Murray McDonald - Critical Error

The President checked his watch. It would be another 24 hours before they would consider evacuations. At the moment, they didn’t know if there was a bomb or if there was, where it was going other than to the US. Best guesses were Washington, New York, Chicago or LA but they simply didn’t know. However, with their latest information from Ben, LA was definitely ruled out. All the others were still in play.

The President joined his National Security Council and listened as his newly appointed Secretary of Defense ran through what they had done with Ben’s information. Unbeknownst to the new Secretary of Defense, not as far as his predecessor had managed to get, the previous evening, with just a phone. They were, however, now targeting a further 500 vessels that had previously been excluded as not reaching the US in time.

“Mr President, we have almost half our ocean-going Navy, some 150 vessels currently covering our Eastern seaboard, along with pretty much every aircraft whether naval, Air Force or National Guard on round the clock watch. We will catch this,” assured the Secretary of Defense.

Henry Preston sat and listened and couldn’t help but think of the clutter that must be caused by such a massive operation. It only needed one tiny slip and an American city would pay the ultimate price.

Akram Rayyan watched as his men unloaded two containers into the Canadian port of St John. He had quietened down his men as a cheer had gone up over the news of the Israelis running for cover. He knew that his men couldn’t be prouder of being part of an operation that was teaching the Jews and her allies a lesson they’d never forget. He had also noted the significant increase in naval checks. The port was awash with the stories of checks even if you were going near America. He couldn’t help but think somehow their plan had got out.

Deif was a genius, however, and had covered just such an eventuality. Akram’s route ensured he would still be within Canadian waters when the weapon was launched. As the crane swung back on board, his men cast away and began the final leg of their momentous journey. Just to be safe, Akram instructed a trip round the North of Newfoundland. It would take longer but he had a few hours to spare and it would also mean a much calmer journey. It would also keep them even further away from the Americans while they got into position.

There would be no more drills. The next time they got ready would be for real. Akram looked at his watch. Twenty-four hours to go.

The pace at the White House was frantic. The Situation Room had become the emergency planning center as the hours clocked down. 6 a.m., twelve hours to potential detonation and they were no further forward. The President had to make a decision — begin the evacuation of major metropolitan centers or not. Time already had run too far to save everyone. If New York, Washington or Chicago were the targets, the death-toll was still running into the tens of thousands with the evacuation. Without that, the number was ten-fold and was if the weapon were released at approximately 2,000 feet above central Manhattan, there would be two million dead. The numbers were mind numbing.

The President’s advisers were coming out of the woodwork, giving reasons to evacuate and reasons not to. However, the reasons not to were dwindling. Yes, mass hysteria would lead to deaths, There’d be looting and civil unrest and general chaos but the 2 million number was stark and staring. His political adviser was firmly of the opinion that, if it hit, he was screwed anyway and evacuating lots of cities, just in case, looked like a President who had no idea what was going on. His best option and the one he’d be able to milk for votes was finding it and then claiming they had tracked it all the way and only struck when the terrorists had made their move so as to ensure their convictions.

“Mr President, I need your answer, Sir,” insisted Jim Gates, the Secretary of Homeland Security, who had his FEMA Administrator on the phone and needed to give him the President’s decision.

The President turned to Henry Preston and his Secretary of Defense. “Gentlemen, are you going to let our country be the victim of another nuclear attack?”

Obviously neither could say yes. Henry Preston answered first.

“No, Sir, we will not!” he replied adamantly followed by a “Hell no!” from the Secretary of Defense.

“Secretary Gates, you have your answer. I’m assured the weapon will not reach our country. Stand down the evacuation plans.”

“Gentlemen, I suggest you pull the fingers out of your asses and find that bomb.”

The President left the room. Had he not he felt sure he was going to puke, the decision he had just made was the biggest gamble of his life and more importantly, his career.

Senator Charles Baker had kept a close eye on the news. Nothing. They were already beyond the 12-hour countdown. 6 a.m. EST. He didn’t know what it meant. Had they found the bomb and if not, why was there no news of mass evacuations? Surely they should at least attempt to minimize casualties. He called the number Ben had given him. He answered on the second ring.

“Ben, can you talk?

“Have to be quick but yes?” said Ben sounding out of breath. He shouted to somebody in the background. “Nope that cabinet first, then this one.” He came back. “Sorry.”

“Any news on the American bomb?”

“Nope, nothing at all, they’re still looking.”

“Christ, they haven’t even begun evacuating!” he exclaimed angrily.

“I’ll call you back.”

Ben hung up and called back ten minutes later. “I’ve just spoken to our Ambassador. They’re confident they’ll find it in time.”

“On what grounds?” questioned the Senator.

“Exactly,” agreed Ben. “I’ve instructed our embassy staff to evacuate all major consulates and Israeli offices across the eastern seaboard.”

“You know, Ben, I don’t get it. James Murphy almost had the info to find the boat and he was calling Russia at 4am in the morning.”

“Why Russia?”

“I’ve no idea. I just know that’s where his leads led him!”

The Senator could sense that Ben hadn’t heard him. Banging in the background had been followed by a couple of screams in Hebrew that he could only imagine were expletives.

“I’m sorry Charles, I need to go.”

Ben hung up, not that Charles could blame him. He had a country and four bombs to worry about, not just one city and one bomb. It did, however, mean one thing. He had to track down the same lead that Murphy had and he had about 11 hours to do it in. He spied Sam lying in the sun, drying off from an early morning swim and went to join him. He briefly recounted his chat with Ben. Sam reacted similarly. James Murphy was about to get the name of the ship. How could they not have tracked the same leads as him?

Both hit their phones. The one thing they did know was that Murphy had started his calls in England. After all, the story had been about the British navy.

Sam knew some guys in the SBS, the Special Boat Service, the marine equivalent of the better-known British SAS. Most, if not all, were ex-marines and in the UK, the Royal Marines were part of the Navy — it was the closest he could get to the Navy.

It was proving slow work. Neither Sam nor Charles had the knowledge or list of contacts around the world that James Murphy had. It was going to take some time.

Ben was the last person left in the Knesset building; most had left at lunchtime to travel with their families. Ben had nobody to travel with. His only family were in America, safe in Texas. He closed his office door behind him and automatically began to lock it. He stopped himself mid turn. There was no point, the office was empty. All his papers had already gone. The building was quiet, something he had never experienced before. It wasn’t a nice silence, the eeriness was unnerving.