I wake up from a strange dream about being able to breath underwater and talking to ocean life. I rub my eyes and groan, happy that it wasn't as strange as the dream I had the other night about being forced to watch a couple fuck in their bedroom.
I've been having these strange dreams ever since the fire and I can't make them stop. I don't see people's faces in the dream, but I can hear their voices and they feel so real, even though they're impossible.
There was even a dream where I tackled a dog the size of a rhino in some woods. It had glaring red eyes and growled but ran off. I can't remember why I did it, but it felt real, and I woke up feeling sore and exhausted as if I had actually tackled the beast.
I get up and take a cold shower because part of last night's dream was extremely hot and heavy. I fucked some guy underwater and it was the best sex I can ever remember. It keeps replaying in my head and I just want it to be real.
Afterwards I get dressed in some red pants and a black shirt. I get to work only to see it crowded outside. There's paparazzi and other news outlets roaming around and I have no idea what's going on. I head inside and start going towards the elevator with the coffee Ellison requested from one of the shops down the street.
"Hold the elevator." I hear a deep voice state and I roll my eyes and click the button to keep the doors open.
"You're gonna have to get-." The man starts telling me.
"She's fine." A different man counters as he gets in the elevator.
The two men are wearing sunglasses and an earpiece. One has short blond hair and a square jaw, the other has short dark hair with a more oval face. Two more men pack in and I furrow my brows at the guy who is holding the button for the doors to stay open. I hear reporters shouting questions outside, it gets louder and then muffled again. I hear more footsteps coming our way and I can't help but think if many more men get in, I'm gonna be crushed against the wall.
"The eagle has landed." One of the men says in his earpiece and I quirk a brow.
One extra man walks in and I stare in a daze at what I'm seeing. It's the fucking President of the United States.
The secret service agent closes the door and I just stand there, trying to go unnoticed. Unfortunately the President turns his head and he furrows his brows and blinks a few times. The doors open and he's escorted out of the elevator.
"This your stop?" One of the service agents ask and I just nod my head and he waits for me to exit before he exits behind me.
My phone goes off and I see that it's Ellison asking where his coffee is. I realize I'm now running late because I had to wait.
"Men, could you give us-." The President starts asking but my phone goes off.
"Yes, I'm on my way. Yes, I got the right creamer." I tell Ellison over the phone and then hang up.
"Sorry, I have to get my boss his coffee." I say to the men and hurry off, feeling really odd about the whole situation.
The President looked at me as if he recognized me and I can't figure out why he would recognize me. I start trying to go through the memories of my coworkers, trying to figure out if we ever had a case that involved The President before.
I get to the sound room and give Ellison his coffee and he furrows his brows at me.
"Everything alright? You look like you've seen a ghost?" He asks.
"Uh, you could've mentioned that The President was coming in today." I mutter.
"He's here already? That's great." Ellison states excited and I just blink.
"Did you see his car or something?" He asks.
"No, he rode in the elevator with me and his men. Extremely awkward." I answer and he chuckles.
"Probably had to go the nine yards with checking you, right?" He asks about weapons.
"What? No." I scoff and he furrows his brows.
"Huh, odd." He comments.
"You forgot the sugar." He says and hands me the cup and I sigh.
I hear people whispering and talking amongst one another and I realize the President is on his way to the stage. His secret service check the stage area, making sure it's all clear. I can hear Chip biting his nails and Mia whispering to someone.
I walk out the door, to fix Ellison's coffee, knowing that The President is coming out from the opposite side. I take a few steps with the cup of coffee in my hand, only for someone to bump into me, spilling the coffee over both of us.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me." I huff and look down at my shirt that is now soaked and stained with hot coffee.
"I'm so sorry, are you okay?" They ask and it's the same voice.
I look up and see that it's President Fitzgerald. He looks down at me and his eyes go wide.
"It is you." He says as if he knows me but I furrow my brows.
"Sir." One of his men says rushing over, only to see the coffee on the floor.
"It's okay, it was an accident." Fitzgerald assures him in a tone that clearly says not to make a big deal out of this.
"We need an extra shirt." The service man says in his earpiece, glancing between us.
"Two." Fitzgerald corrects, and the man relays the message.
"Um, sorry, I was in a hurry and-." I start apologizing, knowing I need this job and to stay undercover.
"No need. Accidents happen." Fitzgerald says calmly.
"Well, I should probably go and get my boss some new coffee." I say and try to walk past them but a hand grabs my arm and I look back to see it's Fitzgerald's.
"Just wait here a minute." He softly orders and I look between him and his agent and the agent nods at me, so I stay put.
"Um, I really need-." I start saying and Fitzgerald looks at his guy.
"What does he drink?" The Agent asks and I pause but tell him.
"Have one of the men get the coffee." He tells the agent and he nods and talks into his earpiece.
"We should get out of the hallway, sir." The agent says and Fitzgerald nods at me to follow.
We get to the kitchen and I lean against the counter on the other side of the room from Fitzgerald. He seems to find it amusing and chuckles as I tap my fingers on the counter behind me.
"So..." I start, feeling completely awkward.
"Did you just start working here?" He asks in such a casual manner it catches me off guard.
"Um, yeah, few days ago." I answer and he smiles.
"You like it so far?"
"Um...yeah, keeps me busy and on my feet." I say, secretly wanting to know why he insisted that I follow him here.
"Sir." One the agents says as he walks in, bringing the new shirts.
"Here." He says and personally walks over and hands the black one to me.
"Uh...thanks." I say and he gives me a wink and then heads off the the bathroom with two agents.
I quickly go into the woman's bathroom and change. I get myself cleaned up and put the large black shirt on and tuck it in my pants as best as I can. I roll up the sleeves and I notice a smell on it, a hint of cologne and I close my eyes as if I'm remembering something. Nothing comes to mind, but the smell is familiar for some reason.
I get back to the sound room and Ellison has a new cup of coffee in his hands and furrows his brows at me.
"Why did I get my coffee from a secret service agent?" He asks me, skeptically.
"I sort of spilled the first one on one of them..." I sort of lie.
"I thought were just wearing a t-shirt." He states, looking me up and down and I shake my head.
Fitzgerald walks on stage a few minutes later, wearing a new and clean shirt and then greets the two women. I can see the agents on the edges, outside of the camera in case of an emergency.
"I can't believe I'm actually in the same room as you right now." Bradley says, completely sincere.
"Well, it's good to be here." He compliments and sits down.
—————
After the interview one of the secret service agents walk over to me.
"He'd like to have a word in private." He says and motions for me to follow.
I follow him and we get to an empty room and I close the door behind me while the secret service agent stands guard at the door.
Before I can get a word out Fitzgerald's lips are on mine and he's taking his jacket off and then unbuttoning my blouse. I'm so shocked but he keeps going. I finally work my way into his mind and I realize that I used to work for him and he had an off and on affair with me.
He gets my pants off and pins me against the wall and starts devouring my neck as he fingers me. I lean my head back as he enters another finger.
"Fuck, I've been wondering where you went." He growls.
"I'm undercover." I whisper and he stops, leans back and looks at me confused.
"I looked, there's no paperwork." He says, and now the mood has been killed and thoughts are racing through my head.
"What do you mean? The FBI director sent me." I counter.
"There's no paperwork of it." He states and gets his jacket back on while I get my pants back on.
"Then why-." I start asking but then I realize something.
There was a picture of the director and Fred in his office. He was using me to keep tabs on what was going on here and trying to protect Fred.
"I have to go." I say pissed off.
"Wait-."
"Just let me handle this." I say and he simply nods and let's me leave.
Ellison's POV:
I sit in Fred's meeting next to Ira who's doodling on a notepad while Fred talks. I keep seeing images in my mind; Fred touching Ira, trying to flirt with her, giving her unwanted attention. And it takes everything in me to sit there and listen to him talk.
Thankfully the meeting is over soon but he holds me back to talk.
"Cory, my office is going to reach out to yours about setting a meeting."
"Ooh okay. Fun. Who with?" I ask a bit interested.
"Wait, no. Don't tell me. I like to be surprised." I change my mind.
"It's with Marlon Tate. Potential EP candidate for the Morning Show." He says and Ira stops doodling.
"Chip finally had that heart attack? Damn it. Condolences." I joke, trying to keep the mood light.
"The internal investigation will wrap up soon. We don't know what will be in the report, and we need to be ready with contingencies. Marlon's good. I've known him for years. Came up in the evening news, but he gets the morning audience." Fred explains and I can see Ira's jaw clench just the slightest.
"Thank you for the recommendation, Fred."
"It's not a recommendation. Marlon's the guy." Fred counters and I put my phone down and wait for the others in the room to leave until it's just the three of us.
"I hear you, Fred. And as head of the news division, I'll take it under advisement." I say, turning towards him and he seems irritated, more than usual.
"Is there something you'd like to say to me?" He finally spits out and I motion for Ira to wait outside for me and she does without question.
"Yes." I say and get up and walk over to Fred.
"Are you happy, Fred?" I ask as I look him in the eyes.
"Excuse me?" Fred asks.
"Are you like a happy person in life? I know you have a wife, a couple of houses and a network, but you don't seem very fulfilled by any of it. I honestly don't think I've ever seen you smile for more than a second or two in a row. Which is too bad, because smiling, it's fun to smile. It feels good. You should spend more time doing things that you enjoy. Other than staring at my assistant like a piece of meat. Maybe you'll have more time to do that soon. I sure hope so. It's just some personal advice. Take it or leave it. I thought I'd share. Before you find yourself left with nothing but a permanent frown." I say and start walking away.
"Let me know how it goes with Marlon." He responds and then I leave.
Danika/Ira's POV:
I can't stop thinking about what Fitzgerald said the other day. How there's no paperwork for my undercover work. I watch as Yanko takes phots with the other hosts of the news and it looks so awkward.
Suddenly I hear Mia Jordan over the speakers, asking for everyone's attention.
"Hi. I'm the scorned, oversensitive woman who screwed the lead anchor to help her career. And got him fired when he didn't want to leave his wife. And now I'm out for blood. So everyone with a dick better be careful cause she hates socks now. Dicks, beware! Don't leave your home at night without N escort, because the vengeful, slutty, feminist bitch, Mia Jordan, is out there somewhere. Okay, everyone, I got it. I'm well aware about what everyone's saying about me. And now apparently, I personally got Nicky fired, and I leaked about Mitch to the Times, and I'm sure I'm also the Zodiac Killer. I mean this fucking list goes on. And I could deny a lot of that. Most of it is lies. Bullshit gossip, but I am just so...fucking tired. I don't have the energy to deny it. What's the point, anyway? Everybody's already decided what they believe. Some of you hate me, some of you pity me, some of you think I'm a victim, some of you think I'm a slut. Everybody's got their fucking opinions, and you know what? Have 'em. I just want to move on with my fucking life. We're all human. We all have regrets. No matter which side you fall on, we are all just people who wanna do our jobs, do good work. So, that's what I'm gonna focus on. My work. Because I'd like to be known for something other than fucking Mitch and I think I deserve that opportunity." Mia rants and Bradley gets up from the couch to talk to her.
After work I head out with Ellison. He wants to show me around New York like he promised. We go to the Empire State Building and I have a weird tingling at the back of my neck.
"You ever been?" Ellison asks.
"Been inside once." I admit and he smiles and nods.
"I never did mention how glad I was that you weren't in the motel room with the fire." He mentions LA and I sigh.
"I asked the firefighters about what started it, and it's the weirdest thing, they couldn't find any electrical issues or natural causes. They said it spontaneously started on the inside of the room." He states and I think about that for a minute.
"We were in the area of a wildfire." I shrug.
"Maybe an ash got in the window or something." He nods in agreement and we keep walking but for some reason I don't think that's how it happened.
I had woken up from a dream about fire. That I was creating fire with my mind, only to wake up in a room on fire, not only that, but the blanket on top of me was on fire too, but it didn't hurt me.