“We can set up here,” Bill said and glanced over at the colonel, who nodded.

“Of course,” Colonel Mitchell said. “What kind of space do you need?”

“Not much,” Specialist Wanda Young said. “Enough to set up a few computers and run a line to our own satellite antenna.”

“Perhaps we can commandeer one of the hangars, and my team and these guys can all set up in one place,” Bill added.

“Works for me,” Mitchell said. He pressed a button on the small box beside him and then spoke into it. “Hey, Rhino, come back in here.”

Major Reynolds emerged through the connecting door in seconds.

“Rhino, free up a hangar right away for these guys to use as a TOC. They’ll need to set up satellite comms and I imagine they’ll need access to the high side for all their computers.”

“I’ll make it happen immediately,” Rhino said. “You need to run line to your antenna up high—like the roof of the hangar?”

“We don’t have to, sir, but it would be great if we could,” Wanda answered.

“Done,” Rhino said. “You’ve got everything you need in the Pelicans you brought?”

“Yes, sir,” Wanda said.

“I’ll get some of our ground specialists to help you get up and running.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“And, Craig, have security posted around the hangar you give them and add security to the gate. Let’s go to condition Alpha while they’re here,” the colonel added.

“I agree, sir,” Rhino said.

“So,” Colonel Mitchell said, crossing his arms and staring at Jed. “I’m gonna read between the lines a little here, son. You have a sketch of what looks like a hangar, an imminent threat, and you’re staging from a fighter base. We also have been tasked with additional CAP—that’s combat air patrols—and we’re aware that’s true for the entire East Coast. Can I assume this is an airborne threat?”

“Yes, sir, you can,” Jed answered.

“And if this is some 9/11 kind of thing, is there a chance we’ll be shooting something down, Jed?”

“We hope not, sir,” Jed said. “We hope our intel assets can help us find the target before they can get it airborne.”

“Let’s hope so, son,” the colonel said, rising from his seat now. “Splashing a civil aircraft over densely populated areas is almost certain to end with some collateral damage. We need to avoid that, okay?”

“Yes, sir. That’s the goal,” Jed said, rising and shaking the colonel’s outstretched hand.