Chapter 2

Amber Stahl had covered a lot of speeches in Washington over the years, but had never seen or heard anything even remotely like the lambasting Gwen had just delivered to Congress. She struggled to find the appropriate words to do justice to the situation as the cameras switched from the Capitol Building back to the studio. The red light suddenly lit up and Amber was on air.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have just watched the most thorough berating of Congress by a sitting president in my memory, and quite possibly in history. When President Hammer asked to address a joint session of Congress, most members believed she would use the occasion to reverse her stated intention of withdrawing our armed forces to positions held before June. Rumors have been flowing for the past day and a half about a possible impeachment of President Hammer and many thought those rumors might intimidate her into altering her course. Some even suggested that she would resign her office.

“What Congress got was an entirely different story! No one could have predicted this. President Hammer first expressed her disdain for what she termed the ‘stench of fear’ that permeated the chamber. She went on to berate members of Congress as ‘cowards’. She essentially defied them to do their damndest to impeach her.

“President Hammer first stated she has committed no impeachable offenses, and thus, any such attempts would be groundless. Then she proceeded to double down on Congress by telling them that they were too timid and frightened to actively pursue impeachment. The coup de grace was when she flatly pointed out that her husband, Steve Hammer, would politically eviscerate any politician foolhardy enough to malign her honor in any way. Her warrior husband would wield the sword of truth to destroy their careers.

“The stunned chamber remained seated and silent as President Hammer made her way down the aisle and out the door. We have reporters waiting to speak with members of Congress about the blistering rebuke they have just received from the President. We’ll break in as soon as any of our people are able to find a member of Congress willing to be interviewed. That in itself maybe considered an interesting commentary on the determination and character of America’s legislative branch.

“The President’s husband holds no official office or position, other than ‘First Husband’, or perhaps ‘First Gentleman’. Naomi White’s nomination as Secretary of State has only delivered to the Senate today. Indications are that the Senate will delay considering any of President Hammer’s nominations until they see how well the President handles the potential war our nation faces.

“Even though Naomi White and Steve Hammer have no official position in government at this time, President Hammer has made the decision to follow their advice, rather than heed the opposing opinions of her military advisors, as well as Congress. She has essentially staked her presidency, and many feel the security of the United States on her confidence and faith in her husband and her friend. This couple has been extraordinary in every way since they first gained the public’s attention as high school students with their first dance. While many believe that pulling back our forces was a tactical error, few will dare voice it now.

“General Dawson reportedly declared his staunch opposition to the President’s decision during a meeting and she immediately relieved him of duty. The public is just beginning to learn that Steve isn’t the only Hammer forged from steel.”

On screen, viewers could see angry faced politicians filing past the reporters with tight, silent glares. They were constantly asked questions, which they ignored. Not one stopped for an interview as they huffed past the cameras.

“It appears that we will not be getting any interviews this afternoon,” observed Amber wryly. “I do however, have former Senator Chatham in the studio with me. Senator, in your three terms in the senate, have you ever seen a president berate Congress the way President Hammer just did?”

“She not only berated them, she challenged and defied them,” responded Senator Chatham. “Congress is completely flummoxed by President Hammer’s lack of concern for their sensitivities. I am unable to recall any occasion in this nation’s history when a sitting president has defied Congress in such forceful terms. This is new territory for these legislators.”

“That begs the question. Why is President Hammer so unconcerned about the opinions of the Senate and the House?” quizzed Amber.

“I think it’s quite simple. I’ve known President Hammer for years now. She and her husband do not tolerate fools or cowards. Nor do they put any effort into schmoozing politicians. They have spent years building their power base from the grassroots of America. I would be quite surprised if the average American wasn’t still chuckling in admiration at the dressing down she administered to the country’s elected representatives.

“When members of Congress tried to exert force on her, she pushed back, and hard. It’s my belief that if Congress tries to take on Gwen and Steve Hammer, it will turn out badly for Congress, or at least for many of its members. Recent polls have shown that this couple is admired and respected by an unprecedented 92% of Americans. Congress certainly can’t make that claim.”

Steve and Naomi were in Berlin at the time Gwen was addressing Congress. They had spent several hours earlier that afternoon trying to convince Chancellor Braun to agree to step down Germany’s military placements. Thus far, she remained unconvinced. That evening Naomi, Steve, Hans, Claude, and James sat in amazement as they watched Gwen express her disgust for Congress.

“My God! Gwen really did a number on them,” observed Naomi as the broadcast ended. “How will this affect our chances of getting our allies to join us in this effort?”

“Chancellor Braun was concerned about the American Congress countering, or at least weakening President Hammer’s position. That was one of the reasons she dared not go along with the American proposal. We cannot afford an ally that waffles on such important matters,” pointed out Hans. “I have no idea how this challenge to Congress will affect Chancellor Braun’s thinking.”

“Maybe Britain’s reaction to Gwen’s speech will help,” suggested James Hawthorne. “I just spoke with Prime Minister Blake. He was extremely impressed with the President’s decisive speech to Congress. He told me that Britain will agree to the withdrawal if Germany and France also agree.”

“I am certain that France will be willing to do the same,” added Claude D’Anjou. “You only have to gain Germany’s participation and this part of your mission will be a success.”

Steve had been silent during the discussions after Gwen’s speech. He nodded approvingly to James and Claude, but seemed detached. After some thought, he picked up his personal phone and keyed a number.

“Tyler? Sorry to bother you. I imagine you can guess why I’m calling. I want you to increase the efforts to investigate the background of every member of Congress. Spend however much you need, but get the goods. I want every bit of information possible. Yeah, I’ll probably be weighing in when I get back, especially if they’re foolish enough to pursue this. Thanks, Tyler.”

“Uh, oh. Steve, you’re going to go after members of Congress, aren’t you?” asked Naomi. “Gwen gave them fair warning, but they’ll still be surprised when Hell rains down on them.”

“If they back off right now, I’ll probably let it go,” admitted Steve. “However, I’ve always found it best to be prepared. A few of them may be foolish enough to pursue this, and I’ll squash them when they do. Gwen doesn’t deserve this type of treatment, and I’ll see that they come to regret it.”

Hans and James exchanged knowing looks as they considered Steve’s words. It was obvious that America now had a strong but compassionate leader, with an extremely powerful and dedicated partner. They had no doubt that Steve would take on anyone or anything that threatened Gwen.

Meanwhile, Gwen had declined to take a limousine back to the White House. She insisted on walking. Secret service agents tried to talk her out of it, worried about her safety along the two and a half miles between the Capitol and the White House.

With Kate and Lisa at her side and an alert security team all around, Gwen began the trek. She hadn’t gone a hundred yards before she saw a young Marine with a woman and a small baby sitting on a bench. As she approached them, the young woman quickly dropped to one knee as the Marine snapped to attention.

“Thank you, Marine. Is this beautiful baby yours? Would it be okay if I held her? Stand at ease, Marine.” added Gwen since the Marine had remained at attention.

The young mother stood and proudly passed her infant to Gwen. “She’s eight months old. Her father and I were married shortly before he was deployed to the Mideast. She came along before he got back. Jim, my husband, is scheduled to ship out to South Korea next week. Now we’re hoping that he won’t have to go,” revealed the young mother.

“We pray that you and your husband will bring a lasting peace to the world,” continued the woman as Gwen held the baby and gently rocked her in her arms. “You’ve given us hope. I want my baby to have her daddy around to help me raise her, along with a couple of brothers and sisters.”

“It’s families like yours that make this all worthwhile,” replied Gwen as she returned the child to her mother before hugging the surprised Marine. “Thank you both for all that you’ve sacrificed for your country!”

The young Marine was at a loss as to how to behave since he’d never been hugged by the commander in chief, or even a superior officer before. He carefully held Gwen’s shoulders as she embraced him. Gwen released him and gave the mother a light hug on the side away from the infant on her hip.

Although they had less than three miles to cover, Gwen and her sisters spent almost five hours making their way back to the White House. Early on they would stop and speak to tourists and locals as they moved along the sidewalk. Nearly everyone they met would first kneel or curtsy before crowding around the sisters, as much as they were allowed by Secret Service, to take pictures and ask questions.

News traveled rapidly and soon there were far too many spectators and well-wishers along the route for Gwen to be able to spend much time with hardly any of them. The sidewalks became lined with people, often ten or twelve deep, waiting to see President Hammer and her beautiful sisters walk by. As Gwen passed them, most people dropped to one knee and quietly spoke.

The expression “Madam President” was uttered often. Others simply said “My Queen”. Before long those that kneeled combined the two terms into “Madam President, My Queen” as Gwen slowly walked past them.

Gwen smiled and responded to the adoring public with words like “Thank you”, or “I feel so humbled”, and “God Bless America!” Most of the people that gathered along the sidewalks were well mannered and the Secret Service agents had little trouble maintaining a modicum of order.

Gwen knew that Congress would be smarting from her verbal beating and would be considering all sorts of retaliation. She decided to remain in the public eye as much as possible while the nation withdrew its military forces from various locations around the globe. She felt the need to reassure Americans as their country backed away from superior military positions in an attempt to gain a lasting peace.

Several cable news channels soon placed cameramen and reporters along the route. They sent constant feeds back to the studios where ‘panels of experts’ discussed Gwen’s speech to Congress and the various scenarios that yielding ground to Russia, China, and North Korea might create. They also discussed the phenomenon of Gwen being referred to and treated like a Queen even as she held the position of President of the United States.

Much discussed by the media was the contrast in President Hammer’s demeanor between her address to Congress earlier in the day and the kindness and respect she demonstrated for her constituents, the everyday Americans to whom she so often referred.

Without exception, whenever the news programs features the ‘man in the street’ interview, citizens strongly supported Gwen’s assessment of Congress. One man, a mechanic on vacation from Idaho, stated quite well what everyone was thinking.

“It’s really something that the first president we’ve ever had with the balls to tell Congress to go to hell is a woman,” chuckled the man. “We elect these clowns that make all sorts of promises that they never even try to keep. President Hammer ascended to the presidency because of an appointment and a death and she delivered the goods immediately. She never made any promises, but she’s already done more for this country than all of the Washington politicians put together. I think America lucked out when she agreed to accept the vice presidency!”

Several Congressmen and a Senator eventually made appearances in the studios, mostly to explain how President Hammer had misinterpreted their reasonable concern as fear. There was no move underway to begin impeachment proceedings and Congress was backing the President’s military and diplomatic decision one hundred percent. When they were shown video clips with many members of Congress suggesting the possibly of removing Gwen from office, they called it a misunderstanding. Not one member interviewed demonstrated the slightest interest in drawing Steve Hammer’s ire, at least not publicly.

This turn of events did not go unnoticed in Europe. Steve and his group arrived at Chancellor Braun’s office at ten the next morning. Steve was caught by surprise at Braun’s change in attitude.

“Mr. Hammer, you may report to your wife that Germany has decided to follow America’s lead and back away from our heightened alerts. I have already given the appropriate instructions to our military.

“I see by your expression that you didn’t anticipate this happening. You were very persuasive yesterday, but the determining factor was President Hammer’s speech to your Congress. That woman has my respect! She convinced me that she is strong enough to resist pressure from politicians and keep her word to America’s allies. She most certainly is nothing like your late President Crawford”

“I will relay this information to President Hammer immediately,” promised Steve. “I know she’ll be extremely pleased to learn of your decision.”

“There will be one further requirement, should we manage to avoid war,” responded Braun. “While I am not a fan of North Korea’s dictator, I have to admire his negotiating skills. I respectfully request that your group perform for the people of Germany in an outdoor concert here in Berlin. We have never had that honor and I hope to correct that oversight as soon as possible. Is this something with which you can persuade your wife to agree?”

“I’m certain Gwen will go along with that!” enthused Steve. “We want to build stronger relationships with our allies, as well as a better understanding with those who have been considered enemies for far too long. It will give you an opportunity to meet and speak with her on a personal level, as well. I believe you and Gwen will become great friends.”

After again expressing gratitude to the Chancellor, the group continued its mission by flying to Paris. Steve soon confirmed that France and Britain were willing to go along with Germany and back the United States. Steve was mildly surprised that both nations also requested that Lady in Red perform concerts in their capital cities. Steve was confident that Gwen would agree with the importance of building relationships with America’s allies and schedule performances as soon as possible.

Back in Washington, Gwen asked her closest friends and advisors to meet with her after dinner. “I spoke with Steve. NATO will pull back immediately! Once Germany, France, and Britain agreed, the rest of them felt it was in their best interests as well. As soon as the Russians are convinced that we, along with the rest of NATO, are backing off, they will be obligated to do the same.

“To ensure that this happens, Steve and Naomi are flying back to Moscow in the morning. Steve is prepared to twist arms if it becomes necessary. We need this to happen. The reason I wanted to meet with all of you is because something rather unusual has come up.

“Steve was asked directly by North Korea, Germany, France, and Britain that we perform concerts in their capital cities. Steve agreed to this unusual request. He and I both feel that we need to start building better relationships with all nations around the globe. The previous administration was pretty inept at international diplomacy. Steve, in my opinion, is a master at it. My question is this? How will the American people accept having their President singing and dancing, especially to entertain people of other nations? Do we need to plan a strategy to explain why we’re doing it?”

“That’s a tough one,” acknowledged Jeff Wilson. “Nothing like that has ever been done before. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s wrong. Some folks might think it’s embarrassing or demeaning, especially Congress. Maybe you should tone down the dancing and revealing costumes?”

“Honestly? I think you guys need to do this right!” insisted Kate. “You can’t go to these cities and insult the people, as well as their leaders by performing a half-assed effort. They’ve all seen videos and TV broadcasts of the great shows you guys have put on over the years. I think you need to make these shows bigger and better than anything you’ve ever done before. You’ll be representing the United States of America!”

“Not only do I agree, but I think you should perform in more capital cities,” stated Lisa. “You may be the President of the United States, but you and Jordan are the two best performers on the planet. Talk about opportunities to meet world leaders under optimum conditions! Imagine spending three days in each capital where you attend a state dinner one night and rock the hell out of the town the next night. No president has ever done it before, because there’s never been a president that could!”

“I think Lisa’s right,” added Jason. “It could be called the ‘Peace Tour’ or something like that. You’d be building better relations with a lot of countries.”

“How about the ‘We Come in Peace World Capital Tour?’ I think that sounds really good,” suggested Ashley.

“I like it, Ash!” complimented Kate. “That has a great ring to it. Make it known that this is a tour for world peace!”

“So you’re advising that we not only do these concerts, but set up a bunch more?” marveled Gwen. “We have to have a limit or we’ll never get back home. How long can I be gone from Washington?”

“I think that with roughly three day intervals between concerts, you should cover about fifteen cities in less than two months,” calculated Lisa quickly. “Presidents have gone on vacation for a month or longer at a time. You’d be working, not vacationing. What countries should we focus on for this first tour?”

“I’ll talk to Steve about that, but I would include all of the countries, friend or foe, involved in the current tension, if they want us to perform. I can see where some nations may not be too keen on western culture being forced upon them,” considered Gwen.

“How have people taken the announcement that we’ve agreed to perform in Pyongyang? Have any of you heard any negative feedback?” asked Gwen

“Yeah, the usual suspects in Congress felt it was unbecoming for the leader of the free world to perform for the unwashed masses,” replied Lisa. “You’ve already pretty well let them know how much you value their opinions.”

“I’ve read some nice things about it on the internet,” ventured Paula, who had been silent during the conversation. “I hope I’m not speaking out of turn. I’m not really qualified to be advising you.”

“You’re my mom! That makes you very qualified,” insisted Gwen. “You’ve gotten me this far with your sage advice. Never think your opinions aren’t wanted or appreciated.”

“This is going to take some getting used to,” admitted Paula. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the three of you. You’re pretty much running the country. I never dreamed anything like this would ever happen.”

“Any success we’ve had is to the credit of you and Dad,” replied Gwen. “You laid the foundation for all of this during our youth.”

“Yeah, and then Steve laid Gwen and now we’re sitting in the White House,” joked Kate.

“I’ve mentioned to you that I record all meetings, haven’t I?” quizzed Gwen.

“Not meetings like this! That’s just wrong,” protested Kate.

“We are recording all meetings were policy is discussed, so don’t be making jokes about the Commander-in-Chief getting laid,” chided Gwen as she broke into a big grin. “However, historians will love the human element, so don’t worry this time.”

“That reminds me. We’re going to release the video of our first meeting in Valhalla recorded immediately after you were sworn in. If you want to change your mind or edit it, now’s the time,” stated Lisa.

“I don’t want any videos edited unless it’s for national security. Otherwise, the press gets the entire meeting, not just what we want them to see. Once we release a few, people in my meetings will realize that they need to act and speak accordingly. New people coming into my cabinet won’t be blindsided. They’ll know what they’re getting into,” predicted Gwen before adding with a smile, “Release the Kraken!”

“When do we announce that President Hammer is going on a world tour?” asked Ashley. “That’ll be an interesting question and answer session.”

“We need to be certain that Russia, China, and North Korea are pulling back before we look like we’re celebrating,” pointed out Lisa. “We’d lose credibility if we were premature in assuming success, plus it could muddy the waters for Steve.”

“That’s why you’re my top advisor,” beamed Gwen as she gave Lisa a quick hug. “You’re so logical and you’re never afraid to tell me what I need to hear, and not what I want to hear. I really have some wonderful friends and relatives.

“I’ll let Steve know that we’ll definitely do the concerts and any others he can set up. Maybe he can use it as an extra incentive or something.”

Naomi, Steve, and the representatives from Britain, France, and Germany met with Russian President Kozlov the next afternoon. It turned out to be even more contentious than Steve had feared.

“NATO has begun pulling back,” stated Steve. “I respectfully request that Russia begin doing the same.”

“Russia is in no hurry to weaken its position,” stated Kozlov flatly. “We will wait to see if the withdrawal is complete and if China and North Korea do the same. You are in no position to dictate the movements of the Russian military.”

“President Kozlov, I am not dictating anything. I am simply reminding you of our agreement. I expect Russia to live up to its end,” replied Steve more calmly than he felt.

“As I have stated, Russia will wait to see if NATO adheres to its part of the agreement as well as China and North Korea. Russia now holds the superior position in this issue. Do not attempt to push me or I will simply ignore our little agreement,” sneered Kozlov.

“President Kozlov, we will travel to Beijing and Pyongyang and make the same demand. Be aware that failure to adhere to the simple terms of our agreement may be considered an act of war by the United States. Since we now have weakened our defenses by trusting your word, we would be forced to look at alternatives that are much more drastic, at best,” responded Steve.

The Russian’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Steve. “Are you suggesting the use of nuclear weapons?”

“I am simply telling you that the United States will take any and all measures necessary to protect our nation, as well as our allies. Nothing is off the table if any country reneges on this agreement,” warned Steve firmly.

“Your Congress would never go along with it,” scoffed Kozlov. “It is no secret that it is a sad collection of career politicians, afraid of their own shadows.”

“President Kozlov, do not make the mistake of believing that the weakness of our Congress lessens the determination of President Hammer. Congress will come to fear her far more than Russia if this comes down to a decision on going to war. I promise you that!” guaranteed Steve with passion.

“We’ll discuss this with China and North Korea and return. I will be telling them that Russia will begin pulling back when they do. Will that be an accurate statement?” demanded Steve as he stared hard at President Kozlov.

Kozlov quickly considered Steve’s question. He was well aware of Steve’s reputation for nerve as well as speaking the truth. He had seen the videos where Steve had killed the giant pirate with his bare hands and how he had fought to save former President Novokov’s son when attacked at his wedding reception. He studied the man across from him and came to the conclusion that he could, and would, take whatever steps were necessary to keep America safe. Congress would never stand up to him or his wife if Steve pressed them as only he could.

“Yes, Russia always lives up to its agreements, as long as other nations do the same. If China and North Korea follow the terms we agreed upon, so will Russia,” responded Kozlov as indignantly as he could, ignoring the fact that a few minutes prior he had threatened to not honor the agreement.

“Thank you, President Kozlov,” responded Steve graciously. “I’m glad we agree on this. President Hammer has asked me to relay to you that once this issue is resolved and all parties have pulled back from the brink of war, she would like to visit Moscow and discuss future policy with you. She would even be willing to perform a concert in Red Square as an indication of her desire to improve relations between our two nations.”

Kozlov suddenly smiled. His surprise was evident. “President Hammer has told you this? She will visit Moscow and discuss the situation in person? And perform for us? Tell her that she will be warmly received and I accept her generous offer on behalf of the Russian people!”

“We’ll have our people contact yours to make the arrangements. I want you to know that she will be doing the same thing with other nations. It is her intention to establish better communications and find common ground with all nations of the world,” revealed Steve. “Certainly Russia is at the top of the list of countries with which she wants to improve relations.”

Hans, Claude, and James finally began to relax once they were in the air and headed for Beijing, “I can’t believe you looked Kozlov in the eye and pretty much told him that America would nuke Russia if he reneged on the agreement,” stated James with obvious admiration.

“He thought about it for a little while and decided that you would act on your threat,” added Hans. “He wasn’t willing to gamble on Congress having the will to prevent you from going to war.”

“I simply stated that not following the terms we’d previously agreed on could be considered an act of war, and that we would have to consider our options,” replied Steve. “He connected the dots and realized our options were quite limited and very drastic.”

Steve found that China was also reluctant to withdraw its forces, even when it was obvious that the United States was in the process of moving back. He knew that he had to get China to live up to the terms of the agreement. Otherwise, the entire agreement would unravel, leaving the United States and its allies in a weakened position.

“Mr. President, Russia is very concerned about China’s position in this situation. If China forces Russia and the United States to join together to push back, I am concerned that war would be difficult to prevent. The United States does not have any wish to ally itself with Russia in any military action, but it is a distinct possibility. It can be avoided if China simply adheres to our agreement.”

President Xi’s eyes widened slightly when the interpreter mentioned Russia joining with the United States. Steve decided it was time to play his last card, although he wondered if it had much value.

“President Hammer asked me to tell you that she’d very much like to visit China once this issue is settled. We will be traveling to numerous capital cities, and even performing in many of them. I wouldn’t presume that China would have much interest in a concert here in Beijing, but she feels that a meeting with you could benefit both nations”

This time the President of the Peoples’ Republic responded immediately after the interpreter finished. Soon the interpreter turned his focus to Steve. “President Xi asks if your president is actually going to perform in other cities.”

“Tell him that we already have plans for Paris, London, Berlin, Pyongyang, and Moscow. President Hammer feels it would be a great honor to perform a concert in Tiananmen Square, or any place of President Xi’s choosing. Once the military issue is resolved, President Hammer would like to reach a more sweeping and inclusive agreement with the People’s Republic.”