"Sterno," the AWACS crew member excitedly radioed, "I have a primary target — repeat primary target — at your eleven o'clock — nine miles — on the deck, four-hundred-plus knots."
"Were cookin and lookin," Kenner replied in a tight voice. "Stacy, let s take it down, stand by to arm em up."
"Roger," she said tersely, as they began a steep descent. We only have a few seconds, make it good.
Mukheijee was gripping the control yoke with both hands when he blasted low over the highway interchange of Beltway 495 and Little River Turnpike.
Many cars and trucks pulled off the road after the jet thundered overhead, barely above the trees. Some of the motorists, fearful of another massive terrorist attack, began praying for divine intervention while they used their cell phones to call family members.
Reacting on visceral instinct, D'Angelo keyed her radio. "Sterno, you might want to start a left turn to intercept. Ill continue on for a couple of seconds."
"Concur — hang in." He began his turn and lowered the nose.
"Sterno," the AWACS air defense systems operator radioed, "bend it around hard, nine o'clock in the weeds!"
"Sterno is coming around," Kenner said with a low groan, as he pulled more Gs. "Say posit — target."
"Ten — low!"
"Copy—
Booming across the northern finger of Lake Barcroft and then over Jeb Stuart High School, the howling Gulfstream was setting off scores of car alarms. To make matters worse, the sonic booms from the screeching F-16s were shattering dozens of windows. The deafening noise added one more ingredient to the turmoil and fear that was gripping the city.
When the hijacked jet streaked over Arlington Boulevard, Major Kenner caught a glimpse of the ground-hugging G-IV. "Sterno has a tally, have the Gulfstream in sight." He quickly reduced power and pulled heavy Gs to intercept the intruding aircraft.
"Sterno, you have permission to fire — bag him!" an excited voice said from the AWACS.
"Arm em up, Stacy," Kenner said crisply.
"Copy," DAngelo replied, already pulling 7 Gs to align her fighter in trail of her flight leader. She was closing on Kenner at the speed of heat and eased the throttle back.
Sterno keyed his radio. "He's really in the weeds."
Sucking oxygen, Captain DAngelo spotted the G-IV. "I have both of you in sight — get him."
"Have to."
DAngelo rechecked her master arm switch and eased the throttle forward.
Freshly showered and shaved, Cord Macklin was tying his tie in the presidential living quarters when an aide and three Secret Service agents barged through the main entrance.
"This way, Mr. President!" the senior agent said, in the command voice of a marine corps drill instructor. "We have an imminent threat. Follow us now!"
"Lead the way," the startled president said, as he was pushed through the main door. Without asking a single question, Macklin ran between the men as they headed for the nearest shelter. He knew something big was about to happen and it was probably going to involve the White House. He was thankful the first lady was in a safe, secure place.
The Gulfstream was rapidly approaching Arlington National Cemetery when Major Kenner fired the first Sidewinder missile. It wavered a moment and then flew straight into the rear of the G-IVs left engine. The explosion almost ripped the engine from the side of the fuselage.
Rajiv Mukherjee felt the impact and panicked when the cockpit lit up with warning lights. The left engine was destroyed, but the airplane was still flying and controllable. Need a few more seconds. He gripped the yoke with all his strength and stared straight at the White House.
Kenner fired the second AIM-9 missile when the smoking G-IV reached the western perimeter of the historic national cemetery. He saw the missile undulate and then explode in the exhaust of the right engine. The concussive force of the detonation severely damaged the T-tail of the airplane.
Blocking everything from his mind, Mukherjee ignored the cockpit warnings and glanced at the Potomac River. I'm going to make it, have to make it, won't fail.
Switching to guns, Kenner had a malfunction that prevented him from firing the cannon. "Stacy, take him out!" he said as he pulled his F-16 straight into a vertical climb and continued pulling until he was on his back going the opposite direction from DAngelo.
Without hesitation, she fired a Sidewinder missile that hit the Gulfstream in the heavily damaged right engine. The burning Rolls-Royce turbofan departed the G-IV, taking the tail of the airplane with it.
DAngelo fired another 'winder at the same instant the corporate jet pitched down. She flinched when a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile slashed past her fighter. Time to exit She simultaneously stroked the burner and reefed the F-16 into a punishing vertical climb. Hold your fire, guys — I'm on your side.
Pulling back on the useless yoke with the strength of a man who knew he was going to meet Allah, Rajiv Mukheijee glimpsed the White House a split second before the Gulfstream slammed into the intersection of E and 17th Street. The deafening explosion blew out windows and rattled china in the executive mansion.
The Secret Service agents pulled the president down in a White House corridor and covered him with their bodies. Seconds later, they yanked him to his feet and continued running for safety.
The bulk of the G-IV fuselage crashed into the southwest gate of the White House grounds, and then careened across the South Lawn, hitting Marine One a glancing blow before smashing into the visitor entrance and the security fence. The crushed, burned aircraft and the remains of Rajiv Mukheijee and the two Gulfstream pilots came to rest on East Executive Avenue.
The marine flight crew of the VIP helicopter survived the collision with only minor injuries, but the Sikorsky VH-3D was heavily damaged. The exterior of the White House and the lawn sustained extensive damage. Flaming jet fuel sprayed the mansion, and flying chunks of the left engine and the fuselage carved deep furrows in the manicured lawn.
In a matter of seconds, the president was hustled off to Andrews AFB in a caravan of Secret Service vehicles. Pete Adair, General Chalmers, and Hartwell Prost followed a few minutes later in a separate convoy crammed with agents. Steely-eyed veterans, the Secret Service troops were spring-loaded to kill anyone who tried to interfere with their mission.
Chapter 12
Awakened at 6:15 A. M. Pacific Time Zone by a cheerful recorded voice, Jackie and Scott were overwhelmed when they turned on the television. In stunned silence, they assimilated the breaking news about the aerial attacks on the nuclear power plants and the White House. All civil air traffic had been grounded and combat air patrols were being flown over all major U. S. cities. Marine helicopter gun-ships were orbiting over the White House and the U. S. Capitol Building.
The three-hour time difference between Washington, D. C., and Coeur dAlene left Scott and Jackie with a lot of information to absorb. They watched a series of videos from the first live reports near the power plants. The destruction at the nuclear facilities was immense, and the list of casualties was growing. Firefighters were still trying to contain the flames at the plant adjacent to St. Petersburg, Florida.
FAA officials, who followed the flight of the Challenger jet on radar, easily traced the airplane to the FBO in Albany, New York. The FBI was currently interviewing employees and had confirmed the pilot was of Middle Eastern lineage.
"Farkas?" Jackie asked.
"I dont think so." Scott turned the sound down a notch. "Its not his profile. Besides, he's much too valuable to Shayhidi."