章 30: The President wants to meet you

Ivy listened to the Sasha and Cedric joking and pulling each other legs while they drove towards the President's office.

"You are going to become a balloon if you keep eating this much," Cedric commented, snatching the packet of chips from Sasha's hands.

"How does it matter to you, you bony man?" Sasha retorted, trying to get back her chips.

"If you become fat then who will marry you?" Cedric said putting a chip in his mouth.

"Those are my chips. How dare you eat it!! Spit it out. Spit it out right now. Sasha glared at him with her hands on her hips. Ivy laughed at their playful banter.

While Cedric and Sasha were busy having a standoff in glaring at each other, Ivy grabbed the packet from Cedric's hands.

"Hey." Both of them shouted at once. By then, the last remaining piece had gone inside Ivy's mouth and she gave them a contented smile.

"Look what you did Mister. That was the last packet I had. Now I have to settle for something else." Sasha poked Cedric's cheek.

"You still have your food bag. Open it. You might find something more delicious."

"Yes Sasha. Open your bag." Ivy too urged her.

"I know both of you have set your eyes on my choco-chip cookies. But I am not sharing them with you two."

"You have choco chip cookies?" Ivy's eyes widened and she gave Sasha a wicked smile. The one thing she liked the most was the choco-chip cookies prepared by Sasha's mother. The taste of butter and vanilla along with the chocolate chips and nuts just made Ivy salivate. And more than that, she liked how delicious those cookies tasted when dipped in chocolate syrup. They just tasted wow.

"Don't act all too innocent Ivy. I know you have been eyeing my bag since the beginning." Sasha pulled out a granola bar and started munching on it.

"For now I'll settle with this. I'll open the box of cookies only after the press meet."

Ivy huffed while Cedric groaned in frustration. By then they had arrived at the Presidents office. Ivy took a look at the mirror and arranged her dress properly. She had worn a white high neck shirt with a dark grey skirt and a matching jacket and black heel pumps. She had tied her hair in a low ponytail. She got off the car and walked towards the queue of reporters, waiting to get inside.

As soon as her turn came, she showed her ID card and her pass at the entrance. The assistant in front of her ticked her news channel's name on the attendance list and allowed her to go inside with Cedric. Ivy looked for her seat while Cedric started to set his camera equipment where all other cameramen were standing.

Sasha was not allowed inside the hall as she did not have a pass. Only two people from an agency were allowed inside the hall, a reporter and a cameraman. So, she had to wait outside the hall.

The chairs in the hall were placed on two sides with a gap in between for the cameramen and their equipment. There were four rows on each side with five chairs in every row. Ivy's seat was the first one in the second row. She smiled. Her seat had the best view and accessibility. She was neither in the exact front nor was she hidden in a corner. She placed her bag on her chair and then approached the lady assistant near the stage.

"Excuse me Miss. I am from the News4U channel. Can you tell me the order for asking the questions to the President?"

It was a known rule that all the reporters had to follow a protocol while attending press conferences of such type. In order to avoid a ruckus, each agency would be allowed to ask a certain number of questions. They had to follow the order and ask the question only when it was their turn. If this rule was violated, then that particular agency would be blacklisted and banned from attending any further press meets.

"Wait a second." The assistant looked at the notepad in her hand.

"You can ask only two questions. You are to ask the fifth and the thirteenth question."

Ivy thanked her and proceeded to talk to Cedric. "Ced I have been given the fifth and the thirteenth slot."

"That's good Ivy. You can look at the situation and then ask the questions." Cedric said adjusting the video recorder. Ivy too felt the same. She could comprehend the situation correctly and then ask her questions to the President.

"I have this covered Ivy. You can return to your seat. Good luck"

"Good luck Ced."

The conference started exactly at five. The President, Luis Truman, walked to the stage and stood at the podium. He stood with all the pride and confidence a leader must possess. He was accompanied by his secretary and four guards.

"Before you start asking questions, let me first tell you why this press meet was called. As you all know one of our ministers has conspired against the country and tried to harm the citizens."

Although Luis did not reveal the name, everyone watching the live press meet could make out that he was talking about David Peters, the Finance Minister.

"I am here to guarantee the people that his plans have been foiled and there is no threat to anybody."

Ivy understood that the President himself wanted to assure the people of their safety. So, he had organized this event.

"Now you may ask your questions."

One of the reporters from the front row on the right stood up. "Yesterday it was told that Mr Peters had escaped from custody. Doesn't that mean the threat is still present?"

This was the question every reporter had prepared. Ivy looked at her list of questions and ticked off the first one.

"We know that Mr. Peters has escaped from custody. But we have sent a search team for him. Rest assured he will be caught by the end of the day." Luis replied calmly. He knew that the Intelligence had already taken the matters in their hands and the results would be out soon.

"Is it possible that Mr. Peters men have already released the virus as soon as his news of being taken for an inquiry was released." This time it was the reporter right behind Ivy.

"That could not have happened. If something like that had already been done, then we would have had people showing symptoms and getting admitted to the hospital. But there is no news regarding this. So, I can assure you that the virus has not been released yet."

Two more questions were asked regarding David to Luis to which he answered calmly. Now it was Ivy's turn to question. She stood up slowly. Cedric focused his camera on Ivy.

"Mr. President, is anybody else from the ministry or the government, other than Mr. Peters, involved in this act?"

Luis was taken aback by Ivy's question. He had not given a thought about other people's involvement apart from David and his men. The reporter standing in front of him had given a matter to look into. Although he was taken by surprise, he immediately composed himself.

"The proofs which we have obtained mainly point to Mr Peters. We are looking through this case completely. If we find anybody else's involvement, he will be punished as per the law."

Satisfied with the answer, Ivy sat down and waited for her turn again.

After a series of other questions on different topics were fired, it was Ivy's turn again.

"Mr. President, there has been an update on foreign invasion at our country's border? How has the government tackled this issue and what is their objective in attacking us?" Ivy asked the question though it was not on the list handed to her by Max.

Murmurs erupted in the hall at this question. It was true that for a few weeks, the soldiers at the borders were fighting with the terrorists.

Luis was once again taken aback at Ivy's question. The female reporter knew what question to ask as well as how to ask it.

"Though this issue is quite confidential, I will only reveal the things which I am quite sure of. Our soldiers are trying to suppress the commotion at the borders. I can say that none of our men have lost their lives and I am happy about it. And the answer to what their objective is in doing so, I cannot answer it. We have got some clues, but it is yet to be confirmed as of now."

"Thank you Mr President." Ivy gave him a smile and waited for the conference to end.

Other journalists took this opportunity and bombarded Luis with questions while Ivy listened to them carefully. Every now and then she was jotting down the points on her notepad.

After an hour, the conference ended. Sasha was waiting for them outside the hall.

"How was it? How was the press meet?" She asked, bouncing in her place in an animated way.

"It was good," Ivy replied walking forward.

"Good? Are you saying it was good? It was awesome." Cedric exclaimed carrying his bag behind her.

"What do you mean?" Sasha asked grabbing Cedric's hand.

Before she got a reply from either of them, they were interrupted.

"Excuse me Madam." One of the bodyguards ran towards Ivy and her team and stopped them from leaving.

"Yes?"

"The President wants to meet you."

"Me?" Ivy asked dumbfounded. Cedric and Sasha were in a similar state too.

"Yes. Now if you will please follow me."

"Look Mister. I think you are mistaken. It must be somebody else."