The world media began to immediately theorize whether Iran would take their retaliation against Israel to another level—the use of nuclear weapons. Despite the nuclear nonproliferation agreement entered into with Iran more than a decade prior, the rogue nation continued to develop enriched uranium. Quickly, with the help of North Korea and Russia, Iran had amassed nearly a hundred nuclear warheads, to put it on par with Israel in the region.
The nuclear silos dotting the mountains and desert region along the Iraqi border in western Iran were barely a thousand miles from the Israeli targets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. An Iranian nuclear warhead affixed to a cruise missile could strike Israel about twenty minutes after launch.
President Helton ran on a platform of stopping the nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. He used especially strong words against North Korea, who was the primary supplier of technology and materials to the Tehran government. The DPRK’s actions had just been a continuation of their open defiance of the international community as it related to the nuclear arms race in South Asia and the Middle East.
As a result, the Pentagon was strongly urging the president to resume nuclear testing. Jenna had told Peter about a faction within the Department of Defense that wanted to abandon the current zero-yield standard, the prohibition of test explosions that produce a nuclear chain reaction of any kind. Congress had refused to provide the Pentagon funding for the testing, so they sought an end-run of the budgetary process by asking the new president to reallocate discretionary monies within the budget. Thus far, President Helton, who was decidedly anti-nuke, had resisted.
The other policy issue, as Peter saw it from the perspective of the State Department, was whether the countries like Iran, North Korea, and even Pakistan would see the president’s inaction as a sign of weakness. Publicly, the secretary of state did her level best to talk tough to America’s adversaries, warning them against the use of ballistic missiles in any conflict.
The continual war of words between America and her adversaries often reminded Peter of something his father, Hank, had told him when he was young. Words are cheap, but at times, they’re all you can afford. Words will just be words until you act on them.
He closed his eyes for a moment and envisioned what that would look like.
CHAPTER TEN
Saturday, October 19
Driftwood Key
Hank Albright operated a hotel and resort. He was not a cruise director responsible for keeping his guests entertained. Ordinarily, those who enjoyed the environs of Driftwood Key found plenty of things to do without keeping their eyes focused on the television while drinking coffee. He understood their insatiable desire to be in-the-know. He had been like that once until he had an awakening one day. He realized there was nothing he, on an individual basis, could do about newsworthy events. Unless they affected him or the inn, it was just clutter in his brain. This sense of independence from the outside world probably kept him off Prozac or from swimming in the bottom of a bottle of rum.
Because it was Saturday, many of the guests chose to avoid Key West because a cruise ship was in port. The citizens of Key West had passed a referendum limiting the number of passengers who could disembark a cruise ship at any given time to fifteen hundred. Most major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian didn’t operate ships small enough to pull into Key West. Boutique cruise operators like Oceania and Crystal were regulars.
He got with Jimmy and immediately organized a backgammon tournament for those who didn’t already have plans. They set up lounge chairs under umbrellas near the thatched-roof tiki bar. Hank offered some prizes in the form of Driftwood Key swag like tee shirts, caps, and novelties. It was all in fun and designed to take their minds off world events.
Erin Bergman’s sisters had all gathered around the media room and enjoyed coffee with a variety of pastries prepared by Phoebe. Hank periodically peered out the windows toward the stairs leading up to the main house in search of Erin, who’d abruptly left during dessert the night before. He was beginning to wonder if she had been forced to leave without notice.
Her older sister picked up on Hank’s demeanor and pulled him aside. “Erin has to be available for a conference call this morning. She hasn’t been called back to Washington. You know, in case you were wondering.”
Hank blushed. He guessed his concern was obvious. “I know things must be stressful in the White House. I’m sure they’d recall her if necessary, right?”
The sister nodded. “Fortunately, she’d be out of the loop on national security matters.”
Hank thanked her for the update, and after the news story switched to the punditry portion of the programming, everyone gladly escaped the main house and descended across the pristine Bermuda grass lawn until they reached the white sand beach.
Hank had called in the steel drum band early that day so the atmosphere could be upbeat and festive. After mimosas were offered and good-luck toasts were shared by all, the backgammon tournament began.
Backgammon is a two-player game during which the goal is to move your checker-like pieces along a board consisting of twenty-four points, or spaces. With each roll of the dice, pieces are moved until they are in your home board and can then be taken off. Whoever removes their pieces first wins.
It’s a game that requires strategy but one that doesn’t require one hundred percent focus. It had been a favorite of sailors who were more interested in soaking in the rum than winning the game, although it was also a favorite of gamblers.
Once everyone was settled in, Hank wandered toward the long dock that stretched into the Gulf. The water was calm that morning, and the fish that fed off the barnacles attached to the piers would be in full view. He squinted his eyes and noticed a woman standing at the end of the dock under the thatched roof. She was wearing a white linen coverup that blew slightly with the breeze, as did the American and Conch Republic flags flanking the pier.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, glanced around, and moseyed onto the dock. A minute later, he’d joined Erin, who was deep in thought.
“Am I interrupting?” he asked politely.
Somewhat startled, she looked down at herself shyly and pulled her bathing suit coverup across her body. She smiled at Hank and replied, “No, not at all. Actually, my little brain needed a break from thinking.”
Hank joined her side and laughed. “Somehow, I doubt your brain is little.”
“Well, let’s just say it’s too small for all the crap swirling around in there.”
Hank paused before he continued. He pointed toward a stingray that casually swam by the dock. The cow-nosed, mystical creature was oblivious to its admirers as it searched for its next meal.
“Don’t you wish you could be that guy?” he asked jokingly.
“Not a care in the world,” she replied. She let out a deep sigh.
“Let me know if I’m overstepping, Erin, but is it worse than what the media is letting on?”
“In some respects, yes. In others, no. The media tends to overdramatize things to keep viewers’ eyes glued to the screen. It’s what they don’t know that is concerning.”
“Oh?” asked Hank.
Erin leaned forward and placed her elbows on the deck railing as the stingray swam out of sight. She fiddled with her hands.
“International politics are complicated. Over the last hundred years, America’s adversaries have changed. The Nazis and Japanese were a clearly defined enemy until they were defeated. Then the Soviet Union tried to take advantage of the power vacuum. They were soon joined by China as the communists began to have a greater influence around the world.