Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

280 JEFF EDWARDS
the attack on your embassy—a Mr. Isma’il Hamid. He was struck down
by a ruptured appendix before he could carry out his part of the plan. My
intelligence people tell me that Hamid disappeared from his hospital bed at
Columbia Memorial just about a half-hour before the FBI showed up to
take him into custody. The hospital staff is certain that Mr. Hamid was far
too sick to escape under his own power. You wouldn’t have any idea
where Mr. Hamid disappeared to, would you?”
Emily Irons sighed into the phone. “Frank, I’m a little deaf in my left
ear, and I didn’t hear that question. But, whatever it was, both of our lives
will be much less complicated if you never ask it again.”
“I see,” the president said again. He rubbed his eyes. “No, Emily, I
don’t see. I’m not trying to be rude, but surely you didn’t call me just to
tell me that you can’t tell me anything.”
“Friedrik Shoernberg knew about the attack on my embassy, Frank.”
“What?”
“The BND, the German Federal Intelligence Service, had advanced
intelligence on Abdul Kaliq’s plan to attack my embassy. I know for a
fact that Shoernberg received a detailed brief on the attack at least a week
before it happened.”
Frank swallowed. “You’ll have to excuse me, Emily, but I find that a
little hard to believe. I’ll grant you that Friedrik has made some pretty
dicey decisions lately, but the idea that he would …”
“He knew, Frank. The bastard knew the Sirajis were planning to
murder my people, and he didn’t raise a finger to stop it.”
She paused for a few seconds. When she resumed speaking, her voice
had a strangely formal quality to it. “Under its current regime, the Federal
Republic of Germany constitutes a clear and present danger to the security
and the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. In a few hours, I intend to ask
Parliament for a formal resolution authorizing war with Germany.”
The president sat in silence for nearly a minute. “Are you certain you
want to do this?”
“The Germans attacked my ships, in clear violation of Article 5 of the
NATO Charter,” the British prime minister said. “And under Article 5,
member nations of NATO are required to take whatever action is
necessary to restore the security of the North Atlantic Treaty area.” Her
voice took on a hard edge. “The charter doesn’t say we’re authorized to
take action, Frank. It says we are required to take action. Article 5 also
requires other signatory nations to assist any NATO country that has come
under attack. I’m going to take the fight to Shoernberg’s door, Mr.
President. And I expect the backing of the United States.”