by David Hunter
~ ~ ~
"Mr. President, we can confirm that every city in the country with a population over 5,000,000 has been hit. This is true for most countries with a Judeo-Christian majority. There are reports coming in of isolated attacks in Iran and Arab-majority countries as well. Though the State of Israel was prepared, as much as they could be, their entire population along with the West Bank and Gaza Strip has experienced a 78% death rate, and climbing."
"Damn it, damn it. I thought we were better prepared. I sure as hell thought the Israelis were prepared. Our vaccines were produced based on medical data they gave us. How the hell could this have happened?"
"Sir, I have more." The Secretary of State's hands shook, his voice cracked as he gave voice to abridged updates streaming so quickly now that he was only scanning headlines and red-lettered notations. "In Russia and China most people are still at home, asleep. They may be able to contain the worst of it. Both countries have called up their militaries, elevating their national threat levels to the highest state of readiness, just short of attack by another nation."
"Sir it appears" the strain in his voice emphasizing the ashen appearance of his face, taut with alarm, "that both the Chinese and Russians have activated all of their nuclear arsenals. Western Europe and the Americas are the target. The Russians are also mobilizing troops along the boarders of the Balkan States and the Ukraine."
"What the hell are they thinking? They nuke us, they have to know that they've killed themselves in the mix. The nuclear fallout will cause an extinction event that will eliminate all life - plant and animal - on the planet. Get me both the Chinese and Russian presidents on video conference. Now!" Two people working the Global Communications Station entered codes needed to connect directly with both leaders, activating the Red Lines established for instant person-to-person communications during just such a crisis.
In response to the President's earlier question, the Secretary of State continued, "The Russians are fully aware of the strains which they lost nearly 13 years ago. Having tested the samples from the accidental release in L.A., they realized that the genetic manipulations significantly intensified the speed and virulence of both strains - already so deadly from the start. They and the Chinese also know we had to conduct a thermal cleansing of the apartment building, as well as the immediately surrounding buildings to contain the outbreak. Yes, they know that a thermal cleansing of the Americas and west Europe will poison their own people with radioactivity. Maybe they harbor a desperate hope that, with the strains in the west nuked, they can contain their own and hope that some in their own populations might survive the nuclear winter to come. The apparent attempt of Russia to seize the areas of the Ukraine not already under their control, as well as the Balkan States, suggests they expect to survive and will need the people and resources of these countries to defend itself against a China that likely will emerge the least affected - and therefore the strongest nation - if any of us survive this at all. I suggest we go to Def Con Four immediately."
"To hell with that. I won't allow those bastards to nuke us. Send a message to our submarines in the South China and Aegean Seas to fire a nuclear tipped warhead on five of the nuclear silos in active pre-launch sequence in both China and Russia. We need to send a strong and clear message that we will not allow them to attempt a nuclear strike against the United States. Admiral Byrd will make the call as to which silos to target."
"There is no answer from either government, Mr. President." The Global Communications Station operators didn't bother to hide their looks of anxiety. Never, since the Kennedy Administration, were these emergency lines to Beijing and Moscow unanswered when the president initiated contact.
"Keep trying. I don't care what it takes. Bring their Ambassadors here."
"Right away sir."
The president's Chief of Staff cut in. "Mister President, we are too late. Beijing has just executed their First Strike plan. Missiles in the air."
"Damn them. What about our tactical defense in Europe? Blow those missiles out of the sky." The strain on the president was fully evident.
"No sir, we can't. Western Europe is at this moment under a full bio agent attack. Our military bases, as well as those of the rest of NATO, are declared incapacitated. Several are under siege from the surrounding civilians who believe they were attacked by the American military. We should consider all of our allies as out-of-play."
"Suggestions?"
"Get as much of our Air Force off the ground as we can. Evacuate you, the Vice-President, Congress and others and initiate the Continuity of Government plan immediately." The Secretary of the Navy spoke via a video feed from his car while in transit to the White House.
"I thought we had more than two more days, plenty of time to eliminate the sleeper cells. I was assured all of the cells were under watch and there was no movement, no changes. What the hell happened? Where the hell was the CIA?" The President seemed to alternate between fury and panic. Fury was nothing new to him. Nobody had before seen him even slightly concerned, let alone in a state of panic. "Okay then," regaining control over his emotions, returning his demeanor to the leader the nation needed, "we have some forty minutes before the first set of bombs reach our shores. Give me suggestions people."
Without the ability to intercept the nuclear desolation hurtling their way, the ranks of military and civilian leadership in the War Room looked either at one another hesitantly, or just kept their eyes fixed to the carpet below them.
The Sec Nav cleared his throat, then he spoke, "Our bases and NATO allies in Europe are down but we still have fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific. They may be able to target about 5% of the rockets already launched."
"Get them on it, for whatever good it will do." The president seemed relieved to at least have one proactive option. "Anything else? China has launched, Russia won't be far behind."
"Actually sir, they did seconds ago. Our combined fleet can't hope to bring down but a very small fraction of the warheads."
"Com, what is the status contacting either government or their Ambassadors? The Kremlin and Beijing can still transmit a signal to their warheads to self-destruct."
"There has been no response sir." A man at the communications responded. "Both governments, as well as their embassies here, have gone dark. Marines attempting to enter each Embassy have been met with weapons fire."
"Damn it. Scuttle the previous order to the subs. Should anybody survive, I won't allow this great nation to be overrun by others. I am authorizing Nuclear Response Strike Alpha-32-Omega. Mr. Vice-President, do you concur?"
"Regretfully sir, I do."
"Bring the Football."
A Marine snapped to attention, then walked to the President's desk. The "Football," a large briefcase required for a nuclear launch, was laid on the desk in front of the president. Another Marine took a key from his pocket, unlocking the handcuffs that secured the Football to the wrist of the first Marine, both returning to their original positions in the War Room.
The president and vice-president each removed thin plastic cards from their pockets, broke them, pulled out the printed cards and read out loud the codes assigned each person for that day. A third person confirming the correlating codes in the Football added, "Gentlemen, your keys please."
The president and vice-president slid their electronic key cards into their respective slots in the Football, then took turns leveling their eyes to the scanner for biological verification. Signaling electronic recognition and acceptance, an LED display turned red, changed to yellow, and finally a solid bright green.
"Mr. President, bombs away."
"Sir, I respectfully request that I be allowed to go home. I don't want my wife to be alone." A soldier at the Comm Station made the request in a voice just above a whisper. Considering the absolute silence in the room it almost sounded loud.
"Certainly. Everybody should go home to be with loved ones. May God bless us and have mercy on our souls." At that the Secret Service present in
the War Room conducted the President and his family to the bunker deep below the White House.
