"A war will happen unless we act," Lakeland said, "and act now."
"What can we do to prevent this?" the president asked.
"We need to have the Secretary of State visit each country immediately and explain to their leaders everything we know."
"That might compromise the safety of Taiwan. If news leaked out that we knew of the plans, the Chinese might move early. With our limited military presence in that area right now, Taiwan could be lost for good," the president said wisely.
"What other option do we have?" Lakeland asked.
"Brute force," the president said. "Have the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff come in here."
"What's your plan?" Lakeland asked.
"I'm going to position a squadron of B-52s loaded with nuclear cruise missiles over both the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea."
"And the message?" Lakeland asked.
"One that you are going to deliver in person," the president said. "First, negotiate, tell them some of what we know. Then, if that doesn't work, explain to them that whoever attacks the other side first will suffer immediate retaliation from the United States." Lakeland rose to leave. "I should begin packing."
"I'll have Air Force One made ready to transport you," the president said as he rose from his chair and looked out the window. "And one more thing, Robert. Just between you and me, I'm not bluffing. It's your job to make that clear to both sides."
"I'll do the best I can, sir."
"I just need you to buy me a few more days, Robert," the president said wearily. As Air Force One streaked east, Robert Lakeland read a Defense Department report that analyzed Israeli and Saudi deployments at their borders. The border was cluttered with fighter jets, transport planes, tanks, artillery, ground troops, and missile batteries. In the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, both nations had their navies on alert. A pair of Israeli submarines stationed in the Persian Gulf were being quietly tracked by a Saudi AWACS jet. The plane then relayed the information to six Saudi submarine chasers that stood ready to attack the subs if ordered. Surface ships of both nations were passing close enough to one another for crew faces to be visible.
Lakeland closed the folder containing the report, then removed his reading glasses and rubbed his eyes. With his eyes still closed he leaned back in his leather seat and rubbed his stiff neck. He was trying to will his body to relax when the air force steward walked over.
"Sir, we have a bed made up in the back of the plane for you. It's nice and quiet back there."
Lakeland opened his eyes and smiled. "That sounds good, Sergeant."
"Would you care for something before you sleep? Perhaps some hot chicken broth or hot chocolate?"
Lakeland rose from the seat. "Some hot chocolate would be nice."
"If you will follow me back to your cabin," the sergeant said, "I'll get you situated, then return with the hot chocolate and some of the chef's homemade oatmeal cookies." Lakeland followed the steward to his cabin. Fifteen minutes later, when the steward returned to remove the empty dishes, Lakeland was fast asleep atop the bed. The steward covered him with a blanket and informed the guard at the end of the passageway not to disturb him.
Air Force One was crossing into Saudi Arabian airspace before Lakeland awoke. He had just shaved and showered as the plane set down at the airport in Riyadh. As soon as Air Force One rolled to a stop it was directed to a giant air-conditioned hangar off to one side of the airfield.
A fleet of limousines led by a pair of Saudi military Humvees sporting flashing lights drove directly into the hangar and pulled alongside Air Force One. Ali Al-Sheik climbed from the backseat of the middle limousine and stood waiting as Robert Lakeland descended the stairs.
Al-Sheik was of medium height by western standards, five feet eleven inches tall, and his weight had remained a constant 180 pounds since age twenty. Educated at the University of Virginia, with a master's degree from Georgetown University, Ali Al-Sheik had been the chief advisor for King Abdullah since his reign began a year ago. Al-Sheik had jet-black hair and a thin mustache. It was his genuine smile and his warm and friendly manner that attracted people, however.
Lakeland reached the floor of the hangar and walked toward Al-Sheik with his hand extended. After shaking hands, the two men climbed into the rear of Al-Sheik's limousine and made themselves comfortable. As the procession pulled from the hangar Al-Sheik reached into an ice chest built into the door of the vehicle.
"I seem to remember you favor Dr. Pepper in a bottle, Bob," Al-Sheik said as he removed the cold soft drink and handed it to Lakeland.
"Are you still drinking that ginger ale you have shipped in from South Carolina?"
"Best stuff under the sun," Al-Sheik said. In a twist of fate that occurs in diplomacy, Lakeland and Al-Sheik were friends from their student days at the University of Virginia. They were familiar enough to be direct with one another. As the limousine pulled onto the main highway leading from the airport and accelerated, Al-Sheik began the discussion.
"It appears the United States is not interested in diplomacy, otherwise I would be entertaining the Secretary of State and not you, my friend."
"I'm afraid you've summed up the situation with your usual speed, Ali," Lakeland said quietly.
"Then you come to threaten us with force."
"If necessary," Lakeland admitted.
The limousine slowed at an intersection, then followed the Humvees as they sped west toward the king's mansion. Lakeland looked out the window at the miles of sandy wasteland broken by the black ribbon of asphalt leading to the mansion.
"As advisor to the king I should warn you he does not enjoy being threatened," AlSheik said. "On a personal note, as your friend, I should tell you that you will have greater success if you explain the situation calmly and clearly. King Abdullah is quite a bit smarter than your intelligence agencies report."
Rising from the desert in the distance Lakeland saw the vast walled grounds of King Abdullah's palace. Rising above the walls Lakeland could see the towers that stood at the four corners of the mansion, as well as the second floor of the palace, which faced the approaching limousine.
"What do you mean?" Lakeland asked.
"We receive a great many intelligence briefings from the major world powers. The United States intelligence community seems to think Abdullah is a benevolent but not very wise leader."
"I wouldn't say that," Lakeland lied. In fact, what Al-Sheik had just said was the general assessment of Abdullah.
"Don't make that mistake," Al-Sheik cautioned Lakeland. Lakeland stared at his friend and silently nodded.
The limousine was pulling up to the massive gate. The Humvees stationed themselves at each side of the gate like bookends. Once the limousine carrying Lakeland and AlSheik pulled to a stop at the gate, several dogs brought from inside the guard post sniffed the exterior and undercarriage of the limousine. Once the limousine was approved for entry into the palace the doors swung open. As they drove down the long cobblestone driveway Lakeland stared out the window at the palace grounds. The rich landscaping surrounding the palace was a visible legacy of the king's attempt to defy the desert sands that comprised most of his kingdom. As Lakeland glanced out the window, a pair of peacocks strutted across the road to join a flock of nearly thirty birds that were clustered around an artificial pond. Perfectly positioned palm trees, set exactly eight feet apart and six feet back from the cobblestones, lined the roadway. In the half-dozen feet between the cobblestones and the start of the palm trees, vast colorcoordinated flower gardens replicated the colors of the rainbow ending in a field of deep-blue violets nearest the palace.