Page 26 of Gator

“Michael? Is it worth it? All the judgment, harassing comments, potshots at your family, is it worth it?”

Bodwick stood and walked around the room, then leaned against one of the bookcases. He stared at the younger man and, for a moment, thought about just brushing it all aside.

“I’m not sure, Aaron. That’s the God’s honest truth. I lost Melanie the first time because I didn’t really give a shit about fighting all the bullshit. I didn’t want to drag Aspen through the mud, then to realize that Melanie had been pulling strings from behind the scenes. Man, I was done.

“When they came and said there was a loophole, and I should have been president all along, I thought, this is my chance to make some things right. And I hope I’ve done that. Our national security is better than it’s been in forty years. Our unemployment rates are down. Inflation is down. Interest rates are down. Yet there’s still bitching across the aisles.

“Nothing you do will ever be good enough for all parties, Aaron. You need to know that. Sometimes, you just have to say, ‘fuck ‘em all,’ and do what you know is right. There are days that I think they just enjoy arguing for no good reason. Just bullshit. It pisses me off. We have a country to run. A country that is slowly becoming the least admired, least liked country in the world.

“Now, my old as shit SEAL ass says, fuck off. I don’t care. But as President of the United States of America, what should be the most powerful country in the world, the wealthiest, most diverse, most abundant country in the world. I have to say, I don’t like it.

“But I suspect you came here because you’re hearing more than just whisperings around the debates. What’s going on?”

“I heard from the DOD that someone tried to hack into my military records.”

“Any idea who?” frowned Bodwick.

“They think it might have been Ruiz.”

“Damn,” muttered Bodwick. He knew it was going to pop up sooner or later. “Why him?”

“I led two missions to destroy his compounds along with RP. They went above and beyond, but my team did what we were ordered to do and got out. Benitez-Cortez has been spouting shit on the campaign trail about me being against immigration from the south, that I want to kick out all Mexican, Central American, and South American immigrants.”

“Brother, that shit has been circulating for the last five presidents.”

“I know, Michael, but I have this feeling she’s working with them. Ruiz and his people. Two weeks ago, I was at a fundraising dinner in Baltimore and looked out to see two faces I recognized. Metzger and Xi. I asked security to be sure they were on the list, and they verified that they’d paid more than twenty grand for their plates.

“Now, that’s all well and good, but neither of those men would vote for me. Xi can’t. He’s not even a citizen. Why was he there? Also, when dinner was done, and I was mingling, two people from their table started peppering me with questions about my military service.”

“Fuck,” muttered Bodwick. He stared at the younger man and knew he was wrestling with whether or not he wanted to proceed. “What do you want to do?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. Becca isn’t exactly thrilled with me continuing this. The kids have been harassed at school, and she’s been struggling to keep a normal schedule at the university.”

“Listen, Aaron, I know this is tough. Believe me, I know. But right now, the American public needs you. You’re not a man that gives up easily. I know you’re not. If I can promise that we’ll handle Metzger and the others, will you promise to stay in and fight?”

“RP is gone, Michael. They were fucked over by someone who did this same shit to you,” he said, frowning. Bodwick wanted to tell him the whole story, but it wasn’t time yet. He needed to see that Aaron was truly someone who could be trusted.

“I have another contractor that can help. One equally as good. Will you let me call them?”

Aaron stared at the man he admired more than anyone in the world. He was honest, direct, a fucking great SEAL who had overcome more in his lifetime than anyone could possibly imagine. He was also the best president the country had seen in decades.

“Alright. I’ll stay in the fight.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“What’s happening with Metzger and the others?” asked Eric, staring at the group for the morning meeting. Those on Belle Île no longer came in for the meeting unless needed. It felt strange without them, almost as if some of the air in the room had been removed. It would take them all a while to find their new normal.

For Eric, he still had his father sitting in the back row. With his mother needed at the clinic and hospital, they continued to stay on-property, the same as Noa and Kelsey, Max and Riley, Wilson and Sara, Cruz and Camille, Suzette and Sly, and the mental health staff of Ashley and Trevor, Bree and Doc, Rachelle and Mac, and Calla and Dalton.

“We haven’t been able to find Metzger since his last call with Dylan,” said Hiro. “We think he has homes that she wasn’t aware of, so we’re checking tax records, property lists, anything, and everything.”

“On the other side,” said Pigsty, “we’ve been looking into the idea of them screwing with the upcoming election. So far, we think it’s true that they’re working to cause problems with Frost and his campaign, but something is telling us that they’re doing the same on the other side.”

“I don’t understand,” frowned Eric. “Why would they screw with the elections on both sides?”

“Beats me,” said Hiro, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe to make them both appear incompetent?”

“Or maybe to create more infighting with the different parties?” said Pigsty.

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