Chapter 48: The Wanted Man
Donald Davis, the Press Secretary to President Westwood walked down the corridor of the White House, past two Secret Service Agents and into the Oval Office. Donald Davis, was the third person appointed to the position in two years. Inwardly he was nervous about saying the wrong thing at the wrong time where President Westwood was concerned. Sometimes he wondered whether this high profile job and celebrity status was really worth it.
Donald was in his late thirties, had red hair, light blue eyes, and was six feet, two inches in height. He had very pale skin and was relatively thin in build. Unlike the President he had no interest in golf but preferred the nineteenth hole instead.
Inside the Oval Office were President Westwood, a senior Adviser by the name of Greg Townsend and the Secretary for the Interior, Harold Becker.
Greg Townsend, normally did not speak very much at these meetings but instead listened intently and did most of the talking when he was alone with the President. This probably did not have a major impact in any case as the President was very headstrong and opinionated. Mr Townsend was of average height and build and had lost most of his brown hair. The senior adviser had dark brown eyes and his face was both freckled and wrinkled.
The Press Secretary sat down in a comfortable seat in front but slightly to the left of the Presidents desk and waited to be addressed.
“Donald, we were just discussing the case of a prisoner who escaped right from under our noses. You may have heard of him. His name is Elliot Tomkins. It’s all really embarrassing. We want this to be a top priority. Tomkins, we have discovered is also really an ex CIA terrorist by the name of Roger Steinham. He is a total headcase and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent American soldiers and civilians. This man has to be stopped. He is, as I told you already, assuming the identity of this guy Tomkins. We want this to be spread right across the media. We have prepared a speech for you, which I have here in my hand. This is explosive stuff. It goes into all his terrorist dealings and we have proof that he is in fact a changeling. We want to flush him out. His last known location was in the city of Burbank. We know that in that district there is a terrorist cell in operation there, known as the Liberators. At least that’s what they call themselves. These people are not to be messed with. They are very dangerous, but if there is anything suspicious going on people should be encouraged to present the information to the authorities. No one should approach them. I suggest you read the document in full before you reveal it to the press. Any questions.”
There were a million questions running around in Donald Davis mind but most of them might result in a put down or an angry comment from the President. Instead of speaking up he chose not to. “No, Mr President, everything is perfectly clear.”
“Good. You should be aware that this matter has been thoroughly investigated by the Secretary for the Interior and the FBI themselves. We will catch this F*****.”
Donald Davis accepted the speech and started to read it as the other three men present, started discussing golf.”
In the past year President Westwood had managed to extend his stay in the White House by declaring a national emergency. Any Senators or Congressmen or Congresswomen who opposed this were targeted as changeling sympathisers. Most politicians in the current climate were afraid to speak up. Of the politicians that did speak up, all of them were incarcerated and some were executed for the security of the American people. Donald Davis did not want to be another statistic.
Sometimes Donald and his young family were targeted by hecklers because the Press Secretary was synonymous with the President. Donald knew that he could have them reported and sent to jail, but he chose not to act. He was by no means a saint, but he did have some scruples. Donald didn’t take the job because he wanted it. Instead, he took the job because he believed that if he didn’t take the position, he could end up in prison like anyone else who opposed President Westwood. Donald just wanted to survive.
There were a million and one holes in the dossier, but Davis thought that in the political climate that existed it was possible that President Westwood would be able to pull it off.
He stood up, exchanged pleasantries, left the room and made the long walk back down the corridor.