Page 82 of The Presidents Shadow

I TAKE A deep breath. I hold Margo’s hand.

Together we make a video call to Dr. Laksa. The good doctor is inconsolable. His friends, his former colleagues and students—in fact, much of the country he called home has been destroyed. Laksa speaks haltingly through his tears.

“My heart is breaking, but I do believe… I must believe… that the people who died did so for a good cause. I will keep telling myself that.”

I, too, will keep telling myself that, for I know that to be true. Then I tell Laksa that we do have one piece of positive feedback from our effort.

“Out of the chaos and tragedy, there is one piece of very helpful, very good news.”

The doctor looks up at me. I see some hope in his face.

“And that news is…?”

“Jericho and Burbank have just told me that they have been able to trace the signal of the satellite that coordinated the attack on the country of Peru.”

Burbank, bursting with enthusiasm, cannot help but intrude on the conversation.

“At first, it seemed that the launch point might actually have been coming from Pyongyang in North Korea, but then the satellite began moving farther east,” he says.

Okay. Fine. Interesting. Now let us know where it truly came from. But Burbank doesn’t stop with his background story.

“North Korea would have been a perfect location from which to initiate the Kyoto disaster. But that proved unlikely when—”

I simply cannot wait a second longer for the answer.

“Damnit. Get on with it! Where the hell is Terrageddon coming from?”

Burbank and Jericho answer in perfect unison.

“Africa,” they say. Then Jericho adds, “Possibly Dakar, the largest city in Senegal.”

I have to stop for a moment and visualize a map of Africa in my mind. Senegal. Senegal. Senegal. Then, there it is. A small country on the northwestern coast of Africa.

Now Laksa speaks: “Of course, West Africa. That would be a perfect location to set up a fortification for a nuclear launch. I should have considered that.

“So, you think this is all happening in Dakar?” Laksa asks.

Jericho responds, “I said possibly in Dakar.”

“Wait,” I say. “Did you just use the word possibly ? We need a specific location.”

Burbank says, “Forgive me for sounding arrogant, sir. But it’s amazing that we were able to pinpoint the country of Senegal.”

I know he’s correct.

“You’re forgiven,” I say. I crack my first tiny smile of the day. “Dr. Laksa and I appreciate the miracle you’ve given us.”

Laksa is about speak. But suddenly we are interrupted by alerts as multiple internet news outlets report on the extraordinary disaster in Peru.

The news saddens me, of course, but it strangely and unexpectedly strengthens me. There is much to do.

“We’ll connect very soon,” I say to Dr. Laksa. “Let’s hope for a positive outcome.”

“I hope so, too.” Then he adds, “I only wish that I might live to see a happy ending.”

“Why would you not, Doctor?” I ask.

“Think about it, Lamont. Just think about it,” he says. “Ambrose clearly wants me dead and was willing to destroy almost an entire country to see it done.”

Then he adds, “But for the moment I bid you thanks and farewell.”