Robert Smith - The Planner

Planner and Bates walked to Operation Las Vegas Office. As for other offices, nothing on the outside revealed what was inside. Just as they were about to go inside, following on from their previous conversation, Bates added another information channel, “And the internet. Don’t forget the internet!”

Planner’s eyes widen with realisation; the internet formed an uncontrolled medium of information dispersal especially compared to newspapers, television and radio where partisan gatekeepers “managed” the news. Planner had not kept with changes in technology; he had toyed with the internet at home over slow dial up lines but the internet was not available at Langley or other CIA offices due to the threat of hacking by foreign intelligence services.

Before Planner thought through the issue, he was being introduced to a stream of new people, all smartly dressed men that headed up the Las Vegas Team. They were code named, Paris, Venice, Sinatra, Casino and Cowboy.

Planner’s mind wandered while Sinatra set up a powerpoint presentation on the construction of the World Trade Center Towers, thinking about the internet and whether that had been factored into the information dispersal parameters of the Change Management Readiness model. So when Sinatra, a good looking, man in his late forties started talking about the towers’ deconstruction, it startled Planner.

Sinatra was saying, “…Dual redundant, fibre optic and wireless controlled detonators attached to the core columns installed during the elevator upgrade 77…” when Planner interrupted.

“Can I just stop you there, a moment!” Planner said, attempting to reconstruct the discussion from his distracted short-term memory. “Let me get this straight… we’re planning to blow up the whole of the world trade center?”

Paris replied with a slight French accent, “Naturally. It is the quickest way to clear the site and start regeneration.”

Casino added directly, “The management are in a hurry.”

“For the insurance to pay out, there must be complete destruction,” said Venice with an Italian lilt.

“Insurance? Really!” Bates said unconvinced.

“Two billion dollars 78,” Venice explained with understatement. “Some people consider that to be a lot of money.”

“Don’t you think that blowing up the towers might look a bit… odd?” Planner mused.

“No, no, no. This isn’t just any old Las Vegas Hotel destruction; it has been carefully thought out,” Sinatra explained.

“…By experts,” noted Paris.

Sinatra continued smoothly, “We have 3D computer models of how it would look. Advanced models. We can show you… how the aircraft would destroy key columns, the inferno, collapse initiation, everything. Run the video. 79 80”

A few minutes later, Sinatra ran rough computer model projections of aircraft flying into towers cutting columns and the building collapsing. Sinatra then pointed to a schematic of the North Tower. “When we finally bring the tower down, the floors will be weakened by cutter charges all activated by computer and signalled to cell-phone detonators. Then the top floor will fall. Starting from close to the point of impact. Then the rest of the building will be blown out, straight down. It’ll look like a hammer knocking a nail, all the way to the ground.” Sinatra replayed the video showing the top section falling through the floors.

When the lights came back on, Planner asked, “And both towers will do this?”

“Yes, both towers,” replied Venice. “And the towers fall on the smaller buildings. We need WTC 3, 4, 5 and 6, all destroyed. There is a lot of value there that needs to be lost or destroyed.”

“What needs to be destroyed?” asked Bates

“The Eldorado Task Force for a start!” said Venice.

“And they are?” Bates asked again.

“Their offices are in Building 6. They monitor international bank transfers. We have a lot of money to move, starting September 12th. It would be inconvenient to have it traced,” explained Venice with a sigh. “Now I know what you’re thinking… Collateral Damage. We’re on the case.”

“Go on,” said Planner.

“The towers will stand for one hour,” said Venice. “In which time the majority of the occupants, unfortunately not all, will be able to escape. It has to be just one hour, our fire simulations indicate that the fires will be burning out soon after that, even with the sprinkler system disarmed.”

“So how many people work in the World Trade Center?” said Planner pursing his lips.

“Fifty thousand,” said Vencie, adding quickly, “but… we expect less than 5 % casualties.”

“So how many is that?” asked Planner.

“Two and half thousand. The same number as Pearl Harbor,” said Venice.

Bates whistled in disbelief.

Casino added, “That’s an estimate, obviously. And much lower than the estimate for 1993, with the FBI’s failed attempt on the towers. 81”

“So is that with or without the advanced warning of the attack?” said Planner.

“We could not find a satisfactory scenario”, said Casino slowly and deliberately, “working with the COG, that would support the warning and pre-evacuation of the World Trade Center complex.”

Sinatra nodded, “We have promised the politicians a catalysing event with real er… motivational value; a critical mass…”

Paris shrugged, “The psychologists say we need a New Pearl Harbor 82 83. To trigger an unforgettable memory, flashbulb memory, as it is known. More than just an air crash. There’s an air crash every month 84.”

Planner almost said something but thought better of it. Bates took up the questioning. “I suspect that… the Emergency Services… may be over-represented in that figure,” pondered Bates.

Casino said bluntly, “The building will be shaking for an hour. People will be expecting the building to fall. We’ll radio the emergency crew to pull out.”

“What about flashes? Bangs?” Planner mused. “Explosives are rather different from a natural collapse. Wouldn’t that cause a lot of… er… questions? It’s bound to be caught on camera.”

Cowboy shifted forward in his seat, smiled broadly and said in western-style accent, “Caught on camera. Yes, exactly that’s what we’re planning. But that’s a good point you’re making. Very good. This is my area of concern and I can assure you, we have the very best people working on the tower collapses.” Cowboy transfixed Planner with his gaze, “Let me ask you something. What do you know about nanotechnology?”

“Nothing,” said Planner rather taken aback, “Er… well… it’s like micro technology, maybe, but smaller?”

“Yeah, probably,” said Cowboy smugly. “But no. It’s all about molecular scale materials being able to build up complex structures thinner than paint…”

Planner involuntarily made a move to look at his watch.

Cowboy noted and responded, “I realise we’re all short on time. I’ll make it quick. Let’s just say we have developed munitions that are more powerful than anything we had, even 5 years ago, using nanotechnology 85. It’s works in the same way as thermite, ultra-hot demolition material used for years to slice through steel bridges. But updated for the 21st century. It’s called nanothermite and not commercially available anywhere. Only available to the military and rocket scientists. And it doesn’t flash, it doesn’t go bang. Just a swish. And burns up completely leaving no evidence behind.”

“Nothing behind?” said Bates in disbelief.

“There’s always tags, or some sort of chemical trace, to be found,” noted Planner.

“Why, yes. Yes, it does,” said Cowboy with a smile. “I’m just saying in comparison to traditional RDX explosive or even traditional thermite. Nanothermite explosive residue just breaks down into iron and aluminium dust. There would be nano-scopic traces of catalysing chemicals, if you were looking hard for it. And I mean, real hard. 86”