The audience applauds.

Bette “Do you think they would care that I’m biracial or a lesbian or that I was raised in Philadelphia if they didn’t see me, personally as a threat to their power structure? I think you know the answer to that. Meanwhile, real threats are endangering our city and they continue to turn away from it.”

Bette can sense that just as suddenly, she is beginning to lose her audience as many start looking down at their phones, many checking them. She is unsure as to why this is happening, but she presses on.

Bette “What’s going to happen when a genuine threat, the kind that threatens not just livelihoods, but our lives?”

She can now hears muttering in the audience, some beginning to gasp. Bette looks over to a member of her election team, Dani Nunez who is now looking up from her phone and the look in Dani’s eyes alerts Bette to there being some kind of danger. Bette motions with her head for Dani to approach her and she does so with a quickened pace.

Dani “We need to get you someplace safe.”

Bette has now turned away from the podium.

Bette “What’s going on?”

Dani shows Bette an image of downtown Los Angeles from her phone. The skyline is the same, but now there is a thick red sky with flashes of lightning in the distance. Dani then escorts her out of the ballroom while another member of the team makes an announcement at the podium about the situation unfolding outside.

Bette “Dani, how long ago did this happen?”

Dani “It was just in the last few minutes, Miss Porter.”

They step inside the elevator that is to take Bette and Dani to their floor.

Bette “Is it natural or man made?”

Dani “I don’t know. I don’t think anybody does. There are reports of flooding up the coast as well as flooding to the east so we’re taking higher ground.”

Bette “Great. I talk about threats and danger and now we’ve got a red fucking sky outside.”

Dani “Yes. Not to be pushy, but I think this would be a good time to remind the voters of your stance on climate change.”

Bette “I wanna see those skies for myself.”