Dale Brown by Fatal Terrain

Author:Fatal Terrain [Terrain, Fatal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2008-12-08T08:00:00+00:00

THE PRESIDENT'S STUDY, WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE., WASHINGTON, D.C.

WEDNESDAY, 18 JUNE, 2151 HOURS ET

It was right there, on a CNN "Breaking News Special Report" live video of a sinking Chinese ferry, about twenty miles from Quemoy Island. Again and again, CNN also replayed the videotape that had been turned over to them at their Beijing bureau by the Chinese governments video showing two missiles slamming into the ferry, the explosions, the fire… CNN was also showing videotape of a similar attack on the Chinese aircraft carrier Mao Zedong, during Reunification Day celebrations. First they showed the fireworks, the children, the flags, the awestruck civilians on tour-and then they showed the devastation just seconds after torpedoes from an unknown attacker slammed into the carrier. The videotape clearly showed the damage, showed the injured and dead civilians… … and it showed what caused all that death and destruction, a captured Taiwanese attack submarine, forced to the surface, captured, then sunk by Chinese shore-and carrier-based naval forces.

"My God," someone muttered. "This is the most incredible tape I've ever seen. We've got to respond right away."

"The first damn thing I want everyone to do is to calm down, " the President of the United States, Kevin Martindale, said as he swiveled uncomfortably in his chair. The members of his staff and the military representatives were on their feet watching the TV monitors in absolute shock and horror. "I'm not taking any more phone calls from the media for the rest of the evening, especially from CNN. I don't care if Jane Fonda herself calls asking for more information." With the President in his study adjacent to the Oval Office was Philip Freeman, the President's National Security Advisor; Robert Plank, Director of Central Intelligence; and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral George Balboa, representing the uniformed services.

Entering last and standing beside and slightly behind the President was his chief of staff, Jerrod Hale. "Secretaries Chastain and Hartman are not available," Hale told the President. "The Vice President and Mr. Ricardo are en route, ETA ten minutes."

"I need to talk to Jeffrey and Arthur ASAP,- the President told Hale. Turning to his assembled advisors, the President began, "Phil, get us started."

"Yes, sir," Freeman said, opening a red-jacketed folder with the words "TOP SECRET" emblazened on the cover.

"About an hour ago, approximately seven P. Washington time, eight A. Hong Kong time, several very unusual and deadly events occurred in the Formosa Strait region almost simultaneously. We're seeing the press reports of what happened, but I have the preliminary field reports, and they paint a much different picture.

"First, several missiles were fired at two U. Navy frigates operating near Quemoy Island," Freeman said. "One frigate, a Naval Reserve Fleet ship named the Duncan, was hit by two torpedoes and slightly damaged. The EB-52 Megafortress was in the vicinity at the time of the attack, and the crew reported that it detected the missile launch and pinpointed the ship that launched the missiles. Without penrnission, the Megafortress attacked.

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