by Bobby Akart
Chapter 54
2:00 p.m.
North Wing of the Capitol
The Senate Chamber
Washington, DC
Some sociologists claimed humans were naturally self-absorbed. In order to function and survive as a species, evolution taught us to think short-term—remaining focused on our individual survival. A perceived crisis demanded our immediate attention while somewhere far away, another of our fellow man reasonably feared a certain death. The threat of death to one clearly outweighed the possible crisis perceived by another, yet we all go about our business, focusing on our own shit. Or at least we should, anyway.
Gardner Lowell was self-absorbed, just like the rest of us, but he constantly was mindful that his actions would have a direct impact on his family and closest associates. He had a plan that he considered to be good for the country and for his family. While it was true his position of power within the Boston Brahmin would be advanced, in the end, all of his family would benefit from his schemes for generations to come.
Since 1859, the United States Senate Chamber was located in a room in the north wing of the U.S. Capitol. A rectangular room with one hundred individual desks for each senator, the multileveled main floor was overlooked on all sides by a gallery on the second floor.
As planned, Gardner found Senator LaRocco just as she entered the Senate Chamber. The two had never met, but when he introduced himself as Gardner Lowell, son of Lawrence and Constance, a look of trepidation engulfed the senator’s demeanor. She appeared genuinely frightened at meeting the man whose reputation for brutal dealings with his adversaries preceded him.
In a single minute, Gardner reminded the mother of her beautiful child who’d cheated death and grew up with a Wellesley education courtesy of the Lowell family. In the next minute, Gardner got to the point. His request was simple.
“Senator, once, our family set aside our priorities to save your daughter and provide her a remarkable future. Nothing was asked of you in return. Now, my family needs your help. A simple gesture—one which will cost you nothing except the casting of a vote in favor of this bill.”
“Mr. Lowell, it would require me to vote against my party, my president, and my conscience,” Senator LaRocco protested. “Of course, I am grateful to your family for saving my daughter, but surely there is some other way I can repay you.”
“No, Senator, this is it. This is the time to show your gratitude. There will be some fallout, to be sure. With my guidance, you will receive a multitude of benefits in addition to the one you hold most dear.”
Senator LaRocco looked around the grand hallway just outside the Senate Chamber. For the most part, her private conversation with the well-dressed man had gone unnoticed.
Abbie entered the hallway with an entourage, which presented an immediate problem for Gardner. The success of this vote hinged upon his pressure of Senator LaRocco. He needed her commitment before he shoved her into the Senate, figuratively, to do her duty to the Lowell family.
“Senator,” he pressed her for an answer, “do not deny me this request. It will be fine, I assure you.”
She glanced down, and Gardner moved slightly to her left to shield him from Abbie’s view. Then she acquiesced. Her body language said it all. Her shoulders drooped, her knees buckled slightly and her chin hit her chest.
“I’ll do it. But please, just leave us alone. I’ll deal with the consequences on my own.”
She turned to leave when Gardner gently touched her arm. “Thank you, Senator. This means a lot to my family.”
Gardner disappeared into the shadows of the stairwell leading up to the gallery surrounding the Senate proceedings. He’d instructed Mr. West to save a seat for him in the front row overlooking the central rostrum in the front of the room. From his seat he could look into the eyes of the senators whose arms had been twisted, and they could see him.
During the vote, he’d watched these proceedings often enough to know that the C-SPAN cameras would pan the gallery, which would reveal his face to those in the White House hoping for the bill’s defeat. Like an arsonist watching a blaze he’d just set, Gardner would smile for the camera, reveling in a victory that would set in motion the downfall of his nemesis—Sarge.
Chapter 55
2:00 p.m.
The Oval Office
Washington, DC
Sarge completed the half-dozen phone calls to specific service members and their families, thanking them for their sacrifices for America and wishing them happy Thanksgiving. Next, a videographer set up the camera and lighting for him to make a live address to Camp Casey, which would also be recorded for distribution to other military facilities around the world.
Addressing the troops for Thanksgiving was a welcome distraction for Sarge. The new information regarding the ambassador’s now confirmed abduction was troubling because it was planned well in advance and U.S. intelligence agencies missed it. The sudden uprisings were also related, and his working theory remained the events of the last few days had been orchestrated by Beijing.
Plus, there was the vote. In between calls to service members, he encouraged senators to stick with him on the concept of a Constitutional Convention and vote against the Pacific Statehood Act. As a lame duck, Sarge didn’t have much political capital left, but he did have years of relationships to call upon for loyalty, if nothing else.
Sarge put partisan politics out of his mind as he was given the final countdown to address J.J. and the troops at Camp Casey. Located forty miles north of Seoul, South Korea, Camp Casey was one of several U.S. Army bases near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ. Along with Camps Hovey, Castle, and Mobile, Camp Casey held the main armor and mechanized infantry elements of the 2nd Infantry Division. A field artillery brigade was also added to Camp Casey recently, as the North Koreans continued to demand economic sanctions be lifted.
A standing-room-only crowd had gathered in the USO facility at Camp Casey. The troops were treated to complimentary donuts and coffee from Krispy Kreme, which was located within the AAFES building operated by the Army & Air Force Exchange Services.
Sarge began with his prepared remarks. “As Americans, we have so much to be thankful for. We give thanks for all our men and women in uniform. We also thank their families, some of whom I’ve just spoken with by phone. They miss you very much and I want all of them to know we’re grateful for their sacrifice too.
“Too often, we, as Americans, lose sight of your mission. There are some who’ve forgotten why we have a military. You serve your country not to promote war, but, rather, as a member of our armed forces, you are there to insure we can live in peace. Every American should be grateful for what you, and all those before you, have done to protect our shores and defeat those enemies who challenge our freedoms.
“When you deploy to faraway lands, your mothers see a young child dragging an overstuffed rucksack almost as big as you are. God bless every mother who raised her sons and daughters to want to make the sacrifices you make for our country. We will forever be indebted to your mothers and fathers, and all of you who’ve made the commitment to give your lives so that we may live in peace and freedom.
“My commitment in return is that we will always stand with you, and with our country, to acknowledge your sacrifice, which allows us to live in a free land, the greatest country on earth, these United States of America. Thank you, God bless you and your families, and God bless America.”
Chapter 56
3:00 p.m.
The Oval Office
Washington, DC
“I just received a text message from J.J.,” started Donald as Brad entered the Oval Office to join him and Sarge. “He said the troops were very appreciative of your remarks and especially the emphasis on their families. He said you’ve got a lot of fans over there.”
“I don’t know if I’d call them fans—rock stars have fans,” Sarge said as he walked toward Betty’s office. “Their job is a heckuva lot tougher than mine. They’re heroes and I’m mer
ely the people’s humble servant.”
Sarge opened the door and summoned Betty.
“Yes, Mr. President?”
“Betty, would you mind letting the First Lady know that Donald and I can make it for dinner around seven? The Quinns will be staying in the Residence with us for a couple of nights.”
“I will, thank you, Mr. President.”
“Hey, Abbie!” Sarge exclaimed as she entered Betty’s office. He immediately moved to give his vice president a hug. They hadn’t seen each other in thirteen days due to her travels abroad and time with Drew’s family in Tennessee.
“Hello, Mr. President. Fancy meeting you here.” Abbie laughed as she returned the hug. She looked over Sarge’s shoulder to Betty and winked. The two had become close over the years, with Betty given carte blanche authority to dole out motherly advice to the mother-to-be.
Sarge escorted Abbie into the Oval Office and shut the door behind them. Four of the most powerful and influential public servants in the United States, for a moment behind closed doors, became the old friends and comrades from those days at Prescott Peninsula following the collapse.
They made small talk, namely about Abbie’s due date, which was just after the inauguration of the new administration. They had an honest conversation about Drew’s continued involvement in dangerous Aegis operations. Sarge threatened to assert his executive authority over his friend and tie him to a desk in Boston, but Abbie said he’d likely escape.
“You don’t want Slash as your enemy, Sarge. I wouldn’t piss him off. Listen, guys, he loves what he does and he’s very good at it. I know that he’ll never take unnecessary risks, but by the same token, I want us all to support him because he doesn’t need to be out there thinking about what’s waiting at home for him. He needs to remain focused on his mission.”
“I totally agree, Abbie,” said Brad. “For so long as he’s going to do his job, he can’t be wondering if he’s making a mistake. He’s got to keep his head in the game.”
Abbie turned to Donald. “Donald, would you mind keeping me abreast of his team’s progress? For example, where are they at this point?”
Donald pulled up his iPad, logged into the NSA secured server and studied the notes. “They are about to land in Guam where they’ll quickly finalize their gear and switch transportation for the trip to Taiwan. Throughout their long ride, they’ve been continuously updated with satellite imagery and intel from all of our resources on the ground and in space.”
“Drew won’t be walking into the unknown, Abbie,” said Sarge reassuringly. “He’ll have the benefit of his team and our eyes in the sky.”
“Okay, thanks, guys. I do worry about him, of course, but I’ll never let him know it. When the time comes to hang it up, I’ll trust him to tell me.”
Donald opened the door to the Presidential Study and found his communications team watching the pre-vote deliberations. “Hey, guys, why don’t you get us set up in the Roosevelt Room to watch the vote. Is CNN’s little countdown clock accurate? Is the vote set for thirty minutes from now?”
“Yes,” replied Ocampo. “I just received a text from an aide to Senator Rutledge, confirming the timing.”
“Okay, I’ll get the Veep on her way. Please get us set up, and I don’t want anyone in there except the three of us and you guys. The president avoided giving the media comments on this yesterday. Today will be a different story, so we’ll have to formulate a response either way.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Crepeau. “I’ve created a draft to work from regardless of outcome.”
Donald returned to the Oval Office and interrupted their conversation about Taiwan. “Abbie, the vote will be in less than thirty minutes. We better get you on your way.”
“Thanks, Donald. This brings me to the reason I took the time to see you in person. I caught a glimpse of Gardner Lowell on Capitol Hill earlier. I don’t know if he was aware that I saw him, but it struck me as odd that he’d be sniffing around senators today.”
“Yeah, it sure is,” said Sarge. “I haven’t spoken with him in months. Back in the summer, he expressed his support for the reunification effort, but we never discussed the mechanics of bringing the states back in. He’s never struck me as a Constitutionalist, so I can’t assume he’s advocating against the bill.”
“There could be something else to consider,” interjected Donald. “The House vote flipped suddenly. I’m telling you, guys, we thought we had a handle on it until the end. Is it possible someone, perhaps Gardner Lowell, is behind all of this?”
“If he is, he should have come to me first,” started Sarge angrily. He looked around the Oval Office to make sure none of the doors were open. He lowered his voice as he spoke. “If he’s acting on behalf of the executive committee of the Brahmin, then we’ve got a bigger problem than this vote. It means I’ve been cut out of the loop.”
“Can they do that?” asked Donald. “I mean, for years, you’ve maintained your position as the accepted chairman, if you will, of the executive committee. All of the members, including Gardner, acquiesced in the way things would be handled. Frankly, I think we’ve done a great job of looking after their interests while running this administration.”
“I agree, Donald,” started Sarge. “But go back to those early days after we bugged out to Prescott Peninsula. Constance Lowell was none too happy about it all. She only accepted John Morgan’s decision to unilaterally elevate me to my position for a short while because we kept her alive. After I came into office, she became distant.”
“And Gardner became more vocal about things,” said Donald. He turned his attention to Abbie because it was time for her to leave for the Senate Chamber in case she needed to cast a tie vote. “Abbie, did you see him speaking to any senators in particular?”
Abbie provided Donald a few names and then she said, “If any of these were to vote yea, I’d be shocked. Donald, see what you can find out, and I’ll hit the Senate floor.”
“Talk to Rutledge,” said Sarge. “He’s kept tabs on the vulnerable senators.”
“Okay, gotta go. Let’s stay positive, guys. I’ll touch base after the vote.”
Abbie gave each of them a hug and left.
“I’m headed for my office to make some calls. I’ve set up the Roosevelt Room to watch the vote. I’ll catch up with you in there.”
Donald bolted out the other door toward his office, shouting for Ocampo and Crepeau as he went.
Sarge rubbed his temples and stared out of the windows onto the South Lawn. “Brad, how do you really feel about this Taiwan situation? Am I overreacting by redirecting the carrier strike groups to the region. I’m really provoking the Chinese by doing this.”
“That’s part of the problem of being Commander-in-Chief,” he quickly replied. “You have to make decisions regarding national security without all of the information. It’s not always black-and-white. I know this, if we didn’t move decisively, we’d be skewered around the world for being weak.”
“They’d hold me responsible for Taiwan falling into Beijing’s control.”
“Moving the carriers was the right thing to do. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Besides, we haven’t made an overt threat toward China or their interests. We’ve just shifted our assets around a little.” Brad used his fingers to create air quotes around the phrase.
“Yeah, if they’d shifted their assets to surround Hawaii, we’d be out-of-our-minds apoplectic. We’ll see what happens in the next twenty-four hours. But first, let’s go watch the war games in the Senate.”
Chapter 57
3:00 p.m. ET
Andersen Air Force Base
The Pacific Ocean
Guam
Major Carl Beckett, operations officer of the Ready Reaction Force, a platoon-sized unit in the U.S. Army, took to the podium in the hangar at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. AFB was host to the 36th Wing of the Air Force. On the surface, it was primarily an operations and maintenance group, providing support to more tha
n nine thousand military personal on Guam and nearby military installations. On this day, it would act as the base of operations for the mission in Taiwan. Major Beckett was accompanied by two aides and Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Sherman, commander of Delta’s Operational Detachment, the ground operations of the force.
Following Benghazi, Sarge tasked Brad with creating more of these Ready Reaction Forces wherever their military bases were throughout the world. Each RRF was designed to quickly intervene as a spearhead to gain control of an unfolding combat situation or one that involved protection of Americans abroad.
Protocols were put into place to quickly identify low-intensity conflicts such as civil unrest that necessitated the defense of strategic and tactical locations of importance, or to repel attacks on American interests around the world.
The RRFs were expected to maintain a split-second level of readiness in their personnel and equipment. During a high-intensity conflict where lives had been taken or Americans had been fired upon, the RRF was expected to be at the ready with their motors running.
Operation Golden Retriever started slower than other conflicts because of the added complexity of carrier movement. While the low-intensity threat existed in Taipei City, a bigger conflict loomed on the horizon in the form of a Chinese military incursion onto the island. Deployment of the RRF to Taiwan would raise more red flags in Beijing, which would inhibit the Ronald Reagan and the Petersen from advancing into effective striking positions.
Drew’s eight operatives were the only non-active-duty participants in the briefing. They stood out because of their lack of military uniforms. Drew’s team wore khakis with cargo pockets and black or tan tee shirts.