by Paul Moxham
The presidential cabin explodes in a massive fireball! The main lodge explodes next, billowing up into the air, wicked orange flames licking the sky above.
All around, buildings explode. Even the woods blow up, tree trunks and limbs flying everywhere.
The flames engulf Peter and Frederick Phelps, burning them to a crisp instantly... disintegrating them.
Marine One teeters over the exploding retreat, the fireballs edging up toward it as Jack and Wilcox dangle below. The chopper weaves out of control, unable to carry the dangling bodies.
Maggie leans out the door, clutching her tranquilizer dart. Her blood loss and the overwhelming motion leaving her unsteady on her feet. She cringes. Takes aim. And throws the dart just past Jack’s head and sinks it right into Wilcox’s cheek!
Wilcox lets out a pained roar. His fingers slip and he drops off Jack’s shoulders like a sack of bricks. He plummets into the flaming hell below.
“Hang on, Jack!” yells Charles. He pulls Maggie back into the safety of the chopper, then lunges out to reach for Jack. He struggles to lift him.
Then another hand grabs Jack’s wrist. It’s Lombard’s. “We got you!”
Lombard pulls with all his might. He and Charles hoist Jack up into safety as an explosive shockwave rattles the chopper and jolts them up above the rising flames.
In the pilot’s seat, Hawkins finally gains control of the chopper and pulls back on the throttle, lifting Marine One up, up, up in the skies above.
The legendary retreat is completely engulfed in flames, still burning and exploding as Marine One flies away to safety.
Epilogue
Some Time Later
Maggie rests peacefully in a small hospital room. She stirs from sleep and finds Jack sitting at her side. His hand rests on her wrist. She smiles at the familiar contact. “I trust you got the word out?”
Jack beams as he produces a Washington Post with a headline screaming: Secret Society Exposed After Camp David Assault. “I guess you could say that. You got a pretty nice write-up in here, you know.”
Maggie playfully dismisses it with a wave of her hand. “You wanna drive yourself nuts with all that stuff, have at it.”
Jack laughs. “Don’t encourage me. It’s nice to be vindicated once in a while.”
There’s a knock at the door and Nancy tentatively enters. “Just stopping by to thank the woman who saved my son.” She takes a seat and smiles at Maggie. But her expression betrays a heavy heart.
“How are you holding up?” asks Jack.
Nancy’s voice trembles a bit, but she keeps her composure. “Doing my best, I suppose.” She hesitates for a moment before she resumes speaking. “Did you see him, before...”
Jack nods. “Yes. And he never wanted to leave. He had to disappear to protect us.”
Nancy smiles with relief as the tears start to fall.
Jack holds her hand in his. “He saved us, Mom.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” says Maggie.
Wiping her face, Nancy produces her wedding ring from her handbag and slips it back on her ring finger. “Thank you, dear. But I feel like I finally got him back.” Nancy pats Maggie’s hand gently. “You’ve got a good partner, Jack.”
“Actually, we’re not partners anymore,” says Jack, surprisingly.
The women look to each other with curiosity. Jack can’t help but grin. “I got a new job.”
Later, people line a D.C. street. They are waving flags, cheering, celebrating. A parade travels before them. The presidential motorcade rounds the corner and the crowd goes nuts.
Inside the limousine, Lombard and Hawkins are in the back, looking out through the windows at the adoring crowd.
“Nice turnout,” comments Lombard.
Hawkins nods. “Everyone loves a hero.”
“I’m not a hero,” replies Lombard. “All I did was survive.”
“I wasn’t talking about you,” says Hawkins with a coy grin.
Lombard looks at him and follows his gaze, both men now looking through the opposite window.
Outside that window, a Secret Service agent walks alongside the vehicle. Dressed in a black suit, a radio-com in his ear, and black sunglasses covering his eyes.
It’s Jack. And, on the other side of the car, Charles. Both men protecting the president as part of his personal detail.
The limousine rounds another corner, Jack and Charles moving with it, leaving this crowd behind.
As the crowd disperses, a couple familiar faces appear. Maggie works crowd control. She smiles as she watches Jack hustle off alongside the motorcade, filled with pride.
She turns, her grin proving infectious as she catches the eye of Nancy, who is beaming with pride as she turns and walks away, having seen who she came to see. As the crowd disappears, they clear the way for an unobstructed view of the most famous residence in the world... The White House.
The End
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