“We are hearing conflicting reports on the extent of the damage in New York,” Al-Hassani said. “What can you tell me?”
Lucente turned and stared out over the cityscape. “Manhattan no longer exists,” he said softly. “Turtle Bay was completely destroyed, and the U.N. building with it. All of our New York staff is dead. All of our records were destroyed. Our computer backup facility was destroyed. Every diplomatic mission has been wiped out. The magnitude is simply incalculable.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Al-Hassani said.
The two men sat in silence for several minutes.
“Can Khalid get you anything?” the Iraqi leader finally asked quietly.
“No, nothing,” Lucente said.
A few minutes later, Lucente changed his mind and asked for some hot tea. Tariq signaled a steward, and a pot of tea and two china cups were promptly brought over to their table.
“We have to rebuild — to show the world there is still hope of a peaceful future — but we will have to start over from scratch,” Lucente said.
Al-Hassani added some honey to his tea and asked, “Will you rebuild in the U.S.?”
The secretary-general shook his head. “Honestly, I haven’t had time to give it much thought,” he replied. “Brussels, perhaps. Maybe Rome. I was just in China, as you know. I’m sure there will be a great deal of pressure to relocate to Asia, though — between you and me — I don’t picture us being in Beijing. Indeed, based on the rumors I’m hearing out of the U.S., there may not be a Beijing by week’s end. I’m afraid this whole thing could go from bad to worse.”
Al-Hassani nodded but said nothing for a little while. He wasn’t sure he was ready to discuss a nuclear war between the U.S. and China. One step at a time, he told himself. He needed to control this conversation, guide it where he needed it to go, and he needed to do it carefully, precisely.
“You are certainly welcome to come here, Salvador,” he said at last. “We would count it a great honor. We would even build you a headquarters at our own expense.”
“Thank you,” Lucente said. “That is most generous. It really is. But I’m not sure if I can afford your price, Mustafa.”
Al-Hassani sat quietly, careful not to smile.
“Jerusalem, right?” Lucente asked.
It was actually more of a statement than a question, but it was right on the mark.
Al-Hassani shrugged. “The attack on the United States — the situation, shall we say — has changed everything, has it not?” he asked.
“How do you mean?” Lucente asked.
“Well, perhaps this is not the best time to be discussing this — I certainly don’t want to appear insensitive — but it was President MacPherson, of course, who was supporting Prime Minister Doron in his efforts to build the Jewish Temple.”
“That’s not entirely accurate, Mr. President, and you know it,” Lucente said.
“Fine,” Al-Hassani conceded. “Perhaps MacPherson didn’t support the Temple, but he didn’t oppose it either, and that has had the same effect. But now, tragically, everything has changed. The new American president, President Oaks, will surely have other issues to wrestle with than the future of the Temple Mount, will he not?”
“Just what are you trying to say, Mustafa?” Lucente pressed.
“I’m saying that perhaps in the current environment, new pressures could be brought to bear to stop the Israelis from completing the Temple.”
“Nothing can stop the Israelis,” Lucente said bluntly. “I’m told construction will be done by fall, perhaps by Yom Kippur.”
“I hear the same rumors you do,” Al-Hassani assured the secretary-general.
“Then you know this isn’t a project Prime Minister Doron is about to abandon,” Lucente said.
Al-Hassani shook his head. “Don’t be so sure,” he countered. “With America neutralized — and thus with the might of the American military no longer backing the Israelis — I suspect Mr. Doron could be forced to think twice about defying the will of the international community.”
Lucente set down his teacup and looked Al-Hassani straight in the eye. “Mustafa, tell me you were not behind these attacks.”
Al-Hassani affected a stunned expression. “What? How could you even think such a thing?”
“Tell me I’m wrong,” Lucente said.
“I won’t even dignify that with a response,” the Iraqi leader sniffed, not daring to look at Tariq.
“I will ask you again,” Lucente pressed. “Did you or did you not have anything whatsoever to do with these attacks on the United States?”
“I’m insulted by the very premise,” Al-Hassani snapped back. “We don’t even have any nuclear weapons. You should know that better than anyone.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no,” Lucente said. “I have seen intelligence reports that several Russian tactical nuclear weapons that were known to be in the region, or on the way, were unaccounted for after the Day of Devastation.”
“I have heard such reports myself,” Al-Hassani agreed.
“And?”
“And what?”
“And I have heard rumors that those tactical nukes were found by Iraqi forces and brought back to Babylon for safekeeping,” Lucente said.
“Lies,” Al-Hassani shot back. “Who told you that? the Kurds? the ones who now want to pressure you and the rest of the world into letting them illegally secede from the United States of Eurasia to form their own pathetic little country? Liars. They are all liars! We have no nuclear weapons. We’ve never had nuclear weapons. We never will have nuclear weapons. And I for one am deeply offended that you would come here, to my home, and accuse me of seeking to annihilate the very country that liberated me and my people from the tyranny of Saddam and his sons.”
“I am not accusing,” Lucente repeated calmly. “I am simply asking questions — questions the whole world will soon be asking me. Do you not agree that the secretary-general of the United Nations should have answers to such questions?”
But the Iraqi leader made it clear with his expression that the answer was an adamant no.
28
Bennett was stunned.
It wasn’t him. It was Oaks. But why would the new president call him? Why now?
“Jon, is that you?”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President,” he replied, swallowing hard.
“I understand you’re in the Middle East right now — is that right?”
“Yes, sir — Jordan, sir.”
“In a refugee camp of some kind?”
“That’s correct, sir. Erin and I have been here since just after our honeymoon.”
“What’s that, about six months now?”
“Closer to seven, sir.”
“Well, good for you — both of you. It must be rewarding to do something good while all hell breaks out, no?”
“It was until today,” Bennett said, grateful for the kind words but uncomfortable with the focus on him and Erin under the circumstances.
“Indeed,” the president replied so quietly that Bennett could barely hear him. “That’s why I’m calling.”
“I don’t even know what to say, Mr. President,” Bennett said. “I’m so sorry to hear about President MacPherson and his family, and about everything that’s happened, of course. Words cannot even begin…”
Bennett’s voiced trailed off. Powerful emotions were again forcing their way to the surface, and he had to fight to keep them back.
“What’s happened today is incomprehensible,” Oaks agreed, his own voice wavering a bit.