Mark Spaid - Falcon Down

“Who would hold you?” Lexi asked.

“Dixie of course, she’d be there with me.” They chuckled at that. It’d been a while since anyone laughed. They’d been on edge since the announcement of the kidnapping. A little relief from the fear was probably a good thing.

“What do these people want?” Zara asked.

“They’re fanatics who are dedicated to Joseph Stalin and his ideas,” Will explained,

“He was terrible,” Mallory said.

“Yes, Mommy has told us all about him,” Melanie said then put her hand to her mouth. “Oops, I forgot. The mommy just slipped out.”

“That’s alright, honey, I think you had that one coming,” Lexi said as she patted Melanie’s hand.

“What can we do?” Darcy asked.

“Stay together and give each other support and hope for the best,” Will said.

“That’s it?” Mallory said.

“Does anyone have any better ideas?” Will asked.

“No, I guess not,” Darcy said and they ate in silence before returning to the couch and the news.

“You should put the gun down and cooperate with me,” Kulagin said to Ellen.

“Never.”

“I’d like to have you as a tool but I have other options.”

“Then use them,” Ellen said.

“I hesitate because it puts the game at the end with no middle ground for negotiations and a give and take.”

“President Deniken and I have already given and taken.”

“To what end?”

“The Ukraine stays out of NATO and The Crimea is returned to The Ukraine.”

“No!”

“That’s the deal.”

“And, that’s why you’re a prisoner.”

“Of course, I can see that but even if a bogus deal was reached that let Russia keep The Crimea, once we were out of here it would be void.”

“You are right, Madam President and that’s why it is necessary to take things a step further,” Kulagin said with a grin.

“Against my better judgement I’m going to ask what.”

“I’ll simply call my man at Kapustin Yar and start launching missiles.”

“If you don’t get what you want then you start WWIII?”

“The missiles will start flying, indeed.”

“You’re blackmailing us with millions of innocent lives,” Sergei said.

“Who’s innocent?” Kulagin asked.

“Just about everyone except you and your murdering cronies,” Ellen answered.

“Keep pontificating, Madam President, at least everyone in this room can hear you.” There was a pause and Kulagin looked around then called over his men and whispered something to them. It was in Russian but Tatiana could not hear and neither could any of the people with Deniken.

“Last chance, Madam President.”

“Don’t give into him,” Sergei said.

“I’m not. I won’t be forced into something by the likes of him.” Kulagin took out his cell and spoke to someone in Russian then put it away. Sergei was wide-eyed and pale.

“What did he say?” Ellen asked.

“He just ordered a missile fired at New York City.”

“Yes, Comrade,” Igor Radinsky said from Kapustin Yar and moved to the control panel. “This is for you Comrade Stalin,” and he pushed a button then sat back and grinned as the unmistakable sound and feel of a missile being launched swept through the complex.

“What did you do, Radinsky?” Svetlov said as he sat slumped in a chair with a bullet in him.

“Oh, hello, Captain. I forgot about you. Well, in answer to your question. I just launched a missile at New York City.” Colonel Azarov and his crew rushed to the door of the control room.

“Radinsky, what have you done?” Azov shouted.

“Hello, Colonel. I just fired a good morning missile at New York City. I think this will dwarf that little event on September 11, 2001, don’t you think”

“You fool, this could be WWIII if the Americans respond.”

“I know that, Captain, and so does Comrade Kulagin.”

“So, this is it. The end of the world?”

“Sure, looks like it,” Igor said then leaned back and laughed.

“Sir, we have a launch detection from Kapustin Yar,” Jerry Fillmore said as he ran to General Zumwalt’s desk.

“How many?”

“One.”

“Just one?”

“Yes sir.”

“Deke, what do you make of that?”

“I don’t know, sir, but we need to send up fighters,’ Deke said.

“Do it.” Deke called and ordered fighters to intercept and shoot down the missile.

“Take us to DEFCON One and prepare to launch on my command. Get me General Ledger in Alaska… Tommy, get everything you have in the air and take them to the fail-safe point. They’ve launched a missile. Yes, you heard me. This is it, Tommy… yeah good luck.”

“Deke do you have the pilots on the horn?”

“Yes, sir, they have it on radar and are waiting for a visual. They have it now it’s descending. They’re firing missiles and they have multiple hits. The missile is wobbling and headed straight down in the ocean. It went under, sir.”

“Good job. Now, Deke tell command to keep fresh jets in the air around New York and Washington. Call in planes from the Midwest to strengthen the coast.’

“Yes sir.”

“Sir, we were lucky this time,” Jerry said.

“We need a little luck in any operation, Sergeant.”

“Yes, I know that, sir but my point is they didn’t arm until the last minute. The next time they may arm coming back into the atmosphere. Then when the missile is shot down it’ll detonate a hydrogen warhead.

“Comrade, the missile was shot down and did not detonate,” Kolchevski said to Kulagin who turned with a scowl and took out his phone.

“Radinsky, it was shot down. Arm the next one right out of descent and send it to Washington DC.”

“The President’s family are in the Whitehouse,” Jozette said to Andy, Justin and Belinda. “Dave, come here.”

“Yes.”

“The missile is headed for the capital. How safe are the people in the Whitehouse?” Jozette asked.

“They may be in the bunker,” Dave said.

“How safe is that?”

“From a hydrogen bomb? I’m not sure anyone is safe anywhere in the city and a few miles outside the city as well.”

“Okay, now I get to send a gift to the capital of the USA,” Igor said as he launched another missile. The same shutter went through the complex and the missile could be heard rocketing upward.

“You’re a monster, Radinsky,” Svetlov said through his coughs.

“What do you care, you haven’t long to live anyway.”

“I know but I’d like to think there will be a world for everyone else.”

“Too late for that, I think.”

“General Zumwalt, sir, we have another launch detection,” Jerry Fillmore said.

“One?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Deke.”

“They’re on their way sir, an additional twelve fighters.”

“Good.”

“Sir?” Deke asked.

“What?”

“Shouldn’t you call the Whitehouse?”

“Get them on the horn.” Deke handed the phone to the general.

“This is Zumwalt at NORAD. Madam Acting President, there’s a hydrogen warhead headed your way. We’re going to try and shoot it down but we can’t guarantee anything. You need to be in the best and safest location. I’ll keep this line open. I have to go now. The missile will be appearing over Washington soon. Yes, Ma’am, so do I.”

“The fighters have a visual and are firing, sir.”

“I assume they know if it detonates, they’ll all be wiped out.”

“They know that, sir.” Deke listened to the chatter from the pilots.

“What’s happening?” General Zumwalt asked.