The Principate
First Days
February 12, 2029
The new President had just finished telling the Secret Service they were out of the protection business.
Marco Rubio looked across the Resolute Desk at the man sitting opposite him — slim, olive-skinned, blue-eyed, sandy brown hair cut tight. Danny Reyes, 31 years old, former 5th Group Green Beret, former Delta. Now the first Director of the newly created Executive Protection Service.
“The Secret Service had too many loyalties,” Rubio said. “Too many near-misses. Too many times they almost got the last guy killed while pretending everything was fine. From now on, your people answer only to me. You answer only to me.”
Reyes didn’t blink.
“You understand what this makes you, right?” Rubio asked.
“Yes, sir,” Danny said quietly.
Rubio gave a small, humorless smile.
“Good. Because the press is going to call you my Praetorian Guard by next week. Let them.”