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He has a feeling he’s not leaving his desk for a day or two.
He sits down, goes to the old-fashioned logbook, notes the time, and writes, “Alerted Major Juarez, NMCC, of current status.”
The phone from the NSA rings and he instantly picks it up.
“Hey Corny, it’s Tina,” the familiar, kind voice from the NSA says. “Bet things are hopping over in your neck of the ocean. Give me a quick brief, will you?”
He gives her a bit more detailed report than the one given to the NMCC, for in the past minute or two, messages have been placed on his desk, giving details of the naval and air force movements taking place in and around China.
Tina says, “Sure jibes with what we’re hearing over here.”
“Which is what?”
“Nothing good,” she says. “Our SIGINT resources are showing massive army movements and mobilizations taking place in all urban centers in the country, and they’re all calling up reserves, and members of the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force.”
“Heading anywhere interesting, like Tibet or India?” he asks.
“Hell, no, internal only. Like they’re preparing for massive internal unrest or disorder.”
“Shit,” he says.
“Yeah, and one more thing ’cause I like you, Corny,” she says. “Our friends down the way—the National Cybercommand—are busy swapping reports and warnings. Based on the chatter and what we can see through our online snoopers, our counterparts in Beijing are getting ready for a massive cyberattack on everything and anything that’s hooked up to a computer.”
“When?” he asks.
“Could be an hour, could be a day, but it’s coming,” she says.
Cornelius says, “But for fuck’s sake, what’s triggering this? This can’t be a bolt-out-of-the-blue attack. With all their military deployments and battle prep in cyberspace, they’re practically telling us what they’re about to do.”
“Maybe it’s the biggest warning in the world, telling us to stop whatever it is we’re doing. Question is, Corny, is who’s out there on our side listening.”
A pause and Tina says, “Well, got to get back to work. War’s coming today … hope you’re deep enough and have enough MREs to ride it out, Corny. Wish we had gotten the chance to meet face-to-face.”
The phone clicks off. He should feel melancholy at Tina’s last words but looking up at the screens and seeing the messages pile up on his desk, he has no time for that.
War is coming.
CHAPTER 116
CIA DIRECTOR HANNAH Abrams says, “Under attack in what way?”
Her security officer Ralph says, “All of our communications systems, from telephones to radios, are being jammed or have been disabled.”
Jean Swantish says, “I thought that was impossible.”
Hannah picks up one phone, and then another, and then a third.
Not even a dial tone.
“Improbable,” she says, “but not impossible. All the secure phones are installed and maintained by the Agency’s communications support group. Someone over in Langley got the word and multiple plugs were pulled. My guess, it was President Barrett to one of his loyalists.”
Jean takes out her cell phone, starts sliding through the screen.
“Nothing,” she says.
For years Hannah has loved this house of hers, with a small yard and stone walls and fences all around, in a safe and historic part of Georgetown. With her advancement to CIA director, she secretly welcomed the added security and protection. She felt like it was her little bubble of safety, in a world increasingly dangerous and disorganized.
Now the bubble of safety is broken.