The cameras flash as I walk into the crowded chamber. It’s the day of the Ethics Committee investigation as they weigh indicting me on corruption charges. But from the look and feel of things, you’d think it was the first day of the goddamn circus.

I sit down at a table, as the lawmakers sit in a raised dais that forms a semi-circle facing me. The audience is behind me, with press kneeling across from me, underneath the legislators.

You’ve seen this image a thousand times. Congressional hearings. Raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Well, I do. And if people are listening to me as I tell them the truth they’ll see that there is no corruption here. Just thinking about the future—something we should all be doing.

"Governor Andrews, thank you for coming down to see us today," the Democratic Majority Leader begins. Of course he’s thanking me. The camera flashes are enough to blind you if you look at them too closely. This is more press coverage than he’s gotten all year. He's been keeping a low profile ever since those rumors of him and that underage Girl Scout came out on TMZ. Not that they were able to prove anything—the girl’s family all of a sudden moved to the Bahamas and seemed to have a large infusion of cash into their accounts. It boggles my mind that this man is in the same party as me. But what really gets me is that he’s sitting in judgment over me, determining if I’ve maybe had a lapse in judgment that I need to be investigated by him.

"Thank you, Senator," I say back. The New York State Legislature is broken down into a State Senate and State Assembly. It’s the Senate that does the investigating. The Assembly just does the rubber stamping whatever I tell them to do. Right. You don’t need to correct me. They used to rubber stamp whatever I told them to do. Back when I had approval ratings that were in the double digits—way higher than the 9% they’re at now after falling sharply the last two days.

"Let’s go ahead and get started, shall we," the Majority Leader says. "But before we do, I’d like to invite an outside counsel to also participate in the questioning considering that he has been so helpful in uncovering some of the more disturbing facts in this situation."

Okay. So that’s unusual. You don't usually see outside players come into an Ethics Committee investigation. Because you haven’t had a chance to properly vet them. You don't know what kind of bias and agenda they’re coming in with. Plus, there was no real notice. I didn’t get a chance to prepare.

For lack of a better word, it’s a bit…unethical.

Shows you the kind of damn snakes I’m dealing with here. But that’s okay. Because I’m Carter Andrews. I became Governor based on my sheer ability to get things done. No one, and nothing, can take me down.

That's what I think. That’s what I know. And I still believe it even when the Mayor of New York City, and Editor-In-Chief of the New York Daily Journal walks in. There’s some hushed whispering.

"The chair recognizes Michael Anders, Mayor of New York City. Due to his position as the head of the Anders Media empire, he serves as Editor-In-Chief of the New York Daily Journal and has uncovered a great deal of the pertinent facts in this investigation," the Majority Leader says, as if reading from notes. He lifts his head to look at Michael. "Mr. Mayor, you have the floor to ask your questions."

Michael nods. I can’t believe the Majority Leader, as a Democrat, is okay with letting Michael Anders grill me. The Mayor doesn’t have a political party affiliation, but anyone who’s read the Daily Journal over the last two months realizes that there’s some sort of bias there behind the tone of the newspaper against me.

Michael Anders clears his throat.

"Governor Andrews," he says into the microphone. "Can you please state your full name, your office and how long you have served in that office for the record?"

I wonder what the Mayor is going to go for as I answer, "Carter Andrews, Governor of New York State for the last two years."

The Mayor nods from his raised seat on the dais.

"And would you conclude that your signature achievement in the first two years of your office would be what you refer to as the New York State Clean Air and Water Act?" Michael asks.

I nod, but then realize I need to answer. "I do," I say. It’s true. You’ve heard me say it before. And I’m more than happy to say it again. The environmental legislation that I got through the State Legislature is going to save lives. It’s already saved lives.

Michael nods and asks. "And Governor, were you in any way encouraged or prodded to push this legislation through at the expense of all others by any outside party?"

What kind of a stupid question is that? I lean forward and simply say, "No."

As if expecting this, Michael retorts with a, "I find that very hard to believe, Governor, that you would sacrifice pushing through a transportation bill, a crime bill, and a jobs bill, just to push through environmental legislation."

"We still have two more years," I respond back.

"You plan to work on those initiatives, next? Really?" Michael asks, voicing incredulity.

"Yes," I answer back. I’m only going to answer questions here. When he gives me a chance to make my case, that’s when I’m going to verbally rip his goddamn throat out.

"And that once you passed the environmental bill, you started attending fundraisers hosted by China First Bank; can you explain that as well?" Michael asks and I’m silent. I only went to it because I had to. I hate raising money. But it's a necessary evil. "Can you explain why up until passage of your environmental legislation you were never invited to a China First Bank fundraiser, but all of a sudden afterwards you found you had the time."

Dammit. This isn’t going to look good when I tell him the truth. "I was busy being Governor before, but once that priority was taken care of, I began to think about the next four years and the kind of fundraising I’d have to do."

"But you didn’t think of that before?" Michael asks. "You didn’t once ask for or receive an invitation to go to an event sponsored by China First Bank? You never thought to yourself that if you started fundraising as you call it, earlier, you’d have to raise less each day? All of a sudden these doors began to open up only once you passed the environmental bill, is that your story?

I know what Michael Anders is trying to do here. I can see his strategy. He’s a snake.

Everyone knows the billionaire mayor of New York City is looking to move up to becoming Governor one day. Everyone knows he’s got his eyes set on a prize even bigger than that.

It all falls into place now. He’s trying to clear the way.

Well, then he’s got another thing coming. It’s time to take my case directly to the people.

"Governor Carter?" Michael asks, eyeing me with an evil smile. "Did you have an answer?"

I take a sigh. This isn’t how I wanted to end up describing my actions. But you don’t always get a chance to pick and choose the time and place of the battle.

"I think you’re a bit confused as to the nature of the environmental bill if you’re asking me that question," I say bluntly. "And I think it displays a curious lack of awareness in government for you to ask me that."

There are some muted whispers that go through the room. I’ve just stood up to my interrogator. But I don’t stop. I need to keep going.

"Imagine if you will turn on the water at your kitchen sink, and seeing thick brown sludge come out," I speak into the microphone. I can see several of the photographers turn white at the thought. "Imagine getting tumors from eating tainted beef. Having your lifespan shortened by twenty years because you inhaled too much methane. That’s all we attempted to stop."

"Is that so. In that case can you…" Michael Anders tries to continue but I stop him. Hard.

"Yes that is so, Mr. Mayor," I say sharply, raising some eyebrows. "And if you stopped once to look at the people who live in this state—aside from the other wealthy Manhattanites you surround yourself with—you’d see that New Yorkers are getting sicker at a much higher rate than the rest of the nation. They’re also dying at a younger age."

"Are you trying to say I don't know the…" Michael is about to start again but I cut him off.

"I’m trying to say, Mayor," I say with a damn sneer. "That you don’t care about anyone other than yourself. You could care less about me, the environment, or even the jobs you think my bill is going to kill."

"You’re out of line, Governor!" Michael shouts. "And as someone who is standing here testifying in the hopes of avoiding a corruption and bribery scandal, you’re not doing yourself a bit of good."

I think back to the Mayor and everything surrounding him. How he only came out as gay six months ago, right before the New York City mayoral election. This man fooled a city of 8 million. It’s time for someone to show the world who he really is.

"You want to know what I think?" Michael asks me aggressively. I don't get a chance to answer. But I bet you he’s going to tell me anyways. "I think you had a secret quid pro quo deal with the Chinese, Governor. Maybe not a deal—that implies intelligence. But they tugged at your heartstrings. Poor environment. Save the owl. Or something like that."

Jesus Christ. I’m sitting there, silent as he continues. "And then once you did what they told you to like a good little boy, they decided to start rewarding you." There is angry grumbling all around me. People can’t believe this garbage, can they?

"But, unfortunately Governor Andrews, this time you got your hand caught in the cookie jar. And now it's time to pay," Michael declares.

I got to admit. This man has played me very admirably. This is going to be a lot more of a knife-fight than I realized.

That’s when I hear a voice behind me at the back of the chambers near the door.

"Mr. Mayor, if you’re going to start accusing Governor Andrews of things, you better say it to my face too," Liam says, as people begin to whisper and low murmurs start rippling through the hall. "That way I can see that smug look of yours on it before I bash it in with my fucking fists."

Yeah. This wasn’t how I had intended for today to go down, either.