Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty - Six

     Jackson and President Scott arrived at the federal prison. People gathered around them and looked at Zelma with awe and reached out to shake her hand. She shook hands with each person that she passed who wanted to greet her.

     Zelma approached the front desk. The officer looked surprised, but remained calm. Zelma smiled and patiently waited for him.

     “How may I assist you Mrs. President?” he asked.

     “We are here to visit with Bianca Wolfe,” she told him.

     He appeared to be more stunned and quickly looked through some papers. People behind him whispered among themselves. Another officer entered and whispered into his ear.

     He nodded, “We will get a meeting room together and we will bring Ms. Wolfe. Come this way.”

     The officer led them through double doors and down a long hallway. They entered a room with a table and folding chairs. Zelma sat on the cool metal chair and waited.

     The door soon opened and Bianca entered. She appeared somber in her orange jumpsuit. Bianca’s eyes widened when she saw that Zelma was sitting in the room. She regained her composure and sat down in the other chair across from the president.

     There was a moment of awkward silence. Bianca was just sitting there staring at her. Zelma cleared her throat.

     “I am sorry that you lost your father,” said Zelma.

     “Thank-you,” said Bianca. “Something tells me that you are here for a different reason. I doubt that you would just come here out or the blue to offer your condolences.”

     Zelma nodded, “I was just being polite, but if you must know I am here because we need your assistance.”

     Bianca rolled her eyes and sneered. “What could you possibly think that I can assist you with?”

     “President Scott is aware that you have a source in Russia who is working with the clones,” said Jackson.

     “We believe that Luskin has malicious intentions,” said Zelma. “Whoever you spoke to was warning you about what his plans were.”

     Bianca sighed, “Luskin was irritated with my father for supposedly antagonizing Joowon Yoon. The clones had created an expense and supposedly Russians were paranoid of them. Luskin tried to strike up a deal with me for the clones. I declined since we did not make them. This was when Misha contacted me. She told me that the clones suspected that they were being trained for war by Russia. Misha told me that Luskin was going to find a way to retaliate against us.”

     “Did you know anything else?” asked Zelma. “If someone was warning you how come you didn’t do anything?”

     Bianca shrugged, “If the clones nuked North Korea then they would attack Russia for the same reasons.”

     “Then it would happen in another country and then another,” Zelma stated. “Did you even think of this?”

     “Because the clones understand that they are being used as pawns,” she said. “They are still children. They feel some connection to America and they do not want to attack us. They seek to attack those who are against us.”

     “Then why not bring them home?” asked Zelma. “It’s not right to allow this to continue.”

     “Wars are a fact of life,” she said.

    “There is no reason for a war at all. This is all over a childish argument. I will not stand for this and neither will our country,” said Zelma.

     “So, my father did this,” Bianca said indifferently. “What do you want me to do about it?”

     “This could mean your freedom if you help us connect with Misha and help get those children out of Russia,” said Zelma. “We can prevent further damage if you help us.”

     “You want me to be a diplomat?” asked Bianca. Zelma nodded her head. “He did send rebels out to murder my father.” Bianca was silent for a moment. “I’m in, but I’m going to need a safer and more secure connection to speak with Misha on.”

     “We will arrange this,” she said.

     They shook hands on the deal. Zelma was reluctant to believe that anything good would come out of this meeting. She also believed that she had to try something.