The White House, Washington D.C.
The morning air in the White House was thick with tension. Matthew Hesh sat in the Oval Office, scanning through reports and briefing docunts, his usual routine of handling state affairs. The hum of political discussions and bureaucratic etings echoed through the halls.
But then—
A sharp knock on the door.
"Mr. President!"
Henry Collins, his Chief of Staff, burst into the room, his face pale and his breathing uneven. Behind him followed General Carter Hayes, his top military advisor. The urgency in their expressions sent a chill down Matthew’s spine.
Matthew rose from his desk, instantly alert. "What is it?"
Collins hesitated for a mont, then stepped forward and placed a telegram on the President’s desk.
"Sir, we just received this from our embassy in Beijing. There’s been an attack. The Boxer rebels struck during the dam ceremony in Hanzhou."
Matthew’s heart pounded against his ribs. His hands clenched the edge of the desk.
"Amber was there."
Hayes nodded grimly. "Yes, sir. Reports say the attack was sudden and violent. There were heavy casualties. The situation is still unclear, but we do know that multiple foreign dignitaries, including Amber—Mrs. Hesh—were at the scene when the attack happened."
A cold dread crept over Matthew. His mind reeled, trying to grasp the implications of their words.
"Where is she now? Is she safe?"
Collins lowered his gaze. "We don’t know, sir."
The words felt like a gunshot to his chest. Matthew’s jaw tightened, his grip on the desk turning his knuckles white.
"What do you an you don’t know?" His voice was low, dangerous.
"We’ve lost contact with the security detail," Collins admitted. "We don’t have any direct information on their status. The last transmission we received was incomplete—gunfire, shouting, and then… silence. Our embassy has been working to gather intelligence, but communications in the region are disrupted. The Chinese Imperial Army is still trying to assess the situation."
A sharp breath left Matthew’s lips. He turned away from the desk, pacing to the window. The weight in his chest felt unbearable. Amber was out there—sowhere. Hurt? Captured? Dead?
No. He refused to think that. She was alive. She had to be.
He spun back around, his blue eyes blazing with fury. "Get the Chinese Ambassador. Imdiately. I want him here at the White House within the hour."
"Yes, sir," Collins nodded quickly and rushed out.
Matthew turned to General Hayes. "Mobilize a response team. I don’t care what it takes—get our people on the ground over there. I want real-ti intelligence, not speculation. And I want it now."
"Sir, with all due respect," Hayes started cautiously, "we can’t just send troops into China without proper authorization. If we violate their sovereignty, it could escalate tensions to full-scale war."
Matthew’s hands slamd onto the desk.
"And what do you expect to do? Sit here and hope my wife cos back to in one piece?!"
Silence. The air in the room felt heavy. Hayes stood firm, his years of military experience keeping him steady in the face of Matthew’s rage.
"We will act, Mr. President," Hayes said firmly. "But we need to act smartly. We don’t know who’s behind this attack yet—whether it’s rogue elents or sothing more coordinated. If we go in blind, we risk endangering Amber even further."
Matthew took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady. Hayes was right. Charging in recklessly wouldn’t save Amber. It would only make things worse. But doing nothing wasn’t an option either.
"Send a coded ssage to the Arathian embassy in Beijing," Matthew ordered. "Tell them to find out everything they can. I want our intelligence officers on this imdiately. And discreetly reach out to our allies in the region—Japan, the British in Hong Kong. We need to know who we can rely on if this situation escalates."
"Understood," Hayes said, saluting before exiting the room.
Matthew sat down at his desk, his fingers pressed against his temples. The minutes stretched into an eternity. He kept replaying mories of Amber in his mind—her laughter, her determination, her warmth. She was strong, but she was in enemy hands now.
And he couldn’t do a damn thing.
Not yet.
A knock at the door. Collins reappeared.
"Sir, the Chinese Ambassador has arrived."
Matthew straightened. "Send him in."
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A mont later, Ambassador Zhou Wen entered, his expression cautious but composed. The Chinese diplomat bowed respectfully.
"Mr. President, I ca as soon as I received your request."
Matthew wasted no ti. "Ambassador, tell everything your governnt knows about the attack. Where is my wife?"
Zhou Wen folded his hands in front of him. "Mr. President, first allow to express our deepest condolences. This tragedy was not sothing the Imperial Court wished for. The attack was unexpected, and our forces are already engaged in containing the Boxer rebels responsible."
Matthew leaned forward, his voice edged with steel. "That doesn’t answer my question. Where is Amber?"
Zhou Wen hesitated. "We do not have confirmation on the status of all foreign dignitaries. However, intelligence suggests that the rebels have taken hostages. Your wife… may be among them."
Matthew’s blood ran cold.
The ambassador continued, his voice asured. "His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, has ordered imdiate action to suppress the rebels and rescue any captives. I assure you, Mr. President, we are doing everything in our power."
Matthew’s fingers curled into fists. "Not good enough. I want Arathian involvent. I want my people on the ground, working with yours to retrieve my wife and any other hostages. And I will not accept bureaucratic delays."
Zhou Wen looked troubled. "Mr. President, we must tread carefully. If Arathian forces operate within China’s borders without proper agreent, it could be seen as an act of aggression."
Matthew stood, looming over the ambassador. His voice was dangerously quiet.
"If anything happens to my wife because of delays, you will see Arathian aggression. And I promise you, it will not be diplomatic."
A tense silence filled the room. The ambassador swallowed hard, shifting uneasily.
Finally, Zhou Wen nodded. "I will relay your demands to the Imperial Court. We will do everything within our power to ensure her safe return."
Matthew didn’t sit back down. He didn’t thank the ambassador. He simply gave a single nod.
"See that you do," he said coldly.
Zhou Wen bowed slightly before turning and exiting the office.
As soon as the door closed, Matthew turned to Collins.
"Prepare a war council. I want every option laid out on the table. If we need to force our way in, I want to know exactly how we can do it."
Collins nodded. "Yes, Mr. President."
Matthew exhaled sharply. His mind was set.
If China wouldn’t bring Amber back, then he would.
One way or another.
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