Jupiter, Florida
In a jam-packed hall not far from his National Country Club, The Bad King again has the crowd whipped into a frothy lather. He is telling them how the game is still rigged against them because he was obstructed in his programs by the Democrats, and how the Mexican rapist and murderers are still streaming into the country because the Democrats—who are weak on crime—blocked him from building the promised wall. He blames the prior administration for his own failed foreign policy initiatives with North Korea and Iran.
Outside the hall, there is another violent confrontation between rally protesters and his ardent MAGA supporters. Again, protesters are arrested, and some are injured and require medical attention. Inside the hall, a woman repeatedly interrupts the candidate calling him out for his racism and discrimination, his corruption and opposition to women’s health care and abortion rights. The Bad King has her ejected from the building.
“Get her out!” he emphatically calls from the podium. “Get her out of here.”
The crowd cheers as Secret Service agents take the woman into custody and escort her from the building. Video of the scene will be replayed over and over on the nightly news shows and social media platforms.
Houston, Texas
Two days later at a rally in Houston, the nightmare that Rosie has been dreading happens. Texas is an open-carry state, meaning gun-owners can carry their gun in a holster on their hip so long as it is out in the open for people to see. The rowdy crowd is filled with men (and even some women) wearing pistols on belts in full reveal.
The Bad King is on stage addressing the mic and firing up the crowd. He started the rally with his usual histrionics. The MAGA hats are whooping and yelling. The president is full into his usual us versus them routine.
As the lead MSNBC correspondent covering him on the campaign trail, Rosie is routinely called out by The Bad King in his Twitter rants, vile and threatening Tweets disparaging her character and integrity as a reporter. She is the “Fake News.” Rosie mostly sloughs it off. Still, it is more than a little disconcerting to have the president of the United States repeatedly attacking you as a liar and Fake News.
“Just do your job as you see fit, and don’t pay any attention to him,” Billy counsels.
This crowd is more rabid, more seemingly unhinged than most. The president has told them that if he loses to the Democrat in the coming election, it will be because of voter fraud and a Deep State coup attempt to remove him from office.
“No! Lock ‘em up!” the crowd jeers.
“She’s out there, little Rosie,” the president says, as he has said many times before. He gestures toward the press pen.
“She’s right there,” he says, pointing an incriminating finger, “. . . lying little Rosie.”
The Bad King has talked casually in his rallies about killing journalists. A man with a gun in the holster on his belt approaches the press pen. Rosie is alarmed. Everyone is staring at her.
The man comes right up to the pen where Rosie—with Billy—is sequestered with her crew and other journalists. The man pulls his gun and starts brandishing it at her. Billy does not waste a second. He vaults over the bicycle racks serving as a temporary barrier, grabs the man, punches him hard in the face, knocks the gun from his hand, and slams him to the asphalt pavement floor. The Secret Service agents move in immediately. The man is put in handcuffs and taken away. While he is being roughly escorted out of the building, the current president of the United States lauds the man as a “patriot” from the podium. The crowd cheers in approbation.
A later FBI check of the man and his background reveals that he has a radical, right-wing website where he has been posting death threats against the press, media, and Democrat opposition candidates. Rosie was one of his posted targets.
Usually fearless in her reporting, Rosie is scared. Add to this the Russians who have tried to kill her, and Rosie rightly now fears for her life.
“Journalism is not supposed to be a life-threatening occupation—practiced in a war zone,” she says to Billy.
That night, when they are checking into the hotel, Rosie makes a reservation for just one room for herself. Always before, Rosie and Billy have kept separate rooms.
Billy gives her a quizzical look. “Where am I going to sleep?” he asks mildly.
“You’re sleeping with me tonight,” Rosie replies, looking him square in the eyes.
Billy looks back and smiles. “Are you sure this is what you want, Rosie?” he asks.
“I’m sure, Billy,” she says without hesitation. “I’m scared to be alone now. I want you in my bed every night—from here on out.”