Three men held Luke down. A heavy arm was against his neck. It hurt to move. It was hard to speak. Sir. Im Agent Stone with the FBI Special Response Team. This is Agent Newsam. You are in danger. We have reliable intelligence suggesting there is a plot to attack the White House with a dirty bomb. That attack is scheduled to coincide with the start of Ramadan in Tehran, less than fifteen minutes from now.

President Hayes moved closer. He towered over Luke.

It isnt true, a female voice said.

Luke craned his neck enough to see Susan Hopkins, the Vice President. She was very pretty, like a veteran television announcer. She wore a gray pin-striped suit and her blonde hair in a short bob. We just received a report that the threat was contained to New York City, and has been neutralized.

There isnt enough time to tell you everything, Luke said. We have to evacuate the entire building, and were almost out of time. If were wrong, thats very embarrassing. The White House had a bomb scare and was evacuated for no reason. But if youre wrong… I dont want to think about that.

Everyone looked at the President. He was a man accustomed to making difficult decisions. He paused for all of seven seconds.

Get everyone out, he said. Initiate evacuation protocols for all staff. Ten minutes from now, I dont want a single person inside this building.

Chapter 23

10:50 a.m.

Beneath the White House

They rode an elevator deep into the bowels of the earth. Ten people were on board: the President, the Vice President, the Presidents young chief of staff, Ed and Luke, and five Secret Service agents. One of the agents carried a black leather satchel, secured to his wrist with a metal clasp. Somewhere above them, an alarm was going off.

How sure of this are you? the President said.

Lukes face was rug burned. The back and side of his neck was sore. He could feel a welt rising on his jaw. His mouth was bleeding.

Im not sure of anything, sir.

If youre wrong, youre going to be in a lot of trouble.

Sir, I think you may not appreciate the full extent of that trouble.

The elevator doors opened. They exited into to a cavernous lighted chamber, disappearing into the distance. Two black limousines were lined up just outside the elevator. Luke found himself in the second car, with Ed, the Vice President, and two Secret Service agents.

Eds face was a mess. His right eye was swollen half shut. The lid was cut and bleeding.

The car sped through the tunnel, yellow lights zooming overhead.

I, for one, hope that youre wrong, Susan Hopkins said.

So do I, Luke said. More than anything.