Catastrophe barely avoided….
Feb. 7th, 2007 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofavalon77Thank goodness the assistant manager likes me because I kind of messed up on a deceased account we had at work.
Tonight Lost returns!! Now I’ve never been a fan of this show…until this season J Reason? Ben and Juliet. The former because he can play helpless and innocent while turning into a menacing man of authority and the latter because she has so many layers to her and you don’t know if she’s playing you or helping you. Both are the most complex characters I’ve seen in a long while!
So that leaves me with the next chapter in “If I Should Lose You.” This one focuses on Charles and I really like how I explain how the decision making process makes him physically ill so therefore he has a small drinking problem. Helps to explain that one scene he had in Day Five with the bottle of scotch. He doesn’t need it when he has good counsel but if Martha and Mike aren’t there…he returns to the bottle out of necessity and not desire. Also interesting to see how his decision to take a stand ends up making things worse.
CHAPTER SIX
He needed a drink There had been so many fires to put out…so many decisions to make…that his mind had not had time to process the events of the last few hours. And of course that was a good thing. Usually when he started thinking, he would start worrying, which always led to a queasy feeling in his stomach that would not go away no matter how much he tried to ignore it. Choices that had already been difficult to begin with became nearly impossible as he struggled with both the physical nausea and psychological fear of indecision. He was always amazed at how people like David Palmer could be so certain about what was the right thing to do and then boldly stand by that decision come hell or high water. Was he missing something? What could they see that he could not? Martha always knew the right thing to do. If only she was here now…
Slowly reaching out for the bottle of scotch he kept out of sight but always nearby, Charles Logan reluctantly started to pour himself a small glass full of the amber liquid. The nauseous feeling had returned and he could sense that a headache was not far behind. He really hated giving into this vice but there was no other way to calm his nerves. Not since Vermont…not since Martha had left him to battle her own demons. Alone and without her counsel and reassurance he was a ship lost at sea…adrift on the waves of indecision without a compass to guide him or an anchor to ground him.
They never tell you how easy it is to take that first drink. You think that it will be your only one but then life throws you some curveballs and you suddenly need a drink every time you want to relax or just think straight. Before you know it, you’ve moved from brandy to scotch and you can’t remember why you switched in the first place.Holding the glass up to the light, Logan debated whether or not he should take it. Maybe this once he could be strong enough to stand alone. Handle the crisis with nothing but his own judgment to guide him. Save the day. Be a hero. Shaking his head at such idiotic notions, he quickly took a sip of the strong liquor and grimaced in revulsion as it burned its way down his throat. After all of these years, he still despised the repulsive aftertaste the drink left in his mouth but he always reminded himself that it was just a means to an end. Like everything else, he just had to get past the initial discomfort to reach his final goal.
I can quit at any time. I just need this drink to get through today. After today, I’ll give it up and will never have to touch the stuff again.Carefully sitting back in his study chair, Logan closed his eyes to the outside world and allowed the soothing qualities of the scotch to take effect. For a couple of minutes, he would forget that everything he had planned for the last few months was at stake…that he might actually lose Martha because of the events he had set in motion…that he was responsible for the deaths of David Palmer and the hostages at the airport. Yes, he would think of something else…the first time he met Martha…his amazement with how beautiful she was that night…his first campaign victory…the feeling of pride as he gave his acceptance speech…the signing of the arms treaty with President Suvarov…the crowning centerpiece of his presidency. These cherished memories almost made him smile as he allowed himself this brief respite from the world around him.
I wonder what would have happened if I never went into national politics…maybe I would still have Marty by my side.And then his peace of mind was shattered by the insistent ring of his cell phone as he was rudely brought back to reality. Snatching the phone off his desk in irritation, he snapped it open and addressed the caller with more than a hint of annoyance in his voice. Could he not be left alone for one single moment?
“Logan.”
“Have you contained the situation?” the smooth, cool voice of his mysterious contact asked him, getting straight to the point. Caught off guard for a moment, he paused to collect his thoughts before giving the man an intentionally vague answer.
“It’s under control. Henderson is taking care of the loose ends.”
“What loose ends?”
“Nothing that concerns you. Just something personal that I needed done.”
“Everything about you concerns me, Mr. President. Now what loose ends?”
Switching the phone to his other hand, Logan tried to buy time as he formed an appropriate answer.
“When I said loose ends, I just meant anything that would connect us to the day‘s events. Since our plan to detonate the canisters at their base of operations has failed, he will make sure that neither the terrorists nor the nerve gas leave the country.”
“You understand that Henderson must be taken care of as well?”
“Yes, I already have the plan in place that we talked about. Once he reports back to me on the completion of this last mission, I’ll make sure it‘s carried out.”
“We cannot afford another mistake, Mr. President.”
“Don’t worry. I have everything under control. Just as I promised.”
“We shall see.”
And with a click, he was gone and Logan was left with only the sound of a dial tone in his ear. Slowly closing the phone once more, he reached up to relieve the pressure behind his eyes by pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers. All the nerves and stress of before had returned with a vengeance and the strongest drink in the world could do nothing to dispel this headache. With a sigh of resignation, he put the phone down and picked up the bottle of scotch to return it to its usual place. Glancing briefly at the label before putting it away, he resolved once more to go near the stuff again. It really didn’t help that much and had become one of many crutches he used to get through the day. However, this was one crutch he could stand to live without.
Just as he shut the door on the liquor cabinet, the phone on his desk began ringing, making him jump slightly at the unexpected sound. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the receiver and heard the gravelly voice of Mike Novick on the other end. The terrorists were due to call in a little over five minutes and wanted to make sure the President was ready to address them.
“Yes, I’ll be right there, Mike. Just going over some statements I’ll need to make to the press later on today.”
Hanging up the phone, he hurried out of his study and on to the improvised situation room they had set up at the Presidential Retreat. Walt’s phone was there and it was the instrument the terrorists had been using to contact him. A list of ships leaving for Russia had been drawn up earlier so he just needed to give them the information and allow Henderson to do the rest. He only hoped that Martha was all right..
Mike Novick had the shipping manifests that they needed when he arrived and looked up as he entered the room. However, the first thing his eyes were drawn to was the lone cell phone on the center table. Everything depended on this call. The longer he could delay the terrorists, the more time it would give Henderson to find them and take care of the situation. And now that he had something that they wanted it was time for him to get what he wanted…proof that his wife was still alive.
He didn’t have long to wait. After a pointed look at Mike, Logan answered the cell phone on the first ring and waited to hear the Russian accented voice he had come to know well on the other end of the line.
“Mr. President,” the cultured voice began smoothly. “I trust you have the information we requested.”
“It’s ready. I have a list of ships that can take you to your next destination and have already cleared your passage with the captains.”
“Very good. Now if you would be so kind as to relay the names of these ships, their captains, and their docking locations, we can bring this pleasant conversation to an end.”
“Not just yet,” Logan countered, trying to add an edge of steel to his voice. “I want to speak to my wife.”
“And you will…once we have confirmed you have completed your end of the bargain.”
“No! I speak to her now or this conversation ends in the next moment.”
“I really don’t think you want to test my patience, Mr. President. Not when I have 20 canisters of nerve gas in my possession and am still on American soil.”
“I complied with your demands for the route of the Suvarov motorcade and I have provided alternative transportation for you out of the country so I will be damned if I release this information without knowing if you have held up your end of the bargain. I want to speak to my wife now or the whole deal is off.”
“Bring her here!” the voice ordered before coldly turning back to their conversation. “When I make a threat, Mr. President, I have every intention of carrying it out. Understand that what I do now is the direct result of your REFUSAL to comply with our demands. You have only brought this on yourself.”
As a horrified silence filled the room he looked to Mike for comfort and just found pity in his chief of staff’s usually stoic eyes. He had gone too far. He had pressed too hard and now…he would lose Martha because of a decision HE had made.
Oh my god…Martha…what have I done…WHAT…HAVE…I…DONE…
After seeing Lost, I might be able to write some Juliet/Ben stories or maybe Juliet/Jack stories...just have to find the time :)
I just want to understand you, Charles...I know I reacted terribly before but I'm asking you to now explain it to me...
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Date: 2007-02-08 06:47 am (UTC)I was browsing my own userinfo thisafternoon (i'm such a narcissist :P) and came across your account as having friended me. So I friended back! I don't think i'll read any of your entries because they'll contain spoilers for 24, but might as well be friends! :P
Yay!
Date: 2007-02-09 12:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 05:13 pm (UTC)Apparently we are goin in reverse orders. I now hate Lost, and you like it. Now you dont like 24, and i love it.
Lost is dreadful now. But yes, Juliet and Ben are interesting. In fact, they are the ONLY interesting characters, besides Jack. The show is awful. Insultingly drawn out, deteriorating characters, and ultimately dull answers.
LOL, you're right!
Date: 2007-02-09 12:43 am (UTC)Still hanging on to 24 above Lost but now Lost has made it to my weekly TV schedule :D
Re: LOL, you're right!
Date: 2007-02-09 03:25 am (UTC)It's genius, marketing wise. Just preys on the dense and depthless market range. Oh, and by far, some of the worst romances I've ever seen.
You're right about the Others, but its too late for that. I'm pissed that great characters like Juliet or Ben came in during this god awful season. Such a waste. To come into the most senseless and campy season yet.
Re: LOL, you're right!
Date: 2007-02-09 03:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-08 09:36 pm (UTC)Oh thanks!
Date: 2007-02-09 12:44 am (UTC)