Page 48 of Enemy Within

It's what they both—Ethan and President Spiers—would have wanted.

“MADAM PRESIDENT, WE HAVE A SITUATION.”

General Bradford strode into the Oval Office, followed by Director Mori and Paul Heng, Secretary of State.

Elizabeth shared a quick look with Levi, seated at the tables in the center of her office. Levi refused to leave her side, staying with her through every meeting, every moment she was in the West Wing. At the end of each day, she trudged upstairs to the Residence and slept in the Queen’s Bedroom, one of the guest bedrooms down the hall from Jack and Ethan’s.

Every night, Levi shoved one of the couches in front of her bedroom door. He slept there, curled up on the Victorian silk loveseat, knees bent and neck stuck at an odd angle, in his undershirt and boxers. He rewore his suit every morning, pilfering from Jack’s shirts when his went too long and turned dingy.

Levi stayed seated, watching Bradford, Heng, and Mori stop in front of the Resolute desk.

“What’s going on?” Elizabeth turned her laptop away and lowered the screen.

“We’ve lost contact with the SEAL team we deployed. They inserted twelve hours ago, and they were supposed to check in. They haven’t. They’ve missed both their check-in windows.”

“Have we lost them?”

Bradford frowned. “The Arctic is a nasty environment to operate in. Nothing goes right. But these guys are the best.”

“The best that’s gone silent.” Her eyes narrowed, and she peered at Bradford. “We didn’t just hand-deliver a team of our best operators to Madigan, did we? You know those SEALs were one hundred percent loyal?”

He glared at her and didn’t blink. “These were our men,” he growled. “America’smen. Some of our best.”

She sighed, long and loud, and rubbed her forehead. “Damn it. Keep me updated. I want to know the second they make contact. Don’t give up on them just yet.”

“I have no intention of giving up on any of our forces, Madam President.”

“Ma’am, there’s another problem.” Mori cut in neatly, stepping forward and taking over as Bradford’s face continued to flush, turning a deep purple that set off the rage in his eyes. “We’ve picked up communications between the Canadian government and the Russians. Between the embassy in Ottawa and Moscow.”

“Shit.”

Paul spoke up. He still had his pencil, and he flicked it against his palm, the eraser hitting his skin in a fast beat. “The Canadian prime minister’s office is no longer taking my calls, ma’am.”

She closed her eyes as the world swam before her. What was the record for a world leader destroying a nation? Would she set a new one, leading America to devastation in only a week? Would the Canadians truly turn to the Russians? Reorient the whole world? Allow the invasion of America to happen through their backyard?

“That’s not the worst news, ma’am,” Mori said slowly.

Elizabeth’s eyelids opened with a snap. She stared at Mori, and then Bradford when both were silent. “What could be worse?”

Bradford cleared his throat. “Satellite imagery has picked up the Chinese launching their long-range naval vessels out of their northern sea base. We’re tracking submarines, destroyers, and amphibious assault ships.”

“An invasion force?”

“Yes, Madam President.”

Oppressive silence filled the Oval Office. Not even a curtain twitched. Jack’s photos, him and Ethan, sat behind her on the table by the windows. She could feel Jack’s eyes boring into her back, staring at her, waiting for her to act. To save the day. Save America and the world. To dosomething.

“General, what is the status of our forces in the Pacific?”

“We’ve put the bulk of our forces against the Russians, off the coast of British Columbia. Pearl still has a fleet available. They’re on high alert and waiting for orders.”

“Have the fleet set up a defensive perimeter. I want a blockade to stop the Chinese. Do not let them cross Hawaii.”

“Deny them passage through international waters?” Paul frowned. His pencil finally stopped snapping against his palm.

“If the Chinese are coming to help the Russians invade, thenyes, I’ll damn well deny them the entire Pacific if I can. Push them right back into their bases.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “General, we need to review civil defense measures. Contingency plans in the event of a ground invasion. I want a briefing on all your models.”

Bradford nodded. He’d lost his purple rage, and instead, he was ashy, pale. Bags hung under his eyes, dark with lack of sleep.