He shook his head. “It will take a day to get word to this area. I can’t simply send an e-mail, you understand.”
She did. The men and women on the ground in Iran and other Middle East hot spots weren’t tied into the system. They had prearranged meetings and movements already being coordinated. Operating in the Middle East was difficult enough, operating in Iran’s backyard was more than dangerous.
This is too well-coordinated to be anything but the precursor to a legitimate attack.
“Get the president on the line immediately. Pull him out of his meetings. Now, Commander. He needs to know the Iranians are talking out both sides of their mouths—again—but this time, they’ve got their reactors all lit up and glowing. Get Mossad on the phone—Ari Mizrahi. If these idiots are about to attack Israel, we need to let them know. What am I thinking? Of course they already know. Ari might be in a better position to give us some information.”
The air was electric, but everyone knew what to do and they did it, calmly and efficiently. She watched views of the screens constantly changing, calls being made, computer keys typing fast and furious. Commander Zarvick handed her a secure phone. “Ma’am, here is President Bradley’s secure phone.”
“Callan? What is this? What is going on?”
“Iran’s facility in Bushehr is lit up like a Christmas tree. I know, I know, it could be that Iran’s simply saber-rattling again, but this time I’ve got to think they’re gearing up for something.” And she updated him about Bayway, told him about the power grids just going down, and the threat from COE to take out all the lights on the eastern seaboard. “Sir, I really don’t like the feel of this.”
Commander Zarvick said, “Arak is online now, too, ma’am.”
“Did you hear that, sir? Two facilities online now. They’re moving missile batteries. No troop movement as yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t happen soon.”
The president sounded impatient. “Of course they’re putting on their usual dog and pony show, for their own people, for their enemies and neighbors, to show they’re not being ground under by the U.S. It doesn’t mean anything. We’re close, only inches from a comprehensive nuclear deal, Callan. Inspections and total cooperation with the UN.”
“And what do we give in return?”
He paused a moment, then: “We lift all sanctions. Acknowledge them as a player.”
She sat down hard. “As a nuclear state? Sir, have you lost your mind?”
“We’re talking a historic moment in time, but you won’t accept that, will you? Don’t you see? We could put our differences aside, become allies. They want to be a part of the world stage. They’re not about
to compromise this opportunity; it’s all simple face-saving.”
Face-saving? That’s how he sees it? “And Israel? How would they like that result? The headlines will scream ‘U.S. and Iran BFFs, Israel Left Out in the Cold.’ That’s not going to go over well in Tel Aviv.”
“They’re here at the table, too, Callan. They’re a part of this, they’re participating. The two sides are talking, for the first time in years, really talking. We can bring about a serious brokered peace, one that could last decades, centuries, even.”
She heard the denial of reality that marked his views toward the issue. What was really happening there that he refused to see? Keep calm, keep calm. “Jefferson, you’ve always wanted peace in the world and that’s an admirable goal, a goal all of us would love to achieve. But now you must face facts. The Iranians are playing you. Hezbollah isn’t there in the negotiations, and nothing will be final without their express approval. You know they aren’t interested in a brokered peace, you know their stated goal is to annihilate Israel, annihilate the world, anyone who isn’t Shia.
“Iran already is a nuclear state, far more advanced in their program than they’ve ever let on. All our briefs show this. You’re talking about giving them the keys to the kingdom, and us an ocean away. You must take a step back away and think clearly—I’ve told you what’s happening, what they’re doing. You must at the very least inform the Israelis what’s happening. Let them make their own decisions.”
She could tell he wanted to curse her, call her hysterical, but he managed to hold his voice level. “Here’s what I do know, Madam Vice President. If we walk away now, the chances of Iran’s sending nukes to Israel is overwhelming. I can’t let that happen. We will not have World War Three on my watch. Do you understand me? We may not achieve a lasting peace, I’ll grant you that, but we will slow everything down. Let them say ‘Death to America’ while they’re vowing they want peace, let them light up their nuclear plants to prove to the world they’re the ones in control, not us. It’s all mere posturing, something they do all the time and do well.
“Listen to me, this is simply the way they behave, always provocatively. They are sitting here at the peace table. They are not stupid enough to believe our shields are down during these talks.”
Callan wished she could think of a Star Trek reference to toss back to him, but all she could think of was their nacelle cells were dead, and that wouldn’t work. She forged ahead. “Sir, we’re looking at a screen that says this has gone too far for their usual crap posturing. CIA and Mossad have confirmed that there’s a contract out on me, and word is they believe it’s come from Iran, and that means Hezbollah, of course.
“You know Hezbollah wants war, so do many of the power players in Tehran. They want to blow up the world. I told you we’re already under attack here with the Bayway bombing, and at this moment we have a multistate electrical-grid issue.
“Sir, the time has come to face them down and demand to know why they’re doing this, what their intentions are.” And you will see the lies flowing from their mouths. “We can’t let them get away with this. I strongly recommend you give the go-ahead to use our new cyber-attack. It’s geared up and ready to go, and you know that it makes Stuxnet look like child’s play. Let us unleash it, take them back offline before they do something stupid.”
An alarm sounded behind her, its klaxon wail making her skin crawl. Another reactor online, more movement.
Callan felt her heart freeze. “I think they’ll be taking the decision out of your hands, sir.”
She heard him curse, heard some anger. Good. He said, “What are these yahoos playing at? I need to speak to the Israelis immediately, make sure they don’t launch a preemptive counterattack. I’ll get back to you, Callan, let you know if I feel we need to move to the DEFCON level or if they’re really only prancing about to show how mighty they are,” and he was gone.
At least he was thinking clearly now, she hoped. What would the Israelis do? She imagined they knew as well as she did what was happening and would be gearing up to defend themselves, as they always did. Would they listen to Bradley?
She hoped they would. Just in case, she called Ari.
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