Chapter Seventy-Five Thursday That Same Week

Usually the last to arrive, President Egan is currently the only one sitting in the Situation Room, going over his thoughts once more before his military leaders arrive. This is no time to be indecisive, yet he must also be absolutely certain that he isn’t jumping the gun and unintentionally starting a world war.

He picks up the secure phone in front of him and dials NSA Director John Walker on a speed dial already set up for him. “John, President Egan. I’m glad you’re up at this hour. What’s the latest you’re getting on our Whispering reports?”

“With the Kilos departed, I haven’t been to bed yet, suh. There’s nothin’ unusual in this mornin’s reports, just what we’d expect – except we did intercept ordahs to have the main propellah bearin’ replaced in that one Kilo remainin’ behind, so now we know why it’s still there. A reply message said that the parts’ll have to be ordahed from the Russians. Seems they have no inventory on that item.”

“Are you getting any messages indicating military movement, John?”

“No, suh, we are not. However, their missile people are tellin’ the military that it’ll take four weeks for them to redo the warheads in the last dozen they manufactured.”

“Redo the warheads? What do you make of that, John? Those are land based missiles, correct?”

“To answer your first question, suh, we’re not sure what they mean by ‘redoin’ the warheads.’ However, our gut feelin’s that they’re plannin’ some type of military confrontation usin’ both land-based missiles, as well as their five operating Kilos.” John just let the rest of the statement hang in mid-air.

“Do you have a launch date, or anything we can hang our hats on, to make a strategic decision, John?”

“No, suh, I do not. Right now that’s the best I can give you, Mr. Pres’dent.”