The double doors to the presidential office swung open. In a charcoal grey suit, the defense minister walked in. Giorgy Alexeevich Pop-kov always had an ashen look about him, but this time, his face signaled disaster.

"What is it, Giorgy Alexeevich?"

"Comrade President, I am afraid there is disturbing news from the front."

"Let me guess, Giorgy Alexeevich. The Chechens have already made a thermonuclear device with our plutonium."

"It is not the Chechens. It is the Americans."

"The Americans?"

"They have shot down two of our planes."

"How… what planes?"

"Two MiG-29 Fulcrums, sir."

The president looked at his foreign affairs minister, whose mouth was agape at this point. He looked back at Popkov. "Comrade Minister, the MiG-29 is the most maneuverable fighter in the world. At least that is what your office has told us. I demand an explanation!"

The defense minister brushed his hand through his hair, shifting his beady eyes between the president and the foreign minister.

"You are right, Comrade President, that the MiG-29 is the world's finest fighter plane. But even the greatest fighter plane in the history of mankind is vulnerable when ambushed."

"Ambushed? Are you saying that our planes were bombed by the Americans while they were sitting on the ground?"

"No, sir. Not bombed."

"Then what?"

"Our planes were operating over Chechnya, as you instructed, sir. They had dropped their bombs successfully on targets in Grozny. On their way back to Erebuni Air Base outside Yerevan in Armenia, they were flying near the Georgian border.

"Two United States Air Force F-15s were operating just inside the Georgian border, flying roughly parallel to our planes. The American planes were less than five miles from our planes.

"For whatever reason, the American planes launched a missile attack on our planes at point-blank range. We do not know if the American pilots panicked or what. But because they attacked at point-blank range, even the Fulcrums had a difficult time escaping."

"Our MiGs got off no shots in defense? I gave our pilots instructions to defend themselves, did I not?" the Russian president said.

"Yes, you did, sir. The problem here is the rules of engagement."

"What is wrong with the rules of engagement?"

"Our pilots may fire at the Americans only if fired upon. This leaves them with little option in a point-blank attack. Our pilots had no reason to believe that the Americans would fire their missiles across the borders into Chechnya at close range. Had the rules of engagement been different, the Fulcrums would have prevailed."

The Russian president let that sink in. "Are you telling me that the American planes fired their missiles from Georgian airspace into our airspace?"

"Dah. Their Sidewinder missiles do not understand international boundaries, Comrade President."

"But that makes no sense, " the foreign minister interjected. "If they attacked our planes in Chechnya, how do they have one of our pilots? Did they send their 82nd Airborne across the border to capture our flyer?"

"A good question, Minister, " the defense minister said. "Their missile exploded near one of our planes. Our pilot heroically ejected before his MiG went down. But because he was so close to the border, and because of strong wind currents, he was blown across the border into Turkey. Naturally, I would expect the Americans to concoct some other version of the events to save face."

"Naturally, " the foreign minister said.

The Russian president detected skepticism in the foreign minister's voice. "It is amazing, " Evtimov said, "that our pilot could bail out of a plane struck by a Sidewinder missile, is it not, Giorgy Alexeevich?"

The defense minister squirmed. But then again, Giorgy Alexeevich Popkov always squirmed.

"Yes, it is amazing that our pilot survived. But that is a testament to the strength of the MiG-29, that it could withstand a direct missile attack, and yet, our pilot could survive!"

President Evtimov's eyes locked with his foreign minister's. An awkward moment of silence ensued. "Sit down, Giorgy Alexeevich."

Evitmov was still fuming about the fact that American warplanes were over Georgia. Had they kept their planes away, this would have never happened.

Yet something about the defense minister's version of the events was tempering his anger. He looked at his trusted friend and advisor, the foreign minister.

"What is your take on all this, Alexander Alexeyvich?"

The foreign minister pondered for a moment. "If what we are hearing from the battlefield is accurate, then technically, the Americans have committed an act of war. Great wars started over lesser things. The assassination of the Archduke of Serbia, as you will recall, plunged the world into the First World War.

"While this is technically an act of war, at this point, there is at least a plausible explanation. Perhaps their pilots panicked, believing that our planes were about to enter Georgian airspace.

"Comrade President, I would urge measured restraint. Two planes are not worth a possible nuclear exchange."

"Then what are your recommendations, Alexander Alexeyvich?"

"That we take four steps. First, that we call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, seeking to condemn the Americans for their hostile acts. Second, we demand the immediate release of our pilot. Third, we demand monetary reparations from the Americans for the family of the dead pilot. And finally, we issue a stern warning that any further attacks against Russia or its interests will result in war."

President Evtimov thought for a moment. "Your recommendations are accepted. Contact our ambassador to the United Nations and call for an emergency meeting immediately."

CHAPTER 16

The White House Situation Room

Emergency meeting of the National Security Council

Four hours later

I'm asking you… I'm pleading with you, Mr. President. Call this thing off and do it right now." Secretary of State Robert Mauney extended his hands toward the president, almost as if he were a starving man begging for bread.

"That would be a mistake, Mr. President." Secretary of Defense Erwin Lopez retorted. "Our sub is in the Black Sea. The plan is being executed to precision. Remember what's at stake if we don't find and stop this freighter. Nuclear material in the hands of terrorists!"

Secretary Mauney shot back. "But that was before the U.S. Air Force took out two of their fighters." Mauney glared at the secretary of defense. "Now terrorist nukes may be the least of our worries. We may be facing Russian nukes if this freighter attack backfires."

"Oh, please." Lopez's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"All right. All right." President Williams held his palms out. He'd refereed enough arguments between these two. If the Democrat press knew what really went on behind the scenes, rioting would erupt in the streets of Washington.

Still, Secretary Mauney had a point. "Let's hear Secretary Mauney" – he nodded at the secretary of state – "and then we'll hear from Secretary Lopez." Another nod at the secretary of defense. "Secretary Mauney?"

"Thank you, Mr. President. As you know, the State Department has always opposed Operation Undercover as being too risky to our security interests. The idea of slipping an American submarine into the Black Sea to attack an unarmed Russian freighter seems preposterous. If the attack were exposed to the world, we'd look like the Germans sinking the Lusitania. Who would suspect plutonium was on that freighter?

"The State Department has also opposed Operation Fortify, our combined air and ground operations in Turkey and Georgia.

"As you know, my concern with Operation Fortify was the very close and dangerous proximity of armed American and Russian forces.