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‘Yes. I don’t think we’ve ever had such a frank message from the government of China.’

‘It might not be from the government. I sense that Chang Kai is freelancing. He’s afraid of what Supreme Leader Kang is going to do in North Korea and he’s worried that some in the Chinese government aren’t taking the danger seriously enough.’

‘Well, I’m about to make the Supreme Leader an attractive offer.’

‘Let’s hope Kang sees it that way.’

They had discussed this earlier in the day at a Cabinet meeting. They needed to give Kang something, and had decided to offer a review of the sea boundaries between North and South Korea, a sore point with him. In Pauline’s opinion the review was long overdue anyway. The 1953 lines had been drawn when North Korea was defeated and China was weak, and they favoured the south, hugging North Korea’s coast and giving South Korea all the best fishing in the Yellow Sea. An adjustment was only fair, and it would enable the Supreme Leader to save face. President No of South Korea was going to squeal, but she would accept it in the end.

‘I’ve got to go. The plane is waiting, with seven diplomatic and military staffers who all want to brief me on the way.’ Chess stood and picked up a bulging briefcase. ‘And when they get tired, I’ve got plenty of situation papers to read.’

‘Safe travel.’

Chess left.

Pauline moved into the Study, ordered a salad at her desk, and worked through papers, making the most of a time with few interruptions. When she called for coffee she checked her watch and saw that it was nine o’clock. The thought crossed her mind that Chess was now in the air.

She recalled the way she had marshalled other world leaders, a month ago, to prevent the outbreak of war on the border between Sudan and Chad, and she wondered whether her diplomacy would work again this time. She feared that the Korean crisis would be a lot more challenging.

Then Gus came in.

She smiled, happy to see him, glad to be alone with him in the Study. She suppressed a stab of guilt: she was not cheating on Gerry, except in her daydreams.

Gus was all business. ‘I think the Supreme Leader is about to do something,’ he said. ‘We’ve picked up two indications. One is intense communications activity around North Korean military bases. We can’t read most of the messages because they’re encrypted, but the pattern suggests that an attack is in preparation.’

‘This is his retaliation. What’s the second?’

‘A sleeping virus in the South Korean military network has been activated and is sending out fake orders. They’ve had to instruct all forces to ignore electronic messages and obey only telephoned orders from human beings while they try to debug the system.’

‘This could be the prelude to a major assault.’

‘Exactly, Madam President. Luis and Bill are already in the Situation Room.’

‘Let’s go.’ Pauline got up from her desk.

The Situation Room was filling up. Chief of Staff Jacqueline Brody came in, then DNI Sophia Magliani, followed by the vice-president.

Several of the screens came to life, showing what seemed like street-camera feed. Pauline saw a city centre, probably Seoul. She guessed that an alarm must be sounding, for the people on the streets were rushing one way and another. She said: ‘What’s happening?’

Bill Schneider, listening to the Pentagon on his headset, said: ‘Incoming artillery.’

Luis explained: ‘Seoul is only fifteen miles from the border with North Korea – well within range of old-fashioned big guns, like the tank-mounted Koksan one hundred and seventy millimetres.’

Pauline said: ‘Targets?’

Bill replied: ‘We assume Seoul.’

‘Responses?’

‘South Korean forces are firing artillery in retaliation. American forces await orders.’

‘Don’t deploy American forces without my say-so. Defensive action only right now.’

‘Yes, ma’am. Artillery impact has begun.’

On the video from Seoul Pauline saw a crater suddenly appear in a road, a house collapsing, a car rolling sideways. She felt as if her heart had stopped. The Supreme Leader had crossed a line. This was not appropriate retaliation, a token attack, a symbolic reprisal. This was war.

Then Bill said: ‘Satellite surveillance has observed missiles emerging above the cloud cover over North Korea.’