A minute after Christina had entered the room , she knew that something was wrong. Very wrong. She knew that it couldn’t be anything good, after all it was an emergency meeting, but she hadn’t seen the usually cheerful #1 so gloom since…. Well, since never. She had started to worry when the cabinet had started to fill with men in uniform, and her worry had only increased when she saw that Lars was biting his nails, something that he only did under lots of pressure. Eventually, the president took seat in the front of the long table and the officers did so opposite to the ministers. Christina noticed that the man in front of her had a plate which read “Gn. Gerome de Larimer EFNDS” She swallowed loudly.
-As we have no time to lose, I’ll be brief –Said the president in a dry tone- The purpose of this cabinet meeting is to answer to sudden changes in the international scenario that pose a serious threat to us. As you all know, due to civil unrest the Chinese government has been lately trying to divert the attention of its citizens by threatening Taiwan. However, fifteen minutes ago the Chinese military bombed several radar and coast defense stations which are critical to the US strategic defense system. The president of the US, Mrs. Burns, has probably been reminded by its joint chiefs of staff that her country is part of the NATO and, in an unusual deviation from her unilateral policies, has agreed to have a videoconference with us before answering to the attack. Questions?
Christina wished she hadn’t gotten up that day.
