An Imminent Threat by John Etterlee

Author:John Etterlee [Etterlee, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Arlington, Virginia

THE PRESIDENT’S MOTORCADE TRAVELED rapidly down Highway 395 toward the off-ramp that led directly to the vast Pentagon parking area. The fleet of armored Chevy Suburbans and other vehicles, all full of Secret Service agents, and the president’s limo swung right onto the off-ramp. They circled around the bend toward the lot and the executive entrance located at the far side.

Republican president Kevin Tyler was hyper-focused during most of the drive from DC, not paying attention to his national security adviser, Neal Rampart, sitting across from him. During the ride, the president had been rummaging through the many documents inside his leather briefcase. The motorcade came to a halt by the covered entrance, and the president shoved the papers back into the case.

Just into the second year of his first term, this president, unlike most, came from humble beginnings. His father worked offshore while his mother was a stay-at-home mom. Growing up in Denton, Texas, he’d played football all his life, including at Texas A&M. The president joined the military straight out of college and went to officer candidate school. He was later commissioned as an ensign in the US Navy.

One of the Secret Service Agents held the door of the limo open, and President Tyler and his adviser climbed out and headed inside under one of the covered executive entrances.

“What do we know so far?” the president asked, marching through the corridor with agents surrounding them.

President Tyler paused a moment, waving the Secret Service agents off. “Adams,” he said to the senior agent. “You all wait outside. I’m good from here.”

“Yes, Mister President,” he replied as he did an about-face.

The remaining agents followed Adams back to the exit as President Tyler picked up his step again.

“So?” the president continued.

“Three attacks, sir,” his adviser replied, walking in cadence. “The one at the border, multiple agents dead; the bombing in Silver City, New Mexico; and the most recent being a packed Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.”

“Silver City? What the hell is significant about that place? Hell, there’s nothing there. My God, all those innocent people. We have to get to the bottom of this, and fast. We need to send a message that no one will come to America and push us around.”

Rampart continued following his boss, speed-walking toward the meeting room a little farther down.

“Sir,” Rampart replied. “Intel agents believe New Mexico was some kind of diversion for New Orleans, a way to get us looking the other way while they sneaked into the country.”

The president stopped abruptly just before the room entrance. “How the hell would that work?” he asked. “How could they just slip right past our border guards undetected like that?”

“Mister President,” Rampart replied. “We are being told they had help from the cartel. They know the border well and, of course, all the weak points. It would be very difficult to traverse the desert without them.”

“Jesus,” Tyler replied. “Let’s make sure we send a team down there to see what they need. They know the border better than anyone.

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