68. Kristina

68

KRISTINA

The conference room had seats, but I needed to stand, for this. I needed every bit of confidence I could get.

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 troops in a foreign country. That’s an act of war, Your Majesty.”

“If you don’t help us,” I said, “there’s going to be a 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. “Not this 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.”