took another deep breath. "Ten thousand versus four hundred," whirled around in his head. "Principle must always outweigh humanity in affairs of the state," he decided.
"General Boniek, set condition DEFCON 2," he ordered the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, giving the Presidential instruction to tell U.S. Armed Forces all over the world to be ready to deploy and engage in less than six hours.
He then looked at Admiral Robertson again.
"Can you get their carrier?" he asked her again.
The Admiral didn't hesitate. "We will get her, Mr. President."
Parker noted her comment and looked at his note pad for a second. He had written a quote of Teddy Roosevelt on the top of the pad:
"The only man who makes no mistake is the man who does nothing!"
He noted it grimly.
"Operation WORMWOOD is authorized" Parker declared, giving the order for the U.S. Navy submarines to launch a precision strike on the Chinese mainland.
"Mr. President, you will also need to give the order to deploy Marines from Qatar into Turkmenistan," prompted Young immediately as the Marine Colonel carrying the "Football" (the President's emergency satchel carrying the nuclear launch codes if needed and other authorization documentation) entered into The President's Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) to enable him to verify the orders.
The President looked at Young with disgust as the Colonel opened the case. He knew why he had just asked for this order to be included. It was to protect his political position above the line, having vowed to the Russians that he would do so. However, events in the last few hours by the Chinese had circumvented that request. He decided now was the time to remove him from his field of sight forever.
"No," the President ordered.
"But!" the Secretary of State countered. The President's eyes flared.
"I have made my decision, Secretary Young," he said in a clipped tone, which to everybody in the room, sounded like a slap in the face of the former intelligence chief.
This time the President turned to his Chief of Staff, a fellow Texan who had once been his linebacker at Texas State, Mike Dunross.
"Where is the Chinese Ambassador?"
"Upstairs in the Oval Office, as requested," he replied.
Parker exerted his authority. "As soon as the missiles are away, I will inform him personally that I have ordered the destruction of Chinese air bases and their carrier as a necessary protective measure to enable our Armed Forces in the East China Sea to conduct rescue operations and inform him that no Chinese shipping must leave Chinese waters for the next seventy two hours."
"Daniel, I must protest!" Young answered, forgetting his place and using the President's first name. He was reeling from the shock of the President effectively taking over his role as The Secretary of State to deliver messages of that nature.
"Your protests are duly noted, Secretary Young, now shut the fuck up!" said the President ignoring his and the other rather uncomfortable looks from those in room.
This time it was the Chief of Staff who took over the meeting.
"You heard the President. Ladies and gentlemen!" he said in manner that was a call to action.
Immediately the room took the hint. Led by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, they rose, stood to attention, and saluted him at the same time then at the same time to a man and a woman said.
"Mr. President!"
"Who in the hell does Parker think he is?" Young demanded of Mike Dunross once the President's Chief of Staff had walked to the conference room in the residence accompanied by two officers he assumed were Secret Service and Jacob Steinburg, the United States Attorney General, the person who is the head of the United States' Department of Justice and the chief law enforcement officer of the United States' government.
"Your President, you goddam son of bitch," said the six-foot-four 230-pound former linebacker.
"He doesn't have the authority to order my removal!" said Young with his fury boiling over, and for once his manners nowhere in sight.
"He hasn't ordered your removal," replied Mike calmly, as he turned Attorney General. Young laughed contemptuously while Dunross did so.
"I am his fucking deputy on the NCA!" Young spat.
"From this moment on that role is the responsibility of your Deputy," Dunross said keeping his cool and referring to The Secretary of Defense.
"Secretary Young," The AG said, "You are being removed under Article Two of the United States Constitution."
"He's fucking sacking me!" Young said.
The long thin bearded Jacob Steinburg didn't comment but clarified why by handing Young a folded letter even though not giving him a chance to read it.
"Secretary Young, you are being indicted under Article Two Section 4 of the United States Constitution," Steinburg continued answering Young's question.
"Impeached!" Young said reeling in shock. "On what charge!" he demanded of the AG.
Before becoming the AG, Jacob Steinberg had been one of the Department of Justice's most vehement prosecutors. Later in his career, as a judge in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, he had reputation of being the hardest on men who failed to live up to their oath of office. He also had a reputation of never been rattled.
"On the charge of Treason and other High Crimes and Misdemeanors," the AG answered coolly before turning to the two men behind him.
"You are to accompany these two gentleman from the FBI," he added. "If you resist, then they will handcuff you," he said without emotion, ending the discussion.
With DEFCON 2 now in force, the White House was on lockdown. The President sat in his office in the PEOC deep beneath the famous house's swimming pool above him. He had never felt so alone in his life. His thoughts were dominated by the fact that all this had been caused by a man he had once trusted and considered his closest friend.
"Jesus!" he thought.
On any other day, an arrest of Young once it came public would be news all over the world for at least twenty news cycles. Today in the aftermath of what was happening in the world, it would be likely relegated to the fourth item. Despite that, the President knew the fallout of that particular decision would come later.
For the moment though however, pride and place in the news networks belonged to the preemptive strike by the Chinese and with America's response, which according to Admiral Robertson had resulted in an eighty-five percent success ratio and included three direct hits on the Chinese carrier.
Although the screens were on and tuned to the news channels in the room, he didn't have the sound on. Instead he took a moment to draw a sense of comfort from the fact that although America had been attacked in the most devastating manner he had fulfilled the oath of his office and responded with its full wrath. The guilt of the decision would be dealt with later.
For now his mind was focused on what the Premier of China would do. Escalate the crisis or hold steady? Whatever happened, he sadly reflected, the economy was shattered, again that too was in the future and to be dealt with later.
Mike Dunross's voice interrupted the President's thoughts as he entered the room. Since they were alone he called the President by his first name.
"Danny, I have Putin on the secure line," he said.
The President sighed. He had hoped it would be the Premier of China offering to stop this madness. His National Security Adviser said that wouldn't be likely for at least a few hours because the Central Committee would need to work out what to do next.
"Put him on," the President answered. Mike promptly pressed the speakerphone on the desk.
"President Putin, you're on the line with the President of the United States and his Chief of Staff," stated Dunross confirming who was in the room.
"Mr. Dunross, this is Foreign Minister Lavrov. Do you wish to wait for Secretary Young?" he asked.
Dunross looked at the President. Parker instantly took over the conversation and decided mentally to throw a long, deep pass to his wide receiver.
"Fore
ign Minister Lavrov, this is the President of United States. Mr. Young is no longer Secretary of State so no we will not wait."
There was silence for a few moments. Then another voice came on line.
"President Parker, this Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the President of Russia," the voice said, although no introduction was necessary; both men instantly recognized who it was.
"What are your intentions in the East China Sea?" the Russian asked, straight to the point.
"Vladimir, we are conducting search and rescue operations and have acted proportionally to protect our military personnel who are vulnerable from unprovoked attack by the People's Republic of China."
"Destroying thirty-eight percent of their Navy and Armed forces is not proportionate, Daniel," Putin responded informally in English to reflect Parker's opening.
The last thing he needed was to go down a route of "position protecting," so the President issued his olive branch and ignored Putin's statement.
"As long the People's Republic of China Armed forces and commercial shipping does not attempt to leave its ports or its air space during the next seventy-two hours, there will be no further military action by the United States of America," Parker said to the squawk box. "America's Ambassador is delivering this message to the Chinese in Beijing as we speak," he added.
"Do you wish for Russia to provide assistance in your search and rescue operations?" asked Putin's voice.
The President looked at Dunross, who nodded and then pressed the speakerphone mute button. "He's offering to act as peace broker by putting Russia in the
The Devil's Playground Page 48
