The President’s Plaque: Part 14

Trap

Mike and I gasp really loud, exactly at the same time — me louder, because I realize I could have been killed right there at the doorway.
Dad shushes us continues, “The short one is a wanted man. The other one — Rob — must be a spy here. We can only hope that they won’t shoot now. If they do, our president will be gone. If they spare some time, we may be able to stop them.”
“Is the Secret Service going to catch them?” I ask faintly. “They just can’t assassinate the president…”
“If the Secret Service comes right now, the president will be in danger. The terrorists will shoot the minute they see a bodyguard arrive. These two are skilled gunmen. But… they don’t seem to have the brains. I can just tell.”
Dad pauses for a moment, then continues, “We need to lure them into a trap.”
Both Mike and I are shocked out of words. But I think my brain is processing this all a little faster. Maybe because I’m older? While Mike is still staring open-mouthed, I’m thinking.
“Dad, you have to act like an employee here,” I say. I’m staring off into space, while still speaking. “You have to go over there” — I point to the parking lot — “and act like you are calling Rob and his guest. You gotta distract them, so that the president can leave.”
Dad looks at me like I’m insane.
“Dad, hurry UP!” I hiss. He glances back and forth from the parking lot to the two men. He’s about to leave, when I stop him and say, “Be… safe.” He nods and continues. He does the tree-walking thing all the way to the parking lot, and I let out a small breath of relief. The apparently stupid assassins didn’t notice a thing.
But seriously, WHY are they just standing there? If I were assassinating somebody — NOT THAT I EVER WOULD — the whole process would be done in less than a minute! I’m looking at the most idiotic gunmen in history.
Mike is now sort of back to reality. He taps me on the shoulder and asks me, “What are we going to do now?” I stroke his hair and say quietly, “We need to start doing what Dad did. Go behind trees. Do you think you can do that for me?”
Mike nods. “I do that all the time at home! That’s how I sneak up behind you!” He giggles.
I smile back at him. “No wonder. You’re so good at it. Now, when you reach the President, tell him very, very quietly that you will be his lookout. Tell him to be ready to duck behind the tree. As soon as you hear Dad, and the two men look away, tell the President to get behind the tree with you and call the Secret Service instantly.”
Mike nods very slowly, repeating everything to himself, and starts going trunk-to-trunk. Whoa, he’s actually really good! I begin going the other direction, towards Dad.