The floor of the speakers’ platform erected for the conference stood four feet high. This allowed for Secret Service agents to stand in front of the platform without obstructing anyone’s view of the speaker addressing the audience.
The planned open space between the platform and the first row of the audience was ten feet wide. This not only provided enough space for the agents, but kept the audience back far enough for the agents to effectively observe those seated in those rows closest to the stage.
Finishing her speech, the Secretary of State was now ready to introduce the President. Several agents, wearing the standard Secret Service uniform consisting of black suit, white shirt, dark tie, black shoes, and close-cropped hair, spaced themselves out across the area in front of the platform. They stood facing the audience, carefully scanning the people seated in front of them and slightly to each side. The agents remained about ten feet apart, positioned to react quickly considering the threat they each knew they were facing.
Not one of them smiled. Neither did they stand still, but rather moved casually from one foot to another, turning from one side to the other. Because each one of them acted the same way, restraining each movement to only a small amount, it was impossible for anyone to notice how nervous the agents were.
Aisles were kept open along each side of the audience next to the walls. Two main center aisles, each eight feet wide, led from the back of the large seating area to the front of the room. Because the conference seating area had been arranged in a pie-shaped fashion, there were extra aisles added with additional sections of seating as you moved further back from the stage.
All in all, eighteen hundred people had been seated and waited patiently for the President to make his address.
Osborn stood in the main center aisle to the left as you faced the stage. He stationed himself close to the front between rows two and three. He positioned Stephen in the same aisle at row ten. Behind Stephen, additional FBI agents stood in the aisle every fifteen feet or so. Stephen glanced around and saw more agents spaced down each side aisle, about the same distance apart.
Osborn paced a couple of steps in one direction, then reversed himself and moved back. Sometimes he moved in a small circle, but no matter how he moved, his eyes were always scanning the audience, observing each person within a radius of about ten feet. He felt that was as much distance as any agent could cover effectively and stop a shooter who might expose himself.
Stephen tried to mimic Osborn’s actions, moving back and forth within a short distance in each direction. He would have waved or at least nodded toward the agent about fifteen feet behind him, but the agent was too busy observing the people to notice Stephen.
He heard the Secretary of State say, “Ladies and gentlemen.” He turned to face the stage. “The President of the United States.”
Again applause erupted throughout the conference presentation area. People started to rise. Stephen quickly looked to his side at the people beginning to stand up all over the place. He glanced back behind him ─ same thing. To his left ─ the same. He tried to watch what everyone did, but it was impossible. Some slower people were still getting to their feet. Those standing close to him blocked his view of others.
Don’t let anything happen right now. He shook his head. We couldn’t stop it.
The applause and cheers did not last as long as the first time. Good, thought Stephen. Let’s get everyone sitting back down so we can watch them.
The President nodded to the audience and motioned for them to be seated. Gradually, people began to stop cheering and take their seats. After everyone sat down, the President started speaking.
“Thank you. Thank you. It’s a real privilege to be here with you today. It’s good to see you. I know some of you have travelled a long ways to be here, and it’s appreciated.”
Everyone had calmed down and were now listening. Stephen quickly scanned the area around him, then checked other agents moving in circles in the aisles. Smiling, he turned and looked behind him. A man in his early thirties sat in the first seat from the aisle, wearing a white shirt with a gray plaid pattern, dark gray slacks and black shoes, nodding his head, acknowledging what the President was saying. He turned to the pretty ash blonde in a light blue dress seated next to him. The way they smiled at each other and leaned over to bump shoulders indicated to Stephen that they were married ─ or at least would like to be.
Seated behind that couple were an older man and woman, probably in their late 50s or early 60s, holding hands. Next to them were three teenage boys, nicely dressed in blue jeans and sport shirts—one red, one yellow and one green.
Stephen smiled and turned to face the other direction. The couple seated on the aisle appeared like a normal, uninteresting conservative couple you would not pay attention to. But next to them sat a young threesome, probably in their early twenties. The smiling blonde in the middle, wearing a white top and a short brown skirt, held hands with the young man in a light gray sport shirt, sporting short hair, sitting closest to Stephen, but leaned forward to speak to the man on the opposite side. That man had much longer dark brown hair that appeared unkempt and wore a short sleeved, black shirt and faded jeans.
He thought how young the crowd looked. There were a few older people, but most seemed to be in their early forties or younger. He heard several people shush their neighbors and the place became significantly more quiet. Realizing he had not paid attention to anything the President had said, he turned toward the stage.
“With all that is going on in the world today, these are confusing times.” The President looked around the audience. “We certainly want peace for our world, for our city or town, for our neighborhood, and for our own families.” He paused and raised his voice. “But although we want peace, we must be prepared for those actions that are necessary to secure peace wherever we are.”
Osborn glanced at his watch. 2:45. He nodded to Stephen, who nodded back.
The President continued. “That is why I’m proud to introduce a bill to our Congress which will assist with this goal and help protect us here at home.” He waved his arm in front of him. “We all are subject to an unwanted interruption to our way of life. It could happen to you, or to me. Some of these terrorist groups have established a goal of disrupting or even ending our way of life. We cannot allow that to happen.”
He paused and smiled as he glanced around the audience. “I am asking Congress to approve additional funding, specifically for cities with a population of more than one hundred thousand, to be used to purchase excess equipment from our military and provide training to the proper city personnel, so they can effectively respond to any terrorist action.”
More applause. More people standing again. More uncertainty for Stephen and all those FBI and Secret Service agents trying to watch the crowd for the single, remaining terrorist.
Kamran Khan sat there listening. He could hardly believe the frenzy these people spawned, reaching desperately for new hope that would bring meaning to their pathetic. selfish, meaningless lives. He thought, If they only knew the truth instead of the crap they are being fed. He shook his head. It is no wonder America has lost its way. Glancing around, seeing the mix of people here, especially so many younger people, he smiled. They are being led astray, like sheep to the butcher.
He glanced at his watch. 2:50 exactly. Well, come on, people. It’s time to pay the piper.
He sat back and smiled, waiting for the bombs to go off.