Nightwatch

Chapter 41

“… which leads me to believe that they plan to target both General Spencer aboard Iron Man One and the Vice President in the Ozarks.”

Coach and Red breathlessly listened to Brittany’s chilling words of warning from the hushed confines of the upper-deck rest area. Their worst fears were now realized, and they struggled to put the entire situation into perspective.

“Whomever the Chairman called in the Ozarks, they’d better have one hell of a fallout shelter if Yankee Hotel is ever implemented,” Coach said with a worried shake of his head.

“With both the VP and Iron Man One out of the way, Warner will have effectively wiped out the opposition.”

“With the individual military units that he contacted standing by, should any unexpected obstacles be encountered,” added Red.

“I still can’t believe he really thinks he can get away with it,” said Brittany.

“And what could his motives possibly be?”

“Megalomania, delusions of grandeur, or some infantile shortcoming that he never fulfilled — it really doesn’t matter at the moment,” replied Coach.

“The one thing we have to focus on is how we’re going to stop him.”

“If only we could get the Vice President to address the American people,” suggested Red.

“Once they see him alive, and he’s sworn in as the new President, Warner’s forces won’t stand a chance.”

The cabin shook slightly, and Coach replied while steadying himself on the edge of the table he was standing beside.

“The question remains, how can we help the VP in the meantime?”

“I think it’s only obvious that we have to share our findings with General Spencer,” offered Brittany.

“As the EAO aboard Iron Man One, he’s the second most powerful man in the country until the next President’s sworn in, and with TACAMO at his disposal, he’s in the best position to directly challenge Warner.”

“You don’t feel that Spencer could be part of the coup?”

asked Coach, carefully testing the waters.

“At some point we’ve got to trust someone in a position of real power, and the General appears to be our only safe bet,” answered Brittany.

“I agree,” concurred Red.

“I can’t forget the way Spencer took on the Chairman earlier. They were arguing away like a bunch of schoolboys, and even if it does turn out that Spencer’s a coup insider, he can’t be a happy camper.”

“Then we’d better be giving the good General a call,” said Coach, who removed the “NO FEAR” ball cap he was wearing, and smoothed back his full head of wavy black hair.

“As aircraft commander, I’ll shoulder the responsibility of passing on the bad news. Now all I need is a secure line to Iron Man One.”

Red flashed him a thumbsup, and less than five minutes later. Coach was sitting alone in the upper-deck rest area, sharing his suspicions of the impending coup with General Lowell Spencer.

“Sir, we’ve got a security compromise — upper flight deck rest area, unauthorized SATCOM transmission.”

Trent Warner had been dozing on his stateroom’s cot when this call arrived. He snapped awake instantly upon hearing the gravelly voice of his SIOP advisor, his mind already considering the manner in which they’d react to this serious infraction.

“Who’s the call directed to?” he queried.

“Iron Man One,” answered Hewlett.

“Shit!” cursed the Chairman.

“Major, tap the call, and quietly assemble the security team. We’ll meet at the forward entry area.

And let’s pray that someone up there is only schmoozing with an old friend on Uncle Sam’s dime.”

“… I’ll try to get that information to you. General … So I understand, sir. I’d rather not reveal their names at the moment, but rest assured that they’re trusted members of the battle staff…”

Coach got the impression that Spencer appeared to be genuinely stunned by their accusations, and if he was in fact a coup insider, he was certainly doing a superb job of expressing his shock. The General was in the process of relaying his own suspicions regarding the Chairman’s actions of late when Coach noticed a newcomer at the head of the upper-deck stairway. One glimpse at the pistol this individual carried in his right hand was all Coach needed to abruptly disconnect the line. He was just hanging up the handset when the head of the airplane’s security team emerged from the stairs, followed by Major Hewlett and the Chairman.

“Sergeant, arrest that man!” ordered the Chairman, pointing at the stunned pilot.

Coach tried his best to control his pounding pulse, and he raised his hands overhead and addressed Admiral Warner in his most innocent manner.

“Excuse me, sir. Did I do something wrong?”

“How about treason for starters!” replied the Chairman, who beckoned toward Coach and spoke to the security man.

“Sergeant, handcuff the Major and hold him in protective custody in my stateroom until further notice.”

“Sergeant,” countered Coach, “it’s Admiral Warner who’s to be arrested. As aircraft commander, I officially charge the Chairman with complicity to carry out a coup against the government of the United States of America.”

A look of confusion momentarily crossed the Sergeant’s face, and the Chairman alertly retorted, “Sergeant, I said to handcuff Major Foard and to detain him in my stateroom. The man’s delirious, his paranoid rantings the byproduct of Russian misinformation.”

The barrel-chested security man had no choice but to carry out the Chairman’s instructions, so he handcuffed the pilot’s wrists behind his back and prepared to escort him down the stairway.

Coach knew that it would be a waste of energy to further resist, and he looked at the Chairman and shook his head.

“Admiral, why don’t you admit to yourself that the game is over? I know all about your involvement with the assassination of the President and the attempted murder of Andrew Chapman.

You might lock me away, but rest assured that I’m not the only one in a position of power who knows about your misdirected coup attempt.”

“From what little I’ve heard already, it appears that you’ve already managed to pass on quite an earful to General Spencer,” revealed the Chairman, an icy coolness to his glance.

“I’m certain that the good General will be fascinated to hear all about your nervous breakdown. Major. Do you promise to go quietly, or must we incapacitate you with a narcotic?”

Coach reluctantly bowed his head, signaling his wish to proceed without further resistance. As he was led down the stairway, the Chairman looked at his SIOP advisor and discreetly whispered:

“Major, before I attempt damage control with the good General, I think it’s time to contact the U.S.S. Truman. Under the circumstances, I feel it’s only prudent that both Nightwatch and Iron Man One have a proper escort, and a flight of Tomcats should be sufficient. Then we’d better get Lassiter to take Foard’s place inside the flight deck, and find out who the hell the Major’s been working with inside this airplane.”