AIR FORCE TWO HAS A MILE HIGH CLUB
Jay watched Sky drive off to rendezvous with Rocky and Co. at her hotel and then Andrews Air Force Base. Arnold had apparently offered Rocky a lift to the convention, and she was taking some of her reporters along. There was clearly a story coming, but Sky couldn’t get anything more out of anyone yet.
Jay wasn’t quite ready to return to his empty apartment, so he opted for a walk, the H Street corridor already coming alive. The strip was studded with memories, mostly of the early days of their relationship since they spent most of their time in Jay’s neighborhood now: the sushi place from one of their first dates, the performing arts center where Jay had tagged along on some of Sky’s early assignments. How lucky he had been that Sky had invited him along. He laughed at himself now, the uncertainty at the beginning about whether it was really all work. The thick July air was stagnant even at nearly eight in the evening; it had been a day of record-breaking heat and soupy humidity, the kind of weather that got everyone hot and bothered about how crazy George Washington had been to build his city on swampland. Even though factually, that wasn’t true; it wasn’t technically a swamp. Jay found this time of year exhausting, having to constantly set everyone straight.
Despite himself, Jay had done his best to convey his excitement as Sky had packed for another trip earlier. “Tell me everything! We’ll do a piece on it. Like fun facts on Air Force Two!” Jay had said, lying on Sky’s couch. “Take abundant selfies! And whatever pics you can! Like, pics of everything! Take souvenirs too, like if there’s a blanket with a presidential seal or, like, bags of pretzels or whatever! So, you know, in short—play it really cool, just like I would.” Sky had laughed, always generous with Jay’s humor.
Lost in his thoughts he walked all the way to Union Station, over a mile. Just before Sky’s expected takeoff time, Jay heard from him once more. Rocky isn’t only one here—Carter Thompson too, Sky texted. staff. some white house pool. heard cnn guy whispering to producer that the decision is being made imminently! hear anything there? trying for more. taking off. xxxx”
Seated at a bench inside the grand lobby of the station, Jay forwarded Sky’s notes (minus the xxxx) to Helena and the rest of the Politics Desk with the subject line: “Arnold vetting VPs now!”
Helena called seconds later. “That’s awfully optimistic of Arnold,” she launched in, no greeting, as soon as Jay answered. “Is Sky sure?”
“Well, maybe—” Jay started.
“Fascinating!” Helena cut him off, answering her own question. “He’s neck and neck with those two and scared to lose the nomination, so—”
“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?” Jay asked.
“Exactly,” she agreed.
* * *
Cady was still at work and, noticing the time, texted Jackson just before he was due to take off: come back as a staffer for the next vp! good luck to carter! xoxox She didn’t know how it had happened, but Jackson had come home the night before with hush-hush news that Carter Thompson was now on the short list to be Arnold’s vice presidential pick. Jackson wouldn’t say any more.
“So mysterious! I’m kind of loving this drama,” she had cooed, as she’d helped him pack. “And Carter would be cool with VP, right? I mean, who wouldn’t? That ain’t so bad.” A few months ago, she never would have been so fascinated with Jackson’s job. She was proud of how much she had learned about campaigns, how she had become part of his world.
“Oh yeah, it would be kind of perfect,” Jackson said, eyes dancing. “There were so many reporters hanging outside the office today, more than ever. President was always going to be a long shot, but this, this, it would be like a dream team.”
* * *
Ted nearly had to sit the convention out, thanks to his bar brawl. But a call came late in the day: there were decisions to be made now, strategies to fine-tune, and they needed him in on it. They were meeting en route to the convention, and they wanted him on the flight. Reagan got his text while at My Gym with the girls. By the time she wrote back, he was already in the air.
* * *
Cady got the alert on her phone: Fighter Jets Called to Escort Air Force Two. Just a headline, no story yet. She went looking for more and found only: Air Force Two Forced to Make Emergency Landing. Her heart fell. She called Jackson but, of course, his phone was off. She texted, emailed, left messages: Call when you get this, I love you.
* * *
Reagan had caved, feeling particularly exhausted and enormous after their afternoon at My Gym. (Stacy had the day off and therefore, Reagan had actually had to watch and chase the girls.) They were teething and wouldn’t sleep, so she positioned the pack-and-play in front of the TV and was just searching for their favorite bedtime show on Sprout when she caught the headline. She called Ted but got no answer. Maybe Jay would know something.
* * *
“I’m fine, there was this turbulence, like something big hit the plane.” Sky phoned Jay the minute he landed. “We’re somewhere in Delaware. The plane was inspected. It must’ve been a bird that rammed itself against the plane’s wing. Arnold is still going ahead with the meetings, right here. The press and staffers are just hanging out until another aircraft arrives, or a bus or something. We were all standing around outside, but it started pouring rain so the pilot gave the okay to let us back on and wait, said it was safe.” Sky promised to text when he had more.
* * *
Pretty fucking crazy, Ted texted Reagan when the plane touched down. An eagle, they think. We were in Arnold’s quarters meeting with Haze—she’s probably out. Staying here for a bit—looking like Thompson will get it, IMO. Love you and girls. Don’t worry, fine, promise.
* * *
Cady didn’t understand why Jackson wasn’t writing or calling. The aircraft had landed somewhere, and it seemed everyone else had been able to contact loved ones. Reagan and Jay had both heard by now and let her know that Ted and Sky were fine, and from what they knew there were no life-threatening injuries. A few reporters and staffers just had bumps and bruises, maybe one concussion. She pictured Jackson being the one person who hadn’t been okay and wished she could just hear something from him. She wouldn’t be able to move or breathe or think until she did. She waited, his phone still off with calls going straight to voice mail, no returned texts or emails. She searched obsessively for news, more details, any sign that there might be injuries that hadn’t been reported yet. All she managed to find was one major press break from Capitol Report:
REP. CARTER THOMPSON TO BE ARNOLD’S VP PICK
By Willa Sedgwick, Staff Writer
Capitol Report has learned exclusively that Iowa Representative Carter Thompson will be John Arnold’s pick for vice president. Story developing.
* * *
EYES ON THE PRIZE: ROCKY HAZE REPORTEDLY TURNS DOWN VP
By Sky Vasquez, Staff Writer, The Queue
The path to the presidency has been a dramatic one, but nothing could compare to the scene on Air Force Two Monday night. After severe turbulence forced an emergency landing near Wilmington, Rocky Haze had a change of heart. Sources say presidential hopeful Vice President John Arnold had all but offered Haze the job as his running mate, when she reportedly took herself out of the running.
“What happened on that plane shook me up, gave me some time to think about what I really wanted,” Haze said after the landing, though she still hasn’t issued a formal statement.
Only Haze and Arnold were in the meeting, no advisers, no press, but sources say what happened is the stuff of legend and folklore. “They had a great vibe, they talked about their families, about how hard it is to be on the trail, how intense the primaries were,” says the insider. “Arnold said Haze was a good pick because her skeletons are all out there, no secrets, no lies. Everyone knows her troubles, her past, how she cleaned up. Arnold offered it to her. She was polite and gracious, said it was the kind of opportunity she never expected would present itself to her. But that she needed a minute.”
Haze returned to her seat to think it over, putting in her earbuds, closing her eyes. “This was when the turbulence began,” says another source. “She was so calm, other people were freaking out. People’s stuff was flying all over, hitting other people in the head.” When the plane landed, got checked out, Haze met with Arnold once more. An adviser in the room this time described the scene like this:
“Haze says to Arnold, ‘I want you to listen to this new track,’ she cues up this song on her phone, says it was inspired by the Southern states she visited, it had a country twang, it was cool,” says the source. “Then she asks him, ‘How many fiddles do you hear there?’ And Arnold says ‘One?’ like he’s not sure. And Haze says, ‘That’s right and that’s because I don’t believe in playing second fiddle. And I can’t start now. I’m sorry, I appreciate your offer more than you could know but I’m going to try to do this my way.’ She shook his hand and smiled and returned to her seat.”
Haze’s camp will only say they intend to go forward with the contested convention. “We want to see where we stand.”
* * *
Sky had texted just before the story posted: obvi: between you and me, haze is the “source,” just not ready to go on record yet. totally unrelated: was superscary when everything happened, then everyone relieved, bonding, celebrating etc, after it was OK. but then everyone was working, sleeping, quiet. Except me (you know I can’t sleep on planes) and a couple others I noticed: I think air force two has a mile high club…Swear I saw reporter girl go into restroom, followed by guy few minutes later. Jay, it looked like Cady’s fiancé :-(((((( Hoping I’m wrong, but I don’t know. Looked like him. Might explain why Cady didn’t hear from him right away?
Jay wanted to unread this, just like he knew Sky wanted to unsee it. Jay didn’t know what he was supposed to do with this information; did he have a moral obligation to tell Cady? He would consult the best advice columnist he knew. She would have all the answers. He texted:
What do we do???? along with a screenshot of Sky’s damning text.
Reagan wrote back immediately: I’m on it, standby.
Thx. No way for Ted to corroborate, right? Jay tried, but knew the answer from their previous texts: Ted had been with a few staffers in the front compartment of the plane in the enclosed cabin that served as Vice President Arnold’s office.
I wish, she wrote. Amazed Ted even noticed the turbulence.
It was true, Jay had seen Ted in hyper-work mode. Reagan liked to joke that if he was in the zone, he would tune out everything around him so intensely it was like he was in some kind of sensory deprivation tank.
Seconds later, Reagan sent a screenshot of an exchange between her and Cady. Jay groaned reading Cady’s message:
you’ll think I’m insane—on my way to Philly!!! just needed to be with him, you know? Kinda freaked out from today.
And then Reagan’s best advice to Jay:
ugh. :( we gotta let it play out now. let you know when I hear from her.