The briefing that Bob Herbert gave Hood was not the low intensity distraction he had been hoping for. However, the prospect of nuclear war between India and Pakistan did chase all other thoughts from Hood's mind.

Herbert brought Hood up to speed on the conversations he'd had with Mike Rodgers and Ron Friday. When Herbert was finished. Hood felt energized.

His own problems had not gone away. But part of him, at least, was out of hiding. The part that had a responsibility to others.

"This is a sticky one," Hood said.

"Yeah," Herbert agreed.

"What's your gut say?" "It says to take this situation to the president and drop it square in his lap," Hood replied.

Herbert regarded Hood for a moment.

"There's a 'but' in your voice," Herbert said.

"Actually, there are three 'buts' in my voice," Hood told him.

"First, we're only guessing about what's going on.

They're educated guesses, but we still don't have proof. Second, let's assume your intel is right. That there is a plot to start a war. If we tell the president, the president will tell State. Once you tell State, the world will know about it through leaks, moles, or electronic surveillance. That could scare the perpetrators off-or it could accelerate whatever timetable they have."

"I agree," Herbert said.

"The SFF and their allies would have insecurity issues instead of security issues. Typical when you're keeping information from your own countrymen." "Exactly," Hood said.

"All right. So what's the third 'but'?" Herbert asked.

"The fact that we may prove a nuclear attack plan is in place," Hood said.

"If the United States exposes it we may actually give it impetus." "I don't understand," Herbert said.

"In terms of military support and intelligence assistance, India has always leaned toward Russia," Hood said.

"An entire generation of Indians considers the United States the opposition.

Suppose we expose a patriotic plan. Do you think that will cause the Indians to kill it?"

"If it involves a nuclear exchange, yes," Herbert said, "Russia would come down on our side. So would China." "I don't know if I agree," Hood said.

"Russia is facing an Islamic threat along several of its borders.

Op-Center just defused a crisis where the Russians were scared about Iran's access to Caspian oil. Moscow fought the mujahedin in Afghanistan.

They're afraid of aggressive fifth-column activities in their own cities, in allied republics. We can't be sure they would back a Muslim nation against their old friend India. As for China, they're looking for allies in a move against Taiwan. Suppose India provided them with that, a kind of quid pro quo."

Herbert shook his head slowly.