Page 88 of Royal Guard

The big screen on the wall lit up and I saw the US President sitting behind his desk. “Your Majesty,” he said. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

I swallowed. I had to be Queen now, more than I ever had before. I allowed myself just a single glance at Garrett. He nodded.You can do this.

“Mr. President,” I began, “You once told me that if I ever needed help, I should come to you. Well, I’m coming to you now. There are US marines at this embassy. I’m asking you to provide us with as many as you can spare, to help us take the TV station and tell the nation the truth about what’s going on.” I laid it all out for him: Aleksander, General Novak, the assassination attempts on me and my father.

The President leaned forward, his face somber. “You’re asking me to launch an attack with US troopsin a foreign country. That’s an act of war, Your Majesty.”

“If you don’t help us,” I said, “there’s going tobea war. The bombers are launching right now. They’ll be in Garmanian airspace within an hour. Then the war will start and once it starts, no force on earth is going to be able to stop it. Millions of innocent people are going to die. Mr. President, five years ago, when Garmania invaded, we begged for help. Europe didn’t do anything. The UN didn’t do anything. The United States didn’t do anything.”

The President closed his eyes and nodded in acknowledgement.

“I don’t blame you,” I said. “I really don’t. I’m just asking you to not let history repeat itself.”

“And if we do this, and you don’t succeed?” asked the President. “If US troops mount what's basically a coup against another country's leader and these people retain power? They’ll paint us as conspirators with you and Garmania. No one will trust us again.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Mr. Buchanan?”

Garrett stepped forward. “Mr. President?”

“You know the Queen. I'd appreciate an honest opinion. Can she pull this off? If the marines get her on TV, can she convince her people to follow her again? Can she stop the war?”

Garrett gazed at me for a few seconds, hunting for the words. Then, “Sir, this woman's only been in power a handful of days. But she's already a better leader than any I've ever met. I'd follow her to the end.” I stared at him, overcome, my chest tight. “Sir,we need to do this,”he said. “We can’t let politics get in the way.” His voice was thick with emotion. “Notthis time.”

The President looked at me. “You're asking me to risk US lives. These are men with wives and children. Not all of them might make it back.”

It was the part of being a leader I most feared. But I couldn’t let that fear control me anymore. “I'm aware of that, Mr. President. And I accept that responsibility, if it's the price of stopping this war.”

The President's face softened a little, as if I’d given the right answer. “Okay then,” he said. “Let’s get this thing moving.”

69

GARRETT

Kristina was tryingto do up the straps on her body armor, but her hands were shaking. I reached down, gently moved her hand out of the way and did them for her. But the truth was, I just wanted to tear the goddamn thing off her, pick her up and lock her in a room at the embassy. The idea of her walking right into danger terrified me.

But I couldn’t see another way to do this. We needed her there, at the TV station, to speak to the people. I’d just have to keep her safe.

And that was another problem: was I up to this? I was worried I was going to have another flashback and if that happened, I’d be useless. This wasn’t like the shootout on the highway, or seeing the blood seeping through the towel in the motel room. This was actual combat and I hadn’t been in combat since I was discharged. Plus, I had a head injury. A medic at the embassy had unwound the duct tape from my head, taking off some hair in the process, cleaned me up andbandaged it. But he’d been very clear that what I really needed was some time in bed, not to go into action.

The leader of the marine squad, Master Sergeant Hadley, came over. His black hair was shaved in the classic Marine “high and tight” and he was tall, towering over Kristina. Given that he wasn’t in the best mood, the effect was... intense. “Your Majesty, I want you to understand: we don’t have the time or the manpower to hold that TV station.” He was polite but his voice was tight with worry. “We’re massively outnumbered. This is going to be an insertion, nothing more. We get you in there, but you have to work the magic once we do because we sure as hell aren’t getting out again.”

I understood that he wasn’t being an asshole: he was just worried about his men. I turned to Kristina but she was already nodding. “I understand, Master Sergeant” she said. “And thank you and your men.” She said it with such sincerity that Hadley nodded and calmed a little. I’d met two-star Generals who couldn’t talk to the soldiers as well as she could. She was a natural.

Eight marines, Emerik and Jakov, Kristina and I all took our places in the back of a truck. Kristina looked tiny crammed between two marines. They’d found some military fatigues that just about fit her and a pair of boots, but by the time she’d strapped on the body armor and the helmet, it looked like the uniform was going to swallow her. I reached across the aisle and squeezed her hand. “You’ll be okay,” I told her.

She nodded, her face pale. I swore I’d protect her, whatever it took.

As we neared the TV station there was a rumble ofaircraft engines above, heading towards the border with Garmania. We peeked out of the back of the truck and saw a formation of bombers, high overhead. I looked at Kristina, who was already doing the math in her head. “We’ve got twenty minutes,” she said. “Maybe less.”

Master Sergeant Hadley leaned over and showed us his phone. It was a live news feed, and Aleksander and General Novak were on screen, making the speech they’d wanted Kristina to make: the one declaring war on Garmania. “Hurry!”I said tightly.

The TV station was one of those super-modern places, all glass and white stone. We went around the back first, to drop off Emerik and Jakov. They had their own, separate job and it was crucial to our success.

Seconds later, we pulled up outside the front of the TV station. As we’d thought, there were soldiers guarding it: Aleksander knew the power of the media and he didn’t want anyone telling the people the truth.

One by one, the marines jumped down from the truck and started shooting. I spun around and took Kristina’s face between my hands. It made my chest ache to see her so scared. “Stay low,” I told her, shouting to be heard over the gunfire. “Stay in the middle. Stay with us. I WILL protect you.” She nodded. Then she grabbed me and kissed me hard, and the press of those soft, sweet lips made me light up inside. We took a second to enjoy it: both of us knew it might be our last chance.

Then we jumped down from the truck... and entered hell.

70

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