So he told her. At the end, there was more silence. Luke was moving fast, ninety miles an hour, climbing the on ramp to the bridge. The roads were empty. He hadnt so much as glimpsed a cop.

Do you believe me? he said.

Luke, I dont know what to believe. I know that Don and Bill Ryan were friends at the Citadel. They used to take their families on vacation together.

Trudy, theyve taken my wife and son.

What?

He told her about it. He kept his voice firm. He stuck to the facts of it, the things he knew for sure. He didnt cry. He didnt scream.

It was a coup, Luke said. There are people in the intelligence apparatus and the military who want a war. Probably the defense contractors, too. Don was in on it. A bit player, but in on it nonetheless.

Trudys voice shook. Just over half an hour ago, Bill Ryan declared war against Iran. Immediately afterward, the airwaves went berserk. ECHELON, all the listening stations, Fairbanks, Menwith Hill, Misawa Air Force Base in Japan, a bunch of others… theyre picking up Russian chatter. The Russians havent announced it yet, but they are prepared to treat an attack on Iran as an attack on Russia. They are getting missiles ready. I cant believe Don would want any of this to happen.

Heres what I want you to do, Luke said. Get Swann… Is Swann still there?

Swann never goes home, she said.

Get Swann to access Dons computer. Look for any evidence that Don knew about the attacks beforehand. Emails, files, anything. Don didnt organize the attacks, but he knew they were coming.

What good would that do, even if we found something?

It might give us an angle on prosecuting Ryan and whoever was behind this. If we get Don, then maybe we get Ryan, then the next one and the next one. We knock them down like dominoes. If we can keep the Vice President alive, we can force Ryan to step down. Once he does, hes no longer protected by his position. If we have any evidence against him, he is as good as toast.

Okay, Luke. Ill have Swann see what he can find.

I know hell find something, Luke said. Call me as soon as he does.

Anything else?

Yeah. Call Ed Newsam and tell him to get dressed. I cant have him lying around in bed at a time like this.

What will you be doing?

Me? Im going to save the Vice Presidentif its not already too late.

Chapter 48

8:56 a.m. (Moscow Time)

Strategic Command and Control Center - Moscow, Russian Federation

Yuri Grachev, twenty-nine, aide to the Defense Minister, walked briskly through the hallways of the control center, on his way to the large situation room. His footsteps echoed along the empty corridor as he pondered the situation. The worst-case scenario had arrived. It was a disaster about to happen.