Kalinin wrinkled his nose as he considered Christine’s suggestion. She added, “You have nothing to fear from us. But I’ll call for help on one condition. Once you are back in power, you’ll pull your military back to Russia.”
“Back to Russia?”
Christine briefed Kalinin on what she’d learned from the Russian news feed in the safe room. Russian troops were invading Ukraine and Lithuania. Andropov was replicating Kalinin’s plan, hoping this time for success.
Kalinin considered her offer of assistance, for way too long as far as Christine was concerned. “I agree,” he finally said.
But then he considered the issue further and asked, “Can I keep part of Lithuania?”
“No!”
Undeterred, Kalinin made his case. “It would solve a long-standing problem of having to obtain permission from NATO countries to move military units into Kaliningrad Oblast by land.”
“What part of no don’t you understand? The n or the o?”
Kalinin smiled. “As you wish. I will withdraw all troops to Russia.”
Christine added, “And you won’t try this again. No more invasions, security operations, or whatever you want to call your attempts to take control of another country’s land or government.”
Kalinin folded his arms across his chest. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“Agreed?”
After a lengthy wait, Kalinin replied, “Agreed.”
Christine pulled the Russian cell phone from her backpack. “Can they track our phones?”
“It’s possible,” Kalinin replied. “I don’t know the colonel assisting Andropov — how capable he is or the resources at his disposal. These phones use satellites, so they can’t be pinpointed using cell towers. But with the right equipment, they might be able to track the call.
“We don’t have a choice, however. We need to make arrangements. Make the call.”
Christine turned the cell phone on and entered the president’s number.
33
AIR FORCE ONE
Minutes earlier, as Air Force One and two F-22 Raptors cruised at 36,000 feet, almost at the end of its overnight trip to Belgium for NATO’s heads of state meeting, the president entered his office on the main deck of the VC-25 aircraft, a military version of Boeing’s 747. SecDef Bill Dunnavant, SecState Dawn Cabral, and Colonel DuBose followed the president into his office for his morning brief, settling into a brown leather couch opposite the president’s desk.
Dunnavant was the first to speak, briefing the president on military developments. Russian forces had entered Lithuania and Ukraine. Eleven brigades had taken position along a fifty-mile-wide corridor on Lithuania’s southern border, creating a transit lane between Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus, Russia’s staunch ally. There had been no combat, as Lithuania’s president had wisely decided it was pointless to send the country’s four thousand combat-ready troops against fifty thousand Russians.
Ukraine’s government had taken a similar tack. Their armor and mechanized assets had been destroyed during Russia’s previous incursion, and Ukrainian leadership had likewise concluded that resistance, without NATO or at least U.S. support, was futile. Russian units in Ukraine were continuing on to the Dnieper River as expected, with airborne units already seizing key bridges.
On the diplomatic front, Lithuania had submitted a resolution to the Alliance authorizing military force to repel Russian units. However, there was a common misperception regarding NATO’s responsibility, and Cabral reminded the president of the specifics.
“Lithuania isn’t as cut-and-dried as it appears. Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty states that an armed attack on one or more members shall be considered an attack on all, and that all members will assist, taking actions deemed necessary. However, the treaty doesn’t spell out what assist means, nor the actions deemed necessary. The wording keeps NATO’s options open, with the possible responses ranging from nuclear retaliation to a simple diplomatic protest. Even though Lithuania has been invaded, there is no obligation to engage Russia militarily.”
“We’ve been down this road before,” the president said. “We’ll take it one step at a time. Do you have the resolution for Ukraine drafted?”
“Yes, Mr. President. Same language as last time, authorizing NATO military action to repel Russian forces. Do you want me to submit it upon arrival?”
“What do you recommend?”
“I recommend we hold off for a while. We submitted it too early last time, creating a pressurized situation, trying to hold off any no votes before the deadline. Ukraine is a more complicated problem since it’s not a NATO member and the Alliance has no obligation to intercede. There are several countries that may balk even when it comes to Lithuania, not wanting to risk war with Russia, and Ukraine is an even tougher sell.”
“I agree,” the president replied. “Hold off on the resolution, but start working the issue with your counterparts once we arrive in Brussels. I’ll do the same.”
Turning back to Dunnavant, the president requested an update on the nuclear triad.
Dunnavant replied, “We’ve identified a common navigation electronics upgrade to the B-2 bombers and Trident missiles. NCIS is working with the company that designed and manufactured the new equipment. The bad news is that our ICBM missiles received the same upgrade as the Trident missiles, so if this upgrade is the culprit, it seems General Andropov’s claim is accurate; all three legs of our nuclear triad have been compromised.”
“Compromised is an understatement,” the president said. “Russia’s invasion of Lithuania and Ukraine is insignificant compared to this. Our entire country is at risk.” The president leaned forward. “There is nothing more important right now.”
“I understand, Mr. President. We’re working the problem as fast as we can.”
The president was about to inquire further when his phone buzzed, then his secretary’s voice came across the speaker.
“I apologize for interrupting, Mr. President, but Christine O’Connor is on the line.”
The president raised an eyebrow. “Where is she?”
“She didn’t say. Should I put her through?”
“Yes, of course.”
There was a click and the secretary spoke again. “Miss O’Connor, you’re connected.”
The president spoke first. “Christine, where are you?”
“Under a rock.”
“A rock?”
Christine explained what had occurred: General Andropov’s coup, Kalinin placing her inside a safe room, and how they had escaped and were currently hiding under a hillside rock.
She continued, “President Kalinin doesn’t know who to trust, and I took the initiative to offer U.S. assistance. We need an extraction to someplace safe. If we can also return him to power, he’ll withdraw all military forces back to Russia.”
“What about the nuclear triad issue?”
“What issue?”
It was the president’s turn to explain. When he finished, Christine said, “Just a minute.” The icy tone of her response was unmistakable.
The president listened as Christine discussed the issue with Kalinin in hushed voices. He couldn’t follow along, although he was certain Christine was cursing at the Russian president.
“I understand now,” Christine said, with an edge still in her voice. “President Kalinin says he declined to implement this option and he believes that’s one of the issues that led to Andropov’s coup.”
The president asked, “Is there a way to safeguard our systems or countermand what Russia has done?”