This Time The Clock Won't Explode
Gerard glanced out the window for a quick second before staring at the headrest in front of him. More protesters. It wasn't like he could do anything about the war raging in Europe, as a member of N.A.T.O. America had the duty to provide them weapons and military support. Duty. It was part of the oath he had recited. At least he thought it was. The whole inauguration process was a bit of a blur, if he was honest. The whole election was. Looking back his whole life was. Who was his mother again? Who took care of him as a child? Where did he even go to school? He had vague ideas. It scared him a little, not being able to clearly remember things.
A sharp bang scared him out of his rambling. What? The driver didn't react. Another bang. The driver hadn't sped up but there was a commotion outside the car. Someone had thrown a rock. And another rock. He was almost angry before shock took over. Someone had thrown a rock at him? He hadn't done anything to deserve that. Alright, maybe he wasn't the best President the states had ever had but it wasn't like he was another Clinton. He wasn't Nixon either. The only 'watergate' in his life was his horrendous showering habits. He was Way, plain and simple. Plain and simple. That's what Olivia had said about his campaign slogan. The WAY forward. He laughed and the driver looked back scared.
The car came to a quick stop, and Gerard hesitated for a moment before stepping out into a whirlwind of flashing lights and loud voices.
"Mr. Way! What are your thoughts on the war?" "Do you ever wonder what your father would have-" "President Way! The United Press wants to know why you haven't left the White house for-"
He stood like a deer in headlights before a security official gently herded him to the venue.
OLIVIA'S POV
She read over her notes again. There was only one thing written, but she had underlined it so many times it took up an entire page of her notebook. DO NOT LET HIM TALK ABOUT THE WAR. Easier said than done. The war was the only thing the press actually wanted to talk about, so she would have to divert their attention with some personal details. She had told Gerard what to say already, and she was ready to step in if he did anything wrong. She thought she was ready, at least. It turns out it's nearly impossible to stop him from revealing personal information. Every answer he gave to questions like "Was your father kind?" made her want to either slam her head onto the table or awkwardly pat Gerard on the back. Then one question, one question with the weight of twenty one years of secrecy behind it, hit her like a brick.
"What do you think of your father's affair with Jane Davis?"
Gerard just stared at the reporter. This was a scandal that was years old and far faded from social relevance. There wasn't anything worthwhile to be said about the previous presidents' adultery, this dirty laundry had been airing out since-
"Do you know about the child of that affair?"
Somewhere in the universe there was a lawsuit flying at light speed towards that Davis woman. Olivia nodded towards the security guard to the right of her and the reporter was escorted out, but the damage was already done. Tomorrow she would organize several hit pieces on the newspaper that reporter worked for and the United States would think of it as a wild conspiracy theory. But Gerard couldn't shut up if his life depended on it.
"What child?"
Olivia wanted to shoot him.