OUTCAST Ops: Red Ice

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

It was after 2pm when Tanner and Liam walked into the incident command center. The center was in one of the hotel’s smaller ballrooms, guarded by several SFPD SWAT and police officers in riot gear. The pair made their way through the personnel, tables, and equipment to a small table in the back of the room. Casey sat in a chair with DuPree standing behind him, her hand bandaged, but holding Danielle’s P-90, and still trying to look alert. Naomi and Danielle sat at the table with Casey, both women looking drained.

“Well?” Casey asked as Tanner and Liam sat down.

“The protection team was nearly wiped out,” Tanner said. “Only two survivors, both of them wounded. We’ve counted ten Tango corpses, two in the suite and eight in the stairwell. One innocent bystander is dead, and the police are sweeping the building floor by floor with their SWAT teams, making sure no more Tangos are hiding. We checked the attackers’ bodies, and I’m certain they’re all North Koreans.”

“I think we have Rhee’s attention,” Casey said.

“What about Halverstaff?” Tanner asked, concern etching his face even though he knew the young man was not well-liked.

Casey exhaled. “In the hospital. Multiple bullet wounds, broken arm, leg and his other wrist is broken, but it looks like he’ll live.” His chuckle was short and almost amused. “He told me before he was wheeled into surgery that he resigning as my aide.”

“Can’t say as I blame him. So what’s the latest out there?” Liam asked.

Casey leaned back in his chair. “The acting mayor has declared a state of emergency and requested state and federal assistance. He’s also enacted a dawn to dusk curfew for the city. The National Guard has been activated and there’s a Marine battalion en route from Twenty-Nine Palms. Both Oakland and San Jose are sending first responders to help. I’ve talked to the president and he’s already set things in motion at the federal level.”

Tanner eyed his other two squad members. “You two all right?”

“Legs ache,” Naomi said. “Otherwise, we’re ready to roll.”

Tanner stood. “We’d better get going. If Rhee’s behind this, we need answers and we need them now.”

Casey tipped his head toward the door. “Go. I need to wait for the replacement protection team from the local Secret Service office. They should be here any minute.” He shifted his gaze to Danielle. “You want to go up and get your equipment?”

Danielle shook her head. “I have my main laptop in my bag. Everything else up there I can replace with a run to any electronics store.”

“We do need to get our stuff from our rooms,” Tanner said.

“Let’s get moving,” Casey reminded. “Rhee’s upped the ante and we have no telling how far he’s going to go. Call me if you need something.”

The San Francisco Emergency Response command center was a beehive of activity. With four major scenes of disaster, the tension was high as the city’s emergency management team tried to coordinate rescue and recovery on a scale none of them had ever expected to see. Everyone was speaking at once, communicating with the small band of senior decision makers who looked harried as they deployed resources to the crime scenes.

In the back of the room, Acting Mayor Norman Kwan watched the people and systems he had helped fund and hired do their jobs. He was exhausted in both mind and body, having slept only a couple of hours in the last day and a half. He had no proof, no insider knowledge of the attacks, and yet he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who was behind them.

Rhee.

He felt a spark of anger ignite within him. That bastard had invaded his city, killed hundreds of innocent people, and for what? Why had he done this? He inhaled slowly. The bastard had done one thing — he’d destroyed any lingering loyalty Kwan felt for his homeland. Too much time and too much blood had flowed for him to feel anything but contempt for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“Sir?”

Kwan turned his head slowly to see his aide. Sammi Jakes had been his personal assistant for ten years, and the youthful, stunning blonde had fueled rumors that she was his mistress. The reality was more mundane — Kwan loved his wife and family, while Sammi had her own wife with whom she was in the process of adopting children.

“What now?”

“The press is demanding an update.”

“What time is it?”

“Two-thirty.”

“Tell them we’ll have a news conference at three. That’ll give us time to get the latest updates on the scenes.”

Sammi nodded. “You should get some rest, sir. Right after the press conference.”

Kwan snorted. “Not likely. The city’s going to hell. I’ve got no time for rest.”

“I think you should go and freshen up, at least.”

“All right. Stay here and monitor the situation. If anyone asks me where I am, I’ll be in my office.”

“Yes, sir.”

As soon as Kwan stepped outside, he was surrounded by police officers wearing vests and armed with M-16s. “My office,” Kwan told them.

They walked to his office in silence. The tension in the halls was nearly as high as that in the emergency center. Armed National Guardsmen and SFPD officers were everywhere, either guarding areas or on roving patrol. People hurried along, their expression anxious and a few looking like they had been crying. Kwan decided that as soon as he could, he’d call the entire staff together and thank them for their service.

Two more heavily armed peace officers were guarding his office. Kwan waited until two of his detail went into the room and checked for hidden threats before he entered himself. Inside, his staff had the same look of worry and fear as everyone else. His secretary glanced up as he passed her desk, but before she could say anything he told her, “Press conference, three pm.”

After the officers with him completed the sweep of his office, Kwan motioned for them to stand outside while he went in alone. He headed to the attached bathroom, where he let the water run for a few seconds, then splashed some on his face, letting the coldness seep into his skin.

His private cell phone rang. His mouth tugged down at the corners. Only a few people knew about it, close friends and family members. He took the phone out of his pocket and eyeballed the number, but didn’t recognize it. He answered it, ready to hang up. “Hello?”

“Enjoying your new job, Mr. Mayor?”

Kwan felt his body shake, out of both fear and in anger. “How did you—”

“It wasn’t that hard, Mr. Mayor.” Rhee’s voice was relaxed, and Kwan knew he was enjoying this.

“What the hell do you want?” Kwan demanded in a soft, though strident tone. “The city’s in shambles!”

Rhee sounded amused. “Consider it a chance to demonstrate your leadership potential.”

“What insanity are you committing? The police are scouring the city for you and your people.”

“They won’t find us. Americans are mostly stupid and lazy.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“I’m checking to see if you’ve had a chance to carry out your instructions.”

Kwan felt a shiver go down his spine. “In case you haven’t noticed, you son of a bitch, I’m a bit busy at the moment!”

“Temper, temper, Mr. Mayor.”

“I’m too busy trying to get a lid on the damage you and your murderous bastards did to this city.”

Rhee’s tone grew colder. “Careful, Mayor Kwan. Or I might begin to think your loyalty lies elsewhere.”

A knock at the door. “Sir?” a guard’s voice asked. “Are you all right?”

“I have to go,” Kwan said softly. He disconnected the call, walked to the office door and opened it. A trio of guards clustered around the door. “I’m fine.”

“We thought we heard voices—”

“I was practicing some opening lines for the news conference.”

“Are you ready, sir?”

“Yeah. Just let me turn off the bathroom light and I’ll be right with you.”

“Please leave the door open, sir.”

He walked back to the bathroom, turned off the light, then looked around the office. Was all this worth the price innocents had to pay? He reached into his pocket and slid his fingers over the case Rhee had given him.

“Everything all right, sir?”

“Fine, yes.” Kwan withdrew his hand from his pocket. “Let’s get this press conference over with.”