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“I assume it’s because I’m unelected, and they might have hoped to force a special election.”
“Damn,” Terry said.
Even with some time to absorb the information Juan had given him, Nick still felt the same sense of disbelief that he saw in Terry’s stunned expression. “I’ve spoken to Cox. He’s assured me of his fealty to me and to the Constitution and is prepared to do what needs to be done.”
“This is going to be…” Derek gave him a wide-eyed look. “The biggest story in the world.”
And Nick had thought his mother’s arrest would be the biggest story of the day. That had nothing on this.
Secretary Tobias Jennings arrived next. Tall and silver-haired, with a serious expression that rarely ever became less so, Jennings had been running the Pentagon for five years.
Nick shook his hand and asked him the same question he’d posed to Cox.
“Sir?” Jennings’s brows furrowed ever so slightly. “What are you asking?”
“It’s come to my attention that the Joint Chiefs may have been planning a coup to overthrow my government, and I’d like your assurances that you can do what needs to be done to defend the Constitution in this situation.”
For the first time in their acquaintance, Nick saw Jennings’s expression shift from serious to shocked. “That’s not possible.”
“I assure you it is. The Joint Chiefs will arrive at any moment. I need to know I can count on you to handle this appropriately.”
After a long pause, Jennings said, “Yes, sir. You can count on me.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d like to say for the record that I had no knowledge of this,” Jennings said, “and if I had, I would’ve brought it to your attention, Mr. President.”
“That’s good to know.”
The others began to arrive, beginning with the vice president, Secretary of State Sanford, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Michael Wilson and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Graham was the last to arrive and took a seat at the table.
Secretary of State Jessica Sanford apologized for the formal red gown she wore. “I was at a dinner with my senior staff,” she said as the scent of her Chanel No. 5 wafted across the table and added to the nightmare of this day for Nick. His mother’s scent hit him like the usual fist to the gut any time he encountered it.
With far more important things to attend to, he shook that off as best he could and stood at the head of the table, hoping he conveyed command and authority. He would need both to get through the next few minutes. “Thank you all for coming in. It’s been brought to my attention that the Joint Chiefs of Staff are plotting to try to remove me from office.” As he spoke, he watched Wilson and noted when his gaze darted to Admiral Goldstein, the Navy chief, who had the good sense to look down at the table. That single look between the general and admiral confirmed that Juan’s information was solid.
Secretary Jennings looked to Wilson for an explanation.
“Before you say anything, General, please be aware that you have rights.” Nick looked at Cox, who seemed exquisitely uncomfortable as he reminded the nation’s highest-ranking military officers of their rights in this matter.
Nick watched the scene play out with a feeling of detached disbelief even as he realized that future history books would cover this moment in detail. Never in the nation’s history had the Joint Chiefs conspired to overthrow a president’s administration.
“Do you understand these rights as they’ve been explained to you?” Cox asked the generals and admiral.
Each of them said, “I do.”
“General Wilson,” Nick said. “Were you and the other Joint Chiefs planning to overthrow my administration?”
Wilson hesitated, his gaze encompassing his colleagues. After a long, pregnant pause, Wilson said, “I’d like to speak to my attorney.”
Nick gestured to the others. “Is there anything any of you wish to say?”
The others, looking as shocked as Nick felt as their military careers and lives as they knew them came to an end, shook their heads.
“In that case, you’re relieved of your commands, effective immediately. General Cox, please take these men into custody.”
