A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

[Mark Rand]

This could be another "drop in" idea. Characters are from The West Wing. Additional ideas are from Buffy: the Vampire Slayer: the series and Angel: the series.

 

The time: one week after Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet, PhD (in economics) was elected President.

 

The place: the Bartlet family farm in New Hampshire.

 

The people: President-elect Jed Bartlet, Vice-President-elect John Hoynes, their families and staffs, and Secret Service agents.

 

The public knows that Jed has had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for the past six years.

 

Zoey, the youngest daughter and a gifted gymnast, tells the assembled that she's decided to forego college and join the Ross Brothers Circus of Durant, Oklahoma, hopefully as a showgirl. Secret Service Agent Ron Butterfield then tells what arrangements have been made for her security. Jed asks her to be careful. Zoey agrees.

 

Abbey, a trauma surgeon, states that she's agreed to join the staff of George Washington University Hospital's emergency department. John Hoynes's Hispanic wife, Maria, an eye surgeon, states that she's on the medical school faculty there. Abbey then hands Ron a folder containing Jed's medical information.

 

Jed then tells them that he knows about The Initiative, Slayers, demons, vampires and such, and asks what's being done to keep the White House and those connected with it safe from the undead. C.J. and Kathy admit to being Slayers, Carol, Bonnie, Ginger, and Nancy explain that they are Guardian Witches, and Toby admits to being the team's Watcher.

 

Hoynes adds that his daughter, who is in the ninth grade, is one of three Slayers in the campaign city. He adds that she's living with Maria's parents, who are both eye surgeons.

 

Ideas, anyone?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Abbey and Maria have informed Ron that they're willing to wear body armor under their clothes.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

While Ron is had a discussion with C.J., Kathy, and the other vampire hunters, Zoey met with her Secret Service agents and looked over the maps, route plan, and motorhome manuals again. (Zoey owns a used 24 foot long Class C motorhome.)

 

The next morning, Zoey and her two-person detail leave New Hampshire for Durant, Oklahoma. They arrive after two days on the road, stopping only for food and gas.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

This could be another "drop in" idea. Characters are from The West Wing. Additional ideas are from Buffy: the Vampire Slayer: the series and Angel: the series.

 

The time: one week after Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet, PhD (in economics) was elected President.

 

The place: the Bartlet family farm in New Hampshire.

 

The people: President-elect Jed Bartlet, Vice-President-elect John Hoynes, their families and staffs, and Secret Service agents.

 

The public knows that Jed has had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for the past six years.

 

Zoey, the youngest daughter and a gifted gymnast, tells the assembled that she's decided to forego college and join the Ross Brothers Circus of Durant, Oklahoma, hopefully as a showgirl. Secret Service Agent Ron Butterfield then tells what arrangements have been made for her security. Jed asks her to be careful. Zoey agrees.

 

Well Zoey would have a detail assigned, for sure. One agent would be by her side at all times, and ring/stage-side when she was performing.

 

Abbey, a trauma surgeon, states that she's agreed to join the staff of George Washington University Hospital's emergency department. John Hoynes's Hispanic wife, Maria, an eye surgeon, states that she's on the medical school faculty there. Abbey then hands Ron a folder containing Jed's medical information.

 

Abbey, being the First Lady, would also have her own detail with her, even while working at the hospital. The Secret Service would also have a detail for Maria. With Jed's condition, part of any travel would involve a specialist on hand, at all times. With suitable facilities either on hand, or on stand-by at the nearest hospital(s). If the farm is more than an hour's drive away from a hospital, there would be a medically equipped helicopter on hand.

 

Jed then tells them that he knows about The Initiative, Slayers, demons, vampires and such, and asks what's being done to keep the White House and those connected with it safe from the undead. C.J. and Kathy admit to being Slayers, Carol, Bonnie, Ginger, and Nancy explain that they are Guardian Witches, and Toby admits to being the team's Watcher.

 

C.J, being the Press Sec, wouldn't have anything inordinate, possibly a detail assigned if there was any credible threat reporting. But being a Slayer she can most likely handle herself in most situations the Secret Service would actually be able to help with. I don't find a Kathy in the continuity site I found, what's her role in the staff?

 

I also might think that being Slayers, if their combat skills were known, they'd be sent through the Service's Personal Protection course, and either become full or deputized agents.

 

Carol, Bonnie, Ginger, Nancy, and Toby all have Secretarial positions, and would also only get a personal detail under situations involving credible threats to their person. If their magic was deemed a usable asset, they might be tasked to ward certain areas of the First Families' secondary residence, as well as the sensitive areas of the White House. They would probably also be asked to either train an agent or three, or switch careers... Protection, Detection, and Warding spells would be in high demand.

 

Also, if the Secret Service had not been previously aware of these types of threats, Toby would find himself teaching an endless series of classes to educate agents on effective recognition and combative techniques against the various flavor of the occult.

 

Hoynes adds that his daughter, who is in the ninth grade, is one of three Slayers in the campaign city. He adds that she's living with Maria's parents, who are both eye surgeons.

 

She would probably get her own detail as well, if anything just due to her nature as a magnet for Weird Things. Her Watcher would be brought into the fold as well, probably trained in Personal Protection.

 

Ideas, anyone?

 

Anything I missed? I've never dealt with the Secret Service specifically, just the field, so I'm just making general guesses as to their MO. But I've studied PPD work and Executive Protection, and I've also seen the entire run of Buffy on DVD!

 

Sounds like an interesting campaign.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Abbey and Maria have informed Ron that they're willing to wear body armor under their clothes.

 

Unless there is credible immediate threat reporting, the First Lady and VP's wife wouldn't need to be wearing vests.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Kathy was Sam's secretary/assistant during the first season of The West Wing.

 

Zoey and her two agents, Gina Tuscano and a Chinese gentleman whose first name is Mike, stay at the show's winter quarters from mid-November to mid-March. A third agent, Annie Compton, works with Mary "Cowgirl" West, the circus's 24-hour advance agent. All three carry show radios in addition to their regular ones.

 

In addition to riding horses and elephants, showgirls, which Zoey wants to be, are skilled in the single trapeze, aerial cradle, and Spanish web. Gina learns this stuff, too.

 

Since circus employees that use it are required to inspect, set up, and take down their own rigging, Zoey, Gina, and the other new showgirls spend their first two weeks at winter quarters learning this. Getting fitted for wardrobe is next. Learning to ride horses and elephants follows. After that, they learn their aerial arts.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Rupert Giles and Riley Finn informed the Secret Service and the DHS about the Initiative and related matters just after Sunnydale fell into a sinkhole. Arrangements were made for experts, including Buffy, to teach the Secret Service agents.

 

C.J. and Carol are Xena-style Amazons from the same clan and are quite skilled in combat. Kathy, on the other hand, isn't an Amazon. Instead, she's a member of a ninja clan. Her younger sister, also a ninja, is one of John Hoynes's daughter's fellow Slayers. Kathy's mom, who owns a dojo, is the team's combat teacher.

 

Toby, who is skilled at research and journalism, isn't a secretary. He's the White House Communications Director. Carol, Bonnie, Ginger, and Nancy could easily ward the White House against evil undead.

 

As far as protection for Abbey and Maria goes, I suspect that the members of their details have hospital IDs with "Secret Service" as their department and, since she works in a level one trauma center, some of Abbey's agents wear scrubs like she does.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Zoey and her two agents' date=' Gina Tuscano and a Chinese gentleman whose first name is Mike, stay at the show's winter quarters from mid-November to mid-March. A third agent, Annie Compton, works with Mary "Cowgirl" West, the circus's 24-hour advance agent. All three carry show radios in addition to their regular ones.[/quote']

 

Sounds good. Being male, Mike probably gets stuck with exterior duties a lot. Which sucks, standing guard outside a wardrobe tent in the middle of Winter.

 

 

Rupert Giles and Riley Finn informed the Secret Service and the DHS about the Initiative and related matters just after Sunnydale fell into a sinkhole. Arrangements were made for experts' date=' including Buffy, to teach the Secret Service agents.[/quote']

 

If that's the case, your version of the Secret Service all probably carry stakes in addition to their sidearms. You could even have them be Asp like weapons, that extend to full length when whipped, that way they're more readily concealed.

 

C.J. and Carol are Xena-style Amazons from the same clan and are quite skilled in combat. Kathy' date=' on the other hand, isn't an Amazon. Instead, she's a member of a ninja clan. Her younger sister, also a ninja, is one of John Hoynes's daughter's fellow Slayers. Kathy's mom, who owns a dojo, is the team's combat teacher.[/quote']

 

Yeah, the Slayers would all be run through PPD classes. As well as being taught all the SS's procedures. That way if they were on hand during an emergency, they wouldn't all get in each other's way. Agents would definitely have Teamwork 11- at the very least.

 

Toby' date=' who is skilled at research and journalism, isn't a secretary. He's the White House Communications Director. Carol, Bonnie, Ginger, and Nancy could easily ward the White House against evil undead.[/quote']

 

Being the Watcher, Toby would probably have another, secret title, something along the lines of Director of Supernatural Intelligence. One major thing about modern schools of thought regarding "Bodyguarding" is that, if you're reacting to a gun shot, you failed long before the shot was fired. It's all about Preventative Intelligence these days. 6'6" oafs in black oakleys are only good for crowd control in Hollywood. Most successful corporate Executive Protection agents look like normal business men and women. Of course the Secret Service still puts a lot of stock in beefcake for the Presidential detail, but everybody knows they're there, might as well have the visual deterrent.

 

Also, The White House would be the most supernaturally dead zone on the planet. Cost is irrelevant. Whatever materials the Witches needed would be procured, full stop.

 

As far as protection for Abbey and Maria goes' date=' I suspect that the members of their details have hospital IDs with "Secret Service" as their department and, since she works in a level one trauma center, some of Abbey's agents wear scrubs like she does.[/quote']

 

Well, they wouldn't be in operating rooms, but both Abbey and Maria would have to be very tolerant individuals to put up with the hover factor. Unless they're being threatened constantly, most people's patience for a bodyguard wears thin very quickly.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

I've attached a copy of the Ross Brothers Circus staff his here. It may be updated and replaced later. Since showgirls wear unitards under their costumes, there is no wardrobe tent. Instead, they change and refresh their makeup in the wardrobe area, which is behind a seat truck. There is a wardrobe trailer, but it contains only what is necessary to maintain the wardrobe.

 

The warding of the White House might have been Willow Rosenberg's job.

 

Bonnie, Carol, Ginger, and Nancy probably went through the same training C.J. and Kathy did. I suspect that Bonnie, Ginger, and Kathy do a sweep for supernatural threats before the President arrives and Nancy stays at his side, maybe even carrying his speech when he's going to give one. She and Charlie Young may be the ones to assist him when he's standing and the MS kicks in.

 

Abbey and Maria may ignore everything around them when they're seeing patients, especially when Abbey has her hands full with a medical crisis or Maria is working on someone's eye.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Who are the PCs?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Who are the PCs?

 

Probably the superhero team in the city in which John Hoynes's daughter lives. The Ross Brothers Circus will either play that city or play close to it.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Young Miss Hoynes's first name is Elena. You know her parents are going to want to come and visit. That means a lot of Secret Service are in the city. Guess who gets asked to help.

 

The heroes may run into Elena, her grandparents, and friends anywhere, either in costume or their civialian identity.

 

The Bartlet's might visit, too, especially if Zoey's there.

[Sgt_Pedro]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Ahh, I was thinking the PCs were among the cast of characters already discussed. You're looking for plot ideas with this cast of NPCs then?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Ahh' date=' I was thinking the PCs were among the cast of characters already discussed. You're looking for plot ideas with this cast of NPCs then?[/quote']

 

My original plan was to have the Slayers and friends be allies of the PCs, but a Teen Champions campaign with the three Slayers being among the PCs might be interesting.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Since the campaign's going to be set in Pittsburgh, the Slayers and most of their associates are involved, in some way, with Taylor Allderdice High School, which is located at Forward and Shady Avenues. It's on the web at http://allderdicehs.pghboe.net.

 

Elena's fellow Slayers are Keiko Nakamura and Ronna Jackson, who resembles her cousin, Rona. Elena lives with her grandparents, John and Ellen. Their office is within a mile of the school. Keiko's mother, Midori, owns a dojo down the street from the school and her husband, Hikaru, is the school's new principal. Ronna's mother, Erin, is the school nurse, and her father, Richard, is a fingerprint technician employed by the Allegheny County Crime Lab.

 

Robert Giles is the Watcher. His nephew, Rupert, is the Head Watcher. Robert's beloved, Judy, is the school's computer teacher. The rest of the group consists of three mother-daughter teams.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

The Secret Service agents aren't the only people that watch out for Zoey. Rebecca "Becky" West Reese, a fourth-generation performer, who is both the lead showgirl and human cannonball, is strict with her charges. Any that fail to do their warm ups is grounded.

 

Annette Campbell, M.D., and Catherine Campbell, R.N.P., are very dedicated. They look after the health of everyone on the show from the 40 foot International Harvister type C school bus that's their home and office.

 

In the show, besides riding horses and elephants, Zoey does the single trapeze, Spanish web and aerial cradle.

 

Single trapeze is done over 25 feet above the ground, without a net. Zoey's over ring number one while Becky's over ring number three. The lion arena's in ring number two, or center ring.

 

Spanish web involves web girls doing things while web sitters (or web spinners) control the rope. Zoey's a web girl. Gina might be her web sitter.

 

The aerial cradle involves two people, a flier and a catcher. Zoey flies over ring number one. Becky is her catcher. Two members of the Valdez family are over ring number three.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Jed and John have strict rules about how their daughters interact with the press. Those that want to interview Zoey have to get permission from the circus press office. Those that want to talk to Elena have to get permission from the school administration and the Board of Education.

 

The press were informed in early January of Zoey and Elena's status.

 

While Gina probably has flown two or three feet off the floor (or mat), she probably hasn't been thirty feet off the ground. She does, however, know how to handle the safety gear Zoey uses while practicing.

 

Over Christmass, Zoey and Gina adopted Tigger, an orange tabby kitten that Rumiko, the show's vet, said was a very healthy young lady. They also bought the needed supplies for her.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

The three mother-daughter teams that work with Elena and her friends are Wendy and Karen Clark, Elizabeth and Gwen Thompson, and Jean and Jenny Gray.

 

Wendy and Karen are both Guardian Witches. Wendy teaches chemistry and Karen is a computer whiz.

 

The Thompsons and Grays are Amazons. Gwen and Jenny are also physical education teachers.

 

Wendy, Gwen, and Jenny are considered "cool" by their students.

 

Other "cool" teachers are Gabrielle Anderson, Maria Garcia, and Andera Thomas.

 

Gabrielle teaches drama and is the Amazon queen. Maria teaches Spanish and is an Amazon whose ancestor, Maria Teresa "Tessa" Alvarado was the vigilante known as "The Queen of Swords". Andrea teaches chemistry and is secretly the superheroine Isis.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Back to the circus for a minute. The show has several domestic goats. One, Comet, has a rare deformity of the generative tissues that caused her horns to grow together in the center of the head.

 

Due to the fact that Susan Lopez, one of the two wardrobe mistresses, is legally blind, her visual field has a diameter of only 12 degrees, she has a guide dog. The dog, Sugar, is a well-behaved golden retriever.

 

The various Slayers and associates all carry stakes, holy symbols, and throwing knives. Kathy and Keiko also carry throwing stars.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

One of the wilder ideas I'm thinking of adding involves adding Highlander-style Immortals to the mix. Basically, an organization like the NID, from Stargate SG-1, would have found out about Immortals (from one of the disks the Watchers Council had made) and Slayers (because the Initiative was part of the NID) and blackmailed them into surrendering to them. When they didn't, they published the biographies of everyone on their lists.

 

Of Jed Bartlet's staff, C.J., Carol, and Kathy are all Immortal. C.J. and Carol, Amazons and cousins, were born in 1960 and killed by a vampire in 1978. Their teacher was Connor MacLeod and they carry regular longswords. Kathy, on the other hand, is Sadako Tanaka, a ninja that was active in the 17th century. She started hunting undead when her younger sister became a Slayer. They became Samurai when they saved the Shogun from a vampire and were rewarded with katanas, made by Matasume, that were blessed by various priests. Kathy became Immortal after she, her sister, and their Watcher were killed by a group of vampires. Kathy later put them down. After becoming Immortal, she traveled the world dealing with undead and Immortals that harmed others. During World War II, she was part of the Resistance.

 

Of those close to Elena, Gabrielle and Maria are Immortal. Gabrielle is the same pure-of-heart warrior that rode with Xena of Amphipolis. She also rode with King Arthur and Joan of Arc. During World War II, as Elizabeth "Libby" Lawrence, aka Liberty Belle, she remained stateside. She carries a blessed longsword. Maria is Tessa Alvarado herself. She was in the Resistance during World War II and carries Joan of Arc's sword.

 

Comments?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

The revelations about Immortals came one week before Bartlet's Presidential Inaguration.

 

"According to the crap the NID put out, we aren't human and don't have human rights," C. J. said. "Bush and the big shots in the NSA agree. He's also decided that we're to be arrested and anyone that aids us is to be fired. The Supreme Court disagrees."

 

"So do I," Jed Bartlet said. "Sam, I want you to tell the press that I support the Supreme Court's decision and that anyone who obeys Bush's orders regarding the Immortals and Slayers will be jailed for sedition."

 

"Why can't C.J. say it?" Sam asked.

 

"Some people will say that she's making it up," Kathy replied.

 

"What if I state, in my inaugural address, that I'm going to get rid of the NID?" Jed asked.

 

"They'll go after Zoey, Liz, Ellie, and Elena," Bonnie replied. "That will give us a reason for going after them.

 

"They might be monitoring all lines of communication," Special Agent Ron Butterfield of the United States Secret Service said. "They may even have corrupted some of our people. How do we get around those problems?"

 

"Ron, would you like to command an army consisting of over 100 Amazons and their family members, complete with heavy weapons?" Carol asked.

 

"We have some talking to do," Ron replied.

[Steel Legs]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Um, where's the question? I don't see nothing like a question here at all.

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Um' date=' where's the question? I don't see nothing like a question here at all.[/quote']

 

We are more brainstorming than anything else.

 

Just recently, as an idea, Highlander-style Immortals were added to the mix. An organization, like the NID, from Stargate SG-1, revealed the secret and stated that they, and the Slayers, aren't human. Dubya agreed. The Supreme Court and Jed Bartlet disagreed

 

Three Immortals, two Slayers and a witch, work for Bartlet. Two more teach at the school the Vice President elect's daughter is a student at.

 

What's the Secret Service going to do?

[Mark Rand]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

I'm removing the file containing the Ross Brothers Circus staff and putting a different version of it on another Secret Service thread.

[Thrakazog]

Re: A "The West Wing" Secret Service question, version 2.0

 

Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure bad television stays dead.