Alpha Protocol

prologue: Before the Beginning

TWO YEARS EARLIER

The White House residence smelled faintly of bergamot and old books, the kind of quiet luxury that settled into your bones and made you forget, for a brief moment that the world outside the window was waiting to watch and even Intrude.

Kayla Reed lay curled against Dr. David Thomson’s chest in the pre-dawn hush, her cheek pressed to the steady thump of his heart. His arm draped over her waist like an anchor. Outside, the capital was already stirring sirens in the distance, the low rumble of early traffic but here, time felt generous. And deep in her heart she knew the time was very much borrowed.

“I wish today could pause,” she murmured, tracing the edge of his collarbone with one fingertip. “At least just once.”

David’s laugh was soft and sleepy. “You’re the most powerful woman on the planet, Kayla. But I hate to be the one to point out that the universe wouldn't stop, even for you the president of the United States.”

She smiled against his skin, but the smile felt bitter and she tried counting how many days she had had in tenure that she wanted her term in office to be over. Exhaustion had carved faint lines around her eyes; responsibility had sharpened the elegant planes of her face. Still, in this stolen pocket of morning, she was simply his beautiful wife.

At eight she would board Marine One for Texas. The home grown food policy she’d battled Congress over for half a year was finally launching, fields replanted, small farms funded, hunger maps redrawn. Texas wasn’t just going to be a photo op, it was a personal agenda for her. Roots and Redemption that what she had told her father and later the Congress when she had presented it. A promise she’d made to voters and to herself along with other policies that would re shape the nations economy and boost home made produce.

She slipped from the bed letting the silk sheets fall to the ground. After a quick shower she was in her dressing room, she became the President again in her crimson suit, crisp white blouse, and heels that promised to make her the tallest in any room. When she stepped back into the bedroom, David was already buttoning his shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows in casually handsome and competent way of his.

He looked up then paused as he done almost every morning since they had been married. “You look like trouble in the best way.” he laughed.

She crossed the room, without needing to rise to her toes and kissed the corner of his mouth. “You always say that.”

A sharp knock interrupted the moment and the red haired Ava Williams entered without waiting for permission with an expression that showed her impatience and tight schedule, she was the President's Chief of Staff and was never not busy and hence never had time to waste words.

“Good morning Madam President. Emergency Security Council briefing. Intelligence confirms foreign operatives armed inside U.S. borders. Multiple points of entry. It’s moving fast.”

The air and mood in the room changed and Kayla swore inwardly, it was never a normal morning and today was another morning for non stop issues.

"Our troops are ready and our Generals are not waiting to confirm their target, urgent action is adviced"

"Any Identifications?" Kayla asked.

"No madam President" Ava Williams replied "Best guess is the Russians"

"Always the bloody Russians" David growled "You have to act.

Kayla felt the shift in her chest, the familiar tightening of duty over her desires. Texas mattered to her greatly but the nation came first always. She opened her mouth to respond, but David was already moving.

“I’ll go” he said quietly. "I'll attend to Texas, you go to the Security council meeting"

She turned sharply to him to object. “David-”

“Trust me.” Dr. David Thompson interject her rising objection "Right now the country needs you to be the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Be that."

As always David was right and she knew it.

"Okay" Kayla replied.

"The speech for the event will be sent to you Sir" Ava Williams assured "Without delay Madam President we have to get to the Situation Room"

"Okay. Do what you have to"

As soon as the order dropped the room erupted into a controlled chaos. Ava Williams reached for her phone to start making calls, Orders snapped through earpieces of the Secret agents. Air Force One’s manifest was rewritten in minutes and the Deputy Director of the Secret Service Logan Bill appeared at the door, with a grim face. With foreign operatives in the country he was now to run point on the president details personally.

Kayla stood by the tall window, watching David adjust his cufflinks with the same calm precision he used to tie his children’s shoelaces or debug her campaign speeches late at night. He caught her eye and offered the half-smile that had once convinced her to say yes to a second date.

“You’ll make them proud,” she said with her voice steady but her hand slightly shaking as she adjusted his already perfect tie.

“You already have darling.” David replied with a smile "I'm just going to offer them a smile, read your love and Intentions and shake as many hands as possible then I'll be back to D.C. with you"

He kissed her forehead briefly before he walked out accompanied by his own security details.

She watched the door close behind him with a smile on her face. She wondered what she could have done without him. She loved and appreciated him for the big and small things and most importantly never letting her do things on her own.

Perhaps if she had know it would be the last time she would see him, she would have ran to him hugged him deeply and not permit him out of the room and her life.

The convoy of the First Gentleman never reached Andrews Air Force Base. Somewhere along the route, the first shot hit the windows bullet proof glass next was explosions that ripped through steel and glass and flames swallowed vehicles whole. It was gathered that the assassination attempt was carried out by a white supremacy group acting on the intelligence that the black president was to head to the Airport through that route.

Minutes later in the Situation Room, President Kayla stood motionless while a secure line rang in her hand. She lifted it to her ear then listened. The voice on the other end was direct, professional but not without empathy as the news of the death of her husband and more than half of his security team was informed to her.

When the call ended, she lowered the phone slowly, and the news weighed more than the country she led crushed her.

She crashed into her seat looking before her were the many generals, advisors, and aides frozen in their seats, waiting for her to give them an answer on how to navigate the current issue. Without giving room for grief she finally spoke.

"Ready the troops and put men in the air"

During the day President Kayla made calls, signed documents, stayed strong by her children before making it to her room where she cried her eyes out.