“Where?”
“Near Maine.”
“Not D.C. or New York?”
“No sir.”
“Do they know we know?”
“Yes, sir, a destroyer sent up a flare and the sub returned a radio signal indicating they were aware of being spotted.”
“Did they move off?”
“No, sir, they stayed and made a circle pattern.”
“They’re taunting us,” Zumwalt said as he sat back in his chair and thought.
“Yes, sir, I think they are.”
“Sir, I have a communique from General Ledger at Alaskan Air Command,” Barbara Alton said as she stood in front of the general holding a paper.
“What is it?”
“Two Russian SU 35 fighter jets passed over Alaskan territory.”
“You mean over land?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, how did they get there? Didn’t radar pick them up?”
“No, sir.”
“They’ve been working on radar invisibility,” General Zumwalt said as he looked at Deke.
“They probably flew in hopping the waves. It’s too low for our radar at some points with the mountains, sir, even if they aren’t radar visible”
“Yeah, I hope that’s it because I’d hate to fight an enemy we can’t see.”
“Sir, it’s General Ledger at Alaskan Air Command,” a lieutenant said as he handed Zumwalt the phone.
“Hello, Tommy, what’ve you got?”
“Two more bogies, we chased them off.”
“What were they doing?”
“I don’t know, they break our airspace on occasion but they’ve never gone over land before.”
“Any bombers?”
“No.”
“What do you see now?”
“There’s an entire squadron just off our airspace flying back and forth,” Ledger said.
“Okay, we’re raising the security level.”
“I’ll keep you informed, General.” Zumwalt handed the phone to the lieutenant.
“Okay, so now we go to DEFCON THREE and we keep vigilant all over the globe. Check with every overseas command.”
“Yes, sir,” Deke said and went immediately to his console and began calling.
“Jerry,” General Zumwalt said and Sergeant Fillmore presented himself front and center.
“Yes, sir.”
“Jerry, I want you to look carefully at those satellite photos of Kapustin Yar. I want to know if someone spits on the ground over there.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Deke.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Who’s in charge over there with Deniken out of the picture?”
“The Prime Minster, sir, Vladimir Berelenov.” Walter sat back in his chair and sighed.
“That’s great, I wonder how much vodka he’s had today.”
“Does anyone know what Berelenov is doing and if he’s sober?” Valerie asked as she and Perry walked into the situation room. The Prime Minister had a long history with demon vodka and it was no secret to anyone. His sobriety was certainly a question since he could very well be in charge if anything happened to Deniken. The cabinet members had been scattered around the room discussing what had happened and what to do next. Perry and Valerie were gone twenty minutes but that was expected since the present number one and two needed to talk about strategy.
“Anyone’s guess,” Madam Speaker,” Marty said as they all found seats and came to order after Valerie sat down.
It bears explanation as regards the line of succession to the Presidency in the United States. In the original Constitution, after the President it was the vice-President, Senate majority Leader and the Speaker of the House in that order. In 1886 legislation was passed that changed the order. At this point after the President it was the vice-President, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense etc. However, as time passed in the Twentieth Century concern was raised that with that line of succession it would be possible for someone who was not elected to become President. So, in 1947 Congress passed The Presidential Succession Act that established the line as President, vice-President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Presidential Pro Tem of the Senate then the Secretary of State and the other cabinet officers.
“Well, can we find out who is running the show and can we get in touch with them?” Valerie posed.
“We’re trying, Madam Speaker but without much success,” Marty answered.
“We’ve been trying to get in touch with Berelenov but communications are not very good in Russia as far as us making contact even on a good day, Rita Fitzgerald said.
“Keep trying,” Perry said and Rita nodded.
“Okay, let me have your attention please,” Valerie said and they all looked her way.
“You have our undivided attention, Madam Speaker,” Marty Ingersoll said.
“I have talked with Perry about this, I have considered what was said when I first arrived and given the unsettled nature of the situation coupled with Russian submarine activities, aircraft incursions over Alaska and the situation at Kapustin Yar, I think I should take charge as acting president.” There was silence as they all exchanged glances. Valerie read the room as best she could; there were head nods of agreement, a few raised eyebrows and a couple of heads shaking no. “I know I’ve not kept my ambitions a secret… I wear them on my sleeve. Yes, you’re right, I don’t even try to conceal my desire to be president. But… not this way. Whether you believe it or not I wish I was back in Kerch waiting for the president to return and hash out the treaty. There is no vice-president so I’m second in line. We don’t know where President Lexington is and we don’t know when she’ll be able to resume her duties. Until then this country needs a president front and center. The law is clear… this cabinet must pass a resolution making me acting and I emphasize “acting” president. The moment the President is safe and in contact with this cabinet I step down. If you decide not to act then we’ll continue as we are. I won’t fight you on this and I won’t bring it up again.” There were many strained looks of trepidation and uneasiness.
“I don’t know,” Louise Chen said sheepishly.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we need to act now so the world sees we have leadership in place,” Perry said. There were exchanged looks and a few eyebrows were raised.
“The Twenty-Fifth Amendment?” Haakon Meisner asked. Any legal question needed the attention of the attorney general. He wasn’t a legal scholar nor a Supreme Court Justice but he was the best available source and his opinion was important.
“Yes,” Valerie answered.
“But we don’t know the fate of the President,” Haakon reminded everyone.
“That is precisely the problem,” Defense Secretary Rojas pointed out.
“I’m not assuming the worst but we have to have someone in place making decisions of national security,” Valerie said.
“Military decisions?” Homeland Security Director Marcus Washington asked.
“Yes, if the need arises.”
“We’re not there yet,” Marty Ingersoll said.
“No and hopefully we won’t get there but what if Kapustin Yar starts launching missiles at us? Then what?” Valerie looked around the table and there was silence as looks were exchanged. “Well, let’s have it. Do you want us to just sit here while nuclear missiles are falling on our major cities including this one?”
“No, but once we start retaliating with missiles, there’s no turning back and it’s the… end, Madam Speaker,” Susan Rojas said.
“Yes, Madam Secretary, I’m aware of the finality of nuclear war,” Valerie replied and turned with a grunt.
“I think Valerie is right, we have to be prepared and having someone in charge sends a clear message to the Russians to take things slow,” CIA Director Fitzgerald stated.