The Threat

“We do a lot more than stand around with that thing,” Jazak told him. “We coordinate what the president needs from our respective services. The White House mess and the valets — the Filipinos, the enlisted who help him get dressed and so forth — that’s always been a Navy responsibility. I hear the yacht was too, back when we had the Sequoia. Once he leaves town, we take on a lot of other responsibilities: comms, codes, transportation, though the advance party and so forth help. Speaking of advance parties, you’ll be on one of them — probably Adamant Black.”

Gunning said, “But the football’s what everybody thinks of first, right? So let’s open with that.” He pulled a binder off the shelf. “It’s all designed out in these pubs. You know what the SIOP is, right?”

Dan said, getting more tense by the moment and hoping it didn’t show, “The single integrated operational plan. What weapons are assigned to what targets.”

“Originally, yeah. But it’s a lot more complicated now. I expect you to know these cold,” Gunning said, giving him a close look. “I mean, till you can recite every page verbatim. Plus explain the underlying strategy for each option.”

Dan thought about explaining how he felt about the whole idea instead, but didn’t. A month or two, and he’d be out of here. “I understand.”

“Good. Mike’ll give you the once-over now, but once isn’t enough. Take a couple days. You can look at the binders out in the conference room, but they stay in the vault when you’re not working on them. When you’re ready, I’ll give you the quiz.”

Dan nodded, and Gunning looked at Jazak, who reached under the table.

“The Presidential Emergency Satchel. Or PES,” Jazak said.

It was bigger than a briefcase. More like a salesman’s sample case. It was made of some light metal, covered with black leather and set off with silver-toned hardware. Dialing numbers into a beefy combination lock, then popping the latches, Jazak said, “Item one: No one but you and the prez gets to look inside this. I don’t care if the SecDef wants a peek, he’s out of the loop. Chick reports direct to Charlie Wrinkles, but Little Big Man’s not allowed in either. There are actually two complete satchels. So if somebody ever steals one, or we lose it, we’ve got a backup. The vice president’s mil aide, he’s got one too, for obvious reasons. Total: three.”

Gunning tapped Dan’s wrist to emphasize the point. “About losing it: It’s never happened yet. Don’t let it on your watch.”

Partitions divided the satchel’s interior into compartments. Dealing each object out on the tabletop, Jazak showed him a security wristlet, a black-bound custody log, an inch-thick handbook with red plastic covers labeled SIOP DECISION HANDBOOK 7D, two other booklets with black plastic covers, and a flat card, sealed in metal foil: the autheticator itself. A sturdy-looking transceiver with flip-up antenna and handset was the bulkiest item. Last came a nylon-holstered nine-millimeter Beretta service automatic, with two loaded magazines.

“This handbook’s the big deal,” Jazak told him, flicking the one with the red cover. “Everything else we could replace. If the bad guys get their hands on this book, though, they’d know exactly what we know about them, and how we’d respond to an attack. That’s what the pistol’s for.”

“You’d better tell me exactly what you mean by that,” Dan said.

Gunning said, “He means, your printed orders — we’ll get you a copy to sign — authorize you to use deadly force to protect these codes.”

“Licensed to kill,” said Jazak, smiling.

“But only if somebody makes a grab for it,” Gunning cautioned. “The Secret Service didn’t like us carrying. But it is what it is.”

“Who’s this transmitter connect me to?”

“Secure UHF voice, uplinks to Defense Sat Com. You have to be within fifteen miles of the uplink, which will be in the Roadrunner van most of the time.” He showed Dan how to punch in numbers from the comm handbook. “There’s a recharger in our office, another in the van. Let’s say the daily schedule shows Mustang in the District that day. Before you go on duty you pick up two fully charged batteries, showing the green light here. When you go off duty, plug the old sets back in the charger. If you go overseas, there’s adapters for foreign outlets. Do a comm check each time you relieve.

“If we ever get word an attack’s on the way, it’ll give you a warbling alarm. That notifies you to get next to the president, open the case, and go on the air. All the call signs and procedures are in 7D, the red book. Select your options and get the word out before their strike lands. Launch on warning’s been doctrine for a long time now. It doesn’t say that in print anywhere, but it’s no secret.

“Okay, the book.” Jazak flipped through plastic-coated pages. Dan saw they were printed in red. There were drawings, almost cartoons. Large print. It was designed to be used by terrified men in the moments before they died.