“It’s still a Communist country, Mr. President, and its goal of driving Western influence from Asia and becoming a world superpower has never wavered.”
“So? What does that mean, Farbros?”
“Mr. President, the North Korean action is a ruse. They will not cross the DMZ in force nor will they push the envelope to the point that we’ll be compelled to counterattack.”
“Well, they’ve already done something to encourage a counterattack.
Regardless of what they intended, we have to respond. They crossed the DMZ when they bombed Seoul.”
“We have a commitment to the people of South Korea,” added the secretary of state. “If we don’t respond, and Farbros is right that it is a ruse, then they could easily change their plans and turn a ruse into an actual invasion of South Korea.”
“Yes, and we have nearly twenty thousand military men and women based in South Korea who would be in danger if the North Koreans invade,” added the secretary of defense.
“I know. I know all that,” whined the DCI. “Even so, the Chinese military has increased its meetings with their North Korean counterparts. North Korean military observers were recently invited to the annual Chinese exercise near the Chinese-Russian border — first time in ten years. Following the exercise, the North Korean generals and their Chinese counterparts spent a week in Hong Kong in secret, closed door meetings. We believe that a Chinese sale of advanced Information Technology, along with replacement fighter aircraft for the North Koreans, have been offered in return for some yet-to-be-identified service. We believe this ruse is part of the agreement.”
A cough at the other end of the table drew the president’s attention to the director of the National Security Agency. “General Stanhope, you have something to add?”
“Yes, sir. We are still putting all the factors together, but we have some disjointed facts that may support Mr. Digbyjones. They also relate to the sinking of the USS Gearing and the air attacks against Souda Bay and Sigonella. Mr. President, I need to caution, sir, that this is unevaluated raw intelligence and we are still analyzing the data.”
“Well, go ahead, General, and let me be the judge.”
“Yes, sir. We detected unusual data activity between Libya and the People’s Republic of China earlier this week. Within forty-eight hours after detecting this anomaly, Libya attacked the Gearing. Another item of interest is that the unit in China that received the data was their Information Warfare unit. Two hours after the data was sent from Libya, this Chinese unit passed unknown instructions to the North Koreans. While we have yet to correlate the satellite screwups, the fact that their readings are erroneous suggests an attack against their computer algorithms — an Information Warfare unit would have that capability.”
“You’re right, General. I think we are seeing ghosts in the pantry.”
“But, Mr. President—” Farbros started.
“Yes, sir, you may be right,” General Stanhope agreed. “But before I departed Fort Meade, we were seeing unexplained activity between the North Korean military headquarters and subordinate military units.”
“Thanks, General,” President Crawford said curtly. Then he added, “And to you also, Farbros. You’re the DCI. You and General Stanhope figure out what this means. I have enough information for a major headache. I intend to go upstairs to see Mrs. Crawford and have her rub my temples. When I see you next, I want answers. We need to move fast.
If we don’t, events will continue to dictate our actions. We’ve got a runaway stagecoach heading downhill, with no one driving. I want to grab those reins before it’s too far gone for us to steer.”
Everyone stood again in response to the president standing.
There was a knock on the door, immediately followed by the entry of the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff’s executive assistant. Heads turned as the Air Force colonel hurried to General Eaglefield and handed him a message.
General Eaglefield read the message before looking at the president.
“What is it, General?” the president asked, raising his bushy eyebrows.
“It’s a message from the USS Stennis, Mr. President.”
“What does it say?” Roger Maddock asked.
“The Stennis acknowledges the order to return to Norfolk in paragraph one of the message. In paragraph two he says—” The General looked down at the message. “It might be better if I read it, sir.”
He cleared his throat and began to read. “
“Unless otherwise directed, Stennis will not return to Norfolk. Ready for deployment now. I have twenty-eight fighters on board, am escorted by the destroyers USS John Rodgers and Ramage and the cruiser USS Hue City, along with the auxiliary ship Concord. Our sterns are to the west, our weapons point east, and our hearts and souls are with the officers and sailors of USS Gearing. I estimate Gibraltar in four days at flank speed. If additional fighterbombers available, am prepared to embark them.
Otherwise I go to join the Mediterranean Fleet as armed and to avenge the Gearing.” Signed, Richard A. Holman, Commanding Officer, USS Stennis.”
General Eaglefield handed the message back to the colonel. “Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, with your permission, I request to be excused.”
“Where are you going?” the president asked.
“I’m going to find some aircraft, sir, for Captain Holman. As you directed, we are returning to the Med. And I think America has just found one of the warriors to do it.”
CHAPTER 3
“What the hell does he want this time, Duncan?” Beau asked, pointing to the closed door. He stood with his feet slightly apart and bounced his body back and forth off the bulkhead of the passageway.
“I have no idea, unless it’s to provide more advice.” “I hope not,” Beau said, shaking his head. “He’s a master of taking thirty minutes to pass three minutes’ worth of information. I hope he realizes we have things to do.”
Duncan touched the folded paper in his pocket, his thoughts turning to its contents as Beau’s conversation turned to the members of the team.
He heard HIs name a couple of times. Duncan had read and reread what his buddy Bill Hodges had sent. He needed to write a reply, but what do you say? There was little the admiral who’d shanghaied him for this job could do, even if Duncan had confidence in the two-star to do it. It was his headache, and a civil matter to boot.
Beau punched him on the shoulder. “Captain, you listening to me? I said, did you know she boxed during college?” He reached up and ran his hand through his unruly blond hair.
“Of course, I’m listening. Who boxed during college?”
“Who do you think we’ve been talking about? H. J.” that’s who.”
Duncan shook his head. “Against other women?” he asked, though his thoughts wandered to Reston. He wondered if his wife had found the dog’s body. He wished he’d had time to bury it rather than leave it in the garage stuffed in an old trunk.
“No! In the male smokers. Said she actually won a couple because the men were hesitant to hit her, so she beat the shit out of them for being male chauvinists.” He grinned. His neon-blue eyes sparkled. “I bet there’s a red hourglass tattooed on her stomach just above the number-two barbwire pierced through her navel.”
“Beau, I’ve got other things on my mind than your sex life. So don’t put me in an awkward position where I have to think of my pension. I’m too short, with too many things going on, to be dumping pails of cold water on you. Besides, for some ungodly reason, I like you. You’re like a pet to me, so don’t make me rub your nose in your mess. You see, I won’t endanger my pension for you — though, the way my luck’s going, my soon-to-be ex-wife will take most of it to spend on that boy toy of hers.”