President Aloe Hill realized he was clenching the edge of the conference table when his hands went numb. He let go. "Tell me again."

"Eurasia is protesting the tax hike, and China is threatening to close the NSR-1 Belt to prevent infrastructure damage from economic extremists. Meanwhile, we are coordinating with Australia," the nervous aide glanced at his notes and continued shakily, "for mass migration as climate control mechanisms fail. We're feeling the effects in the Americas, too. The west coast of the United States is dealing with unprecedented water shortages."

The head of the EPA gruffly interjected, "But, we're confident this year's torrential rain season will temporarily fix that."

"And bring a whole host of other problems. More flash floods." Aloe squared his jaw. "It'll take divine intervention to keep this planet from going under."

"Funny you should say that," the aide chuckled. "There's a new Church of Aloe making waves on social media. Members worship you in viral memes."

"Great. Religious fanatics. Just what I need." As the President of One United, every day he had to save the world. He needed to come up with solutions. So why was his mind on a woman he could not have? "Let's take a recess," Aloe replied. His gaze darted to Yai Asceni, the bodyguard near the exit. He gestured for her to stay as the other officials filed out of the room.

Four years ago, Aloe had been a Silicon Valley GreenTech mogul. He had invented the deep artificial intelligence drone—DAID—for nuclear waste clean-up in the South Pacific from WWIII. Within months, the damaged area was environmentally reclaimed, and the war from a hundred years prior seemed forgettable. Aloe won the election by a landslide later that year.

He was well aware corporations had put him in office for their own personal gain. Having a tech genius in government all but assured they could push their special interests—like artificial intelligence that had been banned shortly after the War of the World. Aloe had given them their way. Robotics was the present. The cost to humans was profound.

Half of the problems he faced were man-made, bolstered by a generation of luckless, bored homo sapiens who had nothing else to do but be disgruntled.

Now at thirty-eight years old, Aloe was the youngest leader of the new free world, but it was a job he had never wanted. Things were reverting back to the chaos he had inherited, and Aloe wanted to step down. Someone else could play God. He was tired...and he was falling for her.

* Video Credit: "Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith