Mounting Fears Read Online Free PDF

about half the size of the Hiroshima bomb.
    “I spoke twice this morning and this afternoon to President Khan of Pakistan, and he assured me that preparations were under way to retake the missile site and that the attack would be made this evening. President Khan assured me that all precautions were being taken to secure other missile sites.
    “As a precaution, I gave orders to put on alert an Air Force squadron of fighter jets, armed with conventional missiles, and a unit of ground troops, in case they were needed to assist the Pakistani army.
    “A few minutes ago, we learned from satellite observations that a nuclear device had detonated in a remote area of northwest Pakistan. We do not know yet whether this was deliberate or accidental.
    “As I speak, the Joint Chiefs of Staff are assembling at the Pentagon, and shortly I will be speaking to them and to the secretary of defense, who is in Colorado, from a command center in New York City. I must leave now to go to that site, but I want to assure you that we have no intelligence at this time to indicate that any other place in the world is being threatened. Every indication we have so far is that this disturbance is highly localized, so you have nothing to fear.
    “Before I go, please let me say that I am honored to accept your nomination to once again lead my party in the race for president and that I look forward to campaigning all over the United States. Thank you and good night.”
    Will turned and walked toward the green room and was met by the speaker on the way.
    “What should I do now?” the speaker asked.
    “Our business is done here, Tank,” Will said. “Close the convention as planned and send these people home.”
    “Yes, sir.”
     
     
    TWO MINUTES LATER, Will, Kate, and Peter, along with Martin Stanton, were in the presidential limousine bound for the Waldorf. Eight minutes later they were in the Presidential Suite in the Waldorf Towers, sitting at the dining room table, watching an array of screens that had been previously installed in the room. The phone on the table rang, and, simultaneously, the Joint Chiefs of Staff appeared on one screen and the secretary of defense, Charles Quarry, on another.
    “Good evening, gentlemen,” Will said. “Mr. Chairman, what do you have to tell us?”
    “Mr. President,” the chairman said, “there is precious little information coming in at this time.”
    “One moment, please,” Will said. “Tim, get President Khan on the telephone as quickly as you can. General, please go ahead with your report.”
    “We know from satellite observations, Mr. President, that the attack by the Pakistani army took place and that, during heavy fighting, a missile was fired—we don’t know whether that was accidental or not. Shortly after that, when the missile was around forty miles downrange in a southeasterly direction, on a course that would have taken it toward Islamabad, it exploded at an altitude of approximately thirty thousand feet.”
    “That’s much higher than if an airburst attack had been planned,” Will said.
    “Yes, sir. A more effective altitude for an airburst would be three to five thousand feet, depending on the throw weight of the missile.”
    “Does it seem likely that the target was Islamabad, then?”
    “Yes, sir, it does.”
    “We are trying to contact President Khan now. Do you have any information from him or from the Pakistani army at this time?”
    “No, sir. We have been unable to reach either the Presidential Palace or army headquarters.”
    “The president told me earlier that he was removing himself from the palace to a bunker. Have we had any communication with that place?”
    “No, sir. We are unable to reach anyone in authority at this time.”
    The secretary of defense spoke up. “General, I believe you have a standing plan to take out the other Pakistani nuclear missile sites.”
    “Yes, sir. We do.”
    “Do you need to move forces or aircraft to get that done?” Will