“Essentially that is correct, Mr. President. I know it sounds drastic but even then it may not be enough,” the head of the CDC told him.
“Doctor Riser, can you even fathom what the results of such an order would do to this country?”
“Mr. President, can you fathom the results of not doing this? We are talking about a worldwide epidemic of Biblical proportions. Mr. President I have the head of the DVCT with me on speaker phone. Maybe you should listen to what he has to say.”
“DVCT? What is that? I don’t recall ever hearing of them before.”
“I’ll let him explain. Mr. President, this is Doctor Randal Peel. He is the world’s foremost authority on deadly viruses and containment of spreading.”
“Mr. President. The DVCT was first initiated during the 60s and 70s when the cold war was raging. DVCT stands for Deadly Virus Containment Team. President Kennedy created the agency to counteract a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack by the Soviet Union. Certain protocols were initiated and passed by congress that created the funding and outlined the authority of the DVCT,” he explained.
“Alright Dr… I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
“Randal Peel.”
“Alright Dr. Peel. I assume this is your recommendation then?”
“Not exactly Mr. President. You will find that Executive Order 60600.1A, B, and C address the authority of the DVCT. That authority remains in effect today.”
“Dr. Peel is it? I have no idea what is contained in Executive Order… whatever. You say it gives you specific authority. What might that be?”
“Mr. President, the name is Dr. Randal Peel. My authority is delineated in the Executive Order. In short, Mr. President, it gives me the authority to shut down all air, land, and sea travel into and out of the United States. It is incumbent on the director of the DVCT and does not need the approval of any other authority.”
A long silence followed. All Peel could hear were some background noise and the President breathing.
“Doctor Peel. No one has a higher authority than the President of the United States. Not the CDC, the whatever your agency is called and certainly not you Dr. Peel. I will determine if we stop all travel in and out of this country,” the President said.
“Mr. President. I urge you to read the Executive Order. The number again is..”
“I don’t need the number. You will do nothing without my permission. Do I make myself clear, Dr. Peel?”
“Good day, Mr. President,” Peel said and shut his cell phone.
“Don’t you dare… hello? Hello? That son-of-a… I want that man tracked down and relieved of that position immediately. No one hangs up on the President. I don’t know who he thinks he is but I will not stand for it.”
“Sir. I’ve been looking up the Executive Order. Maybe you should read it.”
“What? Are you telling me he is correct?”
“Sir,” he said holding out the volume containing the document.
“I don’t care what it says. I will not stand for this. Do you understand?”
“I think you may have to change your position on that Sir.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“That could have gone better,” Conroy said.
“It will get worse. I’ve already issued the orders to stop all air, land and sea traffic. I’m pretty sure he will blow a gasket when he finds out. I intended to tell him but we never quite got to that stage.”
“You really did it? You issued Directive DVCT 0995?”
“It is in the hands of all airline companies, trains that cross into Canada and all docks and harbor facilities. It will be announced on the air during the five O’clock news. All stations will carry the story.”
“Mark, he may have you hauled off for this. I know what the directive says but what if he won’t allow it?”
“This was put in place by President Kennedy and the US Congress. It can only be rescinded by a two-thirds majority vote by Congress and even then, the Supreme Court has to verify the legitimacy of the proceedings,” Mark told him.
“You know he won’t allow this. He won’t abide by the directive.”
“Oh, I think he will one way or the other.”
“You obviously have something up your sleeve,” Conroy said.
“Well, you should never show all your cards at once. Especially when you are playing at this level. Yes, I do have a backup plan and while it may gall the President, it is within my authority to initiate the process.”
“I wouldn’t want to be you at around one minute after 5:00 p.m.”
“I’m pretty sure he will know before then. The news will want confirmation from the White House. Then it will hit the fan,” Mark said.
“You are sitting there telling me that this Doctor has already scheduled a press conference for five o’clock? Before my scheduled news conference?”
“That is correct, Mr. President.”
“Well I don’t think so. I want that conference stopped. You get hold of all the news stations and have them pull the plug on it. He is not to go on the air. Now get on it while we still have time.”
“Sir, the news stations already know what the subject is. He has already given them a general outline. Also all of the major newspaper across the nation have a release. We are already too late,” his Chief of Staff, Harry Becker told him.
“Harry, I don’t want to hear it. Do whatever it takes to stop him from holding that press conference. I don’t care what it takes. Talk to the network owners, whoever it takes but I do not want to see him on television.”
“Mr. President.”
“Stop,” he yelled and slammed his hand down so hard on the desk that his ink pen jumped out of the holder, “I don’t want to hear another excuse. I don’t care how it is done but it will be done. Call the police, FBI, CIA or anyone else you can think of and have him arrested or charges of treason. He is trying to overthrow the Presidency,” he said, his voice continuing to rise.
No one said a thing for several seconds.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Get this done,” he said quickly standing up from his chair.
“Sir. The Executive Order is quite clear on this. It was, in fact, written to prevent exactly this,” Harry said.
“And you are not listening. I don’t care what the Executive Order says. I am superseding it immediately.”
“Mr. President. You can’t do that. It takes an act of Congress to change the provisions of the order,” the Attorney General, Amy Snider said softly.
The President turned and glared at her. His face was red and he was visibly shaking. He grabbed the Executive Order volume the Chief of Staff was holding and threw it across the room.
Vice President Andria Toll, saw it just in time to get her hand up in front of her face. The force still managed to knock her over against the sofa back. She touched her cheek where the heavy book had grazed her.
Everyone just stopped and stared. First at the Vice President and then Thornburg.
“Why are you all sitting here? I’m giving you direct orders. Find Peel and have him arrested. Get that news conference stopped or you will all find yourselves out of a job,” he screamed.
Vice President Toll, stood up and faced the President.
“Jim, you need to get yourself under control. You are certainly not acting like the President of the United States. You are throwing a temper tantrum. You need to take a deep breath and think about what you have just done. Executive Orders are law. Even the President is not above the law.”
“And I am telling you I am not bound by those orders. Do you see Kennedy in this room? Do you see anyone in this room that has accepted them as law?”
“Yes Jim, I do?”
“What? You are seeing ghosts now?” he sneered.