Page 228 of Never

Gerry and Amelia Judd had planned this. Over the weekend Gerry would find an excuse to slip away from his hosts for an assignation. He had deceived Pauline – while she was valiantly resisting temptation.

What had she done wrong? Had Gerry sensed the feelings she was beginning to have for Gus? You can’t help your feelings, she thought, and she had not really minded when she began to suspect that Gerry had a little tendresse for Ms Judd. But you can help your actions. Gerry had cheated, and Pauline had not. Big difference.

It was eight o’clock, prime time for TV news. One of the programmes would be asking James Moore about Korea – like he knows anything, she thought sourly. He probably couldn’t find Korea on a map. She turned on the set and hopped channels until she found him on a populist morning show.

He was wearing a tan suede jacket with fringes. This was a new departure: he was not even pretending to conform. Did people really want a president who looked like Davy Crockett?

He was being questioned by Mia and Ethan. To begin, Ethan said: ‘You’ve visited East Asia, so you have first-hand knowledge of the situation there.’

Pauline laughed. Moore had taken a ten-day tour of East Asia and had spent exactly one day in Korea, most of it in a five-star hotel in Seoul.

Moore said: ‘I wouldn’t claim to be an expert, Ethan, and I sure can’t pronounce all those funny names –’ he paused for them both to chuckle – ‘but I think this is a situation that needs common sense. North Korea has attacked us and our allies, and when you’re attacked, you have to hit backhard.’

Pauline said: ‘The word you’re looking for is “escalate”, Jim.’

He went on: ‘Anything less just encourages the enemy.’

Mia crossed her legs. Like all women on this channel, she had to wear a skirt short enough to show her knees. She said: ‘But what are you talking about, Jim, in down-to-earth terms?’

‘I’m saying we could wipe out North Korea with one nuclear attack, and we could do it today.’

‘Well, that’s pretty drastic.’

Pauline laughed again. ‘Drastic?’ she said to the screen. ‘It’s insane, that’s what it is.’

Moore said: ‘Not only would that solve our problem at a stroke, but it would scare off others. Let’s tell people: if you attack America, you’re toast.’

Pauline could just picture his supporters punching the air. Well, she was going to save them from nuclear annihilation, whether they wanted her to or not.

She turned off the set.

She was ready for bed, but there was something she wanted to do before she slept.

She pulled on sweat clothes and went down the staircase to the floor below. There she found her Secret Service detail and a young army major carrying the atomic football.

It was not a football, of course, but an aluminium Zero Halliburton briefcase inside a black leather cover. It looked like a carry-on suit holder, except for a small communications antenna sticking out near the handle. Pauline greeted the young man and asked his name.

‘I’m Rayvon Roberts, Madam President.’

‘Well, Major Roberts, I’d like to look inside the football, to refresh my memory. Open up, please.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

Roberts quickly removed the black leather cover, placed the metal case on the floor, flipped the three latches, and lifted the lid.

The case contained three objects and a phone with no dial.

Roberts said: ‘Ma’am, may I remind you of each of these items?’

‘Yes, please.’

‘This is the Black Book.’ It was a regular office ring binder. Pauline took it from him and flipped the pages, which were printed in black and red. Roberts said: ‘That lists your retaliatory options.’

‘All the different ways I can start a nuclear war.’

‘Yes.’

‘You wouldn’t think there would be so many. Next?’