High Alert

CHAPTER 43

In Pyongyang, the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had been screaming at the generals standing rigidly in front of him for the better part of an hour. Flecks of spit flew from his mouth. Finally, Yun grew calm. His eyes narrowed.

Marshal Park Cho knew this was the most dangerous time to be around the chairman. His fits of rage were always followed by periods of icy calm. Then he'd start looking for a scapegoat, someone to blame for whatever had gone wrong.

In this case, a great deal had gone wrong. The launch tower and pad at Musudan-Ri had been destroyed, along with the weapon that would have brought down the American imperialists. Years of work and planning, all gone. That wasn't all. The launch site, what was left of it, was contaminated with radioactive fallout from the destruction of the bomb. No one would be able to use it again for hundreds of years.

Yun turned his gaze on Park.

"Who did this?"

"Great Leader, at least two groups attacked the complex. One was Chinese. We have identified them as members of Beijing's elite special forces group, South Blade. I am happy to report that they were all killed."

Yun shouted. "The Chinese? The Chinese?"

That set off another tirade. When he was calm again, Yun said, "You said two groups. Who else?"

"Great Leader, we think it was the Russians. We found shell casings implicating them in the attack. It is also possible the Americans were involved."

Park waited for another eruption, but it didn't come.

"So. The Chinese, the Americans, and the Russians."

"Yes, Great Leader. We think the Chinese got in a fight with the others. All of them were there to sabotage the launch."

"Then all of them will regret it," Yun said. "How many of our nuclear missiles are ready?"

Park resisted an urge to look at his comrades on the general staff.

"We have four missiles capable of reaching as far as Japan. A dozen with shorter range."

"What is the yield?"

"Great Leader, the average yield is five kilotons."

"No thermonuclear warheads?"

"No, Great Leader. They are in development. All our resources were dedicated to New Dawn."

"Prepare all missiles for launch, nuclear and conventional. Target Seoul, Tokyo, Vladivostok and Beijing."

Park was speechless.

"You wish to say something?"

"Great Leader, if we launch our missiles, China, Russia and America will retaliate. We will be destroyed."

"Marshal Park, you are under arrest. General Rhee, you are promoted to Marshal of the Republic. Prepare our missiles for launch."

Rhee looked at the group of stone faced men who were his peers and comrades. One of them gave a slight shake of his head.

No.

"Ah, forgive me, Great Leader," Rhee said, "but Marshal Park is correct. If we carry out your insane order, we will be destroyed."

Yun looked as if he had swallowed a lemon.

"You are also under arrest. General Kang. Carry out my orders."

Kang looked at Yun. "I will not," he said.

"Enough of this," Park said.

He took out his pistol and shot Yun in the face. Brains and bits of bone sprayed out from the back of his head as the round exited. The floor shook when Yun's large body fell. Park put the pistol back in his holster and buttoned the flap.

Guards burst through the door of the conference room, only to be confronted by a solid wall of the highest ranking officers in the country.

"What has happened here?"

"A tragedy, Sergeant," Park said. "Our Great Leader was brilliantly demonstrating a point with his favorite pistol when it discharged. He has joined his ancestors. We must prepare the nation. Summon your commanding officer."

The soldier snapped to attention and saluted. "At once, sir."

He barked an order and the guards hurried from the room. Park looked around at his fellow officers.

"We are in agreement then? An accident?"

The generals nodded.

"Thank the gods he's dead," Kang said.

Rhee walked over to Yun's body. He bent down and placed his pistol in the chairman's dead hand. He took Yun's pistol from under the dead man's coat, put it in his own holster and closed the flap.

"We must form a committee to rule until a successor is chosen," Park said. "The people will expect it."

"Who will succeed him?" Rhee asked.

"Perhaps the nephew," Park said. "It will maintain continuity of the line."

"He's just a boy."

Park smiled. "Yes, he is, isn't he? Until he reaches his adulthood, we will have to take charge. For the good of the nation."

Rhee nodded, smiling. "Yes, of course. For the good of the nation."