Although a need no longer existed for the two diplomats to meet on a weekly basis as had been done throughout the previous winter and spring, Ambassador Pearson of Texas and the American Secretary of State continued to deliberate over matters of state once a month. In what had become the established norm since early July, they would once again convene at ten o’clock on the second Monday of the month.

Various issues of a different scope would require their continued attention during subsequent meetings, but the main thrust of their collective efforts on November eighth would be that of finalizing the work visa pact. Terms had been agreed upon throughout their first few meetings in the early days of 2027 that such visas between the two nations would not be required for the calendar year; however the agreement also stated that the issue would be revisited and adjusted if necessary prior to the onset of 2028. Therefore the two men had taken up the subject once again during their Columbus Day meeting of October eleventh, and decided that for security reasons, alterations to the pact would need to be made. In keeping the best interest of each nation at the forefront, they jointly believed that citizens living and working on opposite sides of the international border should be required to obtain and carry a work visa. Now roughly a month later, after discussions with their respective superiors and pushing through the mass of obligatory red tape, each man was poised to have mandatory visas in place by the first day of the upcoming year.

Upon his arrival at the State Department on a clear yet crisp November morning, Ambassador Pearson received a welcome which was slightly different than what he had expected. Strolling into the outer offices for the Secretary of State, and then subsequently into the more private inner chamber, none of the staff or their boss provided any evidence as to something being out of the ordinary. The Ambassador had been made aware via the efforts of number twenty-nine and Kristen that there was some sort of investigation in regards to Texas which was being led by a certain Agent Bishop. She had overheard a whispered conversation in a relaxed setting that was obviously not intended for her ears, and then passed the information along.

When word of this skillfully gained intelligence reached the Ambassador, he immediately notified number two through number twenty-three. He was not sure how many people knew of the investigation or its true course, but when Samuel returned his call directly, he informed the Ambassador that at the present time it was of no concern. That conversation had taken place nearly three weeks prior to the current day, but as far as the Ambassador was concerned, nothing was going to be done to discover either the depth or the intent of that investigation. Then with number twenty-nine and Lieutenant Royce, he met with Samuel on the night of November second. That was when he learned that number two had altered his view of the situation, and fully intended to employ extreme measures to deal with a perceived mounting threat.

Based solely upon the ordered sanction, Ambassador Pearson believed that Agent Bishop must have become aware of something substantial enough to cause concern. Therefore it seemed reasonable to assume that the Secretary of State would also be aware of the investigation and what had been uncovered. As a result, the man could become more closely guarded or completely uncooperative during this or any future scheduled meetings.

That assessment by number eleven proved to be wildly incorrect however, as per the usual; the Secretary of State stood and extended a welcoming hand toward his guest when the Ambassador entered his private office. The Secretary revealed absolutely no hint of mistrust in his facial expression, body language, or tone of voice, so Ambassador Pearson was momentarily puzzled. At least for the moment, everything appeared to be like any other of their recent meetings.

Gesturing toward a seat for his guest, the Secretary asked, “Can I offer you some coffee before we get started?”

With a nod he replied, “Yes thank you. That would be wonderful.”

After filling a cup and handing it over, the Secretary moved to sit behind his desk and stated, “So I believe that we were going to tackle the issue of work visas first. It should be a rather simple matter for us to resolve, so shall we get to it?”

Before sipping on the cup of fresh hot brew, the Ambassador replied, “That was my understanding as well Mr. Secretary, and you are correct, it should be a matter which we can resolve quickly. Now please, why don’t you start things off?”

“Alright Mr. Ambassador, if you insist. At our last meeting you and I agreed that there would be some limited restrictions placed upon those who are, or will become, employed on the opposite side of the border from where they reside. It was also stated that the basic freedom to seek employment would not be taken away as long as those individuals adhered to the laws of our respective nations. Do you still agree with that stance sir?”

“Yes Mr. Secretary I do. And speaking on behalf of the Legislature for the Republic of Texas, I have been instructed to pen whatever we agree upon today into action.”

“That’s good to know sir. So to make it official, the United States government will provide those Republic of Texas citizens who are currently employed within the United States with a work visa for the duration of that employment. Should they relocate to another job, then they will need to reapply for a new visa. The process will be handled expediently, and they shouldn’t be denied a new visa unless, as previously stated, laws of this nation have been violated. As for those from the Republic of Texas who seek initial employment within the United States, they will be welcome to do so. However a more lengthy vetting process will be required of them before a visa is granted. Do you, as the representative in this matter for the Republic of Texas, agree to those conditions Mr. Ambassador?”

Based on how the Secretary of State approached the topic, and the meeting in general, Ambassador Pearson was impressed. Either his counterpart was playing their political game on this particular day with the best of poker faces, or he had no idea that Agent Bishop was conducting an investigation into the actions of Texas. Regardless of whichever were true, the Ambassador had no intentions of revealing that he was aware of the investigation.

After setting his coffee down on the table beside him, he smiled and replied, “Yes Mr. Secretary. Those conditions coincide with how the Republic of Texas views the matter, so I suggest that we sign a pact which will become policy on this upcoming January first.”