The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

'Coming home in the C-141, somewhere between Japan and the Aleutians. You're it,
sir,' the SDO pointed out, quietly thanking a beneficent God that it wasn't
himself. 'President's at Camp David. SecDef and SecState – '
'Dead?' Ryan asked.
'It would appear so, sir.'
Ryan closed his eyes. 'Holy Jesus. The Vice President?'
'At his official residence. We've only been going about three minutes. The NMCC
watch officer is a Captain James Rosselli. General Wilkes is on the way in.
DIA's on line. They – I mean the President just ordered DEFCON-TWO on our
strategic forces.'
'Anything from the Russians?'
'Nothing unusual at all. There's a regional air-defense exercise underway in
Eastern Siberia. That's all.'
'Okay, alert all the stations. Put the word out that I want to hear anything
they might have – anything. They are to hit every source they can just as fast
as they can.' Jack paused one more time. 'How sure are we that this really
happened?'
'Sir, two DSPS satellites copied the flash. We have a KH-11 that's going to be
overhead in about twenty minutes, and I've directed NPIC to put every camera
they have on Denver. NORAD says it's a definite nuclear detonation, but there's
no word on yield or damage. The explosion seems to be in the immediate area of
the stadium – like Black Sunday, sir, but real. This is definitely not a drill,
not if we're jacking the strategic forces to DEFCON-TWO, sir.'
'Inbound ballistic track? Aircraft delivery?'
'Negative on the first, there was no launch warning, and no ballistic radar
track.'
'What about a FOBS?' Goodley asked. A weapon could be delivered by satellite.
That was the purpose of a Fractional-Orbital Bombardment System.
'They would have caught that,' the SDO replied. 'I already asked. On the
aircraft side, they don't know yet. They're trying to check air-traffic-control
tapes.'
'So we don't know jack shit.'
'Correct.'
'President check in with us yet?' Ryan asked.
'No, but we have an open line there. He has the National Security Advisor there
also.'
'Most likely scenario?'
'I'd say terrorism.'
Ryan nodded. 'So would I. I'm taking over the conference room. Okay, I want DO,
DI, DS&T in here immediately. If you need choppers to fetch them in, order 'em.'
Ryan walked into the room, leaving the door open.
'Christ,' Goodley said. 'You sure you want me here?'
'Yes, and when you have an idea, you say it out loud. I forgot about FOBS.' Jack
lifted the phone and punched the FBI button.
'Command Center.'
'This is CIA, Deputy Director Ryan speaking. Who is this?'
'Inspector Pat O'Day. I have Deputy-Assistant Director Murray here also. You're