Chapter 14
Leo had called Charlie to come in and sit with the sleeping President. Once he came in, CJ, whom he had left there initially, had come back to the office to help with the discussions. Both she and Josh wanted to call Sam and Toby in to add their thoughts to the ongoing discussions. After some heated back and forth, Leo finally acquiesced. Twenty minutes later the Senior Staff was complete. Sitting around the table in the Roosevelt Room the topic of discussion was what else should be done. What had they missed?
"Okay, Leo." Toby was not happy about the delay in calling him in, but CJ had explained to him about the need to keep this quiet as possible. "If the Air Force can't contact the plane and vice versa, then we have to think how to get in contact with them in other ways."
"Well, that's a great idea, Toby." Leo replied sarcastically. "What you're going to do? Send a carrier pigeon?"
"Leo, please." CJ knew that Leo was tired and extremely worried about his friends, but Toby really didn't deserve that comment.
"I'm sorry, Toby. Please continue."
"Thank you, Leo. Why not ask the Australians to try and track the jet on their radar or get some planes from their military to backtrack along their flight path and see if those planes can pick up the jet on the internal radar? If it's still flying…"
The people in the room couldn't help but let out a small gasp at his implication.
"Go on, Toby. We need to believe that it is until we confirm otherwise." Leo refused to think otherwise.
"Sorry. But I was just thinking realistically. Anyway, at least at some point the planes would reach the jet and could confirm its status. Then they could escort the plane back into Perth. It's daylight there now and it would be VFR, visual flight rules for those here that don't know aviation acronyms."
Leo paused, thinking about the possibility. "Toby, that's a great idea. Josh, get Secretary Berryhill on the phone now, explain what's going on, and ask him to call whomever he needs to in order to set this up." Josh stood, but Leo continued. "Wait! Have him and the Secretary of Defense work on this together. Remind them both this is urgent and classified. You got it?"
"Yes, Sir." With that, Josh ran back to his office, relieved finally to have a task to do that might bring Mrs. Bartlet and the others home safe.
Leo stood, knowing he had to inform Ron and General Barker of this, and the hope that the Australians would agree. "Thank you, Toby. If this works, I'm sure that the President and Mrs. Bartlet will be very grateful. The whole nation will be grateful for the First Lady's safe return and your part in it. Now we wait. And pray."