Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

46 JEFF EDWARDS
The president hesitated for a few seconds and then nodded. “All right.
Where are we going? Down to the bunker?”
“Negative, Mr. President. We don’t yet know how the attack was
carried out, or whether or not more attacks are imminent. Command
Post’s assessment says you’ll be safer outside of the White House until we
can be certain that the residence is not a target.” He walked toward the
French doors to the West Wing colonnade and opened the nearest one.
The president followed him, with the two other Secret Service agents a
half-step behind. His legs seemed heavy, his steps stiff, as if the news had
somehow weighed him down. He forced himself to think. “If the White
House was a target,” he said, “we would have been hit first.”
“CP concurs with your reasoning, Mr. President,” LaBauve said. “But
we can’t rule out the possibility that somebody jumped the gun and
attacked the embassy ahead of schedule. It’s still possible that the
embassy is just one of a series of coordinated attacks.”
The president walked out onto the colonnade. LaBauve slid smoothly
past him into the point position, and the other agents took up positions
behind the president’s left and right shoulders, putting the president in the
center of a tight triangular formation. LaBauve’s position in front of the
president was a clear sign of how seriously the Secret Service was taking
the threat. As a rule, the president walked in front, and the agents assigned
to his protection walked to the side and slightly behind.
LaBauve raised his right wrist to his mouth and spoke quietly into the
microphone concealed in the cuff of his black suit jacket. “Eagle is
moving.”
A rhythmic thumping in the sky announced the approach of Marine
One, the presidential helicopter. The president stared up into the clouds,
trying to spot it. He could hear sirens in the distance now. But that must
have been his imagination. Massachusetts Avenue was too far away.
“Where’s my family?” he asked.
“Susan and Nicole are still in school, sir. Their agents have been
alerted, and CP is preparing to evacuate them by motorcade. The first lady
is at Bradford Hall, speaking to the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her agents have also been alerted, and CP has a scramble squad and
evacuation team in route to her position. They’ll meet us at the Marine
Barracks at Eighth and I.”
The president nodded. “Good.” Marine One appeared as a dark speck
against the blue sky and grew rapidly as it dropped toward the White
House lawn. He couldn’t help wondering how many people were dead.
How many might be dying right now? “What about the vice president?”
“His security detail is evacuating him from OEOB now, sir.”