Blessed

How it’s gotten to the point where I know what each of them is thinking. How Carter is viewing this as a rational debate that he’s going to win on facts when I know that the system is going to want a sacrifice. Liam understands that. He doesn’t understand that I can see in his eyes he’s preparing himself to be that sacrifice so Carter and I can continue. Carter thinks he’s going to convince the legislators with his arguments. Liam thinks he’s going to bulldoze past them. Their both wrong. And if I don’t do anything, they’ll both end up losing their careers.

But I love them. So I’ve been busy myself.

Thirty.

I know I said thirty before, but this is important. That’s the number of days that we’ve had to prepare to testify in front of the Ethics Committee. The impeachment vote in New Kingston is literally the next day. From the beginning, it all seems perfectly staged to me. As if someone has been working very hard behind the scenes to orchestrate up to this moment. I’m sorry if I feel like I’m throwing out conspiracy theories, babe, but it seems like all of this is falling into place just too easily.

I’ve been working with my staff to sort through it, spending more time at Liam’s place than in Washington. It’s started to affect my regular daily schedule. I haven’t voted since the Senate has been in session and I’ve missed multiple committee meetings. I know there have been important meetings that I’ve missed because I’m tied up here. But I need to make sure I see this through.

Carter and Liam begun by working together, but they realized they were expecting different things. Carter is expecting a chance to give his side of the story. That’s not going to happen. But Liam is expecting a political knife fight. I know it’s going to be a third option. I know there is one piece to the puzzle that I’m not getting.

Ten, Fifteen, and Twenty.

That Carter’s, Liam’s, and my job approval ratings, respectively. Over the past month, our negative opinion ratings have shot through the roof as people start believing the constant barrage from the press that I’ve turned Liam and Carter into corrupt, job-killing, environment-destroying, sex-crazed wretches.

It’s gotten to the point where Liam and Carter have insisted that one of them go with me when I go outside.

I’ve never needed a man to protect me. I’m not going to change that just because a few people are upset at my sex life.

But, the possibilities of having sex in public are too good to pass up. So sometimes I pretend to play the hapless damsel in distress and it really gets them going. You can literally see both their cocks grow hard. I mean, in real time, you see the tent forming in their trousers. It’s pretty amazing actually. Two, thick, 12-inch cocks. That’s like, what? Two feet. Of lust muscle, as Liam calls it, inside of me? Can you imagine how hard it is to get anything done with those two men walking around shirtless in the house?

One.

That’s how many days we have until the Ethics Committee calls Carter and I to testify. I’ve been working and my staff has been getting me information round the clock. I know I’m close to figuring out what’s going on to cause this whole thing. I can sense I’m getting closer. I just don’t know where or when I’m going to hit the jackpot.

Ten.

That’s how many minutes ago I got a phone call. I can’t tell you from who just yet, hun. I know, I’m sorry. You’re really not going to know even if you skip to the end, so don’t even try. And don’t try now just to spite me. I know I’m stubborn like that sometimes too. Just know that I’m going to go out for a while.

Don’t tell Liam or Carter if they ask, either. I think I might be on to something. But I’m not sure yet if it’s legitimate. I need to head into the city. And the last thing that Liam and Carter will be happy with is me going into New York City by myself without any security. But I’ll be fine. I’ll put on some yoga pants, a windbreaker, and some shades. No one will recognize me.

I’m borrowing Carter’s Jag, in case he asks. Just move to the next page and pretend you didn’t see me leave, babe. Please. Their careers—my career—may very well depend on it.

Carter

The cameras flash as I walk into the crowded chamber. It’s the day of the Ethics Committee investigation as they weigh indicting me on corruption charges. But from the look and feel of things, you’d think it was the first day of the goddamn circus.

I sit down at a table, as the lawmakers sit in a raised dais that forms a semi-circle facing me. The audience is behind me, with press kneeling across from me, underneath the legislators.

You’ve seen this image a thousand times. Congressional hearings. Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Well, I do. And if people are listening to me as I tell them the truth they’ll see that there is no corruption here. Just thinking about the future—something we should all be doing.

"Governor Andrews, thank you for coming down to see us today," the Democratic Majority Leader begins. Of course he’s thanking me. The camera flashes are enough to blind you if you look at them too closely. This is more press coverage than he’s gotten all year. He's been keeping a low profile ever since those rumors of him and that underage Girl Scout came out on TMZ. Not that they were able to prove anything—the girl’s family all of a sudden moved to the Bahamas and seemed to have a large infusion of cash into their accounts. It boggles my mind that this man is in the same party as me. But what really gets me is that he’s sitting in judgment over me, determining if I’ve maybe had a lapse in judgment that I need to be investigated by him.

"Thank you, Senator," I say back. The New York State Legislature is broken down into a State Senate and State Assembly. It’s the Senate that does the investigating. The Assembly just does the rubber stamping whatever I tell them to do. Right. You don’t need to correct me. They used to rubber stamp whatever I told them to do. Back when I had approval ratings that were in the double digits—way higher than the 9% they’re at now after falling sharply the last two days.

"Let’s go ahead and get started, shall we," the Majority Leader says. "But before we do, I’d like to invite an outside counsel to also participate in the questioning considering that he has been so helpful in uncovering some of the more disturbing facts in this situation."

Okay. So that’s unusual. You don't usually see outside players come into an Ethics Committee investigation. Because you haven’t had a chance to properly vet them. You don't know what kind of bias and agenda they’re coming in with. Plus, there was no real notice. I didn’t get a chance to prepare.

For lack of a better word, it’s a bit…unethical.

Shows you the kind of damn snakes I’m dealing with here. But that’s okay. Because I’m Carter Andrews. I became Governor based on my sheer ability to get things done. No one, and nothing, can take me down.

That's what I think. That’s what I know. And I still believe it even when the Mayor of New York City, and Editor-In-Chief of the New York Daily Journal walks in. There’s some hushed whispering.

"The chair recognizes Michael Anders, Mayor of New York City. Due to his position as the head of the Anders Media empire, he serves as Editor-In-Chief of the New York Daily Journal and has uncovered a great deal of the pertinent facts in this investigation," the Majority Leader says, as if reading from notes. He lifts his head to look at Michael. "Mr. Mayor, you have the floor to ask your questions."

Michael nods. I can’t believe the Majority Leader, as a Democrat, is okay with letting Michael Anders grill me. The Mayor doesn’t have a political party affiliation, but anyone who’s read the Daily Journal over the last two months realizes that there’s some sort of bias there behind the tone of the newspaper against me.