Line of Control

SIXTY-FIVE

It was something Ron Plummer had never experienced. A moment of profound euphoria followed by a moment so sickening that the drop was physically disorienting.

When the call came from Islamabad, Ambassador Simathna listened for a moment then smiled broadly. Plummer did not have to wait for the call to be put on speakerphone to know what it was.

Mike Rodgers had succeeded. Somehow, the general had gotten the message to the Pakistani base that monitored the silo. They had forwarded the message to the Pakistani Ministry of Defense. From there, the tape was given to CNN and sent out to the world.

"My name is Nanda Kumar," said the high, scratchy voice on the recording. "I am an Indian citizen of Kashmir and a civilian network operative. For several months I have worked with India's Special Frontier Force to undermine a group of Pakistani terrorists. The Special Frontier Force told me that my actions would result in the arrest of the terrorists. Instead, the intelligence I provided allowed the Special Frontier Force to frame the Pakistanis. The terrorists have been responsible for many terrible acts. But they were not responsible for Wednesday's bomb attack on the pilgrim bus and Hindu temple in the Srinagar market. That was the work of the Special Frontier Force."

Ambassador Simathna was still beaming as he shut the phone off and leaned toward a second speakerphone. This was the open line to Paul Hood's office at Op-Center.

"Director Hood, did you hear that?" the ambassador asked.

"I did," Hood replied. "It's also running on CNN now."

"That is very gratifying," Simathna said. "I congratulate you and your General Rodgers. I do not know how he got the woman's message through but it is quite impressive."

"General Rodgers is a very impressive man," Hood agreed. "We'd like to know how he got the message through ourselves. Bob Herbert tells me that Colonel August is unable to raise him. The cell phone must have died."

"As long as it is just the cell phone," Simathna joked. "Of course, the Indians will certainly claim that Ms. Kumar was brainwashed by the Pakistanis. But General Rodgers will help to dispel that propaganda."

"General Rodgers will tell the truth, whatever that turns out to be," Hood said diplomatically.

As Hood was speaking the other phone beeped. Simathna excused himself and answered it.

The ambassador's smile trembled a moment before collapsing. His thin face lost most of its color. Ron Plummer did not dare imagine what the ambassador had just been told. Thoughts of a Pakistani nuclear strike flashed through his desperate mind.

Simathna said nothing. He just listened. After several seconds he hung up the phone and regarded Plummer. The sadness in his eyes was profound.

"Mr. Hood, I'm afraid I have bad news for you," the ambassador said.

"What kind of bad news?" Hood asked.

"Apparently, the slab on top of the silo was removed or significantly damaged during General Rodgers's actions," Simathna said.

"Don't say it," Hood warned. "Don't you frigging say it."

Simathna did not have to. They all knew what that meant.

The defensive explosives around the silo had been automatically activated. Without someone inside the silo to countermand them, they would detonate in just a few minutes.