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From Part One: Sam bent down to pick up the post from the mat as he left the house. The black-and-white photograph of him coming out of the supermarket, arms full of brown bags, was unsettling enough. But, turning the picture over, the wording, written in red ink, made him shiver. I'm watching you. `Mr Seaborn, I'm Marc Nicholls. Secret Service. Can I come in for a moment please?' `Sorry, come in.' `What?' `I let him in. He went upstairs while I made coffee.' `Did you see his ID?' `No.'
`I wonder who it is?' `Who knows? And it's probably better not to think about it. If you wanna sleep at all tonight.'
Being driven everywhere was driving them both mad. The
constant shadowy presence of the Agents they each had – one with them
at all times, the face changing depending on the time of day and the
day of the week – was making them short-tempered and edgy. And
everyone was suffering for it.
Toby gave up correcting Sam's draft of a speech he was writing. He
was fed up with Sam's rebuttal of each of his suggestions.
Leo gave up trying to have a reasonable conversation with
Josh about a meeting they were both going to later that afternoon.
Donna and Cathy were both sulking after their bosses spent
the morning alternately ignoring them and shouting at them.
By early evening, even Bartlet had picked up on the tension.
He walked out of the Oval and across the bullpen. Leo and Toby were
both in Toby's office. Neither looked particularly happy. `Leo, Toby,
got a second?'
`Sir?' Toby looked up as Bartlet walked in.
`Come into my office.'
Both men followed Bartlet into the Oval, surprised when he stayed
behind to close the door after them. `Sam and Josh seem a little
tense.'
Toby couldn't help himself. He laughed. Bitterly. `Another day of
this and I'll kill Sam with my bare hands.'
`Leo?' Bartlet looked across to his Chief of Staff and best
friend. `I don't think I'll last a whole day.'
`Okay. Get `em in here.'
`Sam, Josh, get in here.'
The two men changed direction as they walked across the bullpen, each
carrying a coffee and a bagel.
`How you two holding up?'
`Sir?' Josh didn't want to talk about it and pretended to look
puzzled.
`Josh, I know this isn't easy…'
`Do you?'
`Josh…' Any other day, Leo's tone would have stopped Josh.
Sam looked at the floor, uncomfortable, sure what was about to happen.
But this wasn't any other day. `With respect Sir…'
Bartlet half-smiled. `I only ever hear that phrase when I'm about to
be insulted.
Josh was too wound up to stop now. `You have no idea what we're going
through! Some sicko is watching us. He's got photos, he's been in our
home and we've got strangers in our spare room.' Josh's voice, loud
to begin with, was louder as his anger built. `We don't know who it
is, or why he's doing this, all we know is we're going through Hell.
And there's nothing we can do. Still think you understand, Sir?'
In the following seconds of silence, Bartlet's eyes went from Josh,
who looked like he was ready to hit someone, to Leo, who looked like
he was ready to hit Josh. Finally, he settled on Sam, who was close
to tears.
`Go home. Both of you. Now.'
Josh almost ran from the room, the door flying open as he pushed past
Leo and Toby. Sam walked more slowly. He stopped in the
doorway. `Sir…'
Bartlet smiled gently. `Go home Sam.'
When they were alone again, Bartlet looked at the two men
standing opposite him. `Well, that went well.'
`Sir…'
`Leo, let it go. They're upset.'
`Josh…'
`Is more upset. Sam is being targeted. And there's not a damn thing
Josh can do about it.'
`I don't care…'
Bartlet smiled. `Yeah, Leo, you do. Now, let's get some work done.'
`Sam, this was just delivered by messenger.' Sam looked up as
Cathy came in, a small box in her hand.
`Thanks Cathy.'
Sam looked for some indication as to the identity of the sender,
found none, and opened the box.
Josh, Toby and Leo all heard Sam's scream. And they all
arrived in his office doorway at the same time. Sam was sitting with
the cardboard box on his desk, his hands stained red, the liquid
dripping onto his desk. None of them could work out what he was
holding until Leo prised Sam's fingers apart. The small blue leather
cat collar fell onto the desk, lying in the spreading pool of red
liquid.
Ron Butterfield interviewed Cathy, trying to get her to
remember something other than the fact that the messenger had been of
medium height, medium build and with brown hair. Almost identical to
the description Sam had given of the fake Agent he had let into the
house a week earlier.
A quick call to the house established that Lexi was fine.
Bartlet ordered Sam out of the West Wing and up to the Residence.
Toby and Leo worked on clearing Sam's desk of the red paint which had
filled the black pouch the collar had been packed in. Josh walked the
short distance between his office and the coffee machine so many
times that Donna took the jug off the hotplate and waited until Josh
began to make a fresh pot before going across.
`Josh, that's your fifth cup in ten minutes. Stop for a
second.'
`Donna!' Josh shook his head, his face angry.
`Josh, it was just paint.'
`Donna, go back to your office!'
`Josh…'
Donna flinched as Josh's hand came up. Only Leo's tight grip on his
wrist stopped him from landing his fist on the hotplate. Leo jerked
his head at Donna and she almost ran back to her office. His hand at
Josh's back, Leo led Josh into his office, steering him onto the
couch.
`Josh, you gotta get past this.'
`Past this?' Josh's voice was loud in the silence. `Past this…'
Suddenly Josh seemed to run out of anger. His voice dropped to a
whisper. `If anything happened to him…'
Leo sighed. `Josh, go upstairs. Go on. You can't work like this. Go
be with Sam.'
Still trembling slightly, Sam swallowed the Valium the First Lady
handed him. Jed's call to
his wife warned her of Josh's imminent arrival, and she was well-
prepared for his agitated appearance in the doorway a few minutes
later.By the time Josh arrived, Sam was calmer.
`Lit?'
`JL, I'm fine, really. Go back down.'
`Leo sent me up here.'
Sam looked up. `He did?'
`Yeah.'
`What did you do?'
Josh stared at the floor. `Nothing.'
`JL!'
`I almost burned myself.'
`I'll be just next door if you want anything, okay?'
Josh looked up, suddenly aware that there was someone else in the
room. Concentrating on Sam, he hadn't even noticed. `Thanks Dr
Bartlet.'
`Sam, if you want to sleep, there's a bed made up through the door.'
`Thank you.'
`No problem.'
`You should lie down for a while Lit.'
`I'm fine.'
`No, you're not. Come on.'
Sam allowed himself to be steered into the adjoining bedroom. Josh
pulled back the covers and, fully dressed, Sam lay on the sheet,
feeling the welcome coolness on his hot skin. Josh pulled off his
shoes and tie, then covered him with the sheet and blanket.
`Close your eyes.'
Sam began to breathe quickly. `I can see the collar.'
`Picture us at the coffee place being served by the tall blonde girl.'
Uncertainly, Sam said: `Okay.'
`Now, what are you having?'
`Espresso. And a doughnut.'
`And what am I having?'
Sam's voice was soft, slightly slurred as the shock wore off, to be
replaced with the calming effects of the drug. `Hot chocolate…and…'
Stroking Sam's damp hair for a couple of minutes, Josh made sure he
was sleeping before getting up.
`Dr Bartlet?'
Abbey turned in the chair where she had been writing up the details
of what had happened. `Yes Josh?'
`Do you think the President would let us bring Lexi to work with us?'
`Probably. Leo might not be too keen though.'
`What if we kept it out of the way during the day.'
Smiling, Abbey sighed. `Up here, you mean? I suppose it would be
alright.'
`Thanks. And thanks for looking after Sam.'
`No problem. How are you holding up?'
`I'm okay.'
`And the truth?'
`I'm scared every second of every day we're not in here.'
`Ron says they have some leads to follow up.'
`Yeah. He also told me not to hold my breath.'
`You have to be positive Josh. For Sam's sake, as much as your own.'
`I know.'
`Go back to your office and let Sam sleep. I'll call you when he
wakes up.'
`Leo said…'
`Josh, go back down.'
`Okay.'
`Margaret, find Ron Butterfield.'
`Yes Leo.'
The agent walked into Leo's office, certain he knew the topic
of conversation before Leo said a word. He wasn't disappointed.
`Sit down.'
`Mr McGarry?'
`Ron, is there any way to hurry this up? I'm not sure how much more
of this we can all take.'
`I'm sorry sir. It's not an easy task.'
`I understand. Anything, Ron. Please?'
`Yes sir.'
`Thanks.'
Leo smiled gratefully, and Ron got to his feet. `There is one thing,
sir…'
`Name it.'
`Lexi.'
`What?'
`Their cat, sir. It's an obvious target, and after this morning…'
Leo was adamant. `It is not coming into the office.'
`Dr Bartlet suggested it might be okay to keep it upstairs while Mr
Lyman and Mr Seaborn are in the office.'
Leo frowned. `Okay.'
Ron walked towards the door. `Sir.'
`Find `em, Ron. Whoever it is, find `em.'
`We are trying sir.'
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