"You can see a lot of activity, here, right where the pens are located, and two of their subs. It looks to me like they're readying for sea. Tanks and troop transports are moving toward the base. They're cutting off access to the rest of the island."
"What is your interpretation, General?"
"Sir, this appears to be an effort to isolate the missile and sub bases by troops. In Beijing, I'd say forces are securing the city. But it's not possible to say who is controlling those forces."
The room watched as four J-11 fighters, Chinese variants of the Russian SU-27 SK, passed over the submarine base.
Lodge spoke up. "Mister President, if Director Harker's assessment is correct, we could be looking at a coup in progress. This may be an effort by the current government to stop it, or those troops may be under command of the conspirators."
"Sir, those bases are controlled by members of Yang's White Jade Society." Harker wanted to make sure Rice knew. "General Lu is particularly dangerous, in my opinion. He could start a war with those missiles."
"Mister President," Holden said, "It's possible this is the beginning of a confrontation with the Chinese. I now recommend we escalate to DEFCON2. Sir, you should remove yourself to the secure bunker."
"General. Under no circumstances am I leaving the White House at this time. The last thing the country needs is a President who runs for cover when something happens." Rice raised his hand to stop further protest. "That's final, General."
"Yes, sir."
"What offensive naval assets do we have near China?"
"The Ronald Reagan and her accompanying AEGIS class escorts are two hundred and fifty miles off North Korea. There are two of our Ohio class boomers in the general area, the George Washington Carver and the Tennessee."
"General, order those ships to assume DEFCON2, but we will not raise the national level just yet. We have not gone to DEFCON2 since the Cuban crisis. I am not convinced we should do so now. We will wait. If those silos go hot I will reconsider. In the meantime, institute DEFCON3 for the rest of our forces."
"Yes, sir."
"We have to deal with these attacks in California. You all have something to do. Get going on it. General, monitor the situation in China and bring me your analysis in one hour. Call a meeting of the Joint Chiefs here for that time.
"I want no mention of this supposed group claiming responsibility. Until I have considered the implications of Director Harker's actions and until we have better intelligence from China I don't want anything made public. This meeting is concluded. Everyone make sure you are immediately available if I need you. Director Harker, Kevin, remain here."
Rice stood and the room emptied. When all had gone, Rice sat down again.
"Director, you may have started a fire over there, and I'm going to have to put it out. You'd better be right in your analysis. Now tell me the rest of it."
"Mister President?"
"Director, don't bullshit an old bullshitter. Your brief was to the point, but it's clear you are leaving something out. I want to know what it is."
"Sir, I felt the rest of it, as you put it, was irrelevant to the events on the coast."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"Yes, sir."
Harker told him what had been left out.
Rice turned to his Chief of Staff.
"Kevin, you are to forget what Director Harker just told us. Am I clear? None of this must get out."
"Yes, sir."
"Have the Director's team brought to me. I want to hear about this action in Tibet from them."
"Sir, Langley would be better for debriefing…"
"No. I'll see them tomorrow morning. Make room on my schedule."
"Yes, sir."
"Director Harker. Where is your team now?"
"They were due at Andrews an hour ago, sir. They were to be met and taken out of sight."
"Get them here in the morning. Coordinate with Kevin."
"Yes, Mister President."
"One more thing."
"Sir?"
"If word of what you have just told me ever becomes public it will create widespread difficulties. Make sure it does not."
"Yes, Mister President."
"We're done for now. There will be a meeting tomorrow with State. I want to hear State's assessment and I want you there as well. Kevin will let you know when. Now I have to prepare a statement to the nation. The American people will expect it."
Rice rose and was gone, escorted by his secret service agents, before Harker could say anything else. Not that there was anything else to say.
Hogan said, "Dead emperors?"
"Yes."
"Your people killed thirty Chinese?"
"They didn't have much choice."
"What was left behind? Anything pointing to us?"
"We were careful to use equipment that cannot be directly traced to the US. The vehicle had Pakistani markings. Supplies were non-specific to us. The Chinese will certainly figure it out but they will have a tough time proving it. I think we're in the clear there."
"You'd better hope so, Director. They're going to be pissed. For all our sakes I hope it turns out to be worth it. Let's set up the meeting with your people."
Harker called Stephanie and gave her instructions. Now it was up to the President.
Chapter Fifty
Stephanie met the team at Andrews and drove them back to the Project.
Carter felt like a sack of cement. Jet lag was on him like a wrecking crew on a Vegas casino. Pain killers had his back down to a dull ache. Ronnie came hobbling out of the bathroom. No showers for him. He had bandages around his damaged ribs, cracked by the Chinese rounds. His leg wound was tightly wrapped.
"Coffee, guys," Stephanie said. They each took a cup.
Steph's cell went off.
"Yes, Director." She listened. "They're fine. All right, I'll tell them."
She hung up. "Guess what?"
"What? Let me guess. We're getting on a plane again."
"No, Nick. The President wants to see all of you."
"The President? You're kidding."
"He's sending a car for you tomorrow morning."
"I know the President." Selena sipped her coffee. "He's a good man."
"How do you know him?" Nick said.
"He and my uncle were friends. We had dinner with him at the White House about six months ago."
"What's he like?"
"Straight forward. He has no patience with people who dodge the issues. He hides his thoughts well when he wants to, and he's not someone you want to cross. I'd say he's a genius when it comes to politics. He takes his job seriously. It determines everything he does."
"Why do you think he wants to see us?"
"I imagine he wants a first hand account."
"The Director said to turn on the TV." Stephanie set the coffee pot down.
"Why would she say that?" Nick reached over and turned it on.
"Holy shit," said Ronnie. "Isn't that San Francisco? The Bay Bridge in the background?"
"That's the Ferry Building. But what happened to the pier and the Plaza?" Selena's voice was strained.
"Turn up the sound."
In a few minutes they had the picture. The death toll was rising. Public services were compromised. Hospitals all over the Bay Area were overwhelmed.
Homeland Security had gone to Imminent in the West. People were ordered to remain in their homes. All public transportation was under military control. All government facilities were shut down or under heavy guard. In San Francisco the BART tunnels were flooded all along the Embarcadero and across the Bay to Oakland. Power was still out over most of California and the West.
The President was scheduled to address the nation in the morning.
"Yang," Carter said.
"Has to be," said Ronnie. "It's too much of a coincidence."
"I wonder what's happening in China? Yang must be making his move."
"I hope they shoot that son of a bitch." Ronnie said.