could make a plan. But the unplanned stops and outings weren’t easy for them either, and it was something the president loved to do, to maintain an illusion of normalcy in their lives. The first lady was always more sensible and easier to reason with, and concerned for her children’s safety. President Armstrong loved spontaneity, and was famous for it, and rarely did as he was told, which kept them on their toes.
The president and his family spent Thanksgiving at Camp David, with relatives they had invited to join them there, and Marshall worked all four days and was happy to do so. Most of the other men had families or someone they wanted to spend the holiday with. Marshall didn’t, and preferred being on the job to sitting alone in his apartment, so he covered for one of them every day, and they were grateful to him. They were surprised he didn’t have plans of his own, but with no family after six years undercover in South America, there was no one he wanted to be with.
It turned out that being a part of the first family’s holiday, even from a distance, was enjoyable for him, more so than he’d expected. He wasn’t just a robot standing by. He kicked a football around with Brad, and had several conversations with Amelia, and both the president and the first lady thanked him for his kindness to their children, and warned him not to let them take advantage of him, or Amelia talk his ear off. They had a new black Lab who was full of energy, and Marshall played with him as well. It was the happiest Thanksgiving he’d had in years, and he liked the men he was working with. They had a good rapport, were a cohesive team, and were very serious about their job.
When Bill Carter checked on him with his superiors, they said Marshall was doing well and had integrated beautifully, especially with the first family, and the president had specifically requested him several times, particularly during weekends because he was so nice to the kids.
“I’m not so sure we’re going to give him back to you in a year,” his supervisor in the Secret Service said to Bill. “Maybe he won’t even want to go back to work in the field.”
“Don’t count on it,” Bill Carter said, knowing the breed too well, “it’s in his blood. But I’m glad he’s doing well. He had a tough reentry, and I was worried about him. Some bad things came down when we got him out. It sounds like he’s coming around. Sometimes these guys never get over what we put them through,” Bill said, feeling guilty for a minute. He had seen it happen too many times before, men who never recovered their lives when they came back, and couldn’t forget the people they left behind. He had been afraid that Marshall would be one of those—he had seemed dead for a while. But his time close to the president and first lady, and particularly their children, was bringing him back to life. Bill was pleased to hear it, and happy to know he was doing well, and as efficient as always in the job. He was a dedicated agent at whatever he did.
Marshall was on duty over Christmas, at his own request, and went skiing with the first family in Aspen after that, and personally skied with Brad, while Melissa taught Amelia herself. She had been a champion racer in her youth, and Amelia took to the slopes with ease. Only the president skied very little and stayed in the house most of the time—he had too much else to do—but he had asked Marshall to ski with Brad, as one of the younger agents on the detail. Brad loved hanging out with him, and sometimes when joking with him, Marshall spoke to him in Spanish, and Brad always laughed at that. The first lady overheard him one day, and addressed him in nearly flawless Spanish, which surprised him. And they conversed for a few minutes in Spanish. She asked where he had learned it, and he said he’d lived in South America for six years, and then she remembered his work history with the DEA. She was curious about his experiences
The president and his family spent Thanksgiving at Camp David, with relatives they had invited to join them there, and Marshall worked all four days and was happy to do so. Most of the other men had families or someone they wanted to spend the holiday with. Marshall didn’t, and preferred being on the job to sitting alone in his apartment, so he covered for one of them every day, and they were grateful to him. They were surprised he didn’t have plans of his own, but with no family after six years undercover in South America, there was no one he wanted to be with.
It turned out that being a part of the first family’s holiday, even from a distance, was enjoyable for him, more so than he’d expected. He wasn’t just a robot standing by. He kicked a football around with Brad, and had several conversations with Amelia, and both the president and the first lady thanked him for his kindness to their children, and warned him not to let them take advantage of him, or Amelia talk his ear off. They had a new black Lab who was full of energy, and Marshall played with him as well. It was the happiest Thanksgiving he’d had in years, and he liked the men he was working with. They had a good rapport, were a cohesive team, and were very serious about their job.
When Bill Carter checked on him with his superiors, they said Marshall was doing well and had integrated beautifully, especially with the first family, and the president had specifically requested him several times, particularly during weekends because he was so nice to the kids.
“I’m not so sure we’re going to give him back to you in a year,” his supervisor in the Secret Service said to Bill. “Maybe he won’t even want to go back to work in the field.”
“Don’t count on it,” Bill Carter said, knowing the breed too well, “it’s in his blood. But I’m glad he’s doing well. He had a tough reentry, and I was worried about him. Some bad things came down when we got him out. It sounds like he’s coming around. Sometimes these guys never get over what we put them through,” Bill said, feeling guilty for a minute. He had seen it happen too many times before, men who never recovered their lives when they came back, and couldn’t forget the people they left behind. He had been afraid that Marshall would be one of those—he had seemed dead for a while. But his time close to the president and first lady, and particularly their children, was bringing him back to life. Bill was pleased to hear it, and happy to know he was doing well, and as efficient as always in the job. He was a dedicated agent at whatever he did.
Marshall was on duty over Christmas, at his own request, and went skiing with the first family in Aspen after that, and personally skied with Brad, while Melissa taught Amelia herself. She had been a champion racer in her youth, and Amelia took to the slopes with ease. Only the president skied very little and stayed in the house most of the time—he had too much else to do—but he had asked Marshall to ski with Brad, as one of the younger agents on the detail. Brad loved hanging out with him, and sometimes when joking with him, Marshall spoke to him in Spanish, and Brad always laughed at that. The first lady overheard him one day, and addressed him in nearly flawless Spanish, which surprised him. And they conversed for a few minutes in Spanish. She asked where he had learned it, and he said he’d lived in South America for six years, and then she remembered his work history with the DEA. She was curious about his experiences
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