Total Empire by A. J. Tata

Author:A. J. Tata
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

25

“THE CHINESE HAVE LAUNCHED five hypersonic missiles that are loitering in outer space right now waiting to be directed onto targets in the United States and maybe Europe,” Koby Bertrand said.

Bertrand was the director of national intelligence and typically pursued a background role in supporting the more forward-facing agencies such as the State and Defense Departments. Tonight, he was lighting up President Campbell’s Alexa in the Oval Office. He was bald and wore rimless round spectacles and a gray suit. He had large ears and a slender nose, looking like the academic he was. Previously head of the Georgetown national security studies program, Bertrand had been tapped by Campbell to fight a mostly losing effort to reverse the weaponization of the intelligence agencies.

“Like they did two years ago?” Campbell asked.

“Yes and no,” Bertrand said. “These aircraft are like small space shuttles, maybe half the size. Just big enough to fly a nuke, like a cruise missile. Launched on a rocket, released in space, fly like the shuttle, and then reenter the atmosphere to fly to a certain point. The engines, however, use hydrogen and can propel the vessel to five times the speed of sound, making it impossible to detect or interdict. Not a fossil fuel–consuming air breather, which our satellites are trained to detect.”

“I thought there were accuracy problems,” Blankenship said.

Secretary of Defense Blankenship and Secretary of State McHenry were seated on one sofa with Bertrand and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Lucius Rolfing, on the other. Campbell was seated in a chair at the head and in between the two sofas. A few staffers stood in the background, scribbling notes and nodding at appropriate times, always with furrowed brows of concern.

“There were,” Bertrand said. “Tense being important here, which is to say that there may not be any more issues. A couple of years ago, the tests had the payload missing by ten to twenty miles.”

McHenry nodded and said, “This was my understanding also. Instead of Washington, D.C., they hit Fairfax, Virginia, for example.” She hunched her shoulders and held up her hands, palms up in the “no biggie” pose.

Bertrand nodded and continued, “The Chinese have tested a terminal guidance system that increases the accuracy of delivery.”

“So, instead of Fairfax, it’s Arlington,” McHenry said.

Campbell said, “Now is not the time to minimize this, Bryn.”

McHenry looked at Campbell and then sideways at Blankenship. Both women adjusted their positions on the sofa and crossed their arms. Blankenship hung her head and locked eyes with McHenry, shaking her head slowly as Bertrand continued.

“To carry the analogy, though, Madam President, now it is the Lincoln Bedroom and not the Oval Office.”

“That’s less than twenty yards. I’ve paced it,” Campbell said.

“Yes, I accounted for the margin of error. The more likely result would be your chief of staff’s office right there through the wall.” Bertrand pointed at the far wall, his uncharacteristic boldness perhaps a signal of the seriousness of the matter.

“You’re joking?” Blankenship asked.

“I’m afraid not, AB.”

“How have they achieved such accuracy?” Campbell asked.

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