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Pauline asked: ‘How many?’

‘Six,’ said Bill. ‘Nine. Ten. Increasing. All coming from the western half of North Korea, the government-controlled zone. None from the rebel areas.’

Another screen lit up, this one showing radar input superimposed on a map of Korea. The missiles were so crowded that Pauline could not count them. ‘How many now?’ she said.

‘Twenty-four,’ Bill replied.

‘This is a full-scale attack.’

Luis said: ‘Madam President, this is war.’

She felt cold. She had always dreaded this. She had dedicated herself to preventing war, and she had failed.

She thought: Where did I go wrong?

She would be trying to answer that question for the rest of her life.

She pushed it aside. She said: ‘And we have twenty-eight thousand five hundred American troops in South Korea.’

‘Plus some of their wives and children.’

‘And husbands, presumably.’

‘And husbands,’ admitted Luis.

‘Get President Chen on the phone please.’

Chief of Staff Jacqueline Brody said: ‘I’ll handle that.’ She picked up a phone.

Pauline said: ‘Why is Supreme Leader Kang doing this? Is he suicidal?’

‘No,’ said Gus. ‘He’s desperate, but he’s not suicidal. He’s losing his fight with the ultras, and he can’t hold out much longer. They will surely execute him in the end, so he’s facing his own death. The only way he can change that is with the help of China, but they don’t want to send in their troops. He thinks he can force the issue – and he may be right. China won’t save him from his rebels, but they may step in to prevent a takeover by South Korea.’

Jacqueline said: ‘They’re ready for you, Madam President.’ Evidently the Chinese had been expecting the call. Jacqueline added: ‘You can speak on the handset in front of you, ma’am. The other phones in the room will carry the conversation for listening only.’

Everyone picked up. Pauline said into her phone: ‘This is the president.’

The White House switchboard operator said: ‘Please hold for the president of China.’

A moment later Chen’s voice said: ‘I’m glad to hear from you, President Green.’

‘I’m calling about Korea, as you may guess.’

‘As you know, Madam President, the People’s Republic of China has no troops in North Korea and never has.’

That was technically true. The Chinese soldiers who had fought in the Korean War of the early fifties had been volunteers, theoretically. But Pauline was not about to get into that discussion. ‘I do know that, but all the same I’m hoping you might be able to help me understand what the hell North Korea is doing right now.’

Chen switched to Mandarin. The translator came on the line with what was obviously a prepared statement. ‘The artillery and missile strike that appears to have been launched from North Korea has neither the permission nor the approval of the Chinese government.’

‘I’m relieved to hear that. And I hope you understand that our troops are going to defend themselves.’

Chen spoke carefully and the translator did the same. ‘I can assure you that the Chinese government has no objections as long as US troops are not on North Korean territory, in North Korean airspace or in North Korean territorial waters.’

‘I understand.’ Chen’s ostensible reassurance was in fact a warning. He was saying that US troops must stay in South Korea. Pauline hoped to keep them there, but she was not willing to promise. She said: ‘My Secretary of State, Chester Jackson, is on a plane right now flying to Sri Lanka to meet with your Foreign Secretary, Wu Bai, and others, and I very much hope that this conflict can be brought to an end at that conference if not before.’

‘So do I.’

‘Please don’t hesitate to call me at any time, day or night, if something should happen that you regard as unacceptable or provocative. The US and China must not go to war. That is my aim.’