes, sir. I’m back as of today.”

“I’m very glad to hear it.”

“Excuse me, Mr. President,” Terry said. “We’re needed in the briefing room.”

“Duty calls, but check in later. We have some catching up to do on important topics, such as the Caps’ playoff run and the Feds’ spring training.”

Juan smiled. “Yes, sir, Mr. President. I’ll stop by at the end of my tour.”

Nick shook his hand. “Thanks again for not being murdered.”

Laughing, Juan said, “I’m at your service, sir.”

“Excellent.”

As he walked with Terry to the briefing room, Nick said, “I wonder how much of this will be about Alaska and how much will be about the drones.”

“Probably fifty-fifty.”

“Which is annoying. This should all be about Alaska.”

“It’s never all about any one thing, is it, sir?”

“If that’s not the truth, I don’t know what is.” A day in the White House was about everything all at once. And right when you had things somewhat under control, there was more. Such as a mudslide that struck out of nowhere.

When he stepped up to the podium, the room went quiet.

“At approximately eight o’clock this morning Alaska Standard Time, a mudslide and flood struck the Valley Elementary School in Juneau, Alaska.

Located in the Mendenhall Valley neighborhood, the school serves pre-K to grade five and has three hundred and twenty-five students enrolled with twenty-three teachers plus support staff.

In addition to the school, a number of nearby buildings, businesses and homes were impacted.

We’re in the earliest stages of determining the full scope of the disaster.

“We’re working with state and local authorities to determine how many people were inside each building at the time of the incident.

The governor of Alaska has deployed the National Guard to assist in the search and rescue operations, and numerous federal agencies have been activated, including the Coast Guard and other military members stationed at nearby bases, as well as FEMA and other relevant federal agencies and staff.

I’ve directed everyone involved to deploy the full resources of the federal government to assist in this effort.

Although we’re in the earliest stages of this incident, it’s believed that a larger-than-average snowfall followed by a warmer-than-usual spring may have contributed to this catastrophe.

“Needless to say, a heartbreaking scene is unfolding in Juneau, and our hearts are with the families of those trapped in the school as well as the greater Juneau community. I’ll take a few questions.”

“Mr. President, what do you know about the drones that were deployed yesterday?”

“I have no new updates to give you on that matter other than to say a massive investigation is underway at the local and federal levels.”

“Mr. President, is the drone incident being treated as an assassination attempt?”

“That’s all for now. We’ll keep you informed on the events transpiring in Juneau.”

“Mr. President!”

It seemed to him that every person in the packed briefing room was shouting his name as he walked out. Probably because they were.

“Not one question about more than three hundred kids buried alive in their school,” he said with disgust.

“To be fair, the attempted assassination of a sitting president is big news, sir.”

“Understood, but at the moment, the possibility of three hundred twenty-five children buried alive in mud is bigger news to me.”

He returned to the Oval Office to deal with the unfolding crisis with a feeling of dread hanging over him. As a father of young children himself, he wished he could go to Juneau and do something useful to help with the search without being the world’s biggest distraction.

At the Adams Morgan home of Nate Andrews, Sam and Freddie were greeted by a young blonde woman whose swollen, red eyes bugged when she saw Sam standing on the stoop of the brick-fronted townhouse.

Sam showed her badge while Freddie did the same. “Lieutenant Holland. My partner, Detective Cruz.”

“Y-yes, I know who you are.”

“We know this is a terrible time, but we’d like to speak to Mr. Andrews’s family.”

“The other police were here. We… we told them what we know.”

“I understand, but I’m following up with some additional questions. May I speak to Mr. Andrews’s wife?”

“She’s…” The woman shook her head. “She’s in very bad shape.”

“We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary. We want to find the person who took Nate from you.”

She hiccupped on a sob that seemed to take her by surprise. “He was my big brother. My hero.”

“We’re so very sorry for your loss.”

The woman stepped back. “Please come in.”

“What’s your name?” Sam asked.

“Jenna Andrews.”

“I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances.”

“Me, too. Normally, I’d be freaking out. Now… I’m just numb.”

Jenna showed them to the living room. They could hear the low buzz of voices coming from the next room. “I’ll see if Emily can talk to you.”

“Please tell her we’d never disturb her unless we had to.”

Jenna nodded and walked away.

Sam took a seat on the sofa. On the table was a wedding photo of a young, gorgeous couple beaming at each other on the happiest day of their lives. Next to that was a framed photo of them with a little girl with blonde curls and a new baby.

Heartbreaking.

Nate’s wife was escorted into the room by an older couple, each of them gripping one of her arms as if she wouldn’t remain standing if they let go. They held on to her until the three of them were seated on a sofa.

“I’m Ryan Goodman. My wife, Susan, and our daughter, Emily Andrews, Nate’s wife.”

“We’re so very sorry for your loss.”

Emily wept silently, as if she was afraid to make a sound lest she start screaming and never stop.

“It’s unfathomable that anyone could hurt Nate,” Ryan said. “He’d literally give you the shirt off his back. I’ve seen him do it. He gave his sweater to a homeless man once because the man was cold.” Ryan shook his head. “How could anyone want to hurt him?”

“I wish I had the answers you need. We’re doing everything we can to find the person who did this. Do you know if Nate was having any problems with anyone? At work or personally?”

“No,” Susan said. “Everyone loved him. He had so many friends and was moving up quickly in his career.”

“Is it possible someone he worked with was resentful of his promotions?”

“I… I don’t know,” Susan said.

Emily shook her head, keeping her eyes on the floor. “He was friends with his coworkers. They loved him.”

“And personally, no conflicts with neighbors or extended family?”

“Nothing like that,” Emily said. “We kept to ourselves mostly. We have two young children…” Her voice broke as she choked on a sob. “What’re we supposed to do now? What will I do?”

Her parents wept with her as they wrapped their arms around her.

Sam put her card on the table. “If you think of anything that might be relevant, even the smallest thing, please call me. Even if you aren’t sure it matters, call me anyway.”

“We will,” Ryan said.

“Can I please get your contact information so I can keep you updated?” She wrote down the number he gave her and stood. “Please don’t get up. We can show ourselves out.”

Outside, Sam took greedy breaths of the fresh, cool spring air as her eyes blurred with tears. “I fucking hate cases like this. Regular, nice people going about their lives, not bothering anyone, until they’re killed for no good reason.”

“You hate the cases where people get killed for a reason, too.”

“True. Let’s get the visit to the last vic’s family taken care of so we can start figuring out who the hell did this.”

“According to the reports, Alexa Prescott has no family.”

“She must have someone mourning her passing. Let’s go to the address we have for her and see if anyone is there.”

“It’s in Arlington.”

“Of course it is.”