Chapter 6

Chancellor Inga Braun was at the Berlin Tegel Airport to greet Gwen and Steve upon their arrival, and did so with great warmth. The two women hugged and were soon chatting like old friends. Gwen invited Chancellor Braun to ride in the motorcade with her to the American embassy, which would allow them more time to discuss issues of mutual concern. For her part, Braun was delighted with the suggestion and quickly accepted.

“Mom, would you keep an eye on Saint and Vickie?” asked Gwen of Paula. “The Chancellor and I will be discussing all sorts of boring things. I think the kids will be happier riding with Grandma and Pop. We’ll be right in front of you in the motorcade.”

For the most part, Steve refrained from interrupting the two world leaders as they were soon immersed in one of the more pressing issues facing the two countries. He listened closely to the conversation while attempting to appear disinterested. An observer would think he was simply watching the sights of the city pass by his window. When the limousine slowed down to make a hard left turn, Steve saw a flatbed truck suddenly roar out of an adjacent alley. He reflexively threw his body in front of Gwen, pinning her to her seat as he braced for the certain impact.

The truck smashed into the right front of the Mercedes and pushed it across the street and firmly into a street light, effectively pinning it to the pole. Steve flung his door open as the limo came to rest. “Lock the door!” was all he had time to say as he quickly slammed it shut and stepped quickly over to the left side of the truck a few feet away.

The driver of the truck flung his door open and jumped to the street waving a handgun. No sooner had his feet hit the pavement than Steve grabbed the barrel of the gun and twisted it violently, which caused the man’s finger to press the trigger hard enough to discharge the weapon. Unfortunately for the driver, by that time it was pointed directly at his heart.

Steve pocketed the gun, shoved the dead man to the side and jumped into the truck. He had seen bags of fertilizer on the bed of the truck along with other items that he knew would be materials for making a bomb. Since the truck had not exploded on impact and the driver had been so intent on getting away from it, Steve guessed there was probably a timer set to detonate the explosives. There was precious little time to remove the threat from Gwen and the others.

Without bothering to pull the door closed, he slammed the shift lever into reverse and stomped on the accelerator. He guided the truck back into the alley while keeping the pedal to the floor. The open door caught on the wall of a block building and was torn from the vehicle as it careened wildly back into the alley. Steve was concentrating on speed, not accuracy.

Gwen and Chancellor Braun had been stunned at the speed and ferocity of the collision. The Chancellor had been thrown forward onto the floor upon impact, and Gwen had barely managed to assist her back to her seat and lock Steve’s door when she heard the shot. She immediately looked out the right window, just in time to see her husband leap into the truck and back it across the street into the nearby alley. It had barely disappeared from sight when a tremendous explosion rocked the area! Once again, Chancellor Braun found herself thrown to the floor of the limo, and this time Gwen tumbled right beside her.

She struggled back up to her seat and immediately looked for Steve. A huge fireball was shooting upward from where she had last seen the truck! Thick, black smoke now billowed from the alley and crept across the street toward her limo. Before the dire reality of the situation could fully set in, it suddenly got worse as two white vans suddenly pulled onto the sidewalk across the street near the alley and armed men piled out!

Gunfire erupted as German police and her own Secret Service detail began exchanging fire with the terrorists. Gwen grabbed her companion and ducked back down, protectively shielding Chancellor Braun with her back when she heard a bullet bounce off the window. The gunmen were using their vans for cover as they maintained a steady barrage of fire at her car, as well as toward the security detail risking all to protect her and the German Chancellor.

After what seemed a long time but was actually less than a minute, the shooting became more sporadic as both sides began searching for targets rather than simply shooting in the general direction of their foes. Gwen hazarded another look out her window. As the breeze changed direction, the black smoke began receding down the street, and like an apparition, Steve slowly came into view!

Because he was less than fifty feet away, Gwen clearly saw the blood splattered on his face and neck. It was also seeping from his shirt and pants legs as he raised a handgun and began firing. The assailants suddenly found themselves in an extremely bad position since Steve was behind them and off to the side. Those that weren’t immediately killed by the hail of bullets Steve was sending their way tried to move around the vans to avoid his onslaught. Their change of position allowed security forces the opportunity to kill or disable those that Steve had flushed from their relative safety behind the van.

Suddenly the shooting ended and an eerie silence fell across the street. An occasional moan and the crackling of the fire in what was left of the exploded truck were the only sounds to be heard. Steve stood his ground, searching for more threats. Thankfully all the good guys knew who he was! He watched the Secret Service agents begin to move into the open, so he took a step in Gwen’s direction. He managed only one faltering stride before he fell unconscious to the pavement!

Gwen moved to open the door, but a burly Secret Service agent blocked her. “Madam President! The situation is still way too unstable for you to leave the vehicle. Please remain inside until we’ve checked everything out.”

Gwen looked past the agent and saw Saint rush over to his father and kneel down next to him. “Would you stay in this damn car if your wife and child were out in the street like my family is?” demanded Gwen. “I’m a doctor and my husband needs immediate medical attention!”

The agent looked back to see Saint holding his father’s hand. “Okay, Madam President, but it’ll probably cost me my job,” as he stepped back from the door and radioed the other agents.

“President Hammer is leaving her car. Get over here to help shield her from any possible danger!”

By the time Gwen reached Saint and Steve, agents had circled around her facing outward with guns drawn, looking nervously in every direction for threats. They soon parted to enable Chancellor Braun and Ted Anderson to reach Gwen’s side as she examined Steve.

“I don’t know how he survived the explosion, but he’s badly bruised and has some shrapnel lodged in his face, chest, torso, and legs. He’s had a serious blow to the head and it looks like a bullet grazed his left arm,” explained Gwen more calmly than she felt. “He needs to get to a hospital as soon as possible.”

Traffic was jammed to a standstill, making it very difficult for emergency vehicles to access the scene. Chancellor Braun grabbed a radio from one of her policemen and began issuing orders in German. In less than two minutes, a helicopter landed in the street. Paramedics jumped out and rushed over to immobilize, backboard, and affix an oxygen mask to Steve as Gwen oversaw every movement they made. As they lifted him and headed for the helicopter, Gwen spoke to Ted and Chancellor Braun.

“I’m going with Steve. Would you and Mom please take care of the kids, Dad? Chancellor, I don’t know what the rules are, but I’m getting into that helicopter and going with my husband.”

“Of course,” agreed Braun. “I knew it could be no other way. We’ll make our way to the hospital as quickly as we can. I’m so sorry this happened!”

It took almost an hour for Chancellor Braun, Ted, Paula, and the kids to reach the hospital to which Steve had been flown. They waited in a private area for another hour before Gwen appeared in bloodstained scrubs to speak to them.

“Your dad’s going to be fine!” was the first thing she said as Saint rushed to hug his mother. “He has a mild concussion, a slight bullet wound, and we had to remove numerous pieces of shrapnel from all over him. He spoke to me and he remembers everything. The first thing he asked was if you and your sister were okay. He says it’s very important for you to know that your Daddy loves you.”

Gwen had to stop speaking to wipe her eyes and collect her emotions. “He’s in pain, but should be able to leave the hospital as soon as they determine he’s recovering properly from the concussion and there are no lingering effects. I promised to bring you and Vickie in to see him. Would the rest of you please wait for us? We’ll only be a few minutes.”

Just five minutes later, Gwen returned with her two kids. “Steve was delighted to see the kids, but we couldn’t stay too long. He’s exhausted and the medication is making him drowsy. I’m going to spend the night here in case he needs me. Mom and Dad, please take care of the kids. If things go okay tonight, we’ll be joining you sometime tomorrow.

“Chancellor, I’m afraid we may have to postpone tomorrow’s state dinner for a day or two, depending on how quickly Steve recovers. I’m sorry to do that, but Steve’s health is my primary concern here.”

“My dear, I totally understand,” assured Chancellor Braun. “Your husband was incredible this afternoon! I have never seen anything like it in my life. I have been told that the truck bomb would have ripped our limousine to pieces and killed all of us in it. Steve’s nerve and his dedication to you saved us all.

“The hospital is locked down. No one can enter or leave without a thorough search and proper identification. My security people tell me that one of the surviving terrorists was a fountain of information. I’ll have a preliminary report delivered to you wherever you may be as soon as it’s completed. German police are rounding up accomplices even as we speak. They’ll soon wish that they never tried to harm the good friends of Germany.”

“Thank you, Chancellor. I’m sure you’ll handle the situation appropriately. I’ll be looking for that report and discussing it with Steve when he feels better. I want you to know that neither Steve nor I blame you or your government for today’s attack. We hold Germany in the highest regard.

“Mom, have you spoken to Kate or Lisa? They must be worried sick,” asked Gwen of her mother.

“I told them what I knew as we were being driven to the hospital,” replied Paula. “They said that everyone back home is extremely worried about Steve, and mad as hell that terrorists would attack you like they did. There were dozens of reporters outside the hospital when we arrived. They’re desperate for news on Steve’s condition.

Gwen nodded her head and then turned to Chancellor Braun. “Inga, would you care to join me in an impromptu press conference? Americans will want to know how Steve is doing, and I’m sure the reporters will have lots of questions for you.”

Ten minutes later, President Gwen Hammer and Chancellor Inga Braun stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the international press. Chancellor Braun began with a statement condemning the terrorist attack and pledging that Germany would bring those guilty of perpetrating it to justice. She named two German police officers that were shot and killed, as well as the three that were wounded, and she praised their actions. Then she stepped aside to allow Gwen to address the reporters.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering about Steve. He has a concussion, a minor bullet wound on his upper left arm, and numerous bruises, cuts, and contusions from being slammed against a masonry building by the bomb blast. He was also struck by flying debris and shrapnel when the bomb detonated. That said, he was awake and alert half an hour ago and enjoyed a brief visit with our children. I expect he’ll be able to leave the hospital sometime tomorrow, but will be taking antibiotics until we’re certain that he’s free from infection. My amazing husband should make a full recovery!

“In addition to the brave German policemen my friend Inga named, please keep the two American Secret Service Agents that were wounded in today’s attack in your thoughts and prayers. I’d love to honor them by sharing their names with you, but I won’t, for their own safety. Their injuries are not considered life threatening, and for that I’m very grateful. All of these agents put everything on the line to protect me and my family, and I want to use this time to thank them all for their dedicated service. I’m not the easiest person to keep safe because I interact with the public far more than my predecessors customarily did.”

“Madam President, everyone will be very glad to hear that your husband is doing so well and will recover,” began Amber Stahl. “Can you tell us how he gained control of that truck and managed to remove it, thereby saving your life, as well as Chancellor Braun’s and so many others?”

“It all happened very fast. The truck came out of an alley and struck our car. Steve held me tightly to the seat during the impact to protect me, but when he let go of me to leave the car, I accompanied Chancellor Braun in tumbling to the floor. As we regained our seats, I heard a shot and saw Steve climb into the truck and immediately race it backwards into the alley. He had deduced it was a bomb and risked his life to protect me, our family, Chancellor Braun and many of those assigned to our security.

“The speed with which he made his decision and acted on it is still difficult for me to comprehend. Then those two vans of terrorists arrived across the street and they began shooting at us. They were quite obviously trying to kill the Chancellor and myself. I’m sure the plan had been for the truck bomb to destroy all or most of the vehicles in the motorcade. Their backup vehicles were intended to kill those of us who might have survived the blast. The breeze changed direction and Steve appeared, walking through the dissipating smoke. He was behind the terrorists and to the side. When he began shooting, the cowards tried to flee, but were then engaged by the German police and my Secret Service agents and were brought down. Once the immediate danger had passed, Steve crumpled to the pavement. I don’t know how he did what he did, especially after being so badly injured by the bomb blast. Somehow, he always finds the knowledge and ability to respond to any situation.”

“Has anyone claimed responsibility for today’s attack, Madam Chancellor?” asked a German reporter.

“Not to my knowledge,” replied Braun before adding, “but we do have some leads and it’s only a matter of time before we bring these terrorists to justice.”

“President Hammer, what will the United States do if these terrorists have ties that can be traced to other countries? Will you order sanctions or trade restrictions?” asked Heather Jensen.

“I am not a proponent of punishing the people of a nation because some citizens, or even the leaders of the country have perpetrated some kind of horrible crime,” responded Gwen, choosing her words carefully. “I do believe in justice, and reaping what you sow. The United States will determine its course when the evidence is in and we’ve weighed our options. Terrorism has no place in this world, nor do those that practice it.”

Gwen excused herself a short time later to return to Steve’s side. The morning sun was coming through the room’s only window when Gwen awoke from an uncomfortable nap in a hard chair next to Steve’s bed. She immediately sat forward to check his condition. She found his eyes watching her as he sported a crooked smile.

“How do you feel, Sweetheart?” asked Gwen softly before gently kissing her husband’s lips.

Steve’s right hand slid behind her head as he pulled Gwen back down for a longer, passion filled kiss. “You seem to be doing pretty well! I’m so glad to see you smiling and looking more like yourself. I was pretty scared yesterday,” admitted Gwen.

“So was I,” revealed Steve. “I didn’t know how long it would take for that bomb to detonate, but I knew the results would have been catastrophic for you and the kids if I didn’t get it away from the motorcade.”

“You risked your life and were almost killed saving us,” replied Gwen as she once again kissed her husband soundly. “You’re the best husband and father in the world.”

“That’s pretty much what I’m reading in the papers,” cracked Charlotte from the corner of the room. “Don’t mind me. I just came in to check on you guys and you were both sleeping, so I sat down and waited half an hour or so for you to wake up. Someone was recording a video of the motorcade when the truck bomb rammed your car, and it showed the whole episode. Steve was out of the limo in the blink of an eye. He toasted the crazy bastard driving the truck and raced it backwards out of the area just in time. Television and internet sites can’t show it often enough, and it’s all anyone is talking about. I spoke to Kate last night and she said that it’s crazy back home. Americans are totally pissed that anyone would try to kill our President and Queen. Steve’s quick thinking and actions are being compared to his battle with The Butcher all those years ago. The word Warrior is used more than Steve’s name on the internet. They’re synonymous now, but Warrior seems to be preferred at the moment.

“A few higher up intelligence people have been waiting for you to wake up so they can speak to you,” revealed Charlotte. “They didn’t want to wake you, but they’d like to see you as soon as possible. I promised to let them know when you were ready to see them.”

“I’d better meet with them right now. They may have some intelligence about the attack,” decided Gwen. “Charlotte, would you do me a favor and ask them to come in? I know you’re not my secretary, but I hate to leave Steve.”

“Madam President, I’m so damn glad that you’re both okay I’ll do just about anything for you. I’ll have them come right in,” promised Charlotte as she hugged Gwen and gave Steve a quick kiss on his forehead before rushing out.

A few minutes later, four men in suits entered Steve’s private hospital room. They represented various intelligence agencies and carried file folders and a laptop. After they introduced themselves and showed Gwen their credentials since she didn’t know them personally, they explained what had been learned about the terrorists.

Half an hour later, Gwen asked the question Steve had hoped for, but hadn’t asked since he didn’t want to usurp Gwen’s authority in front of the others. “Do we have the ability to take this training facility out totally, but with few or no civilian casualties?”

“Madam President, that would require Special Forces and would be an extremely dangerous operation. We’ve calculated that you can direct a drone to drop two smart missiles on the compound and eliminate most, if not all of the enemy combatants.”

“Would that not necessitate civilian casualties?” questioned Gwen.

“We calculate that as many as twenty civilians could be killed or injured, but no American lives would be at risk,” replied the CIA representative. “Remember this is foreign soil. We can probably get way with a drone over the area, but putting boots on the ground for even a short time would be considered an act of war by Iran. We have to tread lightly here.”

“I’ll take your recommendations under consideration, gentlemen,” replied Gwen calmly. “Please allow me to discuss this in private with Steve. I’ll let you know if I need anything else.”

As soon as the men left, Gwen turned to Steve. “What do we do? I can’t deliberately allow innocent civilians to be killed. If we send in Special Forces, we’re putting them at risk, as well as risking a confrontation with Iran. If we do nothing we’ll look weak and almost certainly encourage future attacks.”

“Let’s get cleaned up and get out of here,” replied Steve calmly. “You need to talk with some people, but first we need some breakfast.”

“If you’re willing, I want to go out the front and let the press see that you’re doing well, or at least as well as can be expected,” requested Gwen. “Your face is all bruised, and as colorful as the Painted Desert, but that’s okay. People need to see what you endured to protect your family. They need to be reminded just how tough you are. I want your reputation to grow, and I want those cowardly terrorist bastards to fear you even more than they already do.”

It was nine AM when Gwen and Steve stepped out the front doors of the hospital. Security had already cleared the area, and members of the press were bunched in the parking lot, waiting for the opportunity to speak with the First Couple.

Steve was smiling as he and Gwen strolled over to entertain questions from the press corps. He couldn’t help but notice the shock on the faces of the reporters, all staring at his badly bruised face, but was still surprised when Heather broke down in sobs as he drew near. Instinctively, he reached out to her with a crooked grin. Heather flew into his arms and wept helplessly into his chest.

“I guess that pretty well answers my question about how I look,” joked Steve as he held the crying woman in his arms. “Does anyone have any questions for me?”

The other reporters quickly overcame their surprise and began asking Steve questions, even as Heather continued sobbing softly against his chest.

“Steve, were you in that truck when it exploded, and if so, how did you avoid being blown to pieces?” asked Amber Stahl, using the back of her hand to wipe her cheeks.

“As I was backing up the truck, I saw a recessed doorway in the masonry wall, and I dove into it. I was trying to get to my feet when the bomb went off. The force of the explosion slammed me against a wall, and pieces of the truck embedded themselves into my legs and upper body. As you can see, a few also managed to hit my face, but luckily my eyes weren’t injured in any way.”

The video of that news conference would be played around the world. President Hammer’s husband, badly bruised and battered, holding a sobbing, beautiful young blonde reporter as he responded to questions from the rest of the press pool. After a few minutes, Heather began to compose herself and realized how inappropriate her behavior was. She lifted her head from Steve’s chest and looked to Gwen.

Without a word spoken, Gwen offered her arms and the young woman moved to embrace her. “I’m so sorry, Gwen. I’m way too emotional. It’s just that Steve was almost killed, and he looks so battered. I was so scared. I still am!”

Steve had been watching Amber Stahl as she asked him her question. Her eyes were moist, and she was sniffling as she was obviously struggling to concentrate on his response, but her eyes continually scanned what she perceived as the tragedy of his face. When Heather moved away to embrace Gwen, Steve stepped closer to Amber and held out his arms welcomingly. The veteran newswoman let out a sob, quickly stepped into them and hugged him tightly.

“Steve, I was so worried! Look how you’ve been hurt, but you saved so many people, including Gwen and Chancellor Braun,” managed Amber as she clutched Steve tightly.

“Listen, everyone. I know I look like hell, but I’m doing just fine, and the doctors tell me that I’ll make a full recovery. Please report that,” requested Steve as he held the crying Amber Stahl to his chest. “Heather and Amber have been friends of ours for years, and they’re a bit emotional. It’s okay. Reporters are people, too. Are there any more questions?”

“Where did you get the handgun, and how many men did you shoot?” asked a cable news reporter.

“I took it from the truck driver as he jumped from the truck. I will not tell you how many people I had to shoot. Sir, I’m disappointed that a professional journalist would ask such an insensitive question.”

“Will you have any scars or permanent marks from this event?” asked a female reporter from a German station.

“It’s a bit early to tell, but Gwen says my scars just give me character,” joked Steve.

“Did you know the truck contained a bomb when you got into it?” asked another reporter.

“Yes, it was pretty obvious to me. There were bags of fertilizer showing beneath some tarps. I knew the truck driver wasn’t doing any farming, so it had to be a bomb. The fact that the driver obviously wanted to flee the area indicated that he wasn’t a suicide bomber, so I jumped into the truck and backed it away from the President and Chancellor,” recounted Steve.

“How did you know that you’d have time to back it up and get out of it before it exploded?” asked reporter from a Berlin newspaper.

“I didn’t,” replied Steve succinctly.

“Madam President, if this attack is associated with a foreign nation, will you be issuing sanctions and trade restrictions as a result?” questioned a cable news reporter.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but make no mistake: The United States will never bow to the threats or demands of terrorists, or the nations that support them. We will always do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of our citizens,” promised Gwen. “Personally, I do not believe in punishing the citizens of a country for the sins of other citizens, or even their government. I dislike sanctions. They create far too much collateral suffering.”

“Will you give your concert in two days and if you do, will your husband be able to participate?” asked a network reporter.

“Unless Chancellor Braun indicates that she doesn’t wish us to perform, we’ll not only give a concert, but we’ll rock this town like it’s never been rocked before!” declared Gwen passionately. “Steve and I, as well as our friends, will not be intimidated by cowardly acts of violence. We were invited here to give a concert, and that’s what we intend to do.”

“What about the rescheduled state dinner tomorrow?” asked a rotund man in the back of the press corps. “Will you and your husband attend?”

“That dinner is being held in our honor. Of course we’ll attend. Steve appears to be feeling better already,” quipped Gwen as she smiled toward Steve as Amber withdrew from his embrace and kissed his cheek before walking away. “He wasn’t hurt so badly that he can’t comfort a beautiful woman or two.

“In case there’s any question about this, unlike some former presidents we don’t consider members of press to be our adversaries. We respect the work you do and appreciate your professionalism. Steve and I have known Amber almost from the day we met, and Heather for the past six or seven years. We consider them to be good friends. Watching an unconscious Steve loaded and taken away in a helicopter, and now seeing how battered he is, has understandably upset them,” explained Gwen as Amber joined Heather at Gwen’s side, placing an affectionate arm around Gwen’s waist, a gesture which Gwen returned, including Heather in the embrace with her other arm. Photos of that moment soon appeared on the front pages of newspapers all across North America accompanied by headlines such as President Embraces the Press.

“Thanks for your time. Steve and I are way behind schedule now and have to get moving,” closed Gwen as she gave Heather and Amber quick hugs before reaching for Steve’s hand and leading him to their fresh, undamaged limousine. Secret Service agents continuously scanned the area as they closely surrounded the First Couple.

Patrons of a small diner on a Berlin side street fell to sudden silence as they watched several men in dark suits stride into the restaurant and move to the sides of the room as President and Steve Hammer followed them inside. The diners knew of the attack the previous day and were very surprised that Steve Hammer was out of the hospital, although it was readily apparent that he was badly bruised.

The couple smiled and greeted people as a stunned hostess escorted them to a table in the center of the room. Gwen knew Steve well enough to know that he had to be extremely hungry. His last meal had been lunch the previous day, so she had directed her driver to make an unscheduled stop at the local diner.

The couple ate a hearty meal comprised of traditional German dishes. Once they finished dining, they worked the room, shaking hands with patrons and staff. They posed for pictures and signed napkins, menus, and even receipts for the happy diners. Gwen made a point of stopping by the kitchen and thanking those inside for an excellent meal. Before leaving the establishment, Steve pulled out his credit card and covered the meals of all the customers as well as a large tip for the staff.

“It looked like you really enjoyed your schnitzel,” observed Gwen as the couple resumed their journey. “I wanted people to see that even though you’re banged up, you have a good appetite and you’re feeling pretty good. We can’t show fear or those terrorists will have won, so all the glad-handing we did in there was just the ticket. You can bet most of the staff and patrons will have posted pictures and accounts of our lunch all over social media. It’ll be obvious to anyone that we haven’t been intimidated by those wannabe assassins.”

“Speaking of terrorists, I made a few calls this morning. There are some people that I want you to meet,” announced Steve. “Charlotte has scheduled us to meet them in a secure room in our embassy later this afternoon.”