Presidential Shift by C. G. Cooper

me, Top.”
    Trent patted the young chef on the back and followed Travis out the side door.
    +++
    Marge “The Hammer” Haines was the first one to the gate, and was peppering a policeman with questions when Travis arrived. “What’s going on?” he asked, trying to ignore the flash of reporters’ camera bulbs and the glare of lights extended from the tops of television news vans.
    “They say they’re here to arrest you,” Haines fumed.
    “For what?”
    “He won’t say. Supposedly it’s a matter of national security.”
    Travis’s eyebrow rose. “And they want me ?”
    Haines nodded. “Let me get on the phone and straighten this out.”
    Travis shook his head. “It’s all right. Why don’t I go with Officer…”
    “Labeau,” offered the slightly overweight plainclothes policeman, who was looking a little too smug.
    Haines hesitated, and then turned to face Officer Labeau. “Mr. Haden will ride in one of our vehicles and follow you to the station.”
    “Those aren’t the orders…”
    Haines cut him off. “It’s either that or I call up the governor, who happens to be a good friend of Mr. Haden, and have him talk to your superiors.”
    Labeau relented, wisely avoiding the powerful attorney’s threat. “Okay. He can have a driver and follow me.”
    “Top, how about we take your truck?” asked Travis nonchalantly, as if they were going to the grocery store.
    “No problem. I’ll run and get it.”
    Minutes later, Travis and Trent pulled out of the SSI compound, soon to be surrounded by a phalanx of red and blue flashing vehicles. Haines was already on the phone.
    +++
    BREAKING NEWS
    “The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has confirmed that the CEO of Stokes Security International, based in Arrington, Tennessee, has been brought in for questioning. Our sources from inside the nation’s capital tell us that it may have to do with the terrorist attacks at the National Air and Space Museum and in Orange Beach, Alabama yesterday. White House officials have not yet responded to our requests for a statement.”
    +++
    “What the hell happened?” Cal asked Todd Dunn, director of internal security at SSI, over the phone.
    “Haines is on it, Cal. The skipper’s been with the Nashville PD for just under an hour. He can take care of himself.”
    “I’m not worried about Travis. He’s a big boy. What about SSI? What’s the possible fallout?”
    “Your guess is as good as mine. As long as we get this cleared up fast, I think we’ll be okay. If we don’t…”
    “Then we’re screwed,” finished Cal. He ran through his options. Since getting out of the Marine Corps, Cal had avoided the politics of running his father’s company. Of course, it was his company, and he didn’t want to see its name dragged through the mud by a ridiculous claim. “Who’s running the investigation? I can’t believe the feds are letting the locals do it.”
    “I think they’ll be swooping in at any moment. They’re probably trying to get more information before deploying assets. Besides, Haines already made the calls to our high-level contacts at the major agencies. They know that if they lift a finger in the wrong direction, she’ll be all over them.”
    Cal said a silent thanks to his deceased father for having the foresight to hire the skilled attorney. Her reputation alone could keep the wolves at bay until they could find the culprit.
    “Let’s stay in touch.”
    “You got it.”
    +++
    “Bueno?” answered Gaucho, who sat watching the news with the rest of his team, stroking his braided beard, deep in thought. They’d all been shocked to see their CEO, who also happened to be a good friend, taken into custody.
    “It’s Cal.”
    “Hey, boss. We were just watching the news. Sorry about Travis.”
    “Yeah. Thanks. Look, me and Briggs are in Arlington. How quickly can you and your boys get up here from Charlottesville?”
    “In civvies?”
    “Yeah, with concealed.”
    “Driving fast, probably two