Lady in Red Pt. 03 Ch. 08

"I don't have a dress or anything. You're both so beautiful and I'm so plain. I'm wearing fatigues. I'm afraid I'll embarrass you."

"It will be one of the proudest moments of my life," assured Jordan. "Tyler, please be sure that the public address announcer and the media people are aware of Corporal Melanie Baker's full name and all pertinent information about her service history. She deserves recognition and appreciation from the fans. She'll be singing the National Anthem tonight with Gwen and me."

Steve was discussing the game plans with Jared when they were approached by a network sideline reporter. "May I interview you for our broadcast? It'll be live and we'll be ready in two minutes, if you're willing. Do you want to know my questions beforehand?"

"Sydney, you never offered to tell me your questions ahead of time," responded Steve. "Why now?"

"I'm supposed to ask you about your wife's impeachment and your feelings about Senator Lancer, and I don't want you to think I'm trying to ambush you. You've been very good to me when you played football, which I'm also going to ask about," explained the pretty blonde woman.

"Feel free to ask me anything. If I don't like the question, I'll just talk about something else, like any politician would do," replied Steve.

A little later, sports reporter Sydney Trout was given the signal she was on the air. "I'm here with one of the owners of the DC Spartans, Steve Hammer. Until this morning, his wife Gwen was President of the United States. Steve, can you tell the viewers how you feel about your wife being removed from office?"

"It's a mixed bag for us, Sydney. President Rosen is very capable and he'll do a great job going forward. Gwen needs a vacation, the past few months have been extremely stressful for her. She served her country with grace and honor, which is much more than I can say for the Senators and Congressmen that removed her from office this morning. It saddens me to know that our nation has so many self-serving, hypocritical, cowardly people in positions of power."

"There was a huge crowd assembled this morning in anger over President Hammer's ouster, and you told them of your desire to remove many of these politicians from office. Have you changed your feelings about that?" asked the reporter.

"No, Sydney. That wasn't a spur of the moment thing. I knew there was a chance Gwen might be impeached and convicted, so I'd planned ahead accordingly. Lady in Red is going to enter the political arena and work to change the attitude of entitlement that's so pervasive in Washington."

"Your wife and Jordan Burns are scheduled to sing the National Anthem. The press has just been informed that Marine Corporal Melanie Baker will sing with them. What can you tell us about that?" asked the reporter.

"Truthfully, this is the first I've heard about it," replied Steve as he gazed in his wife's direction to see her standing with Jordan and a young woman in uniform who was obviously missing a leg. "I can tell you though, that they'll do a great job with the anthem and I'm extremely proud they've invited a member of our military to sing with them."

"Will you come out of retirement, now that your wife no longer holds public office?" questioned the blonde reporter.

"Gwen and I need a little break from all of this to recharge and refocus. We'll discuss that possibility, as well as a lot of other topics, and together we'll make that decision later in the week," promised Steve.

"What about players sitting or kneeling during the National Anthem? Will you punish or discipline players that fail to stand for the anthem?"

"Ownership has made its position quite clear on that matter. I hope nobody is foolish enough to test our resolve," answered Steve.

Ten minutes later, Steve found his resolve was going to be tested. Gwen, Jordan, and Corporal Baker sang the anthem beautifully. Melanie had a strong voice which melded with Gwen's and Jordan's to produce a very strong presentation of the anthem. The crowd cheered and yelled its approval as the song ended.

Brandon Twig, the team's star middle linebacker, remained seated during the anthem. His long blond hair flowed behind him as a light breeze circulated through the stadium.

Steve was annoyed by the player's actions, but he was more concerned at the anger displayed by Jared. His friend was obviously enraged. Steve followed close behind Jared as he strode to the bench once the anthem was over and Twig stood to join his teammates.

"You just disrespected our nation, as well as the owners and management of the team," snarled Jared, his face inches from Twig's. "Get your sorry ass back to the locker room and get changed. You'll never wear that uniform again!"

"I have a right to sit during the anthem!" yelled the player. "I was just exercising my rights. I'm not a slave! You don't own me!"

"No, thank God, we don't," retorted Jared hotly. "We do however own that goddamn uniform you're wearing, and I want you out of it right now. You've disgraced yourself and the team. Get the fuck back to the locker room or I'll drag you back!"

The man glared from Jared to Steve but then shrugged in response. "My lawyer will take this fucking team to the cleaners. The players' union will have a field day with you, you right wing bastards. You're about to make me very rich!"

The team's coaches and players stood silently by as the two men yelled at each other. As Twig turned and headed for the locker room, the coach quietly announced, "Danson! You're starting at middle linebacker!"

"I'm sorry that happened, Steve," apologized Jared. "I really thought we'd weeded out the assholes before tonight's game. I can't believe that clown showed Gwen and Jordan such disrespect. The team owners sang the anthem while that dickhead sat and twiddled his thumbs!"

"The previous owners were the ones who signed him to that huge contract this spring. We bought the team knowing he was overpaid," responded Steve, before breaking into a big grin. "He's a good player, but he knew our policy. You enforced it quite emphatically. That was something to watch!"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but is Brandon out for the entire game?" asked the team's defensive coach.

"Yes! He's out forever as far as the Spartans are concerned," responded Jared with some emotion. "I'm sorry to put you in the position of losing your middle linebacker, but that shit won't fly on this team!"

"I think the rest of the team got the message, if they had any doubt before tonight. We'll do the best we can without him," assured the coach before going back to speak to his players.

Jared's very public dismissal of the Spartan's middle linebacker had been broadcast live on network television. The play-by-play announcer expressed surprise that Jared would weaken a team that was already struggling to win, by dismissing their star linebacker. Their color commentator, a former player, insisted he had anticipated such an immediate response from ownership.

"I played against Steve Hammer the last two years of my career and I got to know him a little. He's a great guy, but his dedication to family and country stand out as soon as you meet him. He's always been a team player, and it's his belief that those who don't respect the sacrifices of our military, or who try to subvert that respect for personal gain, should never have a place on his team.

"The NFL is going to have to decide whether an owner has this type of control over their players. Can players take the money and wear the uniform and then act in a manner that ownership finds disgraceful and disrespectful?" posed the former player. "I'm certain that Steve Hammer will fight any attempt to force him to allow players to act in such a manner while wearing his team uniform. To be blunt, it'll never happen. He'll sell the team before he permits that type of behavior."

The Spartans had a tough game, losing 42-10. The players who'd been expected to start at quarterback and middle linebacker before the season had started were no longer part of the team, making the team's first home game a disappointment. Starting the season at 0 and 2 was not what Jared had expected when he took over football operations. Steve and Gwen remained to discuss the team's options with Jared once the game was finished, while the rest of their group drove over to Anna's Place.

When Gwen, Naomi, Jared and Steve arrived at the restaurant, paramedics were loading two gurneys into the backs of ambulances. Gwen urged their group to hurry inside to make sure their family and friends were unharmed. They found their group seated at a large table. They all appeared to be in a jovial mood, so Gwen immediately relaxed.

"You missed all the excitement!" blurted Kate. "If you haven't already placed Twig on waivers, you can now put him on the disabled list. He and his big brother were in here bragging about how they were going to get wealthy taking us to court."

"It seems they believe we violated Twig's rights by sending him to the showers before the game even began," added Lisa. "They were making all kinds of brags about how they were going to make the Spartans rue the day Twig was disrespected in such a public way."

"That explains the ambulances," responded Steve with a nod. "Those two idiots decided to come over to this table and berate some of the owners?"

"You think you're so smart!" quipped Jordan. "Tell us who did what to whom, if I said that right."

"I imagine Chip messed up Twig's knee and broke one of his arms," offered Steve as he mulled things over. "Jason probably put the brother out for the count with a couple of shots to the throat and face."

"Did you see the security footage or something?" demanded Charlotte. "Those jackasses decided to visit our table and drop some nasty insults on Lisa, Kate and Jordan. I'm not sure, but I think they may have also called me a dumb cunt. Regardless, Jason and Chip stood up and suggested they leave us alone, like immediately!

"Well, two big tough guys don't back down from a couple of washed-up Rangers and SEALs, or so they claimed. I think Chip baited Twig with a few girly-man barbs, while Jason just grinned at Twig's brother. The next thing you know, Twig threw a punch at Chip, and his brother did the same to Jason."

"The key word is 'threw'. Neither of them came anywhere close to connecting," added Billy. "The next thing you know, the two brothers are on the floor. Twig was trying to hold both his arm and leg with one good arm and crying like a baby. His big brother was sleeping under the table. I was tempted to take them both down for insulting Charlotte, but Chip and Jason jumped in first, and ended it damn quick."

"Yeah, and it's a good thing they did, because Billy looked pretty upset," added Jordan with a grin. "I'm sure it would have been a lot worse if Billy had gotten his hands on those two guys!"

"Thanks, Jordan. I'm glad you saw the situation as it really was," responded Billy with a nod to her. "Those guys got off easy."

"I know the restaurant has security cameras, so we can get copies from Carl and get them to our legal team," suggested Steve. "Those clowns will be suing us for all kinds of things after this."

"They'll have to make bail once they get out of the hospital," laughed Charlotte. "They'll be spending a lot up front on lawyers. Steve, how did you know Chip broke Twig's arm and messed up his knee?"

"I served overseas with Chip, and I had a few opportunities to see him in some tight situations. So I know his favorite tactics and how effective they are. Twig's fate was sealed when he insulted you ladies, especially Kate. Chip may be getting older, but he sure isn't washed up yet. You mentioned jail after the hospital. Did someone call the police?" asked Steve.

"It wasn't necessary. There were two off-duty policemen sitting at a nearby table. They read the brothers their rights while they waited for the ambulances. The Twigs had better hope they don't appear before Judge Connor. He's dining three tables over right now, although as a witness, he can't preside over any legal proceedings," pointed out Kate.

"Yeah, Twig really screwed the pooch when he sat for the anthem, and it only got worse when he decided to visit our table," observed Billy. "I thought Jared was going to whip Twig's ass when he balked at leaving the field. It was all on TV, and it was easy to tell that Jared was furious."

"I apologize for that dumb ass sitting for the anthem," responded Jared. "I thought the entire team understood our feelings on the matter and would act accordingly. We've agreed to establish charities with Gibbons and Johnson. We'll set up food banks in the city with their names attached to the enterprises. Most players felt it was a lot more productive than kneeling for thirty seconds and pissing off a lot of people, including the ones who sign their paychecks."

"No one blames you, Jared. You aren't a mind reader. Twig was looking for a confrontation, and he got one," stated Gwen. "He said he was sitting because he could. Some players on other teams don't stand for the anthem and he felt he didn't have to either. That's one big problem with players kneeling, even for a cause they believe in. It sets a precedent that allows players to believe they can determine when and why they can act inappropriately, even while they're drawing pay from our company and wearing our uniform. It would never work in the military, in police departments, or in most private businesses, and it won't work for anyone working for Lady in Red."

It was well after midnight by the time Gwen and Steve managed to enter their hotel room and crawl under the sheets after a long and arduous day. The stress of the previous months had taken its toll, and they quickly fell asleep, holding each other.

At six o'clock the next morning, two Harley Davidsons made their way through Washington streets to reach the secondary roads of Virginia. Gwen was sitting behind Steve as they cruised through rural Virginia. Tyler and Sybil occupied the bike alongside them. Paula had gladly taken Saint and Vickie for a few days while Gwen and Steve started getting some rest and relaxation. The rest of their friends had various family and business obligations, and were unable to any take more time away after spending two months with the World Tour. Tyler and Sybil had remained at home working, so they eagerly joined Steve and Gwen for a relaxing road trip.

They spent the night quietly at a bed and breakfast in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The next morning found the friends up early and posing for photos with the owners. The pictures were posted on the owner's Facebook page before the foursome had even reached the end of the long driveway.

Shortly before noon, they stopped at a gas station with a burger joint on one side. While the two men fueled their bikes, the ladies went inside to use the bathroom and secure a table. As he entered the building, Steve noticed about a dozen motorcycles lined up on the side of the parking lot.

Once he was inside, Steve found Gwen and Sybil sitting at a table in the middle of the room. They were surrounded by rough looking characters sitting at the nearby tables.

"Sybil and I have made some new friends," greeted Gwen with a smile. "These folks are in a local motorcycle club. They recognized me and asked if they could ride along with us. I told them to ask you."

"Normally I don't travel with lawyers and accountants, but I'll make an exception today," replied Steve with a grin.

"How did you know we're professionals?" asked a man with an earring and pony tail. "I think we look the part of a tough biker gang."

"I saw several sidecars attached to your shiny new Harleys," replied Steve. "Your ladies don't look at all like typical 'biker bitches'. They're all dressed pretty conservatively and wearing just the right amount of makeup. Your clothes are new, some of you even have creases in your jeans, and there isn't a tattoo anywhere in sight. Don't get me wrong. You all look great, but it's pretty obvious you aren't real bad-asses."

Around 3:15 PM, Steve was leading the bikers up a long hill in Central Virginia. As they began down the slope on the other side, they saw a school bus a few hundred yards in front of them entering a sharp curve. The group watched in horror as an oncoming log truck coming out of the curve lost control and slid into the bus, slamming it hard and causing it to flop onto its side! Logs rolled helter-skelter across the highway, with one coming to rest on top of a car that had been following behind the bus. The dust hadn't yet settled when Steve and the other bikers pulled to a stop at the scene.

"Mom, you have to turn on your TV!" called Lisa as she rushed into her mother's house in Asgard and switched on Paula's television. "There's been a bad bus accident in Virginia. You need to see this!"

As images on the screen began taking shape, Paula saw a woman step up to a podium to address a small gathering of reporters. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she gazed at the camera.

"I'm Janice Bolding, the chairwoman of the Ulster County, Virginia Board of Supervisors.. This afternoon at 3:15, a school bus from Lincoln Middle School with 42 students on board was involved in a collision with a loaded log truck. The accident occurred on a sharp turn on route 52, known locally as The Oxbow. This scenario is the absolute worst nightmare for schools, parents, and first responders. Today, this horror became a reality for Lincoln Middle School.

"The bus was overturned by the force of the collision, and several of the students were ejected upon impact. A large log caromed down the highway, coming to rest on top of a car which had stopped behind the bus. The driver of that car was pinned beneath the log. An infant in a car seat in the back was also trapped inside the vehicle.

"At least three students were critically injured. I've been told they were just minutes away from death. The young woman in the car was suffocating because the log on her roof was pressing it against her chest, preventing her from drawing a breath," revealed the spokeswoman before she stopped to take a sip of water.

"I've given you enough detail for you to realize just how dire the situation was. In our community's darkest possible moment, a miracle came to the Oxbow. Traveling the same stretch of highway was a very unique group of motorcyclists, and they witnessed the entire accident. Included in this group were two nurses, as well as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.

"These good Samaritans immediately began to render lifesaving first aid. First responders have stated with certainty that the measures immediately taken at the scene saved the lives of at least three children plus the adult trapped in the car. The men in this group worked together to lift the heavy log off the car, allowing a nurse the opportunity to access the woman and begin lifesaving rescue breathing, reviving the young mother. Our first responders began arriving on the scene within seven minutes, to discover that extremely competent and well-trained medical professionals had saved at least three lives that otherwise would have been lost. The orthopedic surgeon had calmly directed the others, while using her training and skills to stabilize the injured. When her identity was revealed, she was asked to ride with an injured student to the local hospital so she might assist the surgical unit of River City General Hospital. She graciously agreed to the request.

"The locals have already begun calling this incident the 'Miracle at The Oxbow'. There are many reasons to believe it to be a miracle that an accident of this magnitude somehow resulted in no fatalities. The chief reason so many of us feel that it was a miracle is the identity of the surgeon who worked to save lives at the scene and who subsequently traveled to the hospital to assist our doctors. That angel of mercy, until very recently, served as President of the United States! Incredibly, it was the Queen of Peace who worked so competently to save lives!"