A pleasant East Indian face stared down at The President. He held up two fingers. "How many?" he asked.
"Twenty-three!" The President answered.
The doctor smiled. "Seriously!" he insisted.
"Two," The President answered. "Come on, Boo, my head really hurts. How bad is it?"
"The bullet was only a flesh wound. Made a little groove in your skull, nothing serious. What knocked you out was your head hitting the pavement when you went down. But that hard skull of yours saved you again. But really, First Speaker, I thought we had an agreement. Let the soldiers do the soldiering, and the police do the policing."
"Sorry!" The President answered, "They got me mad. What's going on, Boo?"
"Well, they asked me to let you know, the doctor sighed, "I suppose I have to. There were three attacks, one on The White House, one on The Senate, one on The Pentagon. The attackers were North Korean commandos. There were one-hundred in The White House, two-hundred at The Senate, and three-hundred at the Pentagon. They were all killed, no survivors. The Marines are claiming YOU killed twenty-five of them yourself! You're quite the damned hero again. The country's enraged. The recruiting centers are staying open twenty-four hours to handle all the volunteers. Twenty senators were killed. The Vice President has appointed temporary replacements and they're pushing through a declaration of war.
The North Koreans have already declared war on us! They made a massive assault on the DMZ but were driven back. They made an attack on three of the carrier task forces, did some damage. I don't know the details on that. That's about it. Now don't get all panicky!"
"Don't think I can help it," The President moaned. "I need a phone. I need to call General Hayes. I want a battle report right now! Oh!" The President moaned when he tried to move. "Neck again, huh?"
The doctor nodded. "They've got communications all set up. All I have to do is let them in. But LISTEN TO ME! Take it easy. Dammit, you're sixty plus! Start acting like it."
The President smiled. "Why do I get the feeling you're not happy, Boo?" he commented. "Don't you think we're right?"
"Oh, you're right," the doctor sighed, "and now the world's behind you. But I'm a silly old pacifist and believe that there should be a betteer way of solving problems than with guns."
"Don't we all!" The President answered. "Where are we, by the way?" he remarked. "This isn't my usual room at Bethesda."
"You're at DC Memorial," the doctor answered. "It was the closest. You were comfortable and we didn't feel like moving you."
"Where's my wife?" The President asked.
"Next room," The Doctor anssured. "She can visit but she stays out of that bed, do you understand? THis pregnancy is hard enough on her. I don't know how you even talked me into that."
"Speaking of pregnancies," The President put in, "there was a young marine killed just before I was wounded. I rather liked him. Get a few good cells, will you? Nobody has to know. The doctor grimaced but nodded.
"Now, if you think I'm up to it," The President insisted, "I'd better get that phone going, get some people in here. Sounds like the Vice has been doing a good job while I took a nap, but it's time for the boss to go back to work."
"Remember," the doctor insisted, "take it easy."
"How did I ever find you?" The President asked.
The doctor smiled. "You managed to get yourself shot outside of my clinic, saving two children from a madman. And they called me to stitch you up. You liked the work and I've been stuck with you ever since, you pain in the ass!" The President smiled. "I've got to go," the doctor insisted. "I've got a thirteen year old boy down the hall who was going to visit his aunt at The Senate and got shot simply because he was in the way. He's got no liver left! I'm trying to keep him alive until we find another one." "Then he's got a damned good chance," The President praised. The doctor went out the door. Two Secret Service Men entered, and The President's secretary. "Phone!" The President ordered. "I want to speak with the ground commander in Korea, IMMEDIATELY! Then I want The Commander Of The Joint Chiefs in here, and, The Director Of The FBI. How did these sons of bitches get so close? How did they get in my dooryard?"
The secretary nodded, withdrew, and a moment later returned with a phone. It seemed like she had barely plugged it in then it buzzed. The secretary answered it and held it for The President. "General Hayes, sir!" she remarked. The President smiled and took the phone.

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