The sum of all fears - Tom Clancy [402]
"About what one would expect," Narmonov said. "Send our reply."
"Jesus, that was fast!" the Army colonel on duty remarked and began his translation. A Marine sergeant typed the English version, which was automatically linked to Camp David, Fort Ritchie, and the State Department. The computers printed out hard copy that was sent almost as fast to SAC, NORAD, and the intelligence agencies via facsimile printer.
AUTHENTICATOR: TIMETABLE TIMETABLE TIMETABLE
REPLY FROM MOSCOW
PRESIDENT FOWLER:
WE HAVE NOTED THE EVENT. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY AND THAT OF THE SOVIET PEOPLE. HOW IS SUCH AN ACCIDENT POSSIBLE?
"Accident?" Fowler asked.
"That was awfully fast, Robert," Elliot observed at once. "Too damned fast. His English isn't very good. The message had to be translated, and you take time to read things like this. Their reply must have been canned - made up in advance what does that mean?" Liz asked, almost talking to herself, as Fowler formulated his next message. What's going on here? Who is doing this, and why
PRESIDENT NARMONOV:
I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO AMERICAN NUCLEAR DEVICE WITHIN A HUNDRED MILES, NOR WERE ANY US WEAPONS IN TRANSIT IN THE AREA. THIS WAS A DELIBERATE ACT BY UNKNOWN FORCES.
"Well, that's no surprise," Narmonov said. He congratulated himself for correctly predicting the first message from America. "Send the next reply," he told the communicator. To his advisers: "Fowler is an arrogant man, with the weaknesses of arrogance, but he is no fool. He will be very emotional about this. We must settle him down, calm him. If he can keep control of himself, his intelligence will allow him to maintain control of the matter."
"My President," said Golovko, who had just arrived in the command center. "I think this is a mistake."
"What do you mean?" Narmonov asked in some surprise.
"It is a mistake to tailor your words to what you think of the man, his character, and his mental state. People change under stress. The man at the other end of that telephone line may not be the same man whom you met in Rome."
The Soviet President dismissed that idea. "Nonsense. People like that never change. We have enough of them here. I've been dealing with people like Fowler all my life."
PRESIDENT FOWLER:
IF THIS IS IN FACT A DELIBERATE ACT THEN IT IS A CRIME WHOLLY WITHOUT PRECEDENT IN HUMAN HISTORY. WHAT MADMAN WOULD DO SUCH A THING, AND TO WHAT PURPOSE? SUCH ACTION MIGHT ALL TOO EASILY LEAD TO GLOBAL CATASTROPHE. YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT THE SOVIET UNION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS INFAMOUS ACT.
"Too fast, Robert," Elliot said. " 'You must believe'? What is this guy trying to say?"
"Elizabeth, you're reading too much into this," Fowler replied.
"These responses are canned, Robert! Canned! He's answering too fast. He had them prepared in advance. That means something."
"Like what?"
"Like we were supposed to be at the game, Robert! It looks to me like these were tailored for somebody else - like Burling. What if the bomb was supposed to get you, too, along with Brent and Dennis?"
"I have to set that aside, I told you that!" Fowler said angrily. He paused and took a deep breath. He could not allow himself to get angry. He had to stay calm. "Look, Elizabeth -"
"You can't set that aside! You have to consider that possibility, because if it was planned, that tells us something about what is going on."
"Dr Elliot is right," NORAD said over the open phone line. "Mr President, you are entirely correct to distance yourself from this event in an emotional sense, but you have to consider all possible aspects of the operational concept that may be at work here."
"I am compelled to agree with that," CINC-SAC added.
"So, what do I do?" Fowler asked.
"Sir," NORAD said, "I don't like this "you must believe" stuff, either.