He had been a CIA man for more than forty years and the Director for the last five years.
Chuck Morris placed the file on the table and looked up at the President and said, “Sir, if it had come from any other source, I would have suggested it be shredded.”
“But the source is impeccable Chuck, the Brits don’t cry wolf for no reason! So what’s your evaluation?”
“I have known Walter Smith for many years; I find it hard to believe he could be involved in something that could evoke World War 3.”
“I want this checked out Chuck use the utmost discretion, if the British are right, we don’t know who or how many of our people could be involved. Time is of the essence we have only eighteen days before the START-1 signing.”
“Give me forty-eight hours sir.”
27
103073, The Kremlin,
Moscow, Russia.
Lat = 55 degrees, 45.1 minutes North
Long = 37 degrees, 37.1 minutes East
Wednesday 13th September 1989. (Same day)
Zero eight hundred hours
Moscow time
Here in the Kremlin a similar scenario was being played out as that at the Whitehouse.
The Kremlin is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River to the South, Saint Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square to the East and the Alexander Garden to the West.
The complex includes four palaces, four cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with the famous Kremlin towers.
The northern corner of the Kremlin is occupied by the Arsenal, which was originally built for Peter the Great in 1701. The south-western section of the Kremlin holds the Armoury building.
The complex serves as the official residence of President Nikolai Zinoviev of the Russian Federation.
The Russian President was sitting down in a beautifully crafted chair talking with his head of security Vitaly Shvernik.
He had just finished reencountering his conversation with the British Prime Minister; he finished with, “do we have this Red Mercury?”
Vitaly Shvernik had listened intently to his Presidents words and when he had finished he stood up and walked over to a nearby window, which looked out over the eastern wall onto Red square.
The President watched Vitaly for a few moments; he had first met him in the September of nineteen forty-two during the battle for Stalingrad, he could trust him and they had a strong friendship.
They had been very lucky to survive the conflict that incurred approximately 1,150,000 killed, missing or wounded on the Russian side
Vitaly then turned from the window and sat back down.
He looked his President in the eye and said, “Sir; Red Mercury does exist, we have completed tests at our weapons production facility near Chapayevsk and we have live systems for immediate use.”
The President replied with a loud tone, “Why was I not informed of this?”
“Sir; I do not know, I thought you were aware.”
The president stood up and walked over to the same window that Vitaly had stood at a few moments ago, he also looked out over the eastern wall onto Red square.
His mind was mulling over what he had just been told, he did not like people keeping secrets, which were related to the state.
He turned and looked at Vitaly and said, “Okay this is what I want!” Find out exactly what Ivan Balagula took from the WPF, use whatever means and resources you need, but keep it to yourself. I do not want anyone else and I mean anyone else knowing what you are doing. If this Ivan Balagula is a traitor, he may not have been working alone. Report back to me within forty-eight hours.”
Vitaly stood up and replied, “I will get to the bottom of this sir and report back.”
Vitaly turned and left the room.
28
Roosevelt Room
West Wing
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C.
Lat = 38 degrees, 53.4 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 0.5 minutes West
Friday 15th September 1989. (48 hours later)
Ten hundred hours EDT
Chuck Morris had spent the last two days looking into Walter Smiths life and what he had found had surprised him.
He had taken very little sleep time in the last two days and was now exhausted as he walked through the lobby entrance and into the lobby room.
He had managed to have a hot shower and a shave in an attempt to at least look human from the outside, inside he felt like shit.
The door that lead to the Roosevelt room was opened for him by one of the Presidents security men, as he walked in the door closed behind him.
The President was seated at the head of the large table that faced west with the fireplace behind him.
A Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt as a Rough Rider was hanging above the fireplace.
President Bob Dulles gestured for him to take a seat; he sat down on the corner chair to the left of the President.
“So what have you unearthed Chuck?”
Chuck Morris replied, “firstly I have checked the phone records into Walter Smiths office and can confirm he did receive a call from Sydney Carter on the 9th of this month at 10:59hrs, as per the Intel pack from London, I have a transcript here for you sir,” Chuck Morris handed a sheath of paper to the President.
The President quickly read the transcript.
“The cargo has been recovered from the vessel sir and is now on route to the storage facility in Richmond.”
“Any problems with the captain?”
“No everything went like clockwork sir.”
“What’s the ETA to the warehouse Syd?”
“Four hours sir should be there about 2pm.”
“Okay, let me know when it arrives?”
“Will do sir,”
End of transcript.
“Okay what else have you Chuck?”
Chuck Morris pulled another sheath of paper from his folder and said, “This is a transcript of another phone conversation between Walter Smith and Yuri Yurchenko currently the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs at the Russian embassy, timed at 11:12hrs the same day,” Chuck handed the paper over to the President.
Again, the President read the transcript.
“Yurchenko here!”
“Good morning Yuri.”
“Good morning Walter, how is everything?”
“Everything is as well as it can be Yuri, I have just had confirmation that the present for my wife has arrived this morning.”
“I hope it is something expensive and unique Walter?”
“Certainly is Yuri, very expensive and very rare, I had to obtain it from abroad.”
“Maybe we can make time for a coffee early next week Walter?”
“My diary is looking good for Monday at noon, does that suit you Yuri?”
Pause,
“12 noon looks good with me Walter, where do you want to meet?”
“How’s the Café Reggio 119 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village.”
“Perfect Walter see you Monday at noon.”
End of transcript.
The President placed the transcript down on the table alongside the first one and said, “So it looks like we may have a serious problem here Chuck?”
Chuck Morris looked at the President and replied, “This could be our worst nightmare sir, I have some more and it does not get any better!”
Chuck Morris handed another transcript to the President who looked at the heading, Tuesday 12th September 1989 Zero two zero-eight hours
“Walter Smith here!”
“Sir; its Carter, the package is in order and operational.”
&nb
sp; “Is the place secure Carter?”
“Everything is in place and secure sir.”
“Good, I will get back to you when I need too Carter,”
End of transcript.
Chuck Morris removed another sheath of paper from his folder placed it on the table and put on his reading glasses.
“Sir; over the past twelve weeks Walter Smith has met with a number of high ranking military generals and some senior members of the NSA and FBI on several occasions. On one occasion, they all met at his office in a closed session. There is no transcript from this meeting which makes it suspicious.”
The President paused for a few moments digesting what his head off the CIA had said and then replied, “good God Chuck, this sounds like a bloody conspiracy and it looks like it may be rife and right within our own ranks, what do we need to do?”
Chuck Morris had expected this question from his President and had a reply, “sir; at this moment in time we are the only other two people outside the conspirators to know what appears to be taking place. We cannot trust anyone within our own community, as it will surely leak back to Walter Smith or one of the others. What I propose would be lest say highly controversial and certainly has never been done before in our countries history to my knowledge,” Chuck Morris paused giving the President time to reflect on his statement.
The President had listened and had welcomed Chucks pause, he replied, “Okay Chuck shoot, what do you propose?”
“Sir; all this has come to light from the British, they do not want a nuclear war to start with the Russians, as it would certainly affect them. As you are aware, we have several US Air force bases on their soil including Cruise missile launch capabilities. The Russians would certainly launch a strike on their soil,” Chuck Morris again paused.
The President said, “Keep going Chuck?”
“You are aware of their OSC sir; in fact you decorated their operational leader Colonel Max Storm after he saved our Ambassador in London a short while ago.”
“Yes I remember him well Chuck, a man you would want on your side, his and the units activities over the last eighteen months have been well documented in the news and other media. Are you suggesting we ask them for assistance in this matter?”
“That’s exactly what I propose sir!”
“How will it work Chuck?”
“Providing the British PM is agreeable to the proposal I will link them up with a liaison here, whom I would trust with the lives of myself and family too, they would be the on the ground agent and liaison between the British team yourself and me sir.”
The President looked at his watch, ten nineteen hours and replied, “Okay Chuck; I will phone the British PM and pose the question to her, as soon as I have her answer I will contact you.”
Chuck Morris stood up and replied, “I will await your call sir.”
He turned and left the room.
29
103073, Moscow,
Kremlin, Russia.
Lat = 55 degrees, 45.1 minutes North
Long = 37 degrees, 37.1 minutes East
Friday 15th September 1989. (Same day)
Eleven twenty hours
Moscow time
Like his American counterpart, Vitaly Shvernik had been busy.
Immediately following his meeting with President Nikolai Zinoviev two days earlier, he had taken a flight directly to the WPF near Chapayevsk.
His arrival had been unannounced, which had caught Nikolay Demyanov the scientist in charge by surprise.
Vitaly had initially praised Demyanov and his team’s efforts in their work and had then asked Demyanov for an update on the Red Mercury programme.
Vitaly had listened for several minutes as Demyanov had outlined the programme and the completion of it.
When Demyanov finished Vitaly opened his small attaché case, pulled a folder from it, and said in Russian, “What did Ivan Balagula take from the premises on Thursday 3rd August 1989?”
Demyanov was taken totally off guard by the question and replied, “Nothing has left the facility.”
Vitaly leaned forward in his chair, looked harshly at Demyanov, and said, “I do not have time to play games with you Demyanov. I have evidence that says different, now unless you want to go down in history as the man whom started WW3 you had better talk. Because as it stands you and your family have a one-way ticket to Siberia!”
Demyanov capitulated there and then and spent several minutes briefing Vitaly on what had transpired including the threat to his family, if he did not comply with Ivan Balagula request.
Vitaly had further questioned him and pressed him about who else was involved, but Demyanov has assured him that he had only dealt with Ivan Balagula.
Whilst sitting in the room his thoughts were broken by the sound of a door opening and the President walking in.
The President sat down and said, “What have you found out comrade?”
For the next few minutes, Vitaly gave his full briefing to the President.
President Nikolai Zinoviev listened intently to Vitaly’s briefing, when he had finished he said, “Good work my friend, so it seems that our Red Mercury has made its way to the USA and there can only be one reason for it being there...?”
Vitaly cut in with, “The SALT-1 agreement at the end of the month!”
“Yes, it would appear that some people on both sides do not want this agreement signing.”
“What will you do sir?”
“I need to speak with the American President.)
“You could cancel the visit to America sir.”
“No my friend, this agreement is too important to delay. I will attend and hopefully this issue can be resolved in time?”
30
Emergency Everest meeting
10 Downing Street
City of Westminster
London SW1
Lat = 51 degrees, 30.2 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 7.7 minutes West
Friday 15th September 1989. (Same day)
Twenty thirty hours BST
Two hours earlier the Prime Minister had received a phone call from the American President.
The President had confirmed the Intel that they had been given, along with Intel that the President had received from the Russian President.
The Everest meeting had been hastily called and now all the usual members were present, the Prime Minister opened with her account off the conversation with the American President.
“Gentlemen; the American President has confirmed our Intel regarding Sydney Carter and Walter Smith, as well as the freight being taken from the docks. Some additional information is that Walter Smith had a conversation with the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs immediately after his conversation with Sydney Carter. In addition, the Russian President has spoken with the American President to confirm that a shipment of the Red Mercury has left their WPF establishment under the control of the KGB agent Ivan Balagula on the 3rd August 1989. They both agree that this Red Mercury is now on US soil and the only reason is to disrupt the SALT-1 agreement.”
The PM paused in order for everyone to have time to digest what she had said.
She continued firstly by passing around several folders and said, “You can see the transcripts from the conversations between Walter Smith, Sydney Carter and Yuri Yurchenko.”
Everyone opened the folders and perused the notes, after a few moments they all looked at the PM.
The Prime Minister looked around the room and said, “The Russian President is now aware of the link with their US Russian foreign affairs minister Yuri Yurchenko. The American President has requested an unusual request and the Russian President is in agreement with it,” she paused and then continued.
“Because of the potential implications and
the fact that there is a potential conspiracy within both their communities, the American President has asked that we send our OSC over there to track down the perpetrators,” again she paused before continuing.
“As we are all aware; any nuclear explosion on American soil that could be traced back to Russia could lead to all-out war and we are on the front line of Europe’s defences. We would certainly be one of the first countries to come under the Russian retaliation. It is in our interests to help the Americans. The Russian President agrees with the American President, as he believes there could be others within their community that want the SALT-1 agreement to fail. So I have to ask you to agree on sending the OSC to America? Please take your time with your response to the request, whilst you are doing that I will have some hot drinks brought in.”
The PM quickly made a phone call and a few minutes later a woman brought in a trolley with hot drinks and cups. She quickly left the room.
The PM said, “Please help yourselves gentlemen.”
Each man got up and walked over to the trolley, Strayker gave the PM a quick look and she gave him a nod, a subtle communication that she would have her usual black coffee.
Max was the only one to remain at his seat, the PM had noticed this and said, “Colonel please help yourself to a drink?”
Max replied, “Thank you Ma’am, I will have one in a moment.”
A few moments later, everyone was back in their chairs and the PM said, “Any thoughts gentlemen?”
There was a long pause with no one responding, Strayker had held back waiting for someone else to react. However, when it was obvious that none of the others would not he said, “Ma’am, gentlemen; as you are all aware the OSC was set up to protect the interests of this country, I would be the first to admit that the original remit never had this in mind. However, whichever way we look at this the evidence is clear; we will become a target if the Red Mercury device is detonated in Washington. The Americans and Russians believe they cannot trust their own people to sort this out; this makes sense and a request for external help also makes sense. I vote that we direct Max and his teams to Washington to help with tracking the people and device down.”
Red Mercury Page 11