Chapter 40: To friendship

Jamie had listened to Sir David suggesting that he hold a press conference to expose the US President's cover up, but an idea of his own had popped into his head. He would personally go and speak to POTUS. What had been done could have led to the slaughter of all of the remaining survivors across England. Jamie felt that was a good enough reason to want to look the man who had kept it hushed up in the eye.

"No Sir David, I think I know how these people work now. It might be better if I was to make that state visit round about now," said Jamie.

There was a pause in the discussions as everyone took in Jamie's words and thought about the implications.

"I'm not altogether sure that would wise, your Grace," said Sir David.

"Why, Sir David?" Jamie asked.

"Well state visits take months of planning. Every little detail has to be considered and dealt with. Just making a request with virtually no notice at all isn't the done thing." The Ambassador replied.

"No, Sir David, you misunderstand me. I'm planning to go now, tonight. I don't intend to 'make a request', but simply turn up. I'll hitch a ride on the next jumbo that's returning Stateside to pick up more of our people and surprise the President," said Jamie.

"But your Grace, you run the risk of the President refusing to see you, you could end up looking somewhat foolish," said Sir John Sawyer.

"What are the chances of that happening? I purposefully sent the Americans a message before we cut the link from GCHQ. A pound to a penny says the President has a fair idea I know what he's done. Do you really think he wants me to go public with this? I think he'll see me alright," said Jamie.

"And what are you going to say to him if he does agree to meet with you, your Grace?" asked Anthony Carry.

"The truth gentlemen, nothing but the truth and my mom and dad always taught me that I had nothing to fear from the truth," replied Jamie.

The girls had returned from their shift at the hospital and when they found out what Jamie was planning, they demanded to be allowed to go with him.

"Listen, I plan on this being a very short visit, only one day if I can get away with it. I really don't want to be away from here given everything that needs to be done. It's not going to be a fun trip I can assure you. A seven hour flight there and another back and only a meeting with the US President in between. I really don't think you should come," Jamie answered them.

When he explained it like that, the girls' enthusiasm dropped off dramatically, but Laura still had something to contribute.

"If you're going to meet with the US President, we need to make sure you look the part. Have you got time for a quick bit of shopping?" she asked.

Jamie knew he had to be seen to let the girls have their way on something or else he would be in the doghouse for days. He thought Laura was probably right anyway, a sharp suit wouldn't go amiss and he agreed to a quick trip into Edinburgh on the way to Glasgow Airport.

He gave Stuart advice on what to do while he was away. Jamie also rounded up the remaining members of the teenage assault squad to go with him to the US as personal protection. A quick stop off at Harvey Nichols allowed Laura and the girls to choose a suite, a couple of shirts and a snappy silk tie. Then it was off to Glasgow Airport and a hurried farewell before he boarded a jumbo that was already set for the return flight across the Atlantic.

Jamie managed to get in a few hours of sleep during the flight and felt rested by the time the Captain announced they were starting their descent into JFK in New York. He knew Sir David would be checking with the airport and watching the US news channels to confirm his arrival before he contacted the US State Department. The last thing Jamie wanted was for the aviation authorities to refuse permission for the plane to land.

Once the jet was on the ground and it had taxied close to the terminal buildings, the Captain alerted the tower to who he had on board the plane. The news brought an immediate order to halt the plane while the tower checked with someone in authority what they should do. A ground crew wheeled a set of steps up to the giant plane and as soon as the steps were in place, Jamie and his guards exited the jet and made their way down onto the tarmac.

Jamie wanted any media that were around to have the opportunity to film his presence. He figures the more people knew he was in town, the less likely it was that the President would ignore him. He knew it was before 03:00 local time and that it would take a while for news of his arrival to leak out. In the meantime he enjoyed the fresh air and chatted with the boys on his security detail.

Quicker than he thought a media presence became obvious. Jamie wasn't to know that there were freelance journalists who hung around JFK on the off chance that a celebrity might show up or that some other story would fall into their lap. The freelances had numerous sources on the airport's staff and they had been alerted to Jamie's presence within minutes of the plane landing. This story was potentially much bigger than they could handle and they had called their own contacts on the major news channels.

The police and airport security moved quickly to stop anyone approaching the little party on the runway. They weren't particularly happy to see the boys surrounding Jamie all armed with HK MP5 machine guns, but weren't about to spark a major incident by moving to try and disarm them. Everyone settled in to wait for orders from above before they did anything else.

As the first of the curious members of the public began to arrive at JFK, the authorities realised the potential for a huge crowd to gather and they rushed to put some crowd control measures in place. By the time the President had been woken and had made it to the conference room in the White House, there were already several thousand interested US citizens gathered outside the airport, hoping to get a glimpse of the King of Scots.

"Why is he here?" asked POTUS, looking round the room.

"We have no idea Mr President. The best guess I can come up with matches the one the media is making - he has seen the press conference with the woman terrorist and he's come to take her back with him to stand trial in Scotland. Her worst crimes have been committed in the UK after all," suggested the National Security Advisor.

Stephen Hadley was really struggling now to keep the smile off of his face. He had been very close to resigning his position when the President had ordered him to remain silent about the threat to the teenagers in the UK. Now the look of concern on POTUS's face was satisfying to watch.

"Okay gentlemen, advice please?" the President asked.

"We could just refuse him entry, after all he's unlikely to have a visa. I would have to caution against that though, I don't think it would play well with the public sir," said the White House Chief of Staff.

"Joshua, if you haven't got anything better to offer, perhaps you should just stay quiet!" barked the President.

"Actually, he does have a current visa. He was here on holiday earlier in the year with his parents and the visa is still current, I've checked," contributed the Director of the FBI.

"Mr President, I suggest we try and make a virtue out of this. I think you should send your own personal helicopter to pick him up and bring him to the White House. Give him all the usual razzmatazz and trimmings. Make out to the press that this is a visit that has been planned secretly between you both and then give the boy what he wants," suggested Hadley.

"Why would we give up the woman?" asked President Bush.

"To tell you the truth sir, we've got nothing out of her and my people believe we are unlikely to do so. She's become something of a liability for us and it might be a blessing to get her out of the country," added the Director of the CIA.

"The press conference backfired sir, and I can't see us getting any mileage out of the woman," agreed Joshua Bolton.

"Okay, bring him here. I don't want him talking to any of the media before we've had a chance to meet. I want the full dossier on him before I see him. I want to know everything there is to know, from whether he wears boxers or jockeys to the colour of his politics," the President said.

The President's orders were quickly relayed to JFK and the Senior Agent in Charge (SAC) from the local FBI office approached Jamie and his security force.

"Your Grace, my name is Fredrickson, I'm with the FBI. I have a message from the President, sir. He apologises for the fact that his personal transport isn't yet here to meet you and take you on to the White House and he's asked me to make sure you and your people are extended every courtesy while you wait. If you'd just like to follow me sir, we have a VIP lounge that's been put at your disposal," said the SAC, eyeing Jamie with unhidden curiosity.

"Would it be possible to show some courtesy of my own by at least saying hello to some of these people, Mr Fredrickson?" Jamie asked.

"I'm afraid not sir. My orders are to get you inside out of harms way and then to make sure that you get on the President's bird as soon as it arrives."

The VIP lounge was very comfortable and there was plenty of food and drink available for Jamie and his companions. No one had tried to take the arms away from his teenaged security detail, but the SAC now addressed a potential problem.

"Your Grace, I fully understand why you have a personal protection squad. I have to tell you though sir, they will not be allowed to enter the White House armed. We have our own security concerns and the Secret Service just won't allow your guys anywhere near POTUS," warned Fredrickson.

"I fully expected that Mr Fredrickson, it won't be a problem I can assure you. I don't feel under threat in any way and I'm sure the boys here will be able to find something to keep them occupied while I'm meeting President Bush," Jamie replied.

The wait in the VIP lounge turned out to be just over one and a half hours before the Presidential helicopter arrived and was refuelled. Jamie and his security detail were escorted back out onto the tarmac and over to the LockheedMartin US101. He paused to wave at the assembled crowd of interested citizens and assorted media before climbing aboard the helicopter.

When the pilot took the US101 up into the air, Jamie was astonished to see temporary floodlights set up around the entrance to the airport terminal. The lights were there to help control the crowd that continued to grow, a crowd of some thousands already and he began to realise just how much of a celebrity he was becoming to the Americans.

The flight to the White House took just under one and a half hours and Jamie peered down at the floodlit buildings and extensive lawns. He could also pick out the lights from the assembled White House press corps waiting to capture his arrival and a small party waiting at the edge of the lawn, presumably to officially greet him.

As soon as the helicopter touched down, six men in suits rushed forward and advised Jamie's squad to leave their weapons inside the bird. Jamie nodded at them to let them know he agreed with this and they reluctantly laid their machine guns down on the floor. As each of them stepped down from the helicopter to the lush lawn, a Secret Serviceman came forward and frisked them thoroughly.

"Ahmm, I'm sorry your Grace, but we need to do the same to you," the leader of the detail said.

Jamie smiled at the man's obvious embarrassment and simply held his arms out from his sides to allow him to complete the body search. Once they were sure Jamie and his squad posed no threat, the leader of the Secret Service detail waved to the small group of people at the edge of the lawn and he spoke quietly into a small mic. Jamie saw the group start forward and he too now began walking. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the Secret Service detail had fanned out to provide a screen around them on the lawn.

To his surprise, Jamie recognised the man at the front of the approaching group as the President himself. When he reached Jamie, he extended his hand to shake and with the practised ease of a politician, put his arm around Jamie's shoulder so he could turn him towards the press corps. Cameras flashed as the pictures of the first handshake between the US President and the King of Scots were captured. President Bush wore a large smile and pumped Jamie's hand vigorously.

"Welcome to the White House your Grace," the President said.

"I'm pleased to meet you Mr President," Jamie managed to reply.

"Let's get you inside so we can talk properly and you can tell me what's so urgent that you had to fly across the Atlantic without any warning," said POTUS through now clenched teeth.

Jamie simply nodded and kept pace with the most powerful man in the world, as they crossed the remainder of the lawn and entered the White House through a set of French doors.

Nothing more was said as they trooped along a series of corridors and Jamie began to sense the animosity coming from the man walking at his side.

"So be it! If that's the way he wants to play this then he might be in for a bit of a surprise," Jamie thought to himself.

For once the security checkpoints in the corridors didn't stop anyone and it only took minutes before the little entourage entered the same conference room that the President had been in earlier. POTUS's interrupted sleep was catching up with him and he appeared tired and cranky as they took seats around the conference room table.

"Can I start by introducing the other gentlemen here, your Grace. This is Stephen Hadley, my National Security Advisor. On your right is Joshua Bolton, my Chief of Staff. Beside Joshua is General Michael Hayden, the Director of the CIA and on my left here is Bob Swan Mueller III, Director of the FBI," said the President.

Jamie stood and shook hands with each man as the President introduced them. The men were surprised by his formal approach and obvious good manners, but remained mute as they shook hands.

"I must admit your arrival has taken us all a little bit by surprise your Grace. Normally there is a protocol that is followed for state visits. That protocol would certainly include some kind of request through the State Department," said President Bush.

As if on cue, the doors to the conference room opened and Sir David Manning and another man entered. Sir David made his way directly to Jamie and bowed low before him.

"Your Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you in the flesh at last. I'm glad your flight and arrival here have gone without incident."

"Thanks you, Sir David," Jamie replied. "Mr President, I'm not sure if you have met Sir David Manning before? Sir David as you know is my Ambassador here. The President was just giving me a row for not following protocol as you yourself advised Sir David and I was just about to respond."

Something in the way that Jamie said these last words alerted Sir David and he gave Jamie a hard look, as if to say 'don't do anything stupid'.