"What the hell?" Rosselli asked.

"There aren't twenty people in the world who know this. He's making sure it's really me," Jack said. His fingers were poised over the keys.

"That looks like bullshit."

"Okay, fine, it's bullshit, but does it hurt anything?" Ryan demanded.

"Send it."

"What the hell is this?" Fowler shouted. "Who's doing this-"

"Sir, we have an incoming from the President. He's ordering us to -"

"Ignore it," Jack said coldly.

"God damn it, I can't!"

"Captain, the President has lost control. If you allow him to shut me off, your family, my family, a whole lot of people are going to die. Captain, your oath is to the Constitution, not to the President. Now, you look over those messages again and tell me that I'm wrong!"

"From Moscow," the translator said. " 'Ryan, what is happening?' "

PRESIDENT NARMONOV:

WE HAVE BEEN THE VICTIMS OF A TERRORIST ACT. THERE WAS MUCH CONFUSION HERE, BUT WE NOW HAVE POSITIVE EVIDENCE AS TO THE ORIGIN OF THE WEAPON. WE ARE CERTAIN THAT THE WEAPON WAS NOT SOVIET. I REPEAT WE ARE CERTAIN THE WEAPON WAS NOT SOVIET. WE ARE NOW ATTEMPTING TO APPREHEND THE TERRORISTS. WE MAY HAVE THEM WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES.

"Send back, 'Why has your president accused us of this?' " There was another pause of two minutes.

PRESIDENT NARMONOV:

WE HAVE BEEN THE VICTIMS OF GREAT CONFUSION HERE. WE HAVE HAD SOME INTELLIGENCE REPORTS OF POLITICAL TURMOIL IN THE SOVIET UNION. THESE REPORTS WERE FALSE, BUT THEY CONFUSED US GREATLY. IN ADDITION, THE OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE HAD AN INCENDIARY EFFECT ON BOTH SIDES.

"That's true enough."

"Pete, you get people in there just as fast as you can and arrest this man!"

Connor couldn't say no to that, despite the look he received from Helen D'Agustino. He called Secret Service headquarters and relayed the message.

"He asks, 'what you - what do you suggest?' "

I ASK THAT YOU TRUST US, AND ALLOW US TO TRUST YOU. WE BOTH MUST BACK AWAY FROM THIS. I SUGGEST THAT BOTH YOU AND WE REDUCE THE ALERT LEVELS OF STRATEGIC FORCES AND GIVE ORDERS TO ALL TROOPS TO EITHER HOLD IN PLACE OR WITHDRAW AWAY FROM ANY SOVIET OR AMERICAN UNIT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, AND IF POSSIBLE THAT ALL SHOOTING BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY.

"Well?" Ryan asked. "Send it."

"Can it be a trick?" the Defense Minister asked. "Can it not be a trick?"

"Golovko?"

"I believe that it is Ryan, and I believe he is sincere - but can he persuade his President?"

President Narmonov walked away for a moment, thinking of history, thinking of Nikolay II. "If we stand our forces down ?"

"Then they can strike us, and our ability to retaliate is cut in half!"

"Is half enough?" Narmonov asked, seeing the escape hatch, leaning towards it, praying for the opening to be real. "Is half enough to destroy them?"

"Well " Defense nodded. "Certainly, we have more than double the amount we need to destroy them. We call it over-kill."