Page 42 of No Vow Broken

“Don’t be sorry. I understand.” Slash stood up. “However, if you’ll excuse me, I need to contact the Holy Father and ask him to cancel his trip. There’ll be no wedding. It’s not safe for our family or guests and it’s certainly not safe for the pope, you, or the first lady.”

The president and his wife exchanged a long glance before Shannon spoke. “About that…we ask you to reconsider that decision. We were pretty sure you’d feel that way and that’s why we wanted to talk with you this evening—morning, whatever it is.”

“Reconsider?” I looked at the president in surprise. “After what just happened, why would we reconsider putting everyone in danger again?”

Jack motioned to Slash. “Please sit down and hear us out for a minute.”

I glanced at Slash, and after a moment of hesitation, he sat, our knees touching.

“I know we’re asking a lot,” Jack said. “But we’d like the wedding to continue. It’s our fault that this happened to you. But we want whoever planned this to know they failed and we won’t let them dictate our lives in any way. I strongly believe we need to send a message to those who would conduct such activities that we won’t live our lives in fear of the next attack.”

I felt more than saw Slash stiffen. “Sir, with all due respect, we can’t risk your lives and the lives of our families for a policy statement or a formality. That includes the life of the Holy Father, who, in all ways, is family to Lexi and me.”

“I understand your concern, but you’re missing something here, son,” Jack said. “A wedding is not a formality. It’s a blessing, and it will be one of the most important memories of your lives. I will not let armed thugs who were trying to hurt me, or my wife, take that away from you.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a cell phone. He tapped the screen and then set it on the coffee table, pushing it toward us.

“I’m not the only one who feels that way. I just got off the phone with the Holy Father. He fully intends to travel here to see you married in the church this weekend, assassination attempts notwithstanding. I’m afraid we share the same sentiment.” He pushed the phone even closer. “Go on, read it. It’s from him. It’s in Italian, so I can’t tell you what it says, but he said to show you.”

I leaned forward as Slash took the phone and read the message. As the president had said, it was written in Italian, and I had no idea what it said. But Slash apparently did. He read it, set the phone back down on the table, and slid it back to Jack without a word.

I looked worriedly at Slash. He stared at a spot just over the president’s head, as if trying to figure out what to say or how to say it.

“I’ll be honest, the pope’s security warned him against coming,” Jack continued. “But since he insists, they, and we, will take every precaution to protect him, you, and your guests. I know it’s a lot to take in. It’s just something else to consider while you’re thinking this over. Please know that Shannon and I are willing to remove ourselves from the guest list to lessen any danger, if you wish.”

Shannon leaned forward. “Our staff has personally spoken to the Lighthouse Resort Hotel and Spa, where many of your guests are already staying near the wedding venue and where you’ve blocked off several rooms. They’ve offered to let us take over the entire hotel for the rest of the week if you want to proceed. We agreed to put up the other hotel guests who are not a part of your wedding festivities at a nearby hotel for free for the inconvenience of having to move. This way those of you who were in Bluff House can move to the hotel, and we will use the rest of the rooms for security, police, and staff to protect you and your guests. Security for the event would start immediately. We hope you’ll take into consideration the preparations that will allow you to safely continue with the wedding if you so choose.”

Slash looked at me, and I lifted my shoulders, not sure what to say. What could I say? “We promise to think it over,” Slash finally said.

“Thank you,” Shannon said with a smile. “We hoped you would. I presume you’ve been told that the Secret Service will bring everyone here in the morning for debriefings. After they are wrapped up, we’ll transport those who wish to go to the Lighthouse Resort Hotel. Once the police have given them the go-ahead, the Secret Service will collect your luggage and vehicles from Bluff House and deliver them to the hotel.”

“Thank you,” I said. “What you’re doing is very kind. But we must talk to our friends and families before we decide anything. It’s not just us making this decision.”

“I completely understand,” Shannon said. “Whatever you chose to do, we will support you fully.”

“That means a lot,” Slash said, standing and putting his hand out to help me up. “Lexi and I will let you know our decision as soon as possible.”

TWENTY-THREE

Boris Plotnikov

Moscow

It was nearly noon when Boris’s black burner phone finally rang. He’d been waiting more than two hours for Sergei’s update. Still, he calmly set aside his newspaper—he preferred to read a real paper version—and placed his coffee cup carefully onto the saucer before answering.

“Report,” he said not bothering with pleasantries.

“There was a problem, sir.”

Boris clenched his teeth, practically hissing his reply. “Those are not words I like to hear. But I am aware of your failure. It has been all over the news for several hours. There’d better be a good explanation.”

There was a slight pause on the other end. “The entire team was killed. Those who made it, at least.”

“How is that possible? You said this was the best-trained group money could buy.”

“They are…were. However, from what I’ve been able to learn from our inside contact, the guests fought back. Ferociously and well. It seems some of the guests were former or current military.”

“How did we not know and account for that?” Boris spoke the words slowly, between clenched teeth.

“It shouldn’t have mattered.” But now Sergei’s voice wavered nervously. “Regardless of experience, they wouldn’t have weapons, so they should have been easy targets.”

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