Milwaukee Deep

All six members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff sat in silence as they waited for the President and their superior to enter the situation room.

“Gentlemen,” Crane said as he walked into the room, President Stoker one step behind him, “I am glad all of you could make it.”

He stopped, turned and looked at every member of his team.

“I guess you all know why we’re here.”

There was silence.

“This isn’t easy for me, let me assure you of that - but I don’t think we have any other choice. We all need to put our heads together and come up with a viable plan of operation. I need to know turn around time, method of execution and I will need an impact analysis.”

“Well I’m assuming a nuclear assault is out,” stated Admiral Tyser, Chief of Naval Operations.

“That’s correct - the fall out would be far too great,” Crane paused, “In saying that, however, it will be on the agenda if we do not come up with another viable solution.”

“We could use a Fuel Air Bomb,” added General Conwrey, Chief of Staff for the United States Air Force.

“No it’s still not enough to eliminate an area as large as we need to,” Crane replied.

“Hold on,” said Admiral Peterson, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, “Are we going mad? We are talking about wiping out our largest city here – I mean this is New York City for Christ’s sake!”

“Admiral, we’ve talked about this,” interrupted President Stoker.

“No, no Bill, let him speak.”

Crane looked across at Peterson.

“Well surely killing Americans is not the answer – I mean we haven’t stopped the search as yet – we could still find him,” urged the Admiral.

“And what happens when we don’t? What happens when, let’s say in the next forty eight hours, the virus is released?” Crane looked across at all the Joint Chiefs in the room. “Well I can tell you what happens – in seventy-two hours we’re all dead – everyone one of us in this room - not to mention another four billion people.”

The Admiral didn’t respond. Instead he kept his head down, his eyes on the table.

“At the moment we know the target is in New York. We have put our best men at airports, train stations and any other transit point we could think of and there’s been no sign of him – he’s still in the tri-state area.”

Peterson looked up at his superior.

“So that’s it then – we condemn ten million people to death.”

“Well what else do we do, Admiral? Yes there are lives that will be lost – and trust me – for that I am sorry, but I cannot ignore the greater number – I cannot ignore the power that we have been given – great power that comes with, unfortunately at times, great responsibility. To eliminate ten million to save six billion is an option we must take – even if that option comes with a heavy heart.”

The Admiral looked at his superior.

“But surely there’s another option – we have remarkable search and rescue technology, we can utilise our skills to find this man. We haven’t as yet even used the media as an outlet to help find him!”

“Enough!” Crane roared, “We don’t have time for this, Admiral! I asked for alternatives an hour before this meeting yet nothing was tabled! Now is not the time for inaction. Now is the time for unity. Our country, for God’s sakes, the entire planet is depending on us!”

“Then, Sir, I have nothing else to offer this committee. I will not stand and unite with you; I will not stand here and form part of this travesty. Excuse me gentlemen.”

The Admiral pushed back his leather chair and stood up. With his eyes focused on nothing but the doorway, he walked out of the briefing room.

The room was shrouded in silence.

Crane stared at the empty chair where the Admiral had once sat and clenched his teeth.

The remaining seven men in the room sat staring at each other.

No one was willing to speak – even President Stoker could not look up at Crane and offer a word of advice.

Finally General Conwrey found the courage to speak up …

“Sir, if the fuel air bomb is too small of a weapon, have you considered any other options?”

Crane looked across at General Conwrey. He rubbed his face, his hand catching the deep scar that ran down his cheek.

General Conwrey waited patiently for his response.

“That’s why I called this meeting, General - to decide our options. Unfortunately I don’t have all the answers.”

“Why not use a weapon they have given us,” spoke up General White, Chief of Staff for the United States Army.

The Joint Chiefs all turned to White.

“We have one that I know could do the job.”

“Go on,” urged Crane.

“During our campaign in Afghanistan, we used a weapon far more powerful than any Fuel Air Bomb. We received the plans for this weapon about seven years ago during one of our routine exchanges with our friends down below. Given the magnitude of the weapon we never had a reason to use it. However, after 9/11 the perfect opportunity arose in Afghanistan, given the country’s terrain.”

“And you’ve personally seen the results?” Crane asked

“Yes, Sir, I have. It was total devastation. The entire New York Tri-State area would be destroyed, without a doubt.”

“What about fallout - is there any from using this type of weapon?”

“None - as soon as the dust settled my men were in the caves sifting through the remains of the Taliban.”

Crane looked down the table at all the Joint Chiefs.

“Well, gentlemen, is this the option we take? Remember once we make this decision it’s a green light within forty eight hours.”

President Stoker broke the silence…

“I don’t see that we have any other choice.”

The President then turned to General White.

“General, can the weapon be deployed from a domestic aircraft?”

“With some modification to both the plane and the weapon - yes.”

“Can you see to it?”

“Yes, Mr President.”

“Bill,” Crane interrupted, “Use your men to get a leak out to the press that a terrorist cell has been found operating in the United States - make it official – get some arrests happening – get it on camera. We’ll use this to establish the possibility of an attack on home soil – it will make it easier for the American people to swallow our story once the attack’s complete.”

“I’ll get right on it,” replied The President.

Crane took a deep breath. He turned to face all six men.

“Gentlemen, may I ask that you all stay within the confines of the White House until such time as I say otherwise – the possibility of a leak is far too great to ignore. I will contact you within the hour to walk through the logistics of this operation – we will need to be diligent in our planning. Thank you all for coming. Dismissed.”

The Joint Chiefs stood up in unison and turned to leave the room.

“Bill, do you have a minute?” Crane asked

As the men exited the briefing room, The President turned to Crane.

“Yes?”

He moved in close to President Stoker and whispered…

“I want Admiral Peterson dealt with – he cannot be trusted any longer. Make it happen immediately.”