CHAPTER 1
A camera panned to focus on the two people seated in chairs in front of the large letters that spelled out the television station’s name. The camera and all the other equipment transmitted their images via television into the living rooms, offices, shops, and train and bus stations of millions of Americans all over the country.
“Good morning. Welcome to this morning’s news on CSTV. My name is Peter Farrow, and reading the news with me this morning, as usual, is Rachel Corretja.”
“Good morning, and welcome to the news,” Rachel said smiling.
“Our top story this morning comes from Brazil where over twenty people have died in clashes between gang members and the police overnight in the favelas on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro where the gangs hold sway. However, before we go to our correspondent standing by there, we want to take you to the University of Illinois at Chicago, where billionaire; Senator Robert Partridge is giving a speech. Our correspondent; Chris Cooper is standing by. Chris, before you tell us what Senator Partridge is going to say in his speech, can you quickly tell us who Robert Partridge is?”
“Good morning, Peter, Rachel. I’m here reporting live from the Les Miller field at the University of Illinois at Chicago. As you said, Senator Robert Partridge is giving a speech this morning at the university. The speech is in connection with the student’s union week at the university. With regard to who Robert Partridge is, he comes from a prominent Chicago family with interests in fishing, oil and mining to mention a few. His family has also been politically active in the state: one of his uncles was a former governor of the state of Illinois. Unlike a lot of members of his family who went to Yale and Harvard, Senator Partridge counts the University of Illinois at Chicago as his alma mater. Since leaving the university, he has gone on to greater things. He was at one time, the ambassador of the United States to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At present, he is a senator representing the state of Illinois in the Congress.”
“Do we know what he is going to tell the students, Chris?” Rachel asked.
“Senator Partridge is a known advocate of individual rights, and he has been going around the country, asking American youths to stand up and fights for the defense of their rights which he believes the federal government is encroaching on. The message seems to be getting a positive reception wherever he goes. It is believed that he is going to speak on more of the same this morning. However, there seems to be an added twist. Though not yet official, it is believed that he plans to use this visit to his alma mater to speak of his intention to run for president.”
“What does Senator Partridge hope to gain by announcing his candidacy for president in front of the students, Chris?” Peter asked.
“Well Peter, there is the general feeling that he’s firing the first salvo before the primaries begin. Even though like I said, it’s not going to be an official declaration, there are those who believe that by announcing his candidacy in his state, in front of students who are likely to vote both in the primaries and the election proper if he scales through the primaries, it will give him something of an edge.”
“There have been rumors and unconfirmed reports that the senator’s life is under threat from some Christian fundamentalist group,” Rachel said. “That they have written a series of letters threatening his life because they are uncomfortable with his message of freedom and rights. Is there any sign that the authorities are taking the threat seriously? Can you tell our viewers about the security there?”
“Well, as you said, the reports that the Senator’s life was threatened are yet to be confirmed. But it seems that the FBI and the Chicago Police Department are not taking chances. There’s quite a number of law-enforcement agents around the place but whether the number will deter anyone determined to take the Senator’s life is another matter entirely.”
“Thank you Chris. We will come back to you later to get an update on the speech. Now to other news ...”
Senator Robert Partridge sat in the chair as make-up was applied to his face, preparatory to him getting in front of the cameras, reflecting on how smoothly things seemed to be going. He was so close to achieving his dream now, he could almost taste it. He wished that he could somehow make time pass in the blink of an eye and that by the time he closed and opened his eyes; he would find out that he was to be sworn in as president in a few hours. He smiled wryly at his own impatience. And to think that there had been talk in Washington that he was dead politically when he had divorced his first wife, Holly five years ago.
He and Holly had been childhood sweethearts and had gotten married just two years after he graduated from college. They’d had two children together, a boy and a girl, both of whom were studying to be lawyers like their father. Holly had been the perfect stay-at-home political wife. She had been extremely supportive of his career and his ambition, having come from a family involved in politics herself. Her father had been a former governor of the state of Iowa and her mother had taught her how to be the perfect politician’s wife. She had never complained or nagged him for coming home late or neglecting her or the children. She had turned a blind eye to his indiscretions as long as he came back to her.
They had been married for over twenty-seven years when he had begun to wake up in the mornings and wonder whether being a senator was all there was to life and whether that was going to be the height of his political career. The fact that he had more money than he knew what to with and that a lot of people envied his life didn’t really mean much to him. He had wondered whether his dream of becoming president was ever going to be achieved. Then he had gone to a party he’d been invited to in Washington and he’d met Susan.
He had been feeling bored and restless and had decided to go to the party in the hope that it would ease the monotony. Holly had gone to Paris with a few other friends so he had gone to the party alone. His children were both in law school at Yale and were preparing for their examinations. He had spent over an hour at the party but the boredom only intensified. He had been thinking of how he would give it ten more minutes before going to look for his hosts so that he could make his escape, when he turned from the window he had been staring out to find a woman watching him intently. He had looked behind him to see if she was looking at someone else, but he was the only one there.
It had felt somehow strange seeing her watching him and feeling as if it was a prelude to her hitting on him. Normally, he liked to be the one doing the chasing but he didn’t mind making an exception. She had smiled and walked up to him and they started talking. Three hours later they were still deep in conversation. They left the party together and he dropped her off at her place. Nothing had happened that night but Robert knew it was only a matter of time before they became lovers.
Three months after meeting Susan, he had known that she was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. It didn’t hurt that she seemed to be the one who would help him realize his ambition of becoming president. Holly didn’t understand why he wanted a divorce. She had done all that her mother had told her to do, and she had believed that all was well between them. She had been a good wife and mother and she had expected that they would grow old together. However, in the end she agreed to the divorce, especially since he had paid her off handsomely. In his own way, Robert had loved her and still did but his ambition was greater than his love.
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