Parallelogram : Day Two : Chapter 59

Five Days, Ten Hours, Forty-Four Minutes

"Chief Stoddard," the White House operator said from the comm relay, "I have Mr. Craig Donovan on Line Three."

"Who?"

"Craig Donovan, sir," she explained. "He's currently with the National Security Administration and formerly of the BackStep Program. He says he needs to speak with you regarding Dr. Isaac Mentnor."

"Thank you."

"What's going on, Ethan?" the President asked from the video screen.

"We'll know in a minute, sir." Stoddard reached out and tapped the flashing green button. "Mr. Donovan, this is Ethan Stoddard. I understand you're inquiring about Dr. Mentnor?"

"Not inquiring, sir," Donovan replied. "I have some information that I believe you need to act upon."

"Dr. Mentnor should be away from the White House by now," he answered quickly. "You'll forgive me as I can't divulge any of the details ..."

"Chief," the man interrupted, "I know all about Senator Pendley ... but, honestly, that's not the reason for my call."

Stoddard glanced up at the speakerbox. "Go ahead."

"You might need to send one of your technicians into the communications juncture beneath the War Room, sir," Donovan tried. "Acting upon information that he discovered on his own, Isaac took it upon himself to re-initialize the satellite surveillance system. An electronic detection software on his laptop led him to where he is ... and a man at his age has no business doing this kind of work, sir."

The chief rubbed a cool hand to his forehead. "The recovery of our national tracking system was due to Dr. Mentnor?"

"Yes, sir."

"But how did he ...?"

"Sir, Isaac can brief you on the details," Donovan stated. "I know that you'll want to bring the President up to speed on what's developed. However ... it would appear that Isaac also uncovered the mole on your staff. It was Chloe Vandemark."

Stoddard turned to face the viewscreen. The President held a look of incredulity, his eyes wide and his mouth open. Immediately, the chief asked, "Is Chloe with Dr. Mentnor?"

"She was," he explained, "but ... I believe she's dead, sir."

"Dead?"

"As I understand, she tried to stop Isaac from removing the device that co-opted our satellites. In the act of defending himself, the doctor said that her gun went off. She was hit ... and I told Isaac to leave her body there for it to be retrieved by the proper White House authorities."

"Thank you, Craig," Stoddard replied. "I'll have the Secret Service see that she's tended to."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Chloe was a friend of mine," the younger man said. "I know that she's a single parent and she has a son, sir. Would it be possible to send an agent to inform the boy? I'd hate for him to learn of this any other way. I give you my word that I'll look in on him as soon as ... well ... the situation warrants."

"We'll a bit short-staffed at the moment," Stoddard confessed. "As soon as I can spare the agent, I'll send someone over." Another light blinked on the relay. "Mr. Donovan, I'm going to have to place you on hold for a moment." The chief reached up and tapped the key. "Yes?"

"Chief Stoddard, I have Senator Pendley on Line 5."

Again, the President looked surprised.

Smiling, the chief explained, "When Dr. Mentnor disconnected the device, it would appear that the good senator also lost his control over the Red Phone, sir."

"That makes perfect sense." The President turned away for a moment, clearly writing some notes on a pad of paper off screen, and then he explained, "Let Donovan off the horn, and let's see what the senator has to say for himself."

"Yes, sir." Again, Stoddard punched several buttons on the device. "Mr. Donovan, I have another call that the President and I must take. Thank you for your service. Please leave your contact number with the operator in case I need to reach you again."

"Thank you, chief," Donovan said, and the line cleared.

There was an audible 'click.'

"Senator?" Stoddard asked. "Are you there?"

"That was very rude of you, Ethan."

"I apologize, senator," the chief replied, "but a situation developed here that required my attention. I'm sure you can understand. The President is on the line, sir."

"Mr. President," Pendley began, "I have to say that I'm disappointed."

"It's I who is disappointed in you, Arthur," Campbell retorted. "This entire affair is your responsibility. The lives of the crew of the Basilisk will be on your head, Arthur, and that's going to carry with it a penalty that I don't think you'll be able to bear."

"Sir," the senator tried, "I have no doubt that, once the events of today are brought to light, the families of the Basilisk's crew will agree – as will the rest of the world – that those deaths were unnecessary."

"Stop playing this mind game, senator," Stoddard interjected with serious force. The man had grown very tired from the increasing stress of the last hour, and he didn't care if it showed any longer. He was tired. He was in danger. He felt the fate of the country in his hands – as did his President – and he didn't want to be bullied into submission any more by a Congressman. "When the world learns of what you've done, I think they'll have a very different reflection on history."

"Thank you for that soliloquy, Ethan," the man replied, "but – right now – were I you I would be more concerned about what comes next and not how your legacy will be written in to the history books."

"Fine, senator," the chief remarked tiredly. "Why don't you tell – now that we've refused to acquiesce to your set of ridiculous demands – just what it is that does come next?"

"Now that you have full control of your satellites at your command, might I assume that you've witnessed the full capabilities of my weapon?"

"Given the present set of circumstances, senator, I don't think it's safe to assume anything," Stoddard explained. "However, I do have telemetry coming in – as we speak – for both the White House and the President to review."

The senator cleared his throat. "Then you will shortly see what it is I'm capable of doing."

"Arthur, please," Campbell tried. "You know my position. You know that I won't negotiate with you. You know that I won't negotiate with any other body. When it comes to terrorism, my position has been very clear. I will not bend. I will not falter."

"Yes, I admire your dedication to such archaic thinking, Mr. President," Pendley offered. "But it's precisely that way of thinking that's an obvious risk when you're dealing with a weapon that can send not only your civilization but the entire world back to the Stone Age ... all at the press of a button, sir."

The three of them grew silent for several moments, allowing the reality of the event to fully seep in.

"This is what I'm proposing," the senator finally said. "As you've disregarded my last set of demands, I won't trouble you with anything more complex than a simple agreement for you to surrender the White House to me. I'm no longer willing to give you the courtesy of serving out your term – of giving any elected President the chance to fill out his or her term. I'm interested solely in taking command of this country."

"The American people won't stand with you, Arthur," the President argued. "And if you think the leaders of the free world will stand back while a lone madman seizes control of the government over the last remaining superpower, then you're far more delusional than I thought you were when this entire campaign of yours began."

"Mr. President ..."

"Let me be perfectly clear with you, Arthur," the man stated flatly. "You've made this personal. You attacked my family. This is no longer about your quest for power. This is about correcting what you've done in the last two days. This is about a cure, not about a disease or a diseased mind."

Interrupting as he feared the conversation had taken a turn for the worst, Stoddard tried, "Senator, if you have a single demand to make, then would you please share with us the consequences if – and only if – the President continues to refuse to meet your demand? What is it that you'll do?"

"Thank you, chief," the man said.

"You're welcome."

"What I intend to do is simple," the senator explained. "I have a weapon, and I intend to use it. I'm giving the White House the opportunity to review the satellite data on the two strikes I've committed thus far. Once you do, I'm quite certain that you'll feel differently. At that time, the realization of what you're up against will make you decide differently. I'll give you two hours. I'll call you. At that time – and at every two hour interval afterwards – I will destroy another target. Again, let me remind you, gentlemen, that these first two targets were relatively benign, so far as influencing public opinion goes. Neither attack is subject to viewing on the evening news. Neither attack is being replayed and dissected on the internet. The world audience is unaware. In two hours, if you fail to surrender the White House to me, then I'll choose a far more public casualty ... and the President will then have the voice of the world to answer to."

END of Chapter 59