Chapter 19: The News
Danielle blinked awake, and was confused for a second about where she was, but then she saw Theo.
Theo was sitting in the same chair as last night, his arms looked more loosely, his head was lifted just slightly back against the wall.
However, his eyes were very much opened, but framed by dark circles that hadn't been there before.
He hadn't slept…that much, Danielle could figure it out.
Danielle just watched his crazy handsome face, her heart caught between guilt and something she didn't want to name.
His jaw was sharp in the morning light, his stubble darker, his shirt still creased from the night before.
'He didn't even close his eyes,' she thought. 'Was he really watching me all night?'
Her next thought made her cheeks burn.
'Oh God, what if I snored? Or talked? Or…no. Please tell me I didn't drool or far…'
She slowly pulled the blanket up to her chin, pretending to yawn, trying to act like she had just woken up naturally.
Theo's voice came before she could speak.
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty."
Danielle blinked and looked at him. "Excuse me?"
"You've been out for almost twelve hours," dry amusement touched his tone. "I was starting to think you fell into a coma."
A small frown formed on her nose, clutching the blanket tighter. "It's Saturday, Theo. People are allowed to sleep on weekends."
He raised an eyebrow. "Not that much."
"Maybe you should try it sometime," Danielle replied back. "You look like a vampire that hasn't fed in weeks."
For the first time that morning, the corner of his mouth curved slightly. "Cute…Are you done?"
Danielle crossed her arms and sat up straighter. "Depends. Are you going to keep staring at me like some kind of watchdog?"
Theo didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his pocket and tossed a phone onto her lap. "Read this."
Danielle blinked at the screen. A headline flashed across the top of the news page:
BREAKING: PRESIDENT ALIVE — FAILED ASSASSINATION KEPT SECRET FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
She sat up fully now, the blanket seemed to be forgotten. "Alive?" she breathed out. "They said…they'll keep it a secret."
Theo nodded once, controlled. "His death was a cover story, I told you. They didn't want panic to spread while they investigated the attempt."
Her eyes raced across the article.
The President is in stable condition. The name of the hospital remains undisclosed. Sources report that the shooter has not been found. Authorities are currently searching for a man wearing a black jacket and brown hair…
She read it twice before glancing up at Theo. "They didn't catch him?"
"No," he replied quietly. "And that's not the kind of person who stays hidden for long unless someone's helping him."
Danielle furrowed her eyebrows, her jaw was clenched, and her pulse quickened. "And now what? The whole country thinks there's an assassin walking free?"
Theo didn't answer right away. He looked toward the window, and sounded detached. "It's not the first time something like this has been buried. They'll try to make it disappear. They always do."
Danielle swallowed hard, scrolling down the page again until she found the last line:
The President will be traveling to Switzerland to attend the yearly World Leaders' Summit.
Her lips parted. "Switzerland? That's… close."
Theo's eyes travelled back to her, trying to understand her expression. "Yes. Close enough."
"Do you think it's safe for him to travel?" she asked, still staring at the article. "After what happened?"
"I don't make those calls," Theo shrugged very simply. "But I did get new orders this morning."
Danielle finally looked up at him. "Orders?"
He nodded once, then took a deep breath, preparing for Danielle's yelling. "To escort you to the event. You're meeting him."
Danielle's breath caught in her throat, got mixed with saliva and was forced to choke. "Th-the President?"
Theo's jaw set. "Yes. You're going to Switzerland."
And the way he said it was not a question, nor a suggestion made it sound like the beginning of something far bigger than either of them expected.