Madam President

Chapter One

"Marine One clear for landing."

Freen stood stock-still on the edge of the landing pad as the aircraft's communication came crackling into her earpiece now that it was in range. 

Unlike the other agents positioned in advance of the president's arrival, she'd been listening closely to the beating of the blades for quite some time, now. Along with every sound in the building below. And the streets beyond.

She'd been here in Bangkok City for two days, now. She hadn't slept. She didn't need to. The polls had been predicted easily. The codenames had been assigned. And just like that, Freen Sarocha was the head of the president's security detail. She was here for one reason and one reason alone.

"Halcyon has landed."

"Copy that. All clear. We'll take her from here, Marine One." Freen's voice came over their earpieces with steely confidence and firm resolve as her hands stayed clasped lightly just in front of her belt. She could draw her weapon before any possible threat would even be able to think to act. She was, under no circumstances, to blow her cover. No circumstance except one. And it was her job to prevent such a situation from ever happening. Her alien abilities were a failsafe and nothing more.

The thumping of the rotors was almost deafening especially taking into consideration just how carefully Freen was listening. But it was over soon enough, and she turned as the residual wind tugged and pulled at the jacket of her suit. Her eyes scanned the rooftop behind the protection of the tinted lenses that hid them.

It was difficult not to smile when the door of the craft began to open and her charge finally came into view. Dressed impeccably in a black dress and an ankle-length burgundy pea coat with a high, upturned collar, complete with a little flag pinned to its lapel. 

She'd done it, she'd won. Freen had been with her, always on the outskirts, for most of her campaign. They'd never even spoken. They would now, of course...but Freen had followed her every move for six months now, and she couldn't help the slight flutter of pride she felt in her chest.

This woman was brilliant. Daring. So competent and genuine that she'd won the hearts of an entire nation of people that desperately needed change. Change that Rebecca had always wanted to bring about. Change she'd dreamt of since she was a young girl.

But Freen had a job to do and her face was a mask of stoicism as the presidential liaison approached the woman currently pulling her jacket more tightly around herself against the chill of the air.

"Madam President." President-Elect.

Rebecca Armstrong.

"Not quite." Rebecca reached out to take the liaison's hand in a firm grip as she smiled despite the ache in her cheeks and the fatigue she was hiding expertly behind her eyes.

"President-Elect, then. I think it's time you finally met your detail. Unofficially, of course. You'll have formal meetings after your speech this evening if you're up for it."

Rebecca was absolutely not up for it. But she sure was used to putting on a brave face by now. Then again, that hadn't really been an offer or a choice. It had just been...politely worded.

She made her rounds as she was introduced, for the first time, to the agents that would make up her personal detail for the duration of her presidency. One by one, she shook hands and offered grateful smiles until she was finally standing in front of Freen.

It was only then that Rebecca realized she'd seen this woman before. She'd seen this tall, clearly capable woman in the corners of rooms, at the ends of hallways, and even in her hotels.

The only difference was - this time - the sunglasses came off. And she got a name.

"This is secret service agent Freen Sarocha. She'll be the one heading up your detail. You're in good hands, I assure you."

Rebecca noted that only one hand moved from in front of that belt. One hand that took her own gloved one in a gentle, yet solid grasp.

"It feels like we've met before, Agent Sarocha." Rebecca countered with a slight lift of her brow.

A lift that Freen returned with only a slight curve of her lips in the faintest hint of a smile. "No, I don't think so."

"Are you sure? I never forget a nondescript pair of sunglasses."

Freen might have laughed, but Rebecca couldn't be sure. It had been a low, subdued sound that ended before it could really be given voice as those sunglasses were placed back in their usual spot covering surprisingly black eyes. "Congratulations, Madam President. I was rooting for you."

Rebecca didn't mind the 'Madam President' thing right then. She was already starting to get used to the way it sounded. Or maybe it was just the way it had been said. 

Strange, how a woman that she'd never even met - who had just been hovering around her for months  suddenly felt familiar in this sea of strangeness that had suddenly, almost violently, become Rebecca's reality.

Madam President.

She was...the president. And this was her secret service detail. And she'd just stepped off of Marine One. So that she could give her victory speech to the record-breaking crowd that had already gathered to hear it.

She gathered herself along with a quick, sharp inhale as they made their way inside. At least she would be warm until they got downstairs to the motorcade.

Over the past months, she'd grown more used to people touching her. Handshakes, touches guiding her into vehicles, and a million other little things she'd never thought of before her campaign had begun. 

But, as Freen moved to stand between her and the crowd across the street to create a barrier between herself and the open door of the limousine she was stepping into, she was actually grateful for it for once. Or at least the way Freen approached it. With just the slightest brush against her back as she stepped in, and an almost inaudible 'Ma'am.'

Then, they were alone together. Just her and Freen, who was seated across from her in the blissfully dimly lit, spacious interior. The glasses were gone, and Freen's eyes were on her, though her attention was clearly on, well, everything. Just something about the slight tilt of her head towards the far bulletproof windows so that she could better hear. Something about the hand that always seemed to hover at the edge of her jacket.

"Agent Sarocha, as strange as this might sound, I'm going to have to count you as a friendly face from now on if that's alright." Rebecca leaned back in her seat and tried to ease some of the tension she felt in her shoulders to no avail.

"I don't mind at all, ma'am. That's what I'm here for. You're the first president-elect to make this ride alone. I'm glad to share it with you."

Rebecca smiled softly and thought, for a moment, about that word. 'Alone.' It was true enough. She had no wife or husband to celebrate this night with. No children...no dog, though she knew that would have to change soon enough. And that was fine. She'd made sacrifices to get here, and they were sacrifices she didn't regret in the least. 

"That's a relief." Rebecca finally responded as she turned her head to glance out the window at the people lining the streets along their route. The windows were tinted too dark for them to see her or even pick out which vehicle she was in. There was no such thing as too careful in regards to Rebecca. She hadn't only made friends along the course of the election. Not everyone welcomed change, after all. 

"I'd hate to think you're only here because of a sense of duty or something equally ridiculous."

Freen's eyes widened slightly. Just enough for Rebecca to notice the change in expression in the corner of her vision. "Caught you. I'd begun to think you were some sort of robot."

The smile this earned Rebecca was good. Excellent, in fact. Something to distract herself from the speech she was about to make. From how tired she was. From how...utterly terrified she was. She'd made so many promises. So very many promises...that she had every intention of keeping.

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Disclaimer: Story is not mine, I only adapted it to FreenBecky Fanfic because I love this piece and I love FB. I want to see them portray the characters in this story.