Marine One carefully landed in front of Bethesda Naval Hospital. Several
well armed Marines surrounded the helicopter and the door opened and
everyone got out. The many reporters watched silently as the President got
out and walked into the hospital. The First Lady was waiting for him along
with his eldest daughter. They both had tears in their eyes.

"Any news on Zoey?" POTUS asked.

"Not yet Jed. She was rushed up into the OR," Abby told her husband.

"I am so sorry. It's my fault," the President told his wife.

She gave him a hug.

"No, it's not. Its the fault of the guy who shot her not you. Zoey is a
fighter," Abby said

She held on to the President as a doctor came up to them.

"Mr. President," the doctor said. Everyone looked at him.

"We have finished working on your daughter. She was shot twice in the chest.
The first bullet pierced her right lung causing it to collapse. We repaired
the damage and reinflated the lung. The second wound pierced her heart. If
it wasn't for the fact that a medical crew including a doctor worked on her
seconds after being shot she would have bled to death before any help could
get to her," the doctor reported.

"How is she?" the President asked.

"She is alive and in ICU. That is an amazing fact. She is in a coma right
now and is on full life support. Her heart and breathing stopped several
times. The lung wound went out her back. But the heart wound is in a bad
place. We made the decision to leave it in her. People live a perfectly
normal life with a bullet in the chest," the doctor reported to the First
Family.

"What are the odds?" the First Lady asked.

"I can't say right now Dr. Bartlet. The fact that your daughter is alive is
a miracle. It is very possible that she will die from her wounds. But she is
alive. That is a wonderful sign. It shows that she is a fighter. So I
expect her to be fine," the doctor said.

White House Press Room.

CJ was at the podium making a brief statement about Zoey being wounded and
the death of the military officer.

"Where was she hit CJ?" CNN asked.

"Details about her wounds will be discussed at a briefing at the hospital,"
CJ answered.

"Was the President hit?" another reporter asked.

"No, he was not," CJ answered.

"Will the President invoke the 25th Amendment?" Danny asked.

"We believe that the framers of the Amendment didn't intend it to cover
situations like this. The President is still in command and is being
informed about world events," CJ said to Danny. "That's all I have. Future
briefings will be at the hospital. Thank you."

CJ left but was stopped by Danny.

"I would take the 25th Amendment more seriously," Danny advised.

"As I said it doesn't apply. The President wasn't hit and is not disabled,"
CJ said.

"Then why was the cabinet sighted at the Vice President's residence?" Danny
asked.

"What?" CJ asked surprised.

"The cabinet was sighted at the Vice President's residence," Danny said as he
left for the press bus. CJ turned to an aide.

"Check with the VP's people and find out what's going on," CJ said.

The aide left to find out what's going on.

TBC