“Radio contact,” Honi said confidently.
“There’s your communications circle.”
Honi touched the circle with her left forefinger.
“Unidentified craft, this is Navy Bulldog Four. Do you copy?”
“Roger, Bulldog Four,” Honi answered. “This is Amazon one. Do you copy?”
Dave chuckled. “Amazon. I should have guessed.”
“Affirmative Amazon one, you are cleared to land on the forward flight deck of the USS George H. W. Bush, ahead at your one o’clock position.”
“Affirmative Bulldog Four, and thank you,” Honi said.
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Bulldog Four replied.
Dave carefully guided the saucer over the deck of the aircraft carrier, deployed the landing struts and slowly settled down on the flat surface. He opened the ramp. Everyone, except Dave and Andropov, unbuckled and walked out onto the flight deck.
A navy officer approached. “I understand you need to get back to Washington?”
“We do,” Honi replied.
“Choppers are over here, ma’am,” he led the way.
“Where’s Andropov?” Honi asked
“He’s going with the saucer,” Jake replied. “General Davies’ orders.”
“Of course.”
As soon as everyone on the flight deck was clear of the saucer, the ramp closed, the outside surface turned a brilliant glowing white and it lifted off into the air. It rose quickly and then it streaked west and was gone from sight.
Peter Steinmetz reviewed the images and data from the SOHO satellite and cross referenced the data with several other satellites. This was the most critical step in the process. He had to make sure everything had gone according to plan. He had tried to contact the reflector satellite three times this morning without success. That was troubling. With all of the EMP and radiation protection built into the satellite control system, it should have responded. At least the world-wide fractal computer network was working. It seemed a little slower than usual. That was curious as well.
Steinmetz was responsible for activating the evacuation order. The five other people at the top of the command structure wouldn’t have a clear view of the sun and the solar storm during this narrow window, so the final decision fell to him. The entire evacuation process was automated within the computer system in Bolivia. All it needed was his authorization code.
His military experience had taught him that during the execution of any plan of this size, things will inevitably happen that you didn’t anticipate, and some important events that you needed may not happen. That is simply the nature of battlefield conditions, so the loss of communications with the reflector satellite was annoying, but within acceptable parameters.
Steinmetz entered his authorization code and clicked “send.”
His secure phone buzzed. It was a text message from the White House ordering him into an emergency meeting in the Situation Room.
Yeah, he mused. Good luck with that. He put his civilian suit coat on, put his computer in his briefcase, looked around his home one more time and headed out the front door where his security detail waited.
“Good morning,” he said.
His personal detail saluted. “Good morning, sir,” they replied together.
“Change of plans today. We’re not going to the Pentagon. Take me to the private airfield instead.”
“Yes, sir,” his driver replied.
Jake, Honi, Stafford and Ken entered the NSA building just after nine a.m. They took the elevator down to B6. Deputy Director Ellington greeted them as soon as the elevator door opened.
“Congratulations!” Ellington said. “I know there’s more work to do before this is finished, but I just couldn’t let the moment pass un-noticed.”
The people of area 4 crowded around the lobby in front of the elevator, applauding and cheering as Jake, Honi, Stafford and Ken walked through.
“We have pizza and soft drinks for everybody back in area 4,” Ellington said. “And a bottle of champagne for the four of you to share. I am just so very proud of what you have accomplished. Come on, we can celebrate as we work.”
Jake, Honi, Stafford and Ken were grinning as they shook hands with co-workers and were patted on the back on their way to area 4. Brett and Tracy lingered as everyone else picked out slices of pizza.
Honi’s phone buzzed. “Text message from Aaron, in Bolivia. The computer there just received what he believes is an authorization code for the evacuation order to go out. The thing is, the communication originated in the Washington D.C. area.”
“Any idea who sent it?” Jake asked.
“No.” She turned to Tracy. “Have the calls gone out yet?”
“Nothing yet,” Tracy replied. She stared at the bandage on Honi’s right shoulder.
“You’re wounded.”
Honi glanced at the bandage. “Not seriously. What about senior level officials we’re watching?”
Computer screens started trilling. “Something’s happening…” Brett said. “We’ve got senior officials on the move — lots of reports coming in at the same time.”
“But no burner cell phones?” Honi asked.
“No,” Tracy replied.
“Then these people are the upper level of the Phoenix Organization, the ones connected to the encrypted fractal network. Who have you got so far?”
“Five… no, six state governors. The governors of California and New York just left without explanation,” Tracy said.
“Who else?”
“Oh my God,”
“Who?” Honi demanded.
Tracy turned to look at her. “The President’s Chief of Staff just walked out of a meeting in the White House. No explanation. He just left.”
Honi plopped down in a chair. The President is going to be royally pissed, she thought. No wonder they couldn’t find anybody in the Phoenix Organization. Everybody they counted on for information was part of the problem.
“Who else?” Jake asked.
Tracy turned to look at the computer screen. “This is incredible. CEOs and CFOs of the major banks are leaving.” She turned to Jake. “The same thing is happening with our major defense contractors. The top person, or in some cases the top two people have all walked out.”
“Are they being followed?” Honi asked.
“Oh yes,” Tracy replied. “Loose rotating tail.” She looked at the screen again and slowly sat in her chair, a look of astonishment and disappointment filling her face.
“What is it?” Honi asked.
“Our own director just left. I… I just can’t believe it.”
“Would your director have been able to turn on a phone?” Jake asked.
“Certainly,” Honi answered.
“Would he have had access to the phone plot program?”
“No. What are you thinking?”
“The mole. The phone in Colonel Jensen’s office,” Stafford said.
“Precisely,” Jake added.
“So you think the director could have been our mole?” Honi asked.
“One way to tell,” Jake said. “Send Brett to check his system.”
Honi looked at Brett. “Check in with Deputy Director Ellington first.”
Brett got up and walked to the elevator. Honi got up and looked at the rapidly enlarging list of senior officials leaving their offices. “The Director of Homeland Security and the Director of Central Intelligence have also left.”
“Those are all political appointments, confirmed by the Senate,” Jake said. “Any senators on the list?”
“Eight, so far.”
“What about the military?” Stafford asked.
Honi turned to him. “The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t show up at the Pentagon this morning.”
“That could mean anything,” Stafford replied.