“My authority supersedes his. Turn on the feeds right now.”
Even with its computing power being stretched thin, that command was not one that Shunka needed much time to process. The large monitor set into the wall flickered to life with images from around the world. Beth became visibly more relaxed. She always seemed to work better when the TV was on.
They were still showing images of the explosions in Korea while interviewing heads of state all over the world, the ones that weren’t in hiding, anyway. The world was still shocked by the power of America’s arsenal, and many weren’t even attempting to understand that the US had been fired on first. They just saw the images of an entire nation being wiped out and began pointing fingers at America.
This was to be expected, and President Tomas knew it. She couldn’t change anything that had happened, although she did mourn for all the innocent people that had lost their lives in an attack that had been aimed at the wrong group of people. Thinking back, she still knew she would make the same decision again, if she was given the same set of information. What else could she do?
America had been played, and all those who mattered fully understood this. Whoever had taken control of those missiles had created just the sort of chaotic environment they were looking for. All the developed nations were now fearful of having their own arms fired against their will, and then being the target of retaliation. She had to admit that the whole plan was incredibly well thought out and executed perfectly.
16
General Bahn had been on pins and needles since the president arrived. He had been going about business as usual while they got settled in, but now it was time for a meeting. They had been at his site for two full days and as far as he knew, none had ventured out of their designated spaces. All he knew was that the AI system was bogged down all to hell, and the live television and news feeds had been turned back on.
The television wasn’t a big deal to him; people would want to know what was going on, and he planned to turn them back on anyway. He had only been trying to keep them focused on the tasks at hand, but with the assassination attempt, all that had blown away as rumors and gossip flew all around the facility.
He was very interested in what they were doing with the AI, though. That was directly affecting the way his site operated. Specifically, it was not made to operate with a computer system that was too bogged down to complete anything but the most mundane task. He had gone to sit at his desk the day before, but when he put his butt down, the chair wasn’t there. His butt was still a little sore from that mistake. It was a simple thing, but for years he had been trained to trust that the seat would magnetically snap together. Mostly, it just made him feel silly, and he wouldn’t complain about that one instance. Instead, he would focus on other areas where a nearly inactive control system was disrupting the activities of the site.
Wearing his most heavily starched dress uniform, he walked down to his meeting with the president and her people. He had met her on several occasions, always during a strategic planning meeting. All those instances had been in the virtual world. It was rare in today’s advanced society to have any leading military members and leading political figures in the same room. With the advances in virtual meetings, it was a risk that simply wasn’t needed. After hearing about the explosion at the high school on the other side of the state, it seemed like a prudent measure.
The door snapped open as he approached and the computer announced his presence to everyone inside the room. President Tomas stood from her chair and welcomed him in with a swift and strong handshake. The general noticed her hand felt incredibly warm and he saw droplets of sweat beading up just around her hairline on her forehead.
“Are you feeling okay, ma’am?” Bahn was instantly reminded of the mystery virus that Laurel had been working on so diligently.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a touch of flu or something. I have my medical team looking into it, but many of them are feeling the same symptoms.” Beth wiped her brow and quickly sat back down.
“I’m sure you’re familiar with the virus that’s sweeping the globe, ma’am?”
Without looking up from her vid screen, she responded, “Yes, I was briefed on it not long ago. That’s possibly what it is, still no worry though. As pandemics go, that one is pretty weak.”
“That’s true. One of our researchers on site is heading up most of the work on that virus. I’m sure she could attend to you, or at least offer more info to your own physicians.”
She glanced back at one of her doctors and nodded quickly before saying “Yes, of course General.”
The general settled down into the chair after sweeping his hand over it quickly to make sure it was actually there. It wouldn’t be a good thing to take a chairless tumble in the presence of the leader of the free world. “We have done a great deal of research on that virus, and my people have a wealth of new information for you. I know we are not here now to discuss this virus, but it would be worthwhile to schedule a meeting later to bring you and your medical team fully up to date.”
Beth looked up with an annoyed look splashed across her face. “Bahn, we have more pressing matters at the moment. I appreciate your concern, but let’s move on.” She glanced over to one of her aides. “Put something on the calendar in a week or so, but keep it low priority.”
The general kept his eyes up and staring at her the whole time. He had heard she could be difficult to work with, and that didn’t surprise him in the least. The last two presidents that he had worked with had been ball busting assholes. He didn’t expect anything different from her simply because she was a woman. Thinking back, he imagined that the position of President, much like the title of General, mostly attracted dominating people who had grown to never take an inch of shit from anyone.
“That sounds perfect, ma’am. I will alert my people to prepare a brief for you and have it ready.”
“Now, I asked you here for several reasons, General. First, thank you for hosting our little party. Your site is running perfectly and it’s even more than I imagined. You have done a good job here.”
“Thank you. I have always tried my best to keep everything going as it should, and to be prepared for an instance just like this one.” The old general’s chest had puffed out slightly from having his ego stroked.
The president looked around the room and then turned off the vid screen built into the table in front of her. “Everyone else, leave us for now.”
One of her aides stepped forward and said, “Are you sure ma’am? Even the security?”
The president didn’t respond. She just looked into the man’s eyes with a rock hard expression. The aide tilted his head down and mumbled “of course” as they all filed out of the room.
In short order, it was just the president and the general, sitting alone at the large conference table. The general did his best to look comfortable, but he hadn’t expected to be left alone.
“General Bahn, I have a file here detailing the nuclear ordnance of this facility.”
Now it all made sense in his mind. That was what she wanted to talk about. The general couldn’t hide his discomfort with this topic. He knew that technically, he was solely in charge of those missiles. It was the way the facility was set up. Totally autonomous.
“Yes ma’am. We have eighteen silos, all loaded. Displays show that they are fully capable. Shunka, please pull up the display for the silo field.” The general paused and waited for the display to pop up. “Shunka? Did you understand me?”
“I am very sorry sir, most of my processing power is being used. I will have the display for you in just a moment.”
Bahn realized this may be the best chance to bring up his one serious gripe. “Ma’am, I would ask you to please free up my systems from whatever you are using them for. It is obvious that it is compromising not only the functioning of the entire site, but our security as well.”
The expression on her face didn’t change in the least; it appeared to him that her very face
was carved of solid rock. “The tasks that I am using this computer for will continue until they are completed. The security of this site may be slightly weakened, but I am trying to defend the entire country, not just one bunker hidden beneath thousands of tons of rock.”
“Can you tell me what you are doing that could possibly tax our systems this much? Frankly, I didn’t think it was even possible, and I was worried that somehow malicious code had gotten into the files.”
The president appeared to think about his question, rolling it around on her tongue. The general assumed that he was not going to get an answer when she finally said, “We are using the supercomputer to monitor and analyze all communications around the time of the nuclear strike, in an effort to discern who has been able to get into both Korea’s systems and our defense shield.”
“That shouldn’t tax the systems that much. How many comms must be searchable coming out of Korea, after all? I fear our own system may have been compromised.”
“You misunderstand General. I am looking into ALL communications around that time. Every phone call and email on the planet. Thank God for the digital storage banks we set up to store all of the cellular conversations from the previous month. Without those it wouldn’t even be possible.”
The general began to stammer slightly, but quickly stopped. What she had just described was such a gross violation of the constitution that he would go to jail just for being in charge of the facility she used to do it! He knew that in war special circumstances existed, but still, he had never been informed of any digital storage banks. They had to have been recording all the digital conversations on the planet in order to be able to review them. It was all done long before any warheads were in the air. A chill passed through the general. He knew it was not his place to argue with the sitting president of the United States, the commander-in-chief of all branches of the military, including his own. Still, the whole situation was extremely unnerving. He actually wished that he had never heard about it, at least then he could truthfully deny having any knowledge when the American people inevitably learn of this egregious digital invasion of privacy.
He thought of the quote from Thomas Jefferson that said ‘Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.’ He knew that the quote was only partially true, especially in the highly advanced world they lived in today. Still, Jefferson was a role model for the general, and this whole situation left a very bad taste in his mouth.
“It’s a moot point General, since the analysis is scheduled to be done by this evening. Then the system will go back to normal, and hopefully we will know exactly where to strike to take out these terrorists.”
Just as the general was about to speak up about the level of digital spying, he was saved by the missile display screen finally popping up on both their vid screens. “As you can see ma’am, the silos are fully functional and ready for use.”
“Where do you keep the codes?”
She was referring to the nuclear launch codes. This conversation was definitely going down the path that he had hoped to avoid. “They are locked up and safe,” he replied, keeping his voice steady and calm.
“That doesn’t answer my question, General. I will need those codes in my possession at your earliest convenience.” Bahn thought she actually sounded a little smug.
“Ma’am, perhaps you should have another look at the charter for this facility. Under no circumstance am I to turn over those codes. Those missiles are designated for a mutual destruction protocol, not an aggressive strike.” He didn’t even like saying the words ‘mutual destruction protocol’. It meant that if the US was severely crippled by another country, those missiles, buried inside the heavy granite bluffs, were to be used only to destroy whoever had destroyed us. It was our way to go down swinging. No one would win. That was the reason he was given sole command of them. If the US was devastated by multiple nuclear strikes the government would be scattered, and the chain of command would be murkier than the river outside the facility after a hard rain.
“I’m well aware of what the charter says. I am also well aware that I am your commander, and I am giving you a direct order.”
Her dark eyes seemed to be burrowing inside his skull. The general was not pleased with this exchange at all, but thankfully, he remembered something else from the charter. “Even if I were to give you the codes, they would be worthless to you. Only I can enter them. Remember the advanced AI system you are currently utilizing? It will not activate the codes unless I am the one to enter them.” He was noticeably relieved to be able to say this and have it be the honest truth.
Beth leaned back in her chair, obviously thinking about something. “That’s fine then; when the time comes you will use those missiles as I want them used. Do you understand?”
Without hesitation, the general agreed. He knew he would fight that fight when it came to his doorstep. Arguing now would serve no purpose other than further damaging the already strained relationship he had with the president.
“Good. Glad you know you are on board, General Bahn.” She stood up and walked around the table again to shake his hand. “There is no reason that our disagreement on this one thing needs to sully our relationship. This is a time of high anxiety and some things can be easily forgotten. Do we understand each other?”
“Of course, ma’am,” he said as he shook her still too warm hand. He then watched as she wiped the sweat from her brow again. He wasn’t certain, but she appeared to be paler than when he had first walked in. He had seen people endure a great deal, but he knew this woman must be tough as nails to continue her work at this level in the condition she appeared to be in.
Before he walked out of the room, he turned back and caught her eye one last time. “We have had some reports of fevers as high as 105 with this illness. That’s a very dangerous level, ma’am. I’ve been there; I know how easy it is to push your own needs aside. Take care of yourself.”
Without looking up, she mumbled an agreement and waved her hand to the rest of her staff, signaling them to return to the room. Bahn knew that she wasn’t going to listen to his advice any more than he would if he were in the same situation. Again, it was another one of those quirks of the personalities that attain the highest levels of command.
17
Jeep was still lying in bed. Same place he had been for hours. He had the large vid screen mounted on his wall displaying the world news. Apparently, television access was restored at some point yesterday, but no one had bothered to tell him, until Marcus sent him a message this morning. He opened it when he woke up and hadn’t moved since.
Much had happened in their few days of forced isolation. As to be expected, much of the world was hating on America, but there seemed to be a growing voice talking about a secret cabal of hackers that were responsible for the whole thing. It had instantly captivated Jeep’s conspiracy theory oriented mind.
For the last hour, he had been mostly paying attention to the coverage of the virus. He had been wiped out by it all day yesterday, but was feeling much better after a night of good sleep. Laurel had issued him some heavy duty tranquilizers that pretty much knocked him on his butt. As flu’s went, it seemed to steamroll him pretty good. He was happy it only lasted for 24 hours.
The talking head on television was saying it was the worst pandemic, at least in terms of sheer numbers of infected people, to ever sweep the nation. The television man was wearing a white lab coat and had ‘Dr.’ before his name, so he was supposed to be a trustworthy source. Jeep was always suspect of these newsroom experts. That ‘Dr.’ could easily have a doctorate in aquatic species of plants that grow exclusively on the southern tip of India, for all he knew.
Still, even with all his doubts about the competence of their experts, he continued to watch. There were many stories about what would happen if the virus mutated heavily, although Laurel told him that DNA viruses were typically stable, other than slight alterations here and there. It was
news that was meant to incite a panic and he knew it. Funny thing was, the way Jeep saw it, the virus and the nuclear attacks were plenty sensational all on their own. He didn’t see any need whatsoever to embellish them further or spice them up with even more ‘what if’s’.
Thankfully, the world population didn’t seem to be panicking too much yet. There was some looting going on in a few spots, but that had been happening for the past decade as the sea level rose enough to swamp entire cities. Jeep wondered if the anchors and talking heads were ever let down when they failed to create the pandemonium they seemed to be desperately trying to create.
He remembered when he was a little boy, back in 2025, when the ‘llama flu’ had created widespread panic. It was the tail end of all the different flus named after the animals that they had originally discovered the flu virus in. The news had taken it and run wild. They speculated that the flu could easily mutate and wipeout humanity in the blink of an eye. Misguided farmers slaughtered all their llamas and sent them to the incinerator. Riots were everywhere, people were burning wool, worried that it was actually llama hair. It was sheer insanity.
The entire industry was destroyed, and it never recovered. The flu never mutated, which was exactly what the actual scientists had been saying all along. Years later, they discovered that all the various animal flus that had been taking up so much headline space since the early 2000’s had all essentially been caused by genetic tampering to the agricultural animals’ feed. In an effort to increase yield a few percentage points, biotech giants had spliced in spider genes and all sorts of other things. With little testing, these plants were then introduced all over the world. After the discovery of what they actually did, to both humans and animals alike, the practice had been outlawed except under the strictest of protocols. The biotech corporations had eventually set up an island where they could test things out, way out in the middle of the ocean. Jeep had worked on a plane once that was headed over there. He didn’t even want to touch the thing, fearing it was crawling with all sorts of strangeness.
Finding Their Path (Down The Path Book 3) Page 10
