Ron was asleep in his hospital bed when he could almost feel the hair on his arms stand on end. As his eyes cracked open, he saw President Arnold looming over him. Ron gasped and tried to scoot away, but pain shot through his side and he groaned, grabbing the bandages wrapped around the stitches that had most likely tore. Ron took a few steadying, deep breaths, wincing as his wound started to throb.

“Whoa, Ron. Calm down. It’s only me,” President Arnold said.

Ron looked at the clock. Three in the morning. He shook his head, feeling the fog of sleep lifting. “That’s not as comforting to me as you might think.”

“Really? Come on, Ron. You’re one of my best Junior Officials. Of course I’m concerned about your safety,” President Arnold said as he sat on the chair beside Ron’s bed. Ron held his side and watched President Arnold with a paranoid eye.

“Pretty sure the best thing for me right now is sleep,” Ron said.

President Arnold began laughing, clapping Ron on the back like he hadn’t been shot. Ron groaned in pain. He didn’t know what to expect from President Arnold, but he kept his guard up. He had been unconscious for most of the day, but the medical professionals had done their job, and he was trying to recover now.

“It’s not visiting hours,” Ron said, not daring to look away from President Arnold.

“Oh, the hospital made an exception for me,” President Arnold said, going to pat his arm, but Ron swiftly moved it away. President Arnold gave a click of his tongue. “What is this, Ron?”

Ron still said nothing, his heart racing. He didn’t expect President Arnold to come this early.

Would the plan still work with President Arnold coming this early?

“Now, don’t you worry. I’ve got some of my best men on the search.” President Arnold glanced at the video camera in the corner. The light was red, showing it was on. Ron glanced at it quickly too before turning his attention back on President Arnold. “Forgive me if a camera is a violation of your privacy, but you were shot at. We needed extra security to make sure you were safe.”

Ron couldn’t look at President Arnold. “You never gave me a choice in the matter.”

President Arnold showed off his fake smile. “Seems you got lucky. Chunk of skin off the side, there, right?”

Ron was still holding the wrappings under his hospital gown, the wound still throbbing. “Yeah. Lucky.”

“Ah, you’ll have a nice scar, there, though, right?” President Arnold said. “Don’t women love battle scars?”

Ron continued to stare at President Arnold, officially weirded out by this old man trying to comfort him with this.

President Arnold glanced at the video camera again. Ron followed his gaze, and saw the light had turned off. Someone had turned off the video camera. Ron turned back to President Arnold, allowing true alarm to play across his face. “Why are the cameras off?”

“I know the people working them. Besides, you’re safe here with me. Don’t worry,” President Arnold said.

“You know the people? Or you know how to terrorize them into doing what you want?” Ron asked.

President Arnold leaned back, pretending he hadn’t heard Ron. “Now, the shooter must have been someone in the underground. Someone who wanted to make sure he sent a message by trying to take out my best Junior Official.”

“That’s not-”

“You were a promising member, and I was going to give you a promotion. The underground got wind of this, and wanted to take you out,” President Arnold said.

“Sir-”

“That’s the story, Ron.” President Arnold’s voice was firm. “It’s the only story that made sense.”

“Only story that-” Ron started to say, feeling bewildered. “Sir, you’ve got to be joking. You tried to have me killed.”

“You have no proof,” President Arnold said.

“I wasn’t singing,” Ron said. “My chip never activated. I was terrified for my life, there were people singing all around me, and my chip never activated. You didn’t want me to sing. You didn’t want me telling all those people around me exactly what I knew. You somehow turned off my chip.”

President Arnold blinked a few times. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh stop,” Ron said. “I’m not going to play along with your lies anymore. I’m telling everyone what I saw. Of what you’re doing to Albert. Of what you do to anyone who thinks differently than you.”

“You honestly think I would kill one of my own people?” President Arnold asked.

“Yes,” Ron said. “And while we’re at it, consider this my two weeks notice. I quit.”

President Arnold’s eyes narrowed before he leaned back and looked at Ron’s IV. “You know, Ron, I honestly don’t care what you do. I guess you can quit if you want to. Go ahead and tell everyone what you think you saw. But honestly, who would believe you? Torturing teenagers? Creating hobos?” President Arnold began to chuckle. “The underground being sympathetic? No. Once you quit, your voice no longer has any power. You are simply a workaholic who cracked under the pressures of life. Suffering from the mental battle of someone shooting you.” Ron glared at him. He had so much to say, but was too afraid to say it. He couldn’t tip President Arnold off to what was going on.

President Arnold stood up, toying with the tubes of Ron’s IV. “Though, that’s not what’s going to happen, Ron. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. You will stay, and you will stick to the story I give you. Right now there is a lot of confusion going on at the S.E.A., and the people need the comfort that comes from security.” President Arnold let go of the IV tubes. “Turns out the Official over security is… well, a psychopath. He hid it quite well. Of course, I’ve cut off all ties from him.” President Arnold’s face relaxed. “In fact, you might be right about those suspicions of torture. He probably snuck in at night to hurt Albert for his own sick pleasure.”

Ron shook his head, too afraid to close his eyes. He didn’t know if he was capable of fighting another mental war with President Arnold. He gave a smile that Ron could have sworn was a smirk. “I’m being truthful, Ron. We’ve got to think about the people.”

Ron stayed perfectly still. “What are you talking about?”

President Arnold placed an arm on Ron’s shoulder. Ron didn’t dare pull away. “I’m so glad you survived the murder attempt from the underground. Now you can help bring trust back to the S.E.A. by telling your side of the story.”

“You mean, by me telling your side of the story,” Ron said.

“Because it’s the right account. You were confused. Of course you were. It was someone in the underground that tried to kill you.” President Arnold’s hand tightened over Ron’s shoulder.

“I am so sick of your lies,” Ron said, feeling mentally exhausted. President Arnold was too good at lying and manipulating. “You must be so angry I survived. I wondered why you waited until I left the S.E.A. skyscraper before you killed me, but now I get it. You were going to blame it on the underground, and the underground can’t get into the skyscraper. Another reason to make the people angry at them, even though it was you pulling the strings all along. I’ve had enough. I’m quitting, and I’m telling everyone I know what you tried to do. I have power. I know because you said I don’t, and you have told me nothing but lies since you arrived.” Ron glared at President Arnold. “Are you going to make your next attempt look like an accident this time?”

President Arnold’s face went still. He glared at Ron before his eye twitched and a sinister smile covered his face. Ron stilled, his eyes widening. He hadn’t seen President Arnold like this. “You know there are multiple ways to destroy you, not just killing you, right?” Ron held on to his wound, not saying a word. “I could destroy your character. Make it so when anyone looks at your face, they only see what I want them to see. Do you know how easy it is? The people trust me so completely that I can call you anything I want and they’d believe it.” President Arnold laughed, a cold, high pitch laugh. “All I’d have to say is you’re the enemy, and the journalists will eat themselves alive finding all the dirt on you to prove I’m right. That’s how much power I have in this city, Ron.” A chill traveled through Ron’s body. President Arnold was right. He held all the power. “The people are so willing to believe me, because I’m the one that gives them safety. If I say you are a workaholic dead-beat dad, they will go nowhere else to disprove that information.” President Arnold grabbed Ron’s hair and forced his head back. Ron gasped, getting too close to a man he never wanted to see again. His scalp felt like it was burning and he held a hand up just outside President Arnold’s vision. “You don’t think I hire people as Junior Officials without knowing exactly how to hurt them if they step out of line?” Ron swallowed, closing his eyes. “You’re divorced, and I know exactly where your ex-wife lives. I know your little girl’s schedule better than you.”

Ron’s chest started to heave as his eyes snapped open. “You wouldn’t.”

“I’ve done worse. I’ve wiped the memories of Sophie Germain. Her parents trusted me so completely, they let me do it. I threatened to kill a number of Tom Edison’s children while I had him in my control. I have ordered the deaths of countless people, Ron, so don’t think your life is any more special,” President Arnold sneered. He let go of Ron’s hair, and tears of pain left Ron’s eyes. “Your mother is still alive too. Living in apartments that could have any number of accidents. Especially if there’s a rumor traveling around that the underground has gotten out of control. The underground is powerful enough to blow up some apartment buildings in the area.”

Ron’s fear turned to hate and he glared at President Arnold. “You are disgusting.”

“I do what I must,” President Arnold said. “It’s something you’ll never understand. And don’t think I haven’t noticed the friendship you’ve created with John. He goes to the shooting range all the time. It wouldn’t be unheard of for him to have an accident there.”

“Mrs. Germain will help. She’d be a powerful ally. She’s worked with you. She knows exactly what you’ve done. She’ll back me up,” Ron said.

President Arnold started to laugh. “Madeline? No, Madeline will be no help to you. Ambrose got arrested yesterday, and with both of them in prison, I’m poisoning their food. Slowly, so no one notices. When they do finally notice, it’ll be too late. They betrayed me, and this is the price they must pay.”

Ron’s eyes widened. “You can’t.”

“I already have,” President Arnold said.

Ron could not look at President Arnold, too afraid his face would give him away. He started having his suspicions that President Arnold was evil, but he had no idea to what length he would go. President Arnold sat down in the chair again, the sinister tone replaced by a lighter, more fake tone. “So this is how it’s going to play out, Ron. You’re going to keep working for me. You are going to say a member of the underground shot you, and I will give you a bodyguard for protection. If this bodyguard sees one toe out of line, I will make you choose between your ex-wife, your daughter, or your mother.”

Ron’s fists clenched as he glared at President Arnold. He couldn’t believe, after the years he worked with this man, that he didn’t have a semblance of an idea how twisted and evil he was.

There was a crackling sound under Ron’s blanket near his hand. “Ron?”

Ron cleared his throat. “Yeah?”

“I’m officially calling it.”

Ron gave a sigh. “I haven’t said the safe word yet. He could have told us more. He was on a roll.”

President Arnold’s eyes widened as he stood up. “What?”

“We have enough to put President Arnold in prison for a couple lifetimes. I’m fearing for your safety,” Walt’s voice came from the walkie talkie under the blanket.

President Arnold’s fake smile dropped. Ron gave President Arnold an embarrassed smile before he pulled the walkie talkie from under the blanket and talked into it. “You’ve obviously never seen John’s average score at the shooting range. I was never in any actual danger.”

The door opened and John stepped inside. President Arnold spun around to face him. John gave President Arnold a smile and a small wave.

“You still could have said the code word ages ago and we would have had him,” Walt said.

“What is this!” President Arnold demanded.

Ron pointed to the camera. The red light was back on, and had been for a while. “Walt was waiting for you to bully the security into doing what you want. Wasn’t that hard for a Junior Official to swoop in and turn the camera’s back on. After all, Walt’s really good with cameras. I see why you hired him.” Ron faced the cameras. “Hey, did you send someone to the prison to check the Germains’ food?”

“Yep. Fred is in contact with the prison as we speak.” The camera started zooming in. “Oh, hey, this is really good. I’m getting a great shot of President Arnold’s face right here. Yep, no one can deny who he is.”

“No,” President Arnold said, putting a hand in front of his face like he could shield himself. “No!” President Arnold took a few steps toward Ron, but they had heard a noise from John. Ron was reminded of the conversation he had with Albert about physics. If something went faster than the speed of light, no one would be able to see it. One second John’s hand was on his gun, the next it was pointed straight at President Arnold. What happened in between was too fast for Ron to actually see. President Arnold gasped and backed away.

“Don’t touch him,” John said.

“You have overstepped your authority.” President Arnold’s voice was dark with anger. “You cannot arrest me.”

John’s eyes narrowed, and an anger grew in his eyes, his hand steady on his gun. “No sir, it’s you who has overstepped your authority. I saw what you let happen to Ron’s intern, and believe me, you should be glad I’m staying within my authority and just arresting you.”

President Arnold backed away and John followed with every step. “You honestly think things will magically get better? I have sacrificed everything for this city! To keep it safe! If you arrest me, mad scientists will run rampant through the streets! You will have the war I have been trying to keep us from for forty years! The peace I brought to Musical Land will be lost!”

“Hands where I can see them,” John said.

President Arnold gave a pitiful laugh as he raised his hands. “Then it will be on your heads. I bet Walt’s going to conveniently leave this part out of his film distribution.” President Arnold looked at the camera. “Do you hear me Walt! Do you know the fear that will permeate this city with this news? I did what I could to protect the city from the scientists! If you open your doors to them, they will kill you where you stand! I’ve seen it! Over and over I saw it happen!” John grabbed President Arnold’s wrist and forced his hands behind his back before handcuffing him. “They don’t care! They’re not compassionate! They lost their humanity the moment they studied the sciences. Those people will get their revenge, and you will storm the prison begging for my return within the year! Mark my words!”

John grabbed President Arnold’s elbow and started leading him out of the room. Ron would be crazy to think what President Arnold said didn’t trouble him, but the thought of keeping him in power was even worse. Ron glanced up at the camera and gave a short nod toward it. “Keep that part in, Walt. People need to know what happens when someone gets too full of hate.”

The walkie-talkie crackled to life. “Will do.”

Ron gave a short sigh, then leaned back. This was going to be painful for the city, but it was like the pain that came with an infected wound. It needed to be cleaned before the real healing could begin.

“Do you need me to contact a medic?” Walt asked.

Ron shifted again in his bed, knowing there was something going on with his wound. “Yes, please.”