When I opened the front door, I saw a woman, who I assumed was her Secret Service bodyguard, taking a large, black suitcase out of Blaze’s trunk. She also removed two large, square, insulated catering bags and closed the trunk. My guess was they contained dinner.

  This all looked too normal to be real. The sun starting to go down towards the houses on the south side of west 19th Street. Something I’d seen thousands of times in the years I lived here.

  A white convertible with its black top down drove past. The guy driving looked middle-aged. His quick glance our way then back to the road must have told him that there was nothing worth seeing or remembering. If only he knew.

  The woman handed one square bag to the other woman, then the black suitcase to Blaze. She was almost as tall as Blaze, and wore black jeans and a light blue t-shirt under an open black denim jacket. The jacket almost, but not quite matched her pants. I didn’t see a bulge for a gun under her jacket. She kept looking around the area after she removed each bag from the trunk. Eyes on swivel the military calls it.

  When she turned, her hair moved, and I caught a glimpse of an earbud in her left ear. No coiled wires lead to it. REVEAL STATS said she was Bouncing Betty, a Level 3 Thief. She could STEALTH, VANISH, and had skills with guns, daggers, karate. Interesting choices for a government agent.

  Since I was expecting her, I instantly recognized the President. She wore black fatigue pants tucked into her boots, and a black t-shirt under a short, dark blue jacket. A black ball cap over her brunette hair pulled up in a bun topped it off. Her hair looked shorter and darker than I remembered from the pictures I’d seen.

  My REVEAL STATS on her showed she called herself P-46. The 46th President. More than a bit obvious, but it was her choice. As a Level 2 Healer, she could do a MINOR HEAL with an extra level, HEAL, and MINOR CURE DISEASE. Good choices for a new Healer.

  Before calling out to them, I noticed our two guests had stopped and were staring at the old pizza building across the street with the broken door. They knew what would shortly be coming out of there.

  “Hello. Come inside. So far, it’s just me.” I called to them.

  Stepping just outside onto the porch, I pushed the door wide open for them. Blaze wheeled the large suitcase in first and the other two each brought in a zippered insulated bag. Blaze took them and set them on the kitchen table.

  “Welcome to my home. Make yourselves at home." I pointed at the two recliners next to the coat rack. "Closest one’s mine. Otherwise, make yourself comfortable. I have a few folding tables set up for dinner. The food goes on the kitchen table.” I noticed a faint hint of Jasmine perfume as 46 walked past me. That brought old memories of when my wife and I were first dating. I put it out of my mind to concentrate on our guests.

  “We’re fine with these,” the President said. Extending her hand, she added, “Call me Carol. This is Betty. We had a light meal on Air Force One, so we can wait a while to eat. Thank you for having us.”

  We shook hands, and she sat down in the recliner next to mine. It had been my wife’s. I’ve had people over for parties occasionally for years, so I was long past saving it for her.

  Blaze took her hat and jacket off, shaking her burgundy hair loose from being stuffed under the hat. Turning, she hung them in the front closet. Finally, she sat down at the end of the sofa closest to us. Betty remained standing in the middle of the living room, looking around the house and watching us.

  “Thank you for coming...Carol. Relax a while. The next spawning is at seven. I can open the drapes and we can watch it from inside.”

  “I’d like that. Thank you. When you asked about changing the plans, there were some unhappy people.” She said with a short laugh. “They don’t like me changing their plans. I reminded them I’m here to learn from you. You’re the expert in charge of anything dealing with this, this System or Game, or whatever it’s being called.”

  “I’m less of an expert than I thought I was. The work they’ve done at the Convention Center amazed me with the level of detail they’ve worked out. Give them a few more days and they’ll work out the best beginning build for any class.”

  “I’m supposed to tour that tomorrow after we do more fighting in the morning. Then I get to give a speech. Will. Unless you like giving speeches, don’t become a politician. It’s day in and out talking nice to people you don’t know or don’t like.”

  “I think I’ve heard that before. Don’t worry. Your job’s safe from me. I don’t want it.” The only one who didn’t laugh was Betty. She smiled a little before taking a quick look around the house, all the rooms and the garage. Carol, Blaze and I just sat quietly and waited.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “House is clear, Ma’am.” Betty said setting down on the far end of the couch where she could see all of us, the patio, and front door that lead outside. “Your military aide’s in a car across the street. They can be here in less than a minute if needed. Roberts says all is clear for a block on all sides.”

  “You aren’t taking any chances, are you?” I asked her.

  “It’s our job to protect the President, Mr. Bannister,” she told me. “We don’t take chances with her safety if we can help it. It took her direct order to allow this. We had nothing prepared for this situation. In the future, we’ll have procedures for our president taking part in combat.”

  “I said I’d protect her. I will. The Irregulars have some of the best people, and highest-level people in the area, who’ll also protect her. I’ll enchant her gear before she goes out there. I won’t say she can’t get hurt. She can be. Ingrid, our top healer and one of our other Healers, Father Stoddard, both have REVIVE. Like I told Phillips, if the worst happens, she won’t stay dead.”

  “What happens if she gets hurt?”

  “Then she heals herself just like every other healer when there isn’t a second healer in the party. If she intends to lead from the front, it has to be real. Nothing fake about it. It’s like the old days when kings led the battles. She needs to lead the whole country through this. She can’t do it hiding in some bunker in Washington.”

  “Will, that’s what I’ve been telling people for the last two days,” the President cut in. Her voice coming on harder than before. “Everyone from my aides to the Joint Chiefs and cabinet, and even members of congress have been telling me I can’t risk myself. You’re right. I have to risk myself. This isn’t a world war or one of your medieval battles. It’s different.”

  Nodding, I smiled and told her. “As some of us say, and now for something completely different. This is, and isn’t,”

  “Many gamers have a clue. Most politicians don’t game. At least not this type of game. I don’t know if you’ve seen combat against the spawns. In a few minutes we’ll see it happen live across the street. Then we’ll talk about it and eat dinner. We’ll let that settle before we, you, join them.”

  “Will. Is this all for show? Will I be risking my life out there?” Carol looked concerned. The reality of what would happen finally sinking in and showing on her face and in her voice.

  “Yes, and no. Yes, if everything goes wrong and the spawns reach you, you could die. If the Shaman hits you with his CURSE, it will hurt like a…a…like getting head butted in the stomach by a football tackle, according to a Tank who was the first person I know to face one.”

  My stomach clenched as I remembered the feeling from this morning. “That’s five points of damage three times. Once every five seconds for each spell, it gets off. They like to hit casters and healers first unless someone’s beating on them.”

  “I have twenty Hit Points. That’ll almost kill me. Is someone going to heal me?”

  Grinning at her expected question, I said, “Yep. You are. Everyone watching will be told not to interfere with the fight except to REVIVE you if you die. We’re there to keep other people away and protect your identity. Unless your party totally fails, then we’ll take out any spawns left. This will be no different than if none of us were there.”

  Turning slightly sideways in my chair and leaning forward towards her, my hands on my knees, I warned her, “You’re on your own. You only have your party members and yourself to keep all of you alive and healthy. Don’t think anything else.”

  “What! What do you mean you won’t protect the president?” Betty yelled, jumping to her feet. “We can’t let anything happen to her!” She looked like she was about to reach for something behind her back.

  I’d expected this, just not right now. I thought it would be right before we went outside.

  Keeping myself as calm as I could, I told her. “I meant everything I just said. I wasn’t in the military, but I have friends who were and who were in combat. My son’s an Air Force pilot and officer. They’ve all told me that all the practice in the world doesn't mean much the first time you get shot at. You get through that point or you won’t be any good as a combat soldier.”

  Stopping, I stared at her. “Betty, or Bouncing Betty, your game name says, your job is keeping our President alive. Unhurt, if possible. Right?”

  She nodded yes.

  “If you want to protect her, she has to learn to protect herself as well. You’re a Thief class. She heals you. You don’t heal her. Your job is to keep anything from reaching her or casting spells at her. Maybe making sure nothing sneaks up from behind her.” I got another nod. Her glare started softening.

  “Blaze. You know me and what I can do about as well as anyone. What are her chances of hurting me, if she draws her gun and shoots?”

  Instead of responding, Blaze burst out laughing. As she settled down, she answered. “Betty, if you tried it right now, you don’t have any chance of hurting Will. His shield will be up before you fire and it will stop everything you’ve got. He could do that on day one. He did. Three different times. One of them was from a hunting rifle at ten feet. Trust me, you never want to see three bullets. Big ones. Hanging in the air in front of your face.”

  “I read about that. You stood there and let someone shoot at you?” Betty asked like she didn’t believe it. Blaze nodded yes.

  “You trust his shields that much?” Betty continued, her voice still hard.

  “I trust them more now that he’s level 10. Everyone on our side in the Battle of Eddington owes their lives to his shields.” Blaze answered her, flashing me a quick smile.

  “Except for Shadow’s Sneak and Peek squad,” I added. “They were too far away for me to shield. They did that on their own. Betty. I’ll introduce you to Shadow tonight. Talk to her about how to protect the President using your game abilities, not just your gun and training.

  Most of the tension left Betty’s body as she slowly sat back down on the couch. She eventually stopped glaring at me as we continued talking.

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