Chase felt like an idiot for not recognizing who he was.
The director said, “Susan has just finished walking us through the update on a possible Chinese connection with the Beltway attacks.”
“It’s circumstantial,” said the NSA. “Maybe this Chinese spy was in the building across the street for another reason. Or maybe he was even watching the Iranians, but he wasn’t the one who had planted the orders to strike. We need to give the FBI more time to do their job and investigate.”
Chase stayed quiet. The public fury over the attacks was like nothing he’d seen since September 11, 2001. There were over two hundred innocent civilians dead. Many of them were government employees or family members. Everyone in the D.C. area knew someone who had been affected. And the reports from the media all pointed to one source: Iran.
Chase wouldn’t argue with that. It was the Iranians who had attacked. He saw that with his own eyes. But just like the attacks in Dubai a few weeks ago, there was more to the story.
“Susan? Anything you want to add?” the director asked.
She crossed her legs. “Gentlemen, I agree that the FBI needs time to complete their investigation. But there are other things at play here, as you well know. Right now our military is preparing to strike in Iran. This is the second Iranian attack on US military or civilian personnel in a few weeks. Both times, there have been links to the Chinese. We can’t ignore that.”
“And we won’t ignore it,” Sheppard said. “But the president can’t ignore that a radical Islamic nation that hates everything we stand for has just attacked our country. We need to strike back, and strike back hard. To send them a message — to send the whole world a message — that you can’t mess with the United States and get away with it. And you know what, I don’t care if the Chinese were involved. They didn’t pull the triggers. The Iranians did. So don’t you tell me that the Iranians were innocent.”
“Sir, with all due respect, I was there on scene. I know that the Iranians weren’t innocent.”
The director spoke softly. “Chuck, Chase was driving home on the Beltway when it happened. He took down three of the terrorists, saving a lot of lives. And he helped capture the only one that was taken alive. Please cut him a little slack.”
The NSA raised an eyebrow. “You did all that, huh? Well, I thank you for what you’ve done. But you must understand that these are tense times. We can’t be playing games here. You of all people should realize that.”
Susan spoke up. “Sir, I think what my colleague Mr. Manning is trying to say is that, if the Chinese were involved — if they triggered the attack somehow — then attacking Iran won’t be the right response.”
The NSA said, “Tell me how attacking the country that just attacked us isn’t the right response.”
Susan said, “Sir, the Chinese wouldn’t have done this without a reason. We have evidence that they’ve been fanning the flames of a conflict between the United States and Iran for several weeks now, if not longer. If we attack Iran, we’d be playing into their hands. And with the intelligence David Manning has given us—”
The NSA scoffed. “David Manning. This is the guy that we arrested a few weeks ago for cyberterrorism with Iran?”
The director held up his hand. “Now, Chuck, that was a misinformation campaign. Which we also believe had roots in China. David Manning has been completely cleared. I can speak to that. His interviews and background checks over the past few weeks have been extremely thorough.”
“But you know that not all the information he’s given us checks out,” Sheppard said. “Our own assets in China are saying that they have no idea about any Americans in captivity on an island, and that they had nothing to do with the Dubai attacks.”
Director O’Malley held up his hand. “We’re looking into that further.” The director looked at Chase. “Chase, I apologize for any discomfort it causes you for us to discuss your brother like this. I assure you that we trust him; otherwise, I would not have invited him to be a part of the SILVERSMITH operation. And, quite frankly, you wouldn’t be in this room. But there are, as Mr. Sheppard points out, inconsistencies with other bits of intelligence coming out of China.”
Chase fumed but stayed quiet. He noticed that the NSA cast a glance at him when he mentioned his brother’s name. Chase knew there were members of the government who didn’t trust the information coming from his brother. But he hadn’t seen such an overt questioning of the accuracy of David’s word at this high a level.
Chase also began to wonder just why was he was in this room. A high-level meeting like this wasn’t something that someone in his community — the CIA’s Special Operations Group — was normally invited to.
Director O’Malley said, “We have human intelligence coming out of China — sources in both the PLA and the Chinese government. And they don’t match up with a large-scale Chinese military attack. For instance, aside from the military buildup at the Red Cell island, there aren’t any indications of troop movements.”
The NSA said, “It’s the Central Committee that I care most about. The PLA wouldn’t do anything unless the Central Committee okays it. And your sources in the Central Committee have always been good, right?”
“I am familiar with these sources, sir. And that is correct, they’ve always been very reliable,” Susan said.
Sheppard said, “And to be clear, the Central Committee sources have reported nothing unusual. No reports of military activity, buildups, increased training…”
“That’s correct, sir.”
“And no secret plans to kidnap Americans and bring them to the Red Cell island?” he persisted.
She shifted in her seat. “Sir, while that is accurate, our current hypothesis is that Jinshan’s group in the Ministry of State Security might have—”
“Aw, that’s bullshit, and you know it. There’s no way an operation of that size and scope could have gone through Jinshan alone. Yes, I understand that he’s got a lot of pull over there. But — and this is information coming from you guys”—he pointed at the three CIA members, leaning forward and raising his eyebrows—“there is no military movement that indicates the Chinese are going to attack American forces. Is that right?”
Susan sighed. “Sir, I admit that we have more work to do. The human intelligence sources in China don’t fully corroborate David Manning’s information. But I would point out that we still have eighteen missing Americans, some of whom are high-level clearance types from our military and intelligence communities. These are the same people David Manning and Henry Glickstein say were on the Red Cell island.”
The NSA raised his voice. “Well, it sure would be nice if you could get us on that island, or get the Chinese to give us a tour. But all our channels, including our military and intelligence backchannels, have assured us that there are no Americans on that island, and that all that information David Manning gave us is conspiracy theory bullshit.” He looked at Chase. “Son, I mean no offense.”
Chase looked at the NSA. He clenched his fists under the coffee table. I’ve killed better men than you. He said, “None taken.”
The NSA said, “I’m sure your brother believes he is telling the truth. And he might be. But the president needs to take action on real, hard evidence. Verifiable proof. And this Beltway attack… the Persian Gulf attacks… ladies and gentlemen, I can say without a doubt that the Iranians were responsible in a big way. Let’s focus on that.”