Chapter 73 74

Chapter 73: Madam President

New York City, Brooklyn Heights.

Sheila's campaign headquarters.

Even though it was late at night, everyone in the campaign headquarters was still busy, their faces filled with excitement, anticipation, or nervousness.

Sheila sat alone in her office, showing a hint of fatigue, a rare moment of rest for her. At almost seventy years old, since October, she had been averaging only five or six hours of sleep per day, running around giving speeches and campaigning. As the general election day approached, when everyone else was busy and tense, she finally had a moment to relax and catch her breath, having done everything she could. Now all that was left was to wait.

Through the glass curtain wall, she could clearly see the busy campaign team outside. And the phones that kept ringing and being picked up and put down. The election results from various states were being updated in real-time. Besides the volunteers who were making calls to encourage people to vote, more were busy collecting real-time vote counts from various states and then compiling and publishing the voting information.

On the wall in the middle of the large office hung a huge electronic screen. In the center was a map of the United States, divided by region, displaying three colors: blue, red, and gray. They represented the support rates.

Blue represented Democratic Party Sheila winning and gaining all the electoral votes in the region, red represented Republican Party Jeb winning and gaining electoral votes, and gray indicated results that hadn't been counted yet.

To the left of the big map were two tall blue and red pillars, representing the number of electoral votes each side had won. At this moment, there was still a distance from the 270-vote winning line, and both sides were increasing alternately. The large areas of red and blue sparkled like bright stars, piercing one's eyeballs, just like the intense voting and vote counting process. People with weaker hearts probably couldn't bear to look at it directly.

Sheila specifically instructed the campaign team chairman, Liam, to inform everyone else not to disturb her unless there was something special. She wanted to take a rare moment to rest. Regardless of whether she won or lost, she would immediately rush to Times Square to make a thank-you speech to her supporters, only not knowing whether it would be a victory or a concession speech.

Let the teams tally up. With over 5,000 paid staff and 35,000 volunteers, they were busy enough.

But she was still excited and couldn't sleep. After closing her eyes for a moment, she couldn't help but look outside again.

It was already past 10 p.m., almost reaching the final moments. Seeing the map representing New York State turn blue, Sheila smiled slightly, satisfied but not surprised.

New York State, with its large immigrant population, many renowned institutions of higher education, and liberal atmosphere, had always been a staunch supporter and major vote bank of the Democratic Party. In 2006, Sheila won 67% of the votes here and was elected senator, choosing this political hotbed as the base for her presidential campaign to ensure victory without fail.

Here, she could ensure winning over 5 million votes, roughly half of New York State's votes.

At the same time, it meant securing up to 29 electoral votes. But when she saw the slightly higher red pillar, Sheila's expression darkened again. There weren't many areas left to count the votes, and she was still behind Jeb Bush. The situation wasn't very optimistic.

However, she didn't have time to think about it, because through the curtain wall, she vaguely saw Liam, the campaign team chairman, walking quickly towards her. If there wasn't anything particularly noteworthy, he wouldn't come to her until the results were out.

The half-open office door had already been knocked on, and Liam walked in. There was a surprised smile on his face, and Sheila's previously tensed heart immediately relaxed, indicating that it was good news.

"Unbelievable! Just received the results. You've won over Jeb Bush with 1,857,139 votes against his 1,796,277 votes in Virginia! You've won over the Republican Party there!" Liam took off his glasses, waving his arms excitedly, making exaggerated movements, completely unlike a seventy-year-old man. "How did you do it!? We haven't won in Virginia for over 20 years!"

Sheila also stood up excitedly, her gaze falling on the big screen behind Liam, where the map representing Virginia blinked a few times and then lit up with a dazzling blue!

"Make a push in these few states in the future. Maybe there'll be a pleasant surprise, Madam."

Bruce's phone call flashed through her mind. Somehow, through whatever means, he convinced the Citibank consortium to increase their support for her. Sheila had already begun to have greater expectations for this young man, even though they were extremely short-handed, she instructed her chief of staff, Huma, to increase their investment in those states. But the previous losses in West Virginia and Kentucky had made Sheila forget about this.

But Liam's shout finally made her react. The unexpected surprise that Bruce Lee talked about had arrived!

"I'll explain later. Let me make a call. Keep an eye on things."

Glancing at the votes on her side that just covered the red pillar, Sheila picked up the phone and dialed. She knew she had to thank someone; this wasn't something that could be resolved with just a verbal thank-you. 

"To call me at such a tense moment, I guess you have good news, right, Madam Sheila?"

Bruce sat in the Enlightenment office, also following the progress of the election. The final voting results hadn't been announced yet.

"Virginia, thank you, Bruce. I owe you one," Sheila said.

Although not entirely sure how the other party managed it, Sheila knew it wasn't something simple, at least not something that could be resolved with a verbal thank-you.

"Why thank me? We're allies, aren't we?" Bruce wasn't sure if Jocelyn Mccuskey, the female Party Whip, could deliver the results he expected. But when he heard Sheila's reply, he knew the other party had done well, and it seemed the pharmaceutical company's affairs could be expedited.

"Of course, Bruce."

Sheila knew that the other party's words weren't just politeness; they were a reminder not to forget to reciprocate. She was about to say something else when a sudden surge of noise came from outside, countless arms raised high, waving like flags, volunteers embracing each other, turning their gazes toward her office.

Boom!

Sheila opened her mouth but didn't say anything into the phone, while Bruce on the other end heard the boiling cheers from the campaign headquarters and the clear shouts of "success." He smiled. "It's time to welcome your victory, Madam President."

"Thank you, Bruce. Sorry, I'll keep in touch."

After hurriedly ending the call, Sheila began to prepare for her speech later. Bruce walked to the window, from the top floor of Enlightenment, where he could clearly see that Times Square had gathered more than 150,000 Sheila supporters, crowding the "crossroads of the world."

Countless heads swayed like a flowing galaxy under the light, behind them were the Manhattan skyscrapers flashing "USA", the huge podium was already set up, waiting for Sheila to arrive.

Several large screens were installed in the square, constantly

 playing campaign ads for Sheila and Jeb, interspersed with the results of the states where the votes had ended. Whenever a state was shown where Sheila won, the crowd erupted in cheers. When a state where Jeb Bush won was displayed, the crowd fell silent.

The final results of the election had not yet been announced in the news reports; their efficiency was not as high as Sheila's team's, but not far behind either. Sure enough, about ten minutes later, a turning point occurred. Over 150,000 supporters all turned their attention to the screens, holding their breaths, and suddenly a news anchor's excited face appeared on the big screen, almost shouting out the number:

Breaking news! Sheila has won 281 electoral votes!

The crowd erupted, reporters began to run around, supporters hugged each other, tears of joy streaming down their faces, people shouting "Sheila, Sheila," dancing to the celebratory music...

Democratic Party presidential candidate Sheila won 281 electoral votes, defeating Republican Party candidate Jeb Bush's 257 votes, winning the election!

Although the final procedure—the electoral vote on the third Monday of December—was still pending, it was almost a done deal. Because all the electors had already been announced,

Although in the history of the United States, there were very few cases of electors changing sides, although some state laws did not explicitly prohibit electors from changing their votes, individual "unfaithful" votes could no longer change the election results.

In other words, Sheila could already be sure that she had been elected as the 45th President of the United States, to be inaugurated on January 20th next year.

These supporters celebrated excitedly, waiting for nearly an hour before seeing Sheila appear on the stage at midnight.

Her opening words were a series of "thank you's."

Then, amidst the anticipation of the masses, Sheila spoke:

"Thank you! Friends! This is our moment, this is our era!"

Chapter 74: The Demon

Virginia, Prince William County, Naval Base Quantico.

This small town, just across the Potomac River from Washington, is home to several important federal law enforcement agencies, including MCIS, the DEA training department, and the most famous of all—the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Wesley Crawford, the head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, turned off the lights in his office, bid farewell to his subordinates outside, and then shouted to the office across the hall, "Jack, any plans for the weekend? Lacy and the others suggested going to the bar for a get-together. Are you interested?"

Special Agent Jack Graham of the Behavioral Analysis Unit was tidying up the files on his desk. Upon hearing this, he looked up, revealing an incredibly handsome face that could make any woman's heart flutter, and smiled gently, "Thank you for the invitation, but I already have plans tonight. Please apologize to Lacy and the others for me."

A few minutes later, Jack Graham stopped his work and looked around the empty office. He was alone. He gently stroked his chin. The cheerful expression he had before was completely gone, replaced by a cold and eerie smile. Even his handsome face couldn't hide the indifference deep inside, enough to make anyone who saw it shiver.

Although Prince William County is administratively part of Virginia, it is often included in the Washington metropolitan area due to its proximity. So, apart from those folks at the Navy Yard, DEA and FBI agents basically live in Washington and work in Quantico.

Jack Graham was driving a black Chevy Captiva, a common SUV used by agents. This sturdy and stylish vehicle was quite popular. After leaving the parking lot, you could see the huge steel buildings and shooting ranges in the training base. Further ahead, there were forest trails on both sides of the road, surrounded by dense forests. Due to its remote location, there were very few nearby residents.

However, after driving for about ten kilometers, Jack began to slow down because he saw a girl with a backpack reaching out to hitch a ride up ahead. After a moment of thought, he slowed down and eventually stopped.

"Hey! Hello! Can you give me a ride?"

The hitchhiker was a pretty young girl with long brown hair and a tall, youthful figure, which made her charming and energetic. But when she got a clear look at Jack's face, she was visibly stunned for a moment, completely mesmerized by his unexpectedly handsome appearance. Any trace of wariness she had was thrown out the window.

"Are you going to D.C.?" After getting a positive response from Jack, he put his hands on the steering wheel, tilted his head, and smiled kindly. "Hop in. You're lucky."

"What's your name? Are you alone? It's getting dark, and it's not safe for a single girl to be on the road."

Jack started the car again, watching as the excited girl jumped into the passenger seat. He casually asked.

"Yes, my friend left, and I missed the bus. It's really unlucky. But it seems I'm lucky to meet you."

The girl put her backpack in the back seat and then happily looked around the decorations in the car. Most importantly, she stole a few glances at Jack, whose angular face and slightly tousled light golden short hair, coupled with his sky-blue eyes, made him look like the god Apollo—handsome enough to make her heart race. She couldn't help but feel a little flustered, showing the typical shyness of a teenage girl, and babbled on for a while before realizing her awkwardness and asked in a fluster:

"Oh, by the way, I'm Jessica, Jessica Hope. What about you?"

"Call me Jack. Are you out here alone? Your parents must be worried."

Jack seemed to completely ignore the fact that the girl was stealing glances at him and focused on the road ahead as the sky gradually darkened. He turned on the headlights.

"Of course not! They all went to Kentucky to see my uncle, but I didn't want to go. I made plans to hang out with friends this weekend, lady's night." Jessica seemed a little unhappy that he treated her like a child, raising her voice a bit, then flashed a mischievous smile. "I know you all get off work and go into town around this time, so I knew I could catch a ride. Plus, you guys all like driving this type of car. Are you FBI? Should I call you Agent?"

Jack smiled lightly and didn't answer the question. Instead, he turned his head and glanced at the girl, "Okay, Jessica, how old are you? 20? Or 18?"

"I'm already 18. Why? Do I look young?"

Jessica was a bit dissatisfied with him changing the subject, pursing her lips and then asking in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just asking."

Jack Graham looked in the rearview mirror, not seeing any other vehicles, then naturally turned the steering wheel, leaving the main road and turning onto a side road up ahead.

"Why are you turning? Going straight is faster."

Jessica had just taken out a small mirror to touch up her makeup when she noticed him changing course and found it strange. She took the initiative to remind him.

But her question went unanswered because the handsome guy she suspected to be an FBI agent slowed down and stopped the car in a secluded spot. Then he turned his head, his face wearing a gentle smile, and said to her in a polite and gentle voice:

"Dear Jessica, it won't hurt much. Don't worry."

This nonsensical sentence made Jessica freeze. She was about to speak but immediately panicked when she realized that her mouth seemed to be tightly bound by an invisible force, her lips pressed tightly together and completely unable to open, only trembling and writhing muscles nearby, futilely trying to make a whimpering sound from her throat.

This eerie phenomenon left Jessica wide-eyed, not knowing how to resist.

What's even more frightening is that she soon realized that the feeling of being uncontrollable had enveloped her entire body. It wasn't fatigue or numbness, but rather a strange force pressing down on every part of her body, an intangible and yet so real feeling that she couldn't even lift a finger. The makeup mirror she was holding fell directly to the floor of the car.

"It's okay, it's okay, you'll be fine soon."

Jack Graham still had the same sunny smile, handsome and gentle, but at this moment, in Jessica's eyes, he was more terrifying than the most terrifying ghost. She could only watch helplessly as he reached out and gently stroked her cheek, as if appreciating a fine object, but completely unable to react. Tears welled up in her eyes in despair.

This pitiful and poignant scene, with Jessica's eyes showing signs of pain, did not change Jack's expression at all. His eyes were fixed on the girl.

Then, a huge wound appeared from the left side of Jessica's white neck, extending all the way to the top right. Each cut was exactly the same size, as if made by a surgical scalpel.

From the outer layer of skin, to the dermis, to the thin subcutaneous tissue, everything was cleanly turned over, revealing the dark blue veins and bright red arteries wrapped around the trachea. Instead of gushing out as expected, the blood from the

 wound flowed gently as if it had a life of its own, with only a small drop slowly floating out and falling into Jack Graham's mouth.

He then made a gesture of tasting, his eyes slightly narrowed, making a satisfied exclamation, "Such a pure and delicious taste."

After a moment, Jack smacked his lips and opened his eyes again, which had turned a bright red, as intense as if blood were about to spill out. He smiled at the girl, who was showing a pained expression, with a polite and gentle voice, "So, thank you for your sacrifice. I'll try not to waste it."

The sound of muscles tearing apart and slow chewing lasted for about ten minutes. The sky had completely darkened, and in the dim forest trail, nothing could be seen. Then, the door on the front right side of the car opened automatically, and a set of bones wrapped in clothes was lifted by an invisible force, swiftly flying into the forest, landing on a clearing. 

The hard soil seemed to come to life, silently rolling up and flowing outward like a tide, forming a deep pit in a matter of seconds. The floating body and clothes fell accurately into it, and the exposed soil filled back in, as flat as if no change had ever occurred.