Chapter 26

“America is my home.

“America was the home of my parents and their parents.

“America was the dream my great-grandparents had for my parents.”

America is the dream my parents had for me.

“There is not that much different about me. My great grandparents came from a land where opportunity was denied, or granted based on nothing more than your pedigree. We talk about elitism and snobbishness, but Eastern Europe was the home of more elitism, more denied opportunity and less freedom to achieve than has ever been imagined in America...”

When Sam Brownbock came on stage at the invitation of Hawk Dryden, he brought a new and entirely different energy with him. Watching Sam hold the entire audience in the palm of his hand, I was reminded of Charles Thornton, my mentor and once upon-a-time, boss. Thinking about Charles sent a spike of pain straight to my heart. Remembering his wife, daughter and little Casey threatened to make me mad all over my body.

Those who killed my friend and boss paid a terrible price. Ken Stanton literally blew himself up thinking he was killing me. With him on the plane of death was most of his cabal of idiots. Their trail of body parts littered the landscape and should have been a warning to others not to raise a hand in anger against my loved ones. How Ken missed the signs as he plotted my death after ordering those of Charles, Casey and Diane, was still a mystery.

Would there be others? Would other political animals attempt to slaughter Sam Brownbock in and endless campaign to steal the White House? If so, then I was positioned perfectly to lend a hand, a gun, and a merciless heart of stone to stop them.

It took an act of my will to turn my thoughts from those who murdered my friends, just like it took a never ending will of iron to keep from going nuclear over the murder of Angela. Having steeled myself to move forward instead of being dragged down by the quicksand of hate and revenge, I focused on the speech being given by my next boss.

“The world is not the same small, friendly place it was back when I was a child, but it should be. Our children have a right to be safe from terrorism, racial violence and hate crimes. I pledge allegiance to America, and to my fellow Americans, that it will the overwhelming goal of my presidency to safeguard America from those who seek to take her away from us.

“Our government will continue the turn away from corruption and greed that started with President Charles Thornton and was unceasingly carried forth by John Gray and is even now being prosecuted by my friend and our courageous leader, President Dryden. We will continue to uncover and stamp out the corruption that steals our hard earned tax dollars and uses them to fund all kinds of chicanery. We will not rest while corruption continues within our government.”

Same paused to allow the applause to settle before going on. “None of us works in a vacuum. We all depend on our partners in integrity and courage.

“We Will Not Fail. I promise you, America ... We Will Never Fail as long as we stand united to make America a better place, a safer place and a place where honor, integrity and truth still mean something beautiful...” Whatever Sam intended to say after that was lost in the avalanche of celebration that took place in the stadium where he and Hawk chose to make these speeches.

After what seemed like a long time, the adulation quieted and Sam went for the unexpected bombshell.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls; I want to share some news with you, today. Many of you thought that the President and I would come out here and wow you with well-worn clichés and timeless, brainless, chatter.

“That was never our intention.

“Every President needs a strong and tireless right arm to lean on and depend upon. When I take the oath of office next January, standing with me will be a man of utter fearlessness, shocking bravery and a courage born of his faith in God and his belief in the goodness of Americans.

“When I take the oath, America, it will be with your new Vice President. Please join me in welcoming my running mate, Tommy Morrison, the next Vice President of the United States.”

No one expected that.

The press were caught completely off guard and rushed to broadcast the news. People in the audience gasped as Sam called me out to meet the people. Hawk’s helicopters were long gone by the time Sam introduced me, as a nod to safety and to the safe continuation of the government, so it was just Sam and me, waving to a crowd literally shaking with joy at being invited to Sam’s announcement.

We stood at the center of the throng, waiting with infinite patience for the people – We the People – to finish enjoying the moment. It was surreal. I was taken back to my first speech after taking over John Gray’s body. The energy of those thousands of screaming citizens, cheering something good about their country was enough to swell any mans’ head. My experience with the adoring masses reminded how quickly it can all come undone, when catcalls, screeches of anger and hatred, replace shouts of joy.