Vardo interrupted every few minutes, barking about supply chain disruptions and how his latest drone prototypes could tip the balance. 'We can't afford kid gloves with these assholes,' he growled during a pause on foreign aid. 'My company's ready to deploy—give the green light, Vince.'
The President rubbed his temple, his warm demeanour cracking slightly. 'Vardo, we're not escalating without congressional buy-in. Nia's draft emphasizes restraint to build coalitions.'
Nia shot Vardo another glare, her lips pressing into a thin line. He met it with that same spark in his eyes, something hungry and unyielding that she chalked up to his ego. She turned back to Vince, her pulse steadying at the sight of his focused nod. 'Exactly. The speech positions us as leaders, not aggressors.'
As the br
