“Fine,” Johnson said. “Mr. President, I need to make something very clear to you, sir. I don’t work for you. Solara doesn’t work for you. Nor do we work for the House or the Senate. My mission begins and ends with keeping the facility running and keeping the electronics in good working order. I am pleased to report that our comms are in perfect working order. It’s the rest of the system that’s broken. That’s on you, sir, not me.”

“Hey,” Strasky said. “You’re talking to the president of the United States. Watch the attitude.”

“I don’t do politics, either,” Johnson said. “Hell, I don’t even vote. But with all respect, from what I’ve heard, half the people in this Annex—more than half, in fact—would argue that Mr. Glendale is, in fact, not the president. And that is specifically why my staff and I are paid not to care.”

Penn didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to do. Without information, and without the ability to communicate with other government entities outside the Annex, how could any of them do their jobs?

“I’ll leave you to your work, Mr. President. As soon as we have the cot and the desk available, I’ll have them brought in.”

Johnson turned to leave, but Penn stopped him.

“One thing, Mr. Johnson. Shortly before I gave my speech, I saw one of your staff members wheeling a gurney into the Staff Only section of the dormitory and hospital wing.”

“I heard about that, sir. Sorry.”

“Was there a person on that gurney?”

Johnson grew uncomfortable, as if unsure again whether or not to speak. “Yes, sir, there was.”

“And what is in the Staff Only room?”

“A lot of the mechanicals that keep the Annex warm or cool as necessary. The water system is in there as well. But specific to what you saw, sir, that’s the incinerator.”

Strasky nearly shouted, “Incinerator!”

“Yes, sir. Of course. When people die, we have to dispose of their remains somehow.”

“Who died?” Penn asked.

“Now, that’s none of your concern, is it?” Johnson said. “I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait,” Penn said. “After Victoria Emerson quit, were you able to escort her chief of staff, Oliver Mulroney, out of the bunker before it shut down?”

Johnson stared back silently.

Strasky said, “Oh, my God. Did you kill him? You said that actions have consequences. Is that what you meant?”

“Tell you what, Mr. President, I’ll make you a deal. I won’t attempt to interfere with how you attempt to run this shit show of a government, and you don’t interfere with how I run the Annex.”

“Did you murder Oliver Mulroney?” Penn figured a direct question might bring a direct answer.

“I’m not getting into that with you, sir. Rest assured that everything I do is done in accordance with established procedure.”