2030_ The Real Story of What Happens to America - Albert Brooks [162]
Walter Masters saw that Brad was shot and rushed over. As soon as he saw Brad up close, he knew it was too late. The blood was pouring from his heart and his head. He took Brad into his arms and held him while he died. Barbara wailed uncontrollably and Walter Masters realized that not since his wife passed away had someone died in his presence whose death he had no control over. All he could do was witness it, and he broke down in tears.
* * *
Matthew Bernstein got up from his chair and walked to the Oval Office. General McGuiness and John Van Dyke were congratulating him. The ship had not blown up and most of the people were saved, but the President felt that those who lost their lives were his responsibility, and he felt no joy. He was also haunted by what Max Leonard had said. He knew there was truth in it, but he didn’t know how to react. He certainly could not publicly acknowledge that this madman, who was responsible for killing innocent people, could be right in any way. For now he had to act as if the military had saved the day, and he would have to make it seem like the people who died were heroes. That their deaths somehow saved everyone else. It wasn’t true, but it was what you said when you were the president; that’s what the job required. You had to keep your real thoughts inside. It’s why he was in love with Susanna. She had become the only safe person to tell what he was really thinking.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
The story broke around the world. So many of the ship’s residents had recorded every moment that Max Leonard’s demands would eventually be seen by billions. It was why the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been opposed to the President having this conversation in the first place. Even though the lives of thousands were saved, everyone would now get to hear Max Leonard. And that couldn’t be good.
Will this create a revolution? Now Bernstein was questioning himself. Had I known what Leonard was going to say, would I have talked to him? What did I think he was going to say? Could the SEALs have stopped it without me intervening? What if they really had had explosives? The President put his head in his hands and sat there. He had a blinding headache. He called Susanna. “What did I do?” he asked her. “The whole world is hearing this guy. Did I make a mistake?”
She came down the hall to the Oval Office, and walked in and stood by his desk. “You were a hero. You saved the lives of almost everyone on that ship. There is no telling what they would have done had you not chosen to speak with him. You are a hero.”
The President stood up and kissed her. “I want you to stay with me.”
“I’m here.”
“I mean forever. I want you in my life. I can’t do this without you.” She didn’t answer. He looked so worn out. This was not the time for that discussion. “I’m sorry to be so weak,” he said.
“You’re not weak. You just went through a crisis that most presidents never face and I think you did it brilliantly. I will stay late tonight if you need me, but now, if you’re all right, I have to get back. I left people sitting in my office. Is that okay?”
The President nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry if I pulled you away from something. I just needed to talk.”
“Stop it. I’m here for you. I support you.”
As Susanna left the room, she knew that something was coming to a head in their personal lives, but she didn’t know what. What she did know was that the President needed to remain strong and she wanted to remain in the White House.
* * *
The news was filled with the hijacking and the rescue for days. It was all anyone talked about. There were commentators who thought the President had been wrong in talking to a terrorist, there were people who thought he handled it well, and there were others who agreed with what Max Leonard said, but couched their words carefully so they wouldn’t sound like they approved of