Chapter 1: A Snotty Start to the Day

Elizabeth McCord, the Secretary of Homeland Security, rubbed her tired eyes and let out a massive sneeze, startling her assistant, who was standing by her desk. "Excuse me," Elizabeth said, sniffling, as she reached for a tissue from the box on her desk. Her assistant, Emily, handed her a steaming cup of coffee. "Good morning, Madam Secretary. I brought you some coffee, hoping it might help...you know." Elizabeth smiled weakly, blowing her nose into the tissue. "Thank you, Emily. You're a lifesaver. Or, at least, a cold-saver." She took a sip of the coffee, wincing as the hot liquid made her congested sinuses flare up. Emily nodded sympathetically. "I've got some tissues and some cold medicine on standby, just in case." Elizabeth sighed, feeling like she was getting older by the minute. She'd been up late the night before, reviewing some sensitive intelligence reports, and now her body was paying the price. A nasty head cold had been brewing all morning, and it seemed to be hitting her like a ton of bricks. As she blew her nose again, Elizabeth's phone rang. Emily answered it, listened for a moment, and then turned to Elizabeth. "It's the President. He wants to talk to you about the Smithson situation." Elizabeth groaned inwardly. The Smithson situation was a delicate diplomatic matter that required her full attention, but all she could think about right now was getting some rest and blowing her nose. She took a deep breath and picked up the phone. "Good morning, Mr. President." The President's voice was crisp and businesslike on the other end of the line. "Liz, I need you to brief me on the Smithson situation. We've got some developments that require your immediate attention." Elizabeth nodded, even though she knew the President couldn't see her. She launched into a detailed briefing, trying to focus on the task at hand despite her congested sinuses and constant sniffles. But it wasn't easy. Every few sentences, she'd have to pause to blow her nose or take a sip of her coffee. As she spoke, Elizabeth couldn't help but think that this was not how she wanted to start her day. She was a tough, capable woman who didn't let much faze her, but a head cold was a different story. She was usually a powerhouse of productivity, but right now, she just felt like a sniffling, sneezing mess. Just as she was finishing up the briefing, Elizabeth let out another massive sneeze, causing her to jump in her seat. "Excuse me, Mr. President," she said, mortified. There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Elizabeth wondered if she'd overstepped some kind of protocol. But then the President chuckled. "Don't worry, Liz. I think we can reschedule for later. You take care of that cold of yours. We'll talk soon." Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief as she hung up the phone. "Thanks, Mr. President," she muttered, feeling a little embarrassed but also relieved. Now, all she had to do was get through the rest of the day without too much damage...