High Alert

CHAPTER 20

"North Korea in winter?" Lamont said. "Are you nuts?"

"It hasn't been decided yet," Nick said.

It was late in the afternoon after the meeting with the President. As usual, the team had gathered in Harker's office. Stephanie was there. For the first time, Freddie was listening in on the discussion.

The current temperature in Pyongyang is minus four degrees Fahrenheit.

Everyone looked at the speaker in the corner of the room.

"Freddie," Stephanie said. "Please refrain from making comments until you are asked."

Of course, Stephanie.

"Rice wants us to put together a plan to get into the facility where Yun is building his bomb and make it go away," Nick said. "Like I said, it hasn't been decided to do this yet. It's not a mission, more of a feasibility study to see if it can be done."

"That include getting us out again after we blow the place up?" Ronnie asked.

"That would be a good idea," Nick said. "I'm not interested in committing suicide. Steph, would you bring up a map of North Korea?"

I can do that, Nick.

"Uh, okay, Freddie."

A map of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea appeared on the monitor.

"Where's the target?" Ronnie asked.

"Well, that's part of the problem. No one's sure, yet."

"How the hell are we going to plan a mission if we don't know where the target is?" Lamont said.

"We can't, but we can narrow potential targets down to a few possibilities," Nick said. He picked up a laser pointer.

"The main research center is at Yongbyon, here." A red point of light danced on the monitor screen. "That's where they do heavy water research and where they have their cyclotron. It's not a manufacturing facility. We can ignore that. Besides, it's an easy target for a missile."

He moved the laser North and East, toward the borders with Russia and China.

"The two main test sites that we know about are Punggye-Ri and Kilju, here and here. That's where they've been setting off their underground nuclear explosions. As you can see, they're somewhat inland. It would be a difficult penetration, and once we got there we'd run into heavy security. Everything at both sites is below ground in tunnels."

"A HAHO jump?" Ronnie asked.

"High is the only way if we fly in, but I'm not sure any air approach is an option. Their missile defenses and radar are as good as ours. I don't think we could get close enough without getting blown out of the sky, even if we drop offshore."

Lamont whistled part of the theme music for Mission Impossible.

"They wouldn't launch from those sites, would they?" Selena asked.

"It's possible they could bring a mobile launcher out of one of those tunnels," Nick said.

No movements of mobile launchers have been noted in the vicinity of Punggye-Ri and Kilju during the last eighteen months, sixteen days, four hours, three minutes and fifty-six seconds. It is unlikely that a missile would be launched from either one.

"Okay, that's good news. Thanks, Freddie."

You are welcome.

Selena continued. "If they don't use one of those sites, what's the next best bet?"

"We have to assume that they don't use a mobile launcher if we want any chance of accomplishing the mission," Nick said. "We'd never be able to pin down one of those in time. There are too many places they could hide one. That leaves these two sites on opposite sides of the country."

He moved the laser pointer west and indicated a point on a small peninsula jutting out into the Korea Bay.

"This is Tongchon-Ri. It's one of two known satellite and rocket launch sites."

He moved the pointer to a spot on the east coast, next to the Sea of Japan. "Musudan-Ri is the launch site they've been using that for their latest tests, the ones upsetting everyone because the missiles keep splashing down near Japan. The latest surveillance photos show a lot of activity there. They're getting ready for another launch."

"Can't blame the Japanese for getting nervous," Lamont said. "Yun has missiles good enough to hit Tokyo."

"It won't be long before he has missiles good enough to hit us," Nick said.

North Korea has developed a new missile design more powerful than previous versions. It is a two-stage ICBM configuration that appears to utilize a solid fuel engine. Indications are that these missiles are capable of reaching the West Coast of the United States.

"I hadn't heard that," Nick said.

That information was discovered early this morning during an NSA satellite pass. My analysis of the missile configuration indicates nuclear capability.

"It would be a lot better if the target is one of those two sites," Ronnie said. "At least that way we could come in over the water. We could go in at night."

Lamont nodded.

"I agree," Nick said. "Unless Langley comes up with intel that points us in a different direction, we should focus on those two sites. They're doable. I'm not confident we could get into those tunnels in the North at all, much less out again. Freddie, what sort of security does Yun have at Kilju and Punggye-Ri?"

Two companies of Army special forces are stationed at each one. Each site is protected by ground-to-air missiles and antiaircraft guns. There is only one road into each site. Both are heavily patrolled with light and medium duty armored vehicles. There are hidden machine gun and artillery emplacements along the road as well as several checkpoints.

"Shit," Lamont said.

You are displeased? Would you like to know the caliber and number of weapons?

"That won't be necessary, Freddie. Thanks."

I am now part of the team. It is not necessary to thank me.

"That's true, but humans will sometimes say things that seem unnecessary out of politeness."

It is interesting that you consider it appropriate to express politeness to me.

"There may be times when I'm not polite with you," Nick said.

It will not bother me. I do not have feelings that can be hurt by an impolite comment.

"Freddie, do you understand what we are discussing?" Stephanie asked.

You are attempting to determine the best way to counteract a perceived threat of nuclear intimidation on the part of the North Koreans.

"That's one way of putting it," Lamont said.

Nick looked at his watch. "I've had about three hours of sleep in the last three days and I can't think straight. Let's call it a day. I need a clear head when we plan this out. We do this, we're only going to get one chance. I don't want to make a mistake."

"Works for me," Lamont said.

They left the building. Outside, the sky had cleared and the sun was nearing the horizon. Nick looked up and stretched. He stopped and pointed.

"What's that?"

A large, winged metal object was flying in circles above them..

"It's a drone, one of those private ones."

The drone paused and hovered, pointing at them. A camera hung beneath it. Two narrow objects were mounted on either side of the camera.

Ronnie said, "Those almost look like missiles under the wings."

It picked up speed, turned, and dove straight at them.

"Shit!" Nick said.

The drone fired two missiles. Whoever controlled the drone had miscalculated the speed. The missiles sailed over them, struck the parking lot a hundred feet away, and exploded. A cloud of shrapnel whistled past over their heads.

Nick carried a .40 caliber Sig Sauer P229 with a laser sight. The machine turned and started back toward them for another run. Nick drew the pistol and fired. His second shot sent it spiraling to earth. It crashed on the helicopter pad and shattered.

"Nice shot," Lamont said.

"Lasers make a shot like that easy. Just pop the dot on the target and it's all she wrote."

"Still, it was picking up speed."

They walked over to the remains of the drone. It was a large device, not an average hobby store unit.

"That's a fancy piece of equipment," Ronnie said. "Not the sort of thing some teenage kid would be flying."

Lamont looked down at the wreckage. "Teenage kids don't have missiles, even small ones."

"Someone doesn't like us," Nick said.

He scanned the sky. "I don't see any more of them. Maybe Steph can track it back to whoever sent it. It's something for Freddie to puzzle on."

"It's strange, isn't it?" Selena said. "Freddie?"

"Yeah, it is. But it does give us a different perspective on things."

The camera had broken away from the fuselage. Ronnie bent and picked it up. The lens was broken. A red light glowed on the body.

"I think it's still transmitting," he said.

Nick looked at the camera.

"There's a microphone, next to the lens," Selena said.

He held the broken camera up to his mouth and said, "Whoever you are, if you can hear me, you just made a big mistake."

In California, Gregory Haltman heard the words and felt his head throb with rage. The drone had been one of his favorite toys, an experimental long-range device that could stay aloft for days.

No, he thought, it's you that made a big mistake.