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first-­generation drones. Civilian agencies and even law enforcement are using these now for basic surveillance functions. Local air traffic control was aware of the Predator, but nobody seems to have raised any red flags—­they assumed it was a routine sweep. The port is monitored at all times by a variety of systems, including drones, and while this one didn’t have an official flight plan, everyone seems to have assumed that was just an oversight. Now, these drones don’t just fly themselves. Somebody has to actively control them from another location. So we know what happened next was not just a glitch.
    â€œThe drone descended at speed toward the port facility just as the cargo container passed under the PVT arch. It impacted the container with a considerable amount of force. The drone wasn’t carrying any weaponry, but simple physics was enough to catastrophically damage the cargo container. Its structural integrity was compromised and its contents were dispersed over a wide area. Some of the nonmetallic components inside, like those rubber gloves, were aerosolized in the impact.
    â€œWhat that means is that a large quantity of radioactive material was dispersed across the port facility, in some cases traveling a quarter mile before it settled out of the air. Dust from the gloves and clothing may have been carried much farther. Preliminary analysis shows that a significant area of the port has been affected.”
    She clicked a button and a new picture came up, this showing an overhead view of the enormous port facility. A red stain covered almost half of the view, looking like a spray of blood from a cut artery, to indicate the spread of radioactive material.
    â€œThe port was evacuated just after the event. There was only one direct injury—­a Charles Mitchell, the operator of the PVT arch, was hit by flying debris. He was found dead on the scene. Meanwhile, we have hazmat crews all over the port trying to collect as much of the debris as possible. Though the overall levels of radiation are very low, it just isn’t safe to let workers back inside the facility until we can complete our cleanup.”
    She clicked her remote and the view returned to the video Chapel had seen before—­the dust-­shrouded pile of cargo containers.
    â€œLadies and gentleman,” Foster said, “Mr. Secretary. The impact—­the crash—­of this drone was intentional. It was very well planned. What it boils down to is that terrorists have just exploded a dirty bomb on American soil.”
    FORT BELVOIR, VA: MARCH 21, 09:34
    Half the room started talking at once then, ­people firing questions at Melinda Foster, others calling for immediate action. Chapel couldn’t follow all the rapid-­fire discussions, and apparently neither could the room’s most important occupant.
    The secretary of defense slapped the table with the flat of his hand. It was enough to get absolute, instant quiet.
    In the silence he looked around the room, from one tense face to another. “The president has personally asked me to lead the task force on this. The director of national intelligence is on board—­so all you civilians here, you’re working for me now. Everybody here is working for me until this is over. Understood?”
    The room rumbled with agreement. There had been times in the past—­September eleventh, for example—­when the various agencies in the intelligence community had failed to work together and bad things happened. Clearly the president wasn’t going to let that happen again. The authority he’d given to Norton might be unprecedented, but nobody in that room was going to question it.
    â€œWe’re going to get whoever did this,” Norton said. “We’re going to make an example of them.”
    The room briefly erupted in a chorus of assent, which stopped as soon as Norton slapped the table again.
    â€œNo one is