08-14-2016, 03:54 PM
When Lacey Frieburg, the White House Chief of Staff, told Nicholas she would see him in Washington soon, Nicholas hadn't been expecting to find himself outside the Oval Office less than a week later. Security had been on a constant rise since Nikolai Brandon confirmed the existence of magical powers. The White House looked more like a fortress than a statesman's home.
But the newly risen concrete walls surrounding the perimeter wouldn't be worth a damn, if push came to shove. But then, Nicholas supposed, it was better to look like you were doing something. The wait dragged out for several minutes, and Nicholas could picture Dawson sitting behind those doors thinking he was sending some kind of message.
Blessedly, an aide came and opened the doors, ushering Nicholas inside. "Mr. President,"
Nicholas said as he made eye contact with a man he'd spent a career lambasting.
Dawson had probably spent the whole morning mentally preparing himself to meet a power user face to face. The expression that met Nicholas was neutral and expectant. An obvious front; if there was one thing Republicans feared it was that which they didn't understand. "Thank you for coming today. Let's sit and chat. Lacey said you were open to the position on the Cabinet?"
Nicholas crossed the room, and took a chair. "There's nobody better for the job,"
he said, looking Dawson in the eye.
And with that, Dawson began. "You'll be my primary advisor in matters relating to this newfound power so many seem to be afflicted with. There are laws to write. Policies to design. We must know what this power is capable of inflicting." And there it was. The fear.
Nicholas nodded. "Afflicted with, Mr. President?"
Dawson waved his hand. "Oh you know what I mean. The Sickness."
Nicholas leaned back in his chair, briefly considering siezing the power before deciding against it. Instead, he just smiled. "Fair enough. It's a health crisis. But tell me, what are you planning to do with all these magic users?"
Dawson frowned and shook his head. "Thats why you're here. We have to figure this out." He offered a hand to shake. "Will you formally accept the position?"
That was a new one. Almost the last thing Nicholas expected the president to say, in fact. But, then again, only time would tell whether those words held truth. Nicholas shook the hand. "I accept. We're going to do this better than the Custody is."
After they shook, it wasn't long before the order was signed and the press conference scheduled. Things were about to get interesting.
But the newly risen concrete walls surrounding the perimeter wouldn't be worth a damn, if push came to shove. But then, Nicholas supposed, it was better to look like you were doing something. The wait dragged out for several minutes, and Nicholas could picture Dawson sitting behind those doors thinking he was sending some kind of message.
Blessedly, an aide came and opened the doors, ushering Nicholas inside. "Mr. President,"
Nicholas said as he made eye contact with a man he'd spent a career lambasting.
Dawson had probably spent the whole morning mentally preparing himself to meet a power user face to face. The expression that met Nicholas was neutral and expectant. An obvious front; if there was one thing Republicans feared it was that which they didn't understand. "Thank you for coming today. Let's sit and chat. Lacey said you were open to the position on the Cabinet?"
Nicholas crossed the room, and took a chair. "There's nobody better for the job,"
he said, looking Dawson in the eye.
And with that, Dawson began. "You'll be my primary advisor in matters relating to this newfound power so many seem to be afflicted with. There are laws to write. Policies to design. We must know what this power is capable of inflicting." And there it was. The fear.
Nicholas nodded. "Afflicted with, Mr. President?"
Dawson waved his hand. "Oh you know what I mean. The Sickness."
Nicholas leaned back in his chair, briefly considering siezing the power before deciding against it. Instead, he just smiled. "Fair enough. It's a health crisis. But tell me, what are you planning to do with all these magic users?"
Dawson frowned and shook his head. "Thats why you're here. We have to figure this out." He offered a hand to shake. "Will you formally accept the position?"
That was a new one. Almost the last thing Nicholas expected the president to say, in fact. But, then again, only time would tell whether those words held truth. Nicholas shook the hand. "I accept. We're going to do this better than the Custody is."
After they shook, it wasn't long before the order was signed and the press conference scheduled. Things were about to get interesting.