Lady in Red Pt. 03 Ch. 02

"I've read some nice things about it on the internet," ventured Paula, who had been silent during the conversation. "I hope I'm not speaking out of turn. I'm not really qualified to be advising you."

"You're my mom! That makes you very qualified," insisted Gwen. "You've gotten me this far with your sage advice. Never think your opinions aren't wanted or appreciated."

"This is going to take some getting used to," admitted Paula. "I can't tell you how proud I am of the three of you. You're pretty much running the country. I never dreamed anything like this would ever happen."

"Any success we've had is to the credit of you and Dad," replied Gwen. "You laid the foundation for all of this during our youth."

"Yeah, and then Steve laid Gwen and now we're sitting in the White House," joked Kate.

"I've mentioned to you that I record all meetings, haven't I?" quizzed Gwen.

"Not meetings like this! That's just wrong," protested Kate.

"We are recording all meetings were policy is discussed, so don't be making jokes about the Commander-in-Chief getting laid," chided Gwen as she broke into a big grin. "However, historians will love the human element, so don't worry this time."

"That reminds me. We're going to release the video of our first meeting in Valhalla recorded immediately after you were sworn in. If you want to change your mind or edit it, now's the time," stated Lisa.

"I don't want any videos edited unless it's for national security. Otherwise, the press gets the entire meeting, not just what we want them to see. Once we release a few, people in my meetings will realize that they need to act and speak accordingly. New people coming into my cabinet won't be blindsided. They'll know what they're getting into," predicted Gwen before adding with a smile, "Release the Kraken!"

"When do we announce that President Hammer is going on a world tour?" asked Ashley. "That'll be an interesting question and answer session."

"We need to be certain that Russia, China, and North Korea are pulling back before we look like we're celebrating," pointed out Lisa. "We'd lose credibility if we were premature in assuming success, plus it could muddy the waters for Steve."

"That's why you're my top advisor," beamed Gwen as she gave Lisa a quick hug. "You're so logical and you're never afraid to tell me what I need to hear, and not what I want to hear. I really have some wonderful friends and relatives.

"I'll let Steve know that we'll definitely do the concerts and any others he can set up. Maybe he can use it as an extra incentive or something."

Naomi, Steve, and the representatives from Britain, France, and Germany met with Russian President Kozlov the next afternoon. It turned out to be even more contentious than Steve had feared.

"NATO has begun pulling back," stated Steve. "I respectfully request that Russia begin doing the same."

"Russia is in no hurry to weaken its position," stated Kozlov flatly. "We will wait to see if the withdrawal is complete and if China and North Korea do the same. You are in no position to dictate the movements of the Russian military."

"President Kozlov, I am not dictating anything. I am simply reminding you of our agreement. I expect Russia to live up to its end," replied Steve more calmly than he felt.

"As I have stated, Russia will wait to see if NATO adheres to its part of the agreement as well as China and North Korea. Russia now holds the superior position in this issue. Do not attempt to push me or I will simply ignore our little agreement," sneered Kozlov.

"President Kozlov, we will travel to Beijing and Pyongyang and make the same demand. Be aware that failure to adhere to the simple terms of our agreement may be considered an act of war by the United States. Since we now have weakened our defenses by trusting your word, we would be forced to look at alternatives that are much more drastic, at best," responded Steve.

The Russian's eyes narrowed as he stared at Steve. "Are you suggesting the use of nuclear weapons?"

"I am simply telling you that the United States will take any and all measures necessary to protect our nation, as well as our allies. Nothing is off the table if any country reneges on this agreement," warned Steve firmly.

"Your Congress would never go along with it," scoffed Kozlov. "It is no secret that it is a sad collection of career politicians, afraid of their own shadows."

"President Kozlov, do not make the mistake of believing that the weakness of our Congress lessens the determination of President Hammer. Congress will come to fear her far more than Russia if this comes down to a decision on going to war. I promise you that!" guaranteed Steve with passion.

"We'll discuss this with China and North Korea and return. I will be telling them that Russia will begin pulling back when they do. Will that be an accurate statement?" demanded Steve as he stared hard at President Kozlov.

Kozlov quickly considered Steve's question. He was well aware of Steve's reputation for nerve as well as speaking the truth. He had seen the videos where Steve had killed the giant pirate with his bare hands and how he had fought to save former President Novokov's son when attacked at his wedding reception. He studied the man across from him and came to the conclusion that he could, and would, take whatever steps were necessary to keep America safe. Congress would never stand up to him or his wife if Steve pressed them as only he could.

"Yes, Russia always lives up to its agreements, as long as other nations do the same. If China and North Korea follow the terms we agreed upon, so will Russia," responded Kozlov as indignantly as he could, ignoring the fact that a few minutes prior he had threatened to not honor the agreement.

"Thank you, President Kozlov," responded Steve graciously. "I'm glad we agree on this. President Hammer has asked me to relay to you that once this issue is resolved and all parties have pulled back from the brink of war, she would like to visit Moscow and discuss future policy with you. She would even be willing to perform a concert in Red Square as an indication of her desire to improve relations between our two nations."

Kozlov suddenly smiled. His surprise was evident. "President Hammer has told you this? She will visit Moscow and discuss the situation in person? And perform for us? Tell her that she will be warmly received and I accept her generous offer on behalf of the Russian people!"

"We'll have our people contact yours to make the arrangements. I want you to know that she will be doing the same thing with other nations. It is her intention to establish better communications and find common ground with all nations of the world," revealed Steve. "Certainly Russia is at the top of the list of countries with which she wants to improve relations."

Hans, Claude, and James finally began to relax once they were in the air and headed for Beijing, "I can't believe you looked Kozlov in the eye and pretty much told him that America would nuke Russia if he reneged on the agreement," stated James with obvious admiration.

"He thought about it for a little while and decided that you would act on your threat," added Hans. "He wasn't willing to gamble on Congress having the will to prevent you from going to war."

"I simply stated that not following the terms we'd previously agreed on could be considered an act of war, and that we would have to consider our options," replied Steve. "He connected the dots and realized our options were quite limited and very drastic."

Steve found that China was also reluctant to withdraw its forces, even when it was obvious that the United States was in the process of moving back. He knew that he had to get China to live up to the terms of the agreement. Otherwise, the entire agreement would unravel, leaving the United States and its allies in a weakened position.

"Mr. President, Russia is very concerned about China's position in this situation. If China forces Russia and the United States to join together to push back, I am concerned that war would be difficult to prevent. The United States does not have any wish to ally itself with Russia in any military action, but it is a distinct possibility. It can be avoided if China simply adheres to our agreement."

President Xi's eyes widened slightly when the interpreter mentioned Russia joining with the United States. Steve decided it was time to play his last card, although he wondered if it had much value.

"President Hammer asked me to tell you that she'd very much like to visit China once this issue is settled. We will be traveling to numerous capital cities, and even performing in many of them. I wouldn't presume that China would have much interest in a concert here in Beijing, but she feels that a meeting with you could benefit both nations"

This time the President of the Peoples' Republic responded immediately after the interpreter finished. Soon the interpreter turned his focus to Steve. "President Xi asks if your president is actually going to perform in other cities."

"Tell him that we already have plans for Paris, London, Berlin, Pyongyang, and Moscow. President Hammer feels it would be a great honor to perform a concert in Tiananmen Square, or any place of President Xi's choosing. Once the military issue is resolved, President Hammer would like to reach a more sweeping and inclusive agreement with the People's Republic."

After a short back and forth, the interpreter once again spoke to Steve. "China will live up to its side of the agreement. Once America has completed its pullback, notify President Xi and China will start withdrawing, provided Russia does the same. North Korea will not refuse to pull its forces away from the border with the South."

Steve thanked President Xi and left a short time later. Within two hours, Steve and his entourage were back on the Red Lady with Pyongyang the destination. Once again, his friends were commenting on his tactics.

"I can't believe this, even after seeing it with my own eyes," chuckled James. "You made it sound like Russia and the United States would join forces to battle China if war broke out. How could Xi ever believe that story?"

"He probably knew that Russia has never indicated that it would agree to anything like that, but the suggestion took root. He knows that it's a possibility, as unlikely as many may believe it to be. What he really took from my comments was that I was considering the possibility of persuading Russia to join us in a united front against China. The mere possibility was enough to cause Xi to fall in line. He likes the balance of power as it is," explained Steve.

"Why are we going to North Korea after China guaranteed they would go along with the program?" asked Hans.

"A couple of reasons," responded Steve. Jong's a very insecure, paranoid individual. If we were to assume he was going to move troops away from the DMZ without speaking to him, he might just start a war out of pique.

"The other reason is that he has a thing for Naomi. You saw how he reacted to her when we spoke with him a couple of days ago. He'll be quite personable when she explains how Russia and China are pulling back. Then she'll blink her eyes a couple of times and remind him that he promised to do the same and how she knows what a fine, honorable man he is. Dare she assume that he's on board with everything?"

"Hey! What can I say? I'm hoping to be the next Secretary of State, so I need to contribute at least something to this diplomatic mission," insisted Naomi. "I can't help it if the guy likes me. Steve won't be laughing so hard when Jong meets Gwen. He's always asking about her. He'll forget about me when he sees Gwen in person."

"Naomi, no man that has seen you could ever forget you," assured James. "However, I agree that it will be a very interesting meeting and I am going to do everything possible to be there when Jong meets President Hammer."

"That's good to hear," chimed in Steve. "I'm going to ask Prime Minister Blake to have you and Stephanie accompany us on the 'World Capital Tour'. I also hope to have Hans and Nadiya, as well as Claude and Colette join us."

"Collette has been having some health issues, but I am certain that Michelle would love to accompany me," stated Claude D'Anjou. "Would that be acceptable?"

"Ha!" exclaimed James. "I'm sure Steve won't be turning that offer down. Michelle is a very attractive woman and I hear she's being noticed in political circles in France. Does she have political ambitions?"

"Please keep this among us. Michelle is going to run for Mayor of Paris next year. An international trip with her good friend, President Hammer and her husband could only improve her chances of getting elected," predicted Claude.

While Steve was in the air on his way to North Korea, Gwen was meeting with her inner circle in the oval office. "I spoke with Steve a little while ago. He's confident that Russia and China will be pulling back once our forces have returned to our previous positions. He didn't say too much about it, but I had the impression that he did some arm twisting on this. They're headed to North Korea to make certain that Chairman Jong is still with the program."

"It can't happen soon enough to suit me," admitted Lisa. "Congress is starting to whine and whimper again about your decision regarding withdrawal. They won't even consider your nominees for any Cabinet positions until this all shakes out. If it doesn't work out like we hope, getting anything through Congress will be difficult, at best."

"Steve is doing his best and I have no reason to doubt he'll make it work. We need to plan on pressuring the Senate to confirm my appointments as soon as Russia, China, and North Korea begin to comply with our agreement," stated Gwen.

"When are you going to announce that Vince Rosen has agreed to accept the vice presidency?" asked Kate. "Will you make the announcement, or leave it up to Ashley?"

"I think I need to make the announcement. I'll make it clear that he's doing this as a service to his country and only because I asked him personally. He's still grieving over Cynthia's death, but he agrees that he'll heal faster if has something else to concentrate on. Steve thought it was a great idea to ask both Vince and Meredith Chatham to join my administration. They're two individuals with proven track records and shouldn't have any obstacles to their approval."

"Not to be negative," began Jason, "but the Senate isn't always logical. They're pissed at you and aren't likely to make anything easy for your administration."

"I realize it may not be easy, but it will be done," insisted Gwen. "When Steve gets back, things will start happening. Between the two of us, we can exert a lot of pressure on the Senate, especially if his mission is as successful as I hope."

"I think that you should have a news conference soon," suggested Lisa. "Present your case to the American public and chide the Senate for its inaction. You're nominating a former president to assume the position of vice president and a three term former senator for secretary of defense. Let the press hound the Senate about their inaction. I'll bet they'll hear from their constituents, too."

"That's a good idea," agreed Gwen. "Ashley, let's set this up for tomorrow evening. The last of the NATO forces will be back in their prior positions by midnight tonight, so by tomorrow evening China, Russia, and North Korea should have begun their withdrawal. Whether they have or not, I'll need to report the status to the American people."

"Isn't there an inherent risk in setting up the news conference before we know if those countries will adhere to the agreement?" asked Jason. "You could wait and schedule once we're certain that they're living up to the terms."

"That would be safer, but pretty obvious," observed Jeff Wilson. "I think Gwen's right. Schedule it now and let Steve and Naomi know that you're addressing the country tomorrow evening and that we need to have some good faith action from those nations by then."

"That's what I was thinking, too," agreed Gwen. "I know I keep putting pressure on Steve and Naomi, but they've been producing results so far. I really lucked out when those two agreed to undertake this task."

"When's the last time Steve refused you anything?" grinned Lisa. "Now, about those concerts. We really need to start the ball rolling on them. You'll need a huge crew to set up and tear down all of the equipment and props. You'll want some jumbotrons shipped, set up, and tested before each show. We need to make arrangements with all of the governments involved. This is going to be big!

"We've been contacted by over twenty five nations asking that you consider their capital city for a performance. The press is getting wind of this and asking questions. You'll have to announce that Steve, Jordan, Charlie, and you will be making a world tour to promote better relations with the nations of the world.

"We had to begin refusing after sixteen cities were placed on the schedule. The list of approved cities will include Pyongyang, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, Rome, Kiev, Budapest, Moscow, Madrid, Paris, Berlin, London, Mexico City, Havana, and Ottawa."

"Sixteen cities in sixty days?" worried Gwen. "We've never tried anything of that magnitude before. That's pushing pretty hard."

"It won't just be concerts, either. You'll be a guest at state dinners, probably in every city you visit. We'll spend some time visiting places of interest in each city. We'll be exhausted. We're all going along so we can help you out anyway possible. Mom, Dad, Kate, Chip, Jason, Jeff and Julie, Billy and Charlotte, Jared and Naomi, and Ashley and Richard will all be with you on this history making tour.

"We're using Ashley's idea and calling it the 'We Come in Peace World Tour'. I'll tell the nations involved that they can announce that you'll be visiting their capital and performing a concert there as soon as you finish your press conference tomorrow evening. There's been increased grumbling in Congress about your plans to perform in Pyongyang. Wait until our nation's esteemed representatives hear that you've added fifteen more cities to the tour. This is going to get interesting," predicted Lisa wryly.

The following day saw Gwen in frequent contact with Steve as she pressed him about Russia, China, and North Korea's timetable for pulling back. Steve in turn, made numerous calls to the leaders of all three nations from the Red Lady. He explained the deadline Gwen was facing and very firmly insisted that some visible indication of a military pullout become evident.

An hour before the conference, Gwen was informed that North Korean forces were backing off from the DMZ. A short time later, Admiral Duval reported that Chinese war ships were moving away from the coast of Japan and Southeast Asia. Seconds before she was scheduled to make her opening statement, Lisa rushed to her side and whispered in her ear that Russian troops were beginning to withdraw from NATO borders on several fronts.

"My fellow Americans," began Gwen with a brilliant smile. "I have been informed that Russia, China, and North Korea are beginning to back away from the threatening positions they have held since this escalation began. The significance of this withdrawal cannot be overstated. The world is moving away from war, even as I speak to you this evening.

"The United States thanks its allies for their support in a very difficult situation. They displayed great courage and commitment to peace. I would like to add my personal appreciation for the faith displayed by these good friends of America.

"I am grateful to Russia, China, and North Korea for agreeing to pull back, as well as adhering to their verbal commitments so honorably. It's in the spirit of the recent positive developments and with the desire to open better communication with these nations that Jordan and Charlie Burns have agreed to join Steve and me on a world tour."