Craig Russell, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, made his way to the Oval Office, nodding to the various public servants and household staff as he went.
The EPA Director showed the two Secret Service agents his clearance pass, and the opened the door. Russel went inside and nodded to the man behind the desk. "Mr. President."
"Yes, Director?" the President of the United States replied. "You said you had an important matter to discuss?"
"I'm afraid I do." Director Russell sat down, opened his briefcase, and removed a tablet. "Satellite photos caught this happening in a small town out west."
The President giggled as he watched the screen. "You called a meeting to tell me about some town holding a clown festival?"
"I'm afraid it's far more serious than that." Russell paused the screen which showed an ordinary looking family standing on the sidewalk. "Now watch what happens." Russell restarted the screen, which showed a clown car passing by the family, emitting a huge cloud of pinkish smoke. When the smoke cleared, in place of the father, mother, and three children were five clowns.
"Something is happening in this town that's turning its inhabitants into clowns," Russell continued. "It doesn't just affect their bodies, it's also effecting their clothes and, in some cases, building and vehicles. Even stranger, those effected seem under some kind of compulsion to behave like the clowns they look like. This seems linked to the gasoline supply, but even those who didn't breathe the exhaust fumes are changing, albeit more slowly.
"Luckily, this town is largely isolated, more than 100 miles from the nearest other populated areas, so the situation should be easy to contain. I already have a plan in place, but we have to act NOW. And for that I need your approval."
"What does this plan involve?"
"We don't have time to discuss the details, Mr. President." Russell let out a sigh. "Whatever is causing this could spread and we can't waste a single second. This way, you'll have complete deniability; I'll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong."
"It doesn't involve killing anyone?" The President was nearing the end of his first term without a single scandal; after the disasters caused by his predecessors from both parties, he wanted it to continue.
The EPA Director shook his head. "No, Mr. President. You have my word."
Craig Russell