A Game of Chess

Chapter 1: Tensions

President Truman had his face standing on one of his hands, very unusual for the president, rounded circled glasses mindlessly slipping off his nose, most likely from the sweat. Marshall was acting more stern these past couple of days. His stance was very militaristic, his chin facing up like when he was out training the newer soldiers. The American had no idea why he was here, but he could make a guess.

The president let out a sigh, and straightened his back starting off with, "Well Alfred you may be wondering why we've called you here." He pushed his glasses into place and looked back at the confused person. "We wanted to talk to you about Russia and *The Marshall Plan."

"What about them?" Alfred responded. Although him and Ivan were having a bit of rough spot at the moment, it wasn't like it was affecting the country.

"Do you remember the deal we stroke with them? That they may keep the eastern countries as long as they followed a democratic pattern with the smaller nations?" Mr. Marshall spoke up.

"Yeah? They said they'd give them fair elections to choose their government right?" The American said. This doesn't look like this is going to go anywhere good.

"They said they were, turns out they never did." Mr. Marshall continued.

"What?" He shot out of his chair and exclaimed. "Mr. President, what is he talking about?"

"There were no elections, were no votes. As soon as the Russians got to them, they're now under the communist regime." A small pause for a moment before resuming, "That means your Lithuanian friend Toris is now one of those communists too."

He stared at the men and a question popped into his mind. "With all due respect sir, I am thankful you're telling me this, but why are you telling me before the meeting? Why not after?"

Slowly getting out of his wooden chair, he turned to grab a cigarette and a lighter. "We're telling you this, because we want you to keep an eye on your Russian comrade." He cupped his hands around the small fire, kindling it towards the end of the cigarette. Taking a puff of it, he gestured at Marshall to finish the rest.

Mr. Marshall nodded towards the President and then looked back at Alfred. "Listen kid, we know you want to help out your family and all, but we need some insurance if the communists really do go trying to colonize the world. And that's what the Marshall Plan is here for. We can rebuild Europe and deflect the Russians at the same time."

Alfred stared down, and left Mr. Marshall quiet. He needed to think this over. "So let me get this straight. You want me to fly over there and swoon all of Western Europe to our side?"

"Strange way of putting it, but yes." The smell of smoke had ventilated the entire room, small rivers from the President were flowing from the thin stick he held between his fingers. After taking a few more puffs, he dropped the cigarette butt into an ashtray on the desk and turned to Alfred, all joy deprived from his face. His mouth smelled awful, after all it stunk of tobacco. "This is no longer war Jones. This is a game of chess, where your board is the world and your pawns are your followers. If you want to win this game and trust me you will, then you can no longer be the child you were before this. You've now entered reality and as soon as the *Recovery plan is launched, it'll only be a matter of time for either one of our countries to fall, do you understand?"

He stumbled, taken aback by the sudden change of atmosphere in this room. The two elder gentlemen watched him closely, waiting for his response. 

"Yes sir." Alfred saluted. He won't lose, not when he's gotten this far.

---------------(End Sequence)---------------

So that's exactly what he has been doing these last couple of months. He'd visited a couple of Nordics, England, Belgium, Netherlands, and just recently France.