"None of us know," Heather said, leading Carollo to the rest of the group. "I just finished shooting a scene on my new movie..."

"The Baron's Daughter, a good selection for your career," Carollo said.

"A long way from my Beach Duty days," she said, turning a slight shade of red from the embarrassment.

"Don't be ashamed," Carollo said. "Everyone gets their start somewhere. There's a whole generation of guys who will watch anything you're in."

"Anyway, I finished an early shoot and when I got into the studio's limo, a new driver was waiting for me," she said.

"The same thing happened to me," Carollo said as they reached the group.

"The same thing that happened to all of us," Walker said. "That's the last baseball card convention I attend. Besides the limo, the convention was supposed to provide me with a security escort. What a great job they did with that."

"At least you weren't paying your own bodyguards like I was," said Roy Hopkins, the businessman turned sports franchise owner.

"Someone must be very cagey to kidnap ten of the most powerful people in the country," Carollo said. "I just wonder what this financial opportunity of a lifetime is all about."

"I don't give a rat's ass what this deal is," Jeremy Walker said. "I've had about enough of this."

The baseball player crossed the room and made his way to one of the corners, where he started yelling at a surveillance video camera on the wall. Heather Sanders pointed out the location of all five surveillance cameras in the room.

"Listen to me, you sick lunatic. I'm not letting any madman intimidate me," Walker yelled at the camera. "Why don't you send some of your goons in here without their guns and see what happens?"

Carollo was impressed with the baseball player's angry performance, but he realized Walker was not acting. Regardless, Walker's rant finally got a response from the person Carollo assumed was the mastermind behind this grand scheme.

"Please, Mr. Walker, sit down and everything will be explained to you," a polite voice said over the loudspeaker. "That goes for everyone. If you could all take a seat, we will get under way."

Carollo and everyone in the room resigned themselves to the fact that the quicker they adhered to their captor's demands, the sooner they would find out what was going on. Everyone sat down in the chairs except for Walker, who continued to yell into the camera in the corner.

"Nobody is bullying Jeremy Walker," he yelled. "I led the league in home runs last year and I won my fourth MVP award in a row. I'm more powerful than you'll ever be and I demand to be released right away."

Carollo knew Walker was fighting a losing battle but the movie producer was entertained by the large man's spunk.

"Mr. Walker, I apologize for the way I had to get you here. But after you hear me out, you'll realize there was no other way," the voice said. "I'm afraid I can't let you out of this room until you listen to my proposal. After that time, you will be free to go."

"Whoever you are, I'll be sure you pay for this," Walker yelled. "Now I want out of this room now. If you won't let me go, I'll beat down the doors."

Walker repeatedly kicked one of the doors with all his might and the crack of breaking wood echoed throughout the room. The other captives watched the baseball player but nobody made a move to help.

"I did not want it to come to this," the voice said.

The room suddenly went pitch black. Carollo heard a gasp from one of the people sitting around him and the sound of Walker kicking the doors suddenly stopped. Fortunately, it remained dark for only a few seconds, as a stream of blue light descended from a projector set up on the ceiling in back of the room. The large screen at the front was momentarily blue until the picture slowly changed.

The next image displayed was a photograph of a bikini-clad, beautiful woman who appeared to be sunbathing in the privacy of her backyard. Although she had the looks and body of an actress, Carollo did not recognize the woman in the picture. But from looking at the lush surroundings in the background of the photo, the movie producer recognized that the woman must have a lot of money to be living on such an exorbitant piece of property.

Walker took a few steps toward the image, a worried expression etched on his face. His worry quickly turned to a new level of rage, as his ranting increased in intensity.

"Is this supposed to be a threat to my wife?" Walker yelled. "I'll hunt you down and kill you if you did anything to her. Actually, I would love you to try and get close to her. The security detail I have protecting her wouldn't let you within twenty feet of her."

"Like the way your security detail stopped me from getting you?" the voice asked.

"I told you, the security detail supposed to be protecting me was provided by the people running the convention," the baseball player said. "And I don't need security with me. I'm big enough to take care of any problems that come to me."

"Apparently you aren't, or else I would not have gotten you here," the voice said.

"I learned my lesson, didn't I?" Walker asked rhetorically. "Either way, I always make sure that my wife is protected."

"Then how was I able to get this photograph?" the voice asked.

"Any moron with a telephoto camera lens can climb a tree around my property and take that picture," Walker said. "It looks like I'll need to have her bodyguards start canvassing the area outside of my property as well. Then psycho-stalkers like you won't ever be able to see her."

A lengthy silence from the mysterious voice made Walker believe he'd gotten the better of that argument. Although still very angry, a tiny smirk appeared on his face at getting the better of his kidnapper.

"If you have nothing else to say, let me out of here right now," Walker said.

The empty blue screen appeared for a few seconds before being replaced by yet another picture. This time, Walker's beautiful wife was shown sleeping in bed, wearing a silk outfit even skimpier than the small bikini from the photo before.

"Please, Mr. Walker, sit down with everyone else," the voice said. "Unless you would like me to show the shower photos."

Walker finally relented and joined the rest of the group.

Pictures of different people, each of whom did not know they were being photographed while doing routine activities, continued to flash across the screen. With every new picture that appeared, Carollo heard a different person in the room gasp or mutter some sort of concern. When a picture of his wife, who of course was shopping, flashed on the screen, the movie producer was not surprised.

The last picture was of another beautiful woman, who seemed to be relaxing and watching some sort of sporting event from a luxurious suite in a sports arena. This time, it was Roy Hopkins who spoke.

"I'm sure glad I pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on security at my arena," the businessman said.

"If it makes you feel any better, Mr. Hopkins, your security was hardest to crack," the voice said. "But everyone should know this: every security measure has some kind of hole that can be overcome if you know the right people."

Once the pictures of the family members had been shown, the screen turned blue for a few seconds and the projector turned off. When the lights came back on, Carollo, Walker, Sanders and the seven other wealthy people sat in stunned silence. Nearly two minutes went by until one of them finally spoke.

"What is this, extortion?" Walker asked the faceless voice. "Do you want money so the pictures of my wife don't end up on the Internet? Because believe me, buddy, she enjoys any attention she gets. I basically have to keep her imprisoned in my mansion or else she goes out looking for the paparazzi."

A free-spirited, beautiful woman who loves attention, Carollo thought. Their marriage is doomed. But maybe I'll give her a call one day if I ever get out of here. "Or do you want money to guarantee the safety of our loved ones?" asked the computer guru Jones.

"Gentlemen, and ladies of course," the voice said. "The ten of you should consider yourselves lucky. I have brought you here today with an opportunity that every person in the world would do anything to have. In fact, there are countless numbers of people-normal, good-natured people-who would kill for the opportunity I'm about to present you."

The voice stopped speaking to let this sink into the minds of his 'guests.'

"If this is your idea of a business proposal, you're going about it in the worst possible manner," Roy Hopkins said.

"Again, I'd like to express my sincerest apologies for the intrusions I've made in your lives," the voice said. "I'm not normally the kind of person who goes around making idle threats."

"That certainly seems like the case," Heather Sanders said sarcastically, joining the others in something of a united front against the mysterious voice.

"Unfortunately, Miss Sanders, I had to show each and every one of you that I can get to you or your loved ones, only in the worst case scenario of course. Believe me, I would never want it to come to that. But I do need an insurance policy for myself, insurance that I would never use unless you bring it upon yourself."

"And why would you need such an extreme insurance policy?" asked one of the men Carollo did not have time to meet.

Whoever this unknown wealthy man was, he'd apparently hit upon the magic question. Just beneath the large projection screen, a hidden door opened and a man walked onto the stage. Carollo did not recognize the man, who looked to be in his mid-30s. He was well-dressed, good-looking; not handsome like Carollo's actors, but certainly not what casting directors would portray a kidnapper or genius mastermind to look like.

"Because what I'm about tell you is known by less than ten people in this entire world," Tyler Ainsworth Jr. told his potential investors. "It may seem unbelievable when you first hear it, but I have proof that the world will come to an end in less than five years. And if you ladies and gentlemen are smart with the information I'm going to provide, you and your loved ones will have the chance to become the few survivors of the impending worldwide calamity."

This sounded like the plot of a disaster movie Carollo had seen many times. But what the movie producer would soon learn was that nothing about Ainsworth's information could be confused with fantasy.

CHAPTER SIXTY.

NOVEMBER 4, 2016.

Andrew Brighton was at George Marshall's side on election night of the 2008 and 2012 elections, so he was no stranger to the tense event. But now that the day came when Brighton would find out if he'd become America's next President, his level of anxiety rose ten-fold. Knowing the dire implications of a defeat certainly did not make his day any easier.

Most of the day passed in a blur. He was out at polls in his hometown early in the morning, followed closely by a contingency of supporters, campaign aides and press. He tried to appear upbeat and confident but the constant queasiness in his stomach left him feeling like that he'd just stepped off a roller coaster. After speaking a few words to the national media, Brighton returned to his campaign headquarters at a ritzy Miami hotel where he spent most of his day watching television coverage in his top-floor suite.

The press was predicting that this would be the closest election since 2000. The polls conducted during the last few months indicated that Brighton and his opponent, Senator Thomas Stewart, were running nearly even. The exit polls from the East Coast states showed the same thing. Brighton knew this was going to be a long night.

At six o'clock eastern time, President Marshall granted the one and only interview he would give all day. Sitting behind his Oval Office desk and regally dressed in his best suit, the President stared into the camera brought to the White House by the U.S. News Network. A small TV was set up next to the camera and showed Ben Westbrook, the news anchor conducting the interview.

"We now go live to the Oval Office for a very special guest," Westbrook said. "Thank you for joining us this evening, Mr. President."

Marshall noticed the camera's red light switch on and saw his face appear on the television.

"It's my pleasure to be talking to you on this most historic and exciting evening," Marshall said.

"It must feel unusual to you, Mr. President, to not be involved in a Presidential race on Election Day for the first time in eight years," Westbrook said.

"I will admit, it does feel a bit strange to watch merely as a spectator," the President said. "At least I won't have to eat a pound of antacids today."

"Having twice been in the same position as Vice-President Brighton and Senator Stewart, can you give us insight as to what is going through the minds of the two candidates right now?"

"Fear, excitement, anxiety, relief. A combination of nearly every emotion a person can feel," Marshall said. "This is the culmination of a long road for both men, a journey neither wants to see end tonight. Both men feel they would be the best leader for this country and neither wants America to decide that they aren't. I have known and worked with Andrew Brighton on a close and personal basis for the last eight years. I know he's very dedicated to winning this presidency and doing what he feels is best for America over the next four years. I don't know Senator Stewart quite as well, but he has shown during the campaign that he's also committed to this great country of ours."

"You mentioned your relationship with the vice-President," Westbrook said. "As most of the country knows, you and Vice-President Brighton have not seen eye-to-eye on many topics as of late. Did you cast your vote for Brighton today?"

Marshall chuckled.

"Do you really expect me to reveal my secret vote to all of America?" Marshall asked, attempting to sound sheepish. "Of course I voted for Andrew Brighton. Regardless of disagreements he and I have had during this last year, my loyalty will always be with my political party."

"You mentioned the highly-publicized conflict you've had with the vice-President," Westbrook began. Marshall did not let him finish his question before interrupting.

"I did not mention that it was highly-publicized or that it was a conflict," Marshall said. "I merely noted our disagreement on certain issues."

"I apologize," the anchor said. "But concerning those disagreements: do you believe your disagreements with Andrew Brighton will sway the American voters in a positive or negative way?"

The last thing President Marshall wanted to do was cast Brighton in any sort of bad light. Marshall knew his public feud with the vice-President would be a topic of discussion during any interview, which was why he'd agreed to conduct only one today. While he couldn't avoid the question completely, Marshall had to use one of the important skills he acquired during his political career: give an answer without really giving an answer.

"Think about it, Ben. Andrew Brighton disagreed about the one thing the majority of the American public disagrees with me about, which is of course the space station," Marshall said. "Therefore, I can't say our disagreements have hurt his cause. Either way, Ben, I trust the American public will make the decision that will ultimately work best for our great country."

Once his U.S. News Network interview was over, the camera equipment was wheeled out, leaving the President and his Chief of Staff alone in the Oval Office. As the hours ticked away and afternoon turned to evening, the tension rose; it became evident that the race would be as close as many experts predicted.

When eight o'clock rolled around and many polls along the East Coast began to close, preliminary reports suggested a record number of voters turned out in many states. President Marshall and Peter Mansfield watched the news coverage about the reason for this rise in voting.

"The increase in voter turnout has a direct correlation with America's desire to see President Marshall's tenure in the White House finally come to an end," one of the 'experts' said.

"I agree," another one of the panel members said. "According to a recent poll, nearly eighty percent of Americans are glad to see a Presidential change, regardless of which candidate wins."

President Marshall already resigned himself to the fact that the public wouldn't be in a hurry to add his face to Mount Rushmore. But he took little solace in the fact that history books would not be around much longer to portray him in such a negative way. Mansfield, on the other hand, let the media's harsh criticism disturb him.

"No matter how much good we've done, no matter how many countless hours we've worked to make this country a better place, they still have to focus on the negativity when they speak about your legacy," Mansfield complained.

"None of that matters in the long run," Marshall said. "All we can do is-"

The President stopped speaking when he saw a 'BREAKING NEWS' banner appear at the bottom of the television screen, as the panel of experts was interrupted by the lead news anchor.

"We have our first state winner to announce," Ben Westbrook reported. The large map of gray-colored states behind the anchor faded away, with an enlarged image of a gray Massachusetts taking its place. "Massachusetts and its twelve electoral votes have been captured by Thomas Stewart. This comes as a bit of surprise, as many experts predicted a win here for Vice-President Brighton."

With a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, President Marshall watched disappointedly as the gray Massachusetts turned a dark shade of green, indicating a win for Stewart. Although Brighton started off bad, the next two states, Maryland and Maine, were soon shaded yellow, indicating two wins for Brighton and a two-vote lead for the vice-President.

Over the course of the next few hours, no two people watching the election results had reactions more opposite than Marshall and Mansfield. While the President was quiet and optimistic, his Chief of Staff was talkative and cynical. Mansfield paced about the room, as he did during stressful situations, and continued to ponder every circumstance that could prove disastrous for Brighton's chances to win the election. Even after Brighton won Pennsylvania and New York, the two East Coast states with the highest numbers of electoral votes, Mansfield continued to speak about the election as if Senator Stewart already won.

Needless to say, when Stewart marched back and won Florida, Georgia and Virginia to make the vote count extremely close, Mansfield was ready for President Marshall to make his comet-revelation speech to the country. The Chief of Staff did not seem to think they needed to hear the results from the Central and West Coast states.

As more time elapsed, many more states turned dark green than yellow and doubt finally crept into the President's mind. With Stewart winning more key states such as New Jersey, North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, Brighton barely kept the tally respectable with Tennessee and Indiana. Although the map of America looked equally green and yellow, Senator Stewart continued winning states with the higher number of electoral votes.

"All of our well-laid plans are going for nothing," Mansfield said, continuing to walk around the room. "If Stewart wins any more key states, Brighton might pass the point of no return."

As the Chief of Staff said this, while Marshall was doing quick calculations in his head that proved Mansfield's theory close to accurate, another discussion between panel members was interrupted. And that could only mean that U.S. News Network was ready to announce the winner of yet another state. Appearing on the screen next was a gray-shaded Texas, the state with the second-highest number of electoral votes in the entire country.

Mansfield stopped pacing to hear the results. If Stewart won Texas, the likelihood of Brighton winning would be nearly non-existent, especially since experts predicted the senator would easily win California, the biggest electoral state.

"With just over sixty percent of the precincts reporting, we can now say that Texas has been won by..." Before the news anchor even reported the winner, President Marshall watched in dismay as the state turned dark green. "...Thomas Stewart, giving the Senator his largest lead of the night."

Marshall allowed his head to drop for the first time all night. He rubbed his eyes for nearly a minute, thankful that Mansfield had not begun to pace again. But as soon as he looked back at the television, the Chief of Staff took his cue and started to become more panicked.

"It's over," Mansfield said. "Texas was our last chance. Brighton may as well call Stewart and concede defeat. If the experts are right and the senator wins California, Brighton could win every other state and still lose."

"The experts aren't always right," Marshall said, trying to stay upbeat though he felt just as worried as Mansfield sounded. "In fact, they've gotten just as many states wrong tonight as they've gotten right. And the polls in California over the last few weeks have shown Stewart's lead nearly washed away."