“Chuck; your President along with yourself brought us into this. I suggest we wait until he has spoken with our PM and then see how best to proceed.”
Chuck Morris thought for a moment and then said, “Good sound logic Max, I’ll go back to the roadblock and speak too Police Colonel Wayne Rochester and have his men come in here once you have finished to sort this lot out.”
Max’s acute mind was already one-step ahead and he was aware that the situation here needed a plausible explanation to ensure that the OSC’s anonymity was preserved and said to Chuck, “We need to create the plausible illusion as to why the warehouse was raided that keeps us out of the picture. May I suggest when you speak to your Police contact that you create a story for their involvement in responding to a tip off about the warehouse, I am sure the two of you can come up with a credible scenario?”
“Leave that with me Max!”
60
Phone call between
The British PM
&
The American President
Wednesday 20th September 1989(same day)
Zero five thirty-nine hours BST
&
Zero thirty-nine hours EDT
Following the raid at the warehouse the Prime Minister placed a call directly to the President on the hotline.
The President had stayed up in anticipation of a call from Chuck Morris following the warehouse raid; he had not expected his hotline phone to ring.
He looked at his watch as he answered it, “President Dulles,” he instantly recognised the female voice on the other end.
“Mr President I have just received an update from the warehouse mission, may I presume that you have not yet been appraised about it?”
The President replied, “No madam Prime Minister, I was expecting a call from my CIA director, did everything go according to plan?”
“Yes and No Mr President the mission itself was a success however a complication has arisen, hence my phone call.”
“You have my ears madam Prime Minister,” replied the President.
The PM gave him a briefing on the mission and the fact there was another device loose on the streets of America.
The President listened intently and when she had finished he said, “I must admit madam Prime Minister, I was not expecting this. From what you have said, we appear to have a strong link as to who has the secondary device.”
“Yes Mr President my people are fairly confident the two rogue CIA agents along with the Asian woman are in possession of it or know of its whereabouts.”
The President remained silent for a few moments assimilating the information and then said, “Madam Prime Minister; I and my country have you and your people to thank for recovering the one Red Mercury device and you have completed the mission I asked of you. However, I feel I must ask for your help again to track down the secondary device. As you are well aware, we have individuals working against us within our community and for us at our end to proceed further, would no doubt drive the unknown elements that are responsible including the Red Mercury device, underground and off the radar. Your people are still invisible to them, will you assist again?”
The PM was aware of the unique partnership and relationship the two countries had held over the years as well as the political fallout and global consequences, should a nuclear device be detonated on US soil, therefore she did not hesitate with her reply, “Mr President; you can count on our continued support in this matter.”
The President replied, “Thank you Ma’am, I think it would be a good idea to bring my CIA director Chuck Morris directly into the circle with your people to provide any support they need.”
“That sounds good to me Mr President, the OSC are securing the device and taking it back to the safe house, may I suggest you CIA director liaise with them there?”
“I will speak to him as soon as he contacts me which I am sure will be very shortly, again thank you Ma’am.”
Five minutes later Chuck Morris made the phone call to the President, who brought him up to speed on the discussion with the British PM.
As soon as the President had finished Chuck said. “I agree sir. I have created a realistic scenario for the warehouse raid with my friend Colonel Wayne Rochester of the Virginian Police. It revolves around a tip off that the warehouse was being used as an arms storage, he has it under control at his end and the OSC still have their anonymity.”
“Okay Chuck, make your way to the safe house and liaise with Colonel Storm, I don’t need to remind you that we need to find this secondary device quickly Chuck!”
“We will do our utmost sir.”
“Thank you Chuck, anything you need then speak to me and I will ensure you have the countries resources at your disposal!”
61
Safe house
Stockton lane
Richmond, Virginia
USA
Lat = 37 degrees, 33.2 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 30.0 minutes West
Wednesday 20th September 1989(same day)
Zero two twelve hours EST
Max and the two teams had arrived back at the safe house where Chuck Morris and Tracy were waiting for them in the kitchen area.
Max instantly picked up the aroma of fresh coffee as he entered the house along with his men they were still fully kitted up in their pass-get body armour.
He walked over to Tracy and Chuck and said, “Good to see you again Chuck, Major Strayker has given me a heads up of the conversation between the PM and the President also the request for us to continue, welcome aboard. If you could give us half an hour to complete weapons checks and storage, we will get back in our civvies and join you. Keep the coffee hot?”
Tracy replied, “I’ll rustle some food up for the men Max.”
“They will certainly appreciate that Tracy,” replied Max.
Thirty minutes later Max and the teams were tucking into some warm pizza slices that Tracy had placed in the oven along with some sandwiches and the coffee.
Max mustered the men around the table and said, “Firstly well done to each and every one of you on a well exercised mission, sergeant Cray can you confirm where the device is and its status is?”
Sergeant Cray replied, “Sir, presently it is in the garage and it is stable, there was no arming device found with it so I presume that was kept separate somewhere else. I would suggest that it is taken and stored in an appropriate location.”
Chuck Morris chipped in and said, “Leave that with me Max, I know exactly where it can be stored and kept off the radar for the time being.”
Max replied, “Thank you both, Chuck can you tell us what scenario you created regarding the warehouse with the local Police?”
Chuck replied, “Very simple Max, following a tip off that the warehouse was being used for arms smuggling and was raided on the strength of prior surveillance confirming this. All the bodies have been taken to our Police mortuary and will be disposed of with no paperwork or records and the warehouse is as we speak being cleared. The media will be told that weapons were found and several people at the warehouse were killed in the action.”
Max thought for a moment and then said, “That should be plausible enough and it will certainly throw a spanner in the works with the people with the secondary device, hopefully long enough to recover it and bring the people responsible down. Now I suggest we get our heads down until zero eight hundred hours when we can have look at our options to move forward on this operation.
62
Deputy Director’s office
Central Intelligence Agency
Langley
Fairfax County, Virginia
USA
Lat = 38 degrees, 57.2 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 8.8 minutes West
Wednesday 20th Sep
tember 1989(same day)
Zero seven twenty-four hours EST
Walter Smith the Deputy CIA director had arrived in the office early as usual at six thirty AM and had been reviewing the overnight intelligence and incident logs, one of them jumped right off the sheet of paper and hit him like a train.
It had been flagged up by Colonel Wayne Rochester of the Virginia state police and was headed, ‘Arms cache discovery.’
He read the report. ‘Following an anonymous tip off a few days ago, surveillance had been carried out on a warehouse on Nicholson Street, just off the James River in the Richmond area of Virginia. Because of this surveillance late last night state troopers under the command of Colonel Wayne Rochester, raided the warehouse. Following an exchange of gunfire, several men in the warehouse were killed in the action. No Police casualties were sustained. Weapons were found on site and recovered. This article is suitable for media distribution.’
The report was signed off by Wayne Rochester.
Walter Smith leaned back in his chair stunned at this report and immediately picked the phone up and dialled a number.
Sydney Carter was having a shave when his phone rang, he walked out of the bathroom and picked it and said, “Carter here!”
The voice on the other end was easily identifiable to him and all it said was “get Sean and be in my office within the hour, we have a serious problem.”
The line went dead and he immediately dialled Sean McFaul’s number when the phone at the other end was picked he said, “Sean we need to be at the deputy directors office in the hour, no questions see you there!” He hung up and ten minutes later, he was in his motor heading into Virginia.
Both men were sitting in Wayne Smith’s office reading the report on the warehouse raid, Syd looked up and said to the deputy director, “this is bullshit sir, if the warehouse had been under surveillance the men there would have clocked it!”
Walter Smith replied, “well obviously they did not and we have to presume the device has been removed and no doubt will be examined and then the shit will hit the fan. Bloody hell all our planning has gone out the window!”
Cater replied, “not exactly sir!”
Walter Smith gave him a glaring look and said, “what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Sir we removed one of the devices two nights ago and have it stored in a safe place.”
Walter Smith had not expected this turn around and said, “well, we may be able to salvage something from this mess after all, where is it?”
“We have it in one of our safe houses down town sir,” replied Carter.
“So I take it you have some sort of plan?”
Carter replied, “Yes sir, we will pick up Sun-Yung from her hotel today and transfer her to the safe house to baby sit the device, until we need it.”
Wayne Smith thought for a few moments and then said, “Okay I do not want to know the details see to it, I will make some discreet enquiries with the Virginia police and see what I can discover from the warehouse raid, now leave me!”
The two men left the office and once in the corridor Sean said to Syd, “a good move Syd to separate the two devices, but I have a bad feeling about the warehouse raid.”
Syd Carter replied, “me too Sean, something is not right hopefully the director can make sense of it with his enquiries. Let’s get Sun-Yung.”
63
Safe house
Stockton lane
Richmond, Virginia
USA
Lat = 37 degrees, 33.2 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 30.0 minutes West
Wednesday 20th September 1989(same day)
Zero eight twenty-one hours EST
The kitchen was a hive of activity, with breakfast being quickly consumed at a rapid rate, something that military personal were always good at.
When finally everyone had, had his or her fill Max called them together for the briefing, “the way I see it is we only have the following options, we place the two CIA men and the Korean woman under surveillance and we take the Russian foreign minister Yuri Yurchenko here in Washington and squeeze him.”
Max paused to allow everyone to have a few moments to digest his words and then continued. “Hopefully we can trace the Red Mercury device through our surveillance and squeezing Yurchenko may give us some leverage and will also give us the Intel for the Russians to use at their end. Chuck we know where the Korean woman Sun-Yung is, I will need you and Tracy to locate Carter and McFaul so we can place them under our eyes. Any questions or observations?”
Chuck Morris was first in, “Max, the Russian Yurchenko will have diplomatic immunity and you just can’t kidnap him!”
“I understand your concerns Chuck, however he will never know who we are and I will make sure no fall out will come back to your country from this and I am sure the Russian Premier will have him off our hands as soon as we have finished with him.”
Chuck Morris gave Max a smile and said, “everything I have heard about you Max is true, you can be ruthless but also fair. If it is alright with you, I would like to advise The President of the plans?”
Max replied, “I absolutely agree Chuck; advise The President of our tactics, I am sure you can convince him about what we want to do with Yurchenko.”
Chuck replied, “Yes; I am sure he will see the logic and advantages in your judgement Max.”
Max said, “Chuck, any thoughts on how we can locate the two CIA men ASAP?”
“I will need to go back to my office at Langley and use the systems there to review their status, I will also speak to the President from there,” replied Chuck Morris.
“Okay Chuck, how do you propose to transport the Red Mercury?”
“I have a secure and remote location on the outskirts of town, could I utilise Sergeant Cray to come with me and I will take it when I leave?”
Max looked at Sergeant Cray and said, “Sergeant are you happy with that?”
Sergeant Cray replied, “Yes sir.”
Max said, “good, now Roy I want you and Tracy along with two of your team to go to the Hotel, discreetly check on the status of Sun-Yung, and then keep watch on the hotel. I want thirty-minute updates from the location. Has anyone any questions?”
There was a few moments silence before Max said, “Okay then let’s get to it!”
64
Heading north
On route 95
To
CIA safe house
Lat = 38 degrees, 8.2 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 30.6 minutes West
Wednesday 20th September 1989(same day)
Zero nine fifty-one hours EST
Sydney Carter and Sean McFaul had collected Sun-Yung from her hotel and were on route to the CIA safe house.
Whilst at the hotel they had informed here of the warehouse raid and the need for her to be relocated and to stay with the Red Mercury, after she had listened she had said, “How safe will I be at the new location?”
Carter had replied, “Only three people will know where you and the Red Mercury will be and they are all in this vehicle.”
Sun-Yung had thought for a moment and then said, “Give me five minutes to grab my stuff.”
They had been on the road for twenty minutes with no conversation between them and they were heading to the northern side of town.
Sean turned around to Sun-Yung in the back seat and said, “We will be stopping in ten minutes for a coffee break.”
Sun-Yung said, “Good I will have a tea.”
Sean McFaul looked at her and said, “The device you are preparing for us, how powerful will it be?”
“Do you want the technical or simple version?” Replied Sun-Yung.
Sean replied, “Keep it simple.”
“Okay the devic
e will have a 20 tons yield, to put that into context, a single fully loaded one of your B52 strike bombers would be able to deliver 15 tons of high explosive.”
Sean let out a gasp and said, “Wow all that from such a small suitcase!”
“Welcome to the world of nuclear fission,” replied Sun-Yung.
65
CIA safe house
10705 Mockingbird Lane
Spotsylvania,
VA 22553
Lat = 38 degrees, 12.5 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 34.1 minutes West
Wednesday 20th September 1989(same day)
Zero eleven thirteen hours EST
Sixty-five minutes later they had turned off route 95 and were heading west on route 208 heading towards Spotsylvania onto Courthouse road, several minutes later the car turned left into Wild Turkey Drive.
Sydney Carter drove down the road and turned left into Mockingbird lane, a quarter of a mile down the road they pulled up outside a large property with the number 10705 on the left, Carter turned the ignition off and turned around to Sun-Yung and said, “your new home and its rent fee, courtesy of the American government.”
Sun-Yung looked at the house noticing it had a red brick clad style ground floor with the upper floor covered in a vertical cream cladding. The windows were white with grey coloured shutter boards either side of them and the front door was the same grey colour.
The three of them exited the vehicle and Sun-Yung gathered her belongings in a holdall bag from the trunk, Syd pulled the rucksack from the trunk and they walked along the paving slaps to the front door.
Sean unlocked it and they entered the house, Sean said to Sun-Yung, “Okay a quick heads up on the house, it is 1625 square feet and has four bedrooms, one large bathroom on the first floor, and a huge kitchen with breakfast area and as you can see a spacious living room.”
Sean beckoned them to follow him to the rear of the property and said, “And we have here the rear deck overlooking the large Backyard and over there is a huge garage type building for Storage.”
Red Mercury Page 20