His words heightened the sense of urgency and alertness in the room to its maximum. Madam President stood up and announced somberly, "Father is right. We must initiate our defenses; even though there might not be a war, we must be prepared for one!"
The Vice President stood up and said, "I will go make the necessary arrangements."
"Xinghe, what do you think the Tong family will do next?" Madam President asked Xinghe. She did not realize she too had started to rely on this young junior of hers.
Xinghe did not beat around the bush and said, "According to our analysis, the Tong family will make a push for the presidency next."
Madam President was shocked but comprehension slowly dawned. Yes, the President was down and could not oversee the country anymore. There had to be a replacement. Even though it would not happen overnight, the election would start soon enough. The Tong family had probably been waiting for this ever since they'd started colluding with other countries!
