The morning sun cast its golden light over Washington, D.C., as President Theodore Clay sat at his desk in the Oval Office, his mind clouded by the weight of the decision he had made. It had been just over twenty-four hours since his meeting with Matthew Hesh, during which he had compelled the industrialist to agree to supply advanced weaponry and vehicles to Japan under the guise of strategic necessity. The president had done what he felt he must to preserve his administration and safeguard the Republic's interests, though the moral cost gnawed at him.
Today, he was to meet again with the Japanese delegation to inform them that their demands had been met. The folder containing the incriminating documents lay in the drawer of his desk, a silent reminder of the tightrope he now walked.
"Mr. President," his aide announced, stepping into the room, "Ambassador Nakamura and Mr. Tanaka are here to see you."
