By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin

Author:W.E.B. Griffin [Griffin, W.E.B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: War, Suspense, Adventure, Thriller
ISBN: 9780786271832
Publisher: Jove
Published: 2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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[ONE]

Office of the Commanding General United States Central Command MacDill Air Force Base Tampa, Florida 2105 8 June 2005

When General Albert McFadden, USAF, CentCom’s deputy commander, appeared in General Naylor’s office in response to Naylor’s “Right now, please” summons, Lieutenant General George H. Potter, USA, CentCom J-5, was already there.

“I had just bought another bucket of balls,” McFadden announced. “What’s up, Allan?”

General McFadden was wearing a lemon yellow golf shirt and powder blue slacks. General Potter was wearing a translucent Filipino-style shirt-jacket over white shorts. General Naylor was wearing khaki slacks and a gray USMA sweatshirt. Only Command Sergeant Major Wesley Suggins was in uniform.

“Close the door, please, Wes,” General Naylor ordered. “No interruptions.”

“Yes, sir,” Suggins said.

“I just had a telephone call from the secretary of Homeland Security,” Naylor announced. “In the middle of the call, the president came on the line, primarily, I think, to make it clear that Hall was acting at the president’s orders.”

Naylor let that sink in for a couple of seconds and then went on.

“There is some reason to believe that the missing 727 is, or was, at a remote airfield in Chad. A place called Abéché.”

He pointed to a map laid on the conference table. McFadden and Potter got out of their chairs and examined the map.

“They could make it from there to Mecca easily,” General McFadden said.

“Secretary Hall has information suggesting that the airplane was taken by a Somalian terrorist group calling itself the Holy Legion of Muhammad and that it is their intention to crash the plane into the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia,” Naylor said.

“Jesus Christ!” General McFadden said. “Where did he get that?”

General Potter rolled his eyes but said nothing.

“The credibility of Secretary Hall’s intel depends in large measure on whether or not the 727 is, or was, at Abéché. In other words, if it is there, or was there, the rest of the scenario—that it was seized by the Holy Legion of Muhammad and that they intend to crash it in Philadelphia —becomes more credible . . .”

“The Liberty Bell? In Philadelphia? Why the hell would they want to do that?” General McFadden asked, incredulously.

“. . . And if it is not at Abéché, or was not at Abéché,” Naylor went on, a suggestion of impatience in his tone, “then the scenario is probably unlikely. But in the absence of any other intel regarding the missing airplane, the secretary —and/or the president—has obviously decided to go with what he has. CentCom has been ordered to find out as quickly as possible . . .”

“What’s the CIA got to say about this?” General McFadden interrupted.

“Let me finish, please, General,” Naylor said, icily.

“Sorry, sir,” McFadden said, not sounding very apologetic.

“But to get that question out of the way,” Naylor said, “while I am sure the CIA is already working on this problem —satellites and human intel, if they have anyone in the region—we have been ordered to find out as quickly as possible —without sharing our intentions with the CIA— whether or not the missing 727 is, or has been, at Abéché or not.

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