The Situation Room beneath the White House thrummed with tension, the air was quite intense with the scent of stale coffee and printer ink. Maps of the Middle East flickered on wall screens, red lines tracing potential conflict zones around a rogue nation in the Persian Gulf—let's call it Zorathe for the classified briefings. Escalating tensions: drone strikes, oil tanker seizures, whispers of chemical weapons caches. President Vince Harlan sat at the head of the polished oak table, his jaw set, sleeves rolled up on his crisp white shirt, revealing forearms corded with quiet strength. Nia Prescot occupied a seat midway down, her notebook open, pen poised. She'd drafted the opening remarks for this session, framing a balanced approach: diplomacy backed by sanctions, not outright provocation
