Author's Note: This piece is the sequel to Beginnings and continues Rod and Mackenzie's journey together from Yale to the White House.

Turning Point

1. The Insolence of Office

January 27, 2005

Mackenzie Spencer Allen Calloway tried desperately to keep her mind focused on the interview of the nurse practitioner her young colleague was conducting in her office. She'd repeatedly told her best friend and boss, the District Attorney, that the kid neither wanted nor needed her help in this rape case. However, Carl had insisted that due to its high profile, she needed to make sure it was done right.

She sighed and looked at her watch. Crap, she thought. It was after six. She'd promised the twins she'd be home in time for dinner tonight. She hadn't made it home before nine all week, and had hardly spent any time with them—or her husband. But from the sound of it, they were a long way from being done with this interview. She didn't have long to ponder whether there was a way out because her secretary, Corrine Stanley, unexpectedly burst into the room.

"Mac," Corrine said, a look of consternation on her face, "I know you said no interruptions. But they are insisting."

"Who is insisting?" she asked, as all conversation in the room ceased and all eyes focused on her.

"Them," the young woman practically shouted as she pointed behind her to three uniformed Connecticut State Troopers, who loomed in the now open doorway.

Mac stood. "What is going on?" she asked impatiently, directing her question past her secretary.

"Sorry, ma'am," one of them replied taking a few steps into the room, "but we have a warrant for your arrest and strict instructions that you are to be immediately apprehended."

"You have a what?" she exclaimed in shocked disbelief.

"A warrant, Ms. Allen," he answered sheepishly. "For your arrest, I mean."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

She looked at her colleague to try and gauge if this was some office prank. However, he was gaping at her and the trooper with his mouth open and his eyes wide.

"No, ma'am," he said with a hint of his own impatience, "I'm afraid not."

This has to be a joke, she thought again. Mac picked up the phone and began to dial.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't let you do that," the trooper declared insistently.

She put down the phone and glared down at the shorter man. "What's going on? What do you mean I'm not allowed to make a phone call?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he repeated. "But my instructions are…."

"And exactly what is it that am I being charged with?" she interrupted hands on her hips.

"Theft, extortion and attempting to bribe an elected official."

"You've got to be kidding?" she replied rhetorically while ignoring the stunned looks she was getting from her colleague, secretary and the witness.

"No, ma'am."

"And do you have a copy of the warrant with you?" she asked, figuring it was the easiest way to get to the bottom of this prank.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied and handed her a document.

Calmly Mac accepted it and sat down. Casually she perused the document. When she had finished, she leaned back in her chair and asked, "Can I see some identification, please… from all three of you."

All three of them pulled out their law enforcement badges and showed them to her.

Afterwards, she stood and said, "I suppose you have instructions to cuff me?"

"Yes, ma'am," the trooper in charge replied.

"Mac," her colleague interrupted, "you're not really going with them, are you? Let me see that warrant. This has got to be some kind of mistake."

"Billy," she told him with just a hint of sarcasm as she retrieved her purse from the floor and shoved the warrant inside, "I realize you suffer from delusions of grandeur, but I am quite capable of recognizing a valid arrest warrant when I see one. There is no mistake. You might, however, want to let Carl know." She turned to the trooper, handed him her handbag, and held out her hands. "Let's get this over with, okay?"

"Thank you, ma'am," he said gratefully, snapping the handcuffs around her wrists.

As she was being escorted out of the room, Corrine, who was finally able to find her voice again, called out, "Mac, uh, should I call Rod?"

"You can try," she told her wryly. "But I don't think you're going to reach him. He's been incredibly busy lately."