The other showed the inside of the Capitol Building. The VIPs were being seated. She frowned as she saw Jameson being wheeled into a handicapped slot in the balcony.

Pryce looked back at the clock.

10.50am. 11,50pm in China.

In just about an hour, Stockton would take the stage, and be sworn in again.

In ten minutes, the Chinese deadline would expire.

A perfect time to catch the US flat-footed.

“Command has reconfirmed our orders, Colonel,” his comms officer said. “We are to fire one missile on target ZHOU-17, with a one hundred meter offset. Launch time in three minutes.”

Cheung Baili wished he still smoked. A filthy habit, even if it no longer caused cancer. Not fit for a civilized man in a civilized nation.

But by hell he could use a cigarette right now.

“Fire Control,” he said.

“Aye, sir,” his Fire Control officer responded.

“You have coordinates for target ZHOU-17?”

“Aye, sir. Coordinates relayed by aircraft, sir.”

“A missile is programmed for target ZHOU-17 with one hundred meter offset?”

“Aye, sir,” Fire Control responded. “ZHOU-17, one hundred meter offset north.”

Colonel Cheung Baili took a deep breath. One hundred meters. The specs on these missiles said they were accurate to five meters against moving targets.

Cheung hadn’t made it this far in life by depending on specs.

“Reprogram the missile. ZHOU-17. New offset, five hundred meters.”

There was a pause, less than a second. Then, “Aye, sir. Reprogramming for five hundred meter offset north.”

More seconds passed. Cheung could hear his Fire Control officer tapping away. He heard the man stop. Could almost hear him thinking as he went back and rechecked that he’d made the changes correctly.

Good. This was not something to botch up.

“Reprogramming complete, Colonel,” his Fire Control officer said. “New target: ZHOU-17, five hundred meter offset north.”

“Radar officer,” Cheung said. “Check program and confirm.”

“Yes, sir,” Radar said. He heard keys pressed. Another few seconds passed. Then more.

Then his radar officer spoke up.

“Confirmed, Colonel. Missile is programmed for target ZHOU-17, five hundred meter offset to the north of the target.”

Cheung Baili looked at the clock. 12.02am. They were late.

He took a deep breath.

“Launch missile.”

“Launch!” an imaging officer cried. “We have clear indication of launch, Fujian region, strong IR signature, radar hit confirmed, ballistic track.”

“How many birds!” Admiral McWilliams asked.

Pryce blanched.

“One bird at present time, sir! Fleet alert sent. Defensive systems active.”

“Target?” Pryce asked. They all knew their defenses against ballistic inbounds sucked.

“Too soon to say ma’am!”

The Secretary of Defense spoke. “Activate the JAVELINs.”

“Flight time?” Colonel Cheung asked.

“Impact in… four minutes twenty seconds, Colonel,” Fire Control responded.

He could really use that cigarette.

“JAVELINs armed,” the STRATCOM desk said. “Targets verified. Impactors ready for launch.”

“Negative!” Pryce said. “They only fired once!”