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LOCATION: THE KREMLIN
CITY: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 | TIME: 3:00 PM
Back in Russia, life was returning to normal. The new President, Nikolai Baranov, led the country with compassion backed up by strength.
It was a marked difference from his predecessor, Sergei Volodin, who just led with strength. Strength backed with a level of pettiness and thin-skinned reactionary politics that pushed Russia into pariah territory on the world stage.
Not to mention the narrow-mindedness that led to the war in Ukraine. A ceasefire was Baranov's first action as acting President. His second was to recall all Russian troops back home. And when elections were held weeks later, the country rewarded him with overwhelming support.
Four months later, though, information began to leak out. Some of the oligarchs, it seemed, weren't quite as tight-lipped as Baranov had hoped, and rumors that Baranov had pulled off a palace coup surfaced in the press.
He did nothing to tamp them down, and his silence on the matter expanded into open discussions on news and talk shows.
Baranov told his press secretary not to mention it at all. And that just led to further speculation in the public forum.
But finally, one morning in early September on one of the morning talk shows, someone said what Baranov had been waiting for.
One of the show's hosts said:
"Personally, I'm glad it happened. Whether President Baranov was complicit or not, our sons have come back home. Sanctions have been lifted, and…" she raised her mug in a mock toast. "My coffee has never tasted so good."
It was the truth that nobody had dared to speak in public. Immediately, newspapers reported on it. When they saw no backlash, more talking heads on TV felt emboldened to speak of it. Social media was awash with discussions about politics for the first time in years.
It was even enough to break through the constant praise of Vitalyx and Rejuvenex.
Russia's sons were back home. Ukraine had peace again. Goods and services were rolling in from all over the world. Russian manufacturing companies who had converted every ounce of capacity to support the war effort were making products for everyday life again.
The Russian people approved of it all. And the exposure of the truth: That Nikolai Baranov had actually orchestrated his predecessor Sergei Volodin's death, hit like a gong that reverberated across the entire country.
Baranov's approval numbers skyrocketed. The real ones, too, not the contrived ones that had been used for decades under the previous administration.
For a country to know about a murder at the top levels of government and not only not condemn such an act, but openly support it, just showed how truly unpopular Volodin had been.
Baranov had feared the reprisals he might face if the truth had ever gotten out. But when it did… Well, he sat at his ornate desk at the Kremlin sipping his tea, and smiled.
Next on the agenda was a face-to-face with the American President. It was long overdue for the United States and Russia to bury the hatchet.
This was a whole new world. One where people could live nearly forever in perfect health. That was far too long to hold a decades old grudge.
Baranov knew that President Michael Trent was a warrior. If anyone could understand the concept of ends justifying the means, it would be him. Shit, he'd just orchestrated the takeover of North Korea, and it only took him three days to do it. Right under the scrutiny of the entire world, he'd sent in men to assassinate the leader of the reclusive country.
"Men…" Baranov muttered. "I heard it was a Korean woman who pulled the trigger. The look on that smug bastard's round face in his last moment must have been a priceless vision to behold…"
He picked up the phone at his desk and asked his secretary to reach out to the White House. It was time.
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LOCATION: THE OVAL OFFICE, WHITE HOUSE
CITY: WASHINGTON, DC
DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2026 | TIME: 8:00 AM
United States President Michael Trent sat at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office of the White House.
It was so much to take in. So many words in that sentence needed capitalization just from their sheer weight.
And it did weigh heavily on him. Although, much less so today than it had a year ago. Mid-term elections were coming up in two months, but the political climate in the country was one of peace and prosperity.
The right and left sides of the aisle were working together in more harmony than, perhaps, any time in US history. It was just hard to fight about things when nearly everyone agreed so readily.
Trent looked at the report he was holding again. It was still hard to believe. More beneficial legislation had been signed into law in the past two months than the past ten years added together.
The American people, and the people of the world, were riding a wave of prosperity and goodwill that was, simply, unprecedented.
President Trent's thoughts were interrupted when his Chief of Staff, Jonathan Keaton, entered.
"Sir, we have Nikolai Baranov on Line 1. Would you like me to sit in on the call?"
Trent set the report down on the desk and looked up.
"Sure, I'll leave it on speaker."
He pressed the button.
"Mr. President," Trent said, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Baranov, having spent his entire career in the FSB, spoke fluent enough English that he had waved his interpreter away before placing the call to Washington.
His advisors suggested it would look weak to speak the other country's language, but once again Baranov was adamant. It was an olive branch, after all. May as well start with a small gesture of peace.
"President Trent, it's good to speak to you directly at last. Of course, I have followed your career with great interest, and I've been looking forward to this."
"Indeed," Trent said. "Congratulations on your landslide election win, by the way. Quite an accomplishment."
"Thank you. In fact, it is in my new capacity as the officially elected Russian President that I reach out to you today. I would like to set up a face-to-face meeting to discuss a new age of cooperation between our countries, which have been at odds for far too long."
"Oh?" Trent asked. It was hard to mask the surprise in his voice. "I uh… I accept. Did you have anything particular in mind?"
"Well," Baranov said, "I depart in a few days to New York. I will attend the UN General Assembly in person this year, and hope the world will begin to see Russia in a new light. Would you have time to meet outside of the official meetings?"
Trent smiled. He'd been hoping for an opportunity exactly like this ever since Baranov had taken over and immediately withdrew from the war with Ukraine.
"I think we've got much to discuss," he said. "So long as I don't drink any tea."
Baranov didn't miss a beat.
"Ah, yes. That unfortunate incident at the Kremlin with my predecessor has been thoroughly investigated. We can talk more when we meet. But rest assured, the Russian people are glad to have their sons back."
There was brief pause on the line, and Trent stayed silent.
"I will have our Ambassador contact your offices," Baranov continued, "but I suggest we add restitution for the people of Ukraine to our list of topics to discuss."
That last bit surprised Trent. A lot. But being the statesman that he was, he just said: "Understood. I'm looking forward to shaking your hand. See you in a few days."
They cut the call, and Trent looked over to Keaton.
"Well that was a surprise."
"Yes, sir, it sure was. I'll get some briefing documents drawn up to prepare you for the meeting. Have you had a chance to go over your UN speech?"
Trent nodded.
"Yes, I have. I've got a few more changes I wanted to make, so I'll send it back to you before lunchtime."
Keaton went over the agenda for the rest of the day and left to give his boss some precious time to work.
It was going to be an interesting couple of weeks ahead.