Operation Hail Storm

Washington, D.C. ― The White House Situation Room

“Please explain to me what is happening,” the President asked her experts.

Everyone in the Situation Room was staring at a large screen that at one time had three dots on it. Superimposed under the dots was the east coastline of North Korea. In a matter of seconds, two of the dots had disappeared and General Ford looked very concerned.

The General looked away from the screen and toward the President, trying not to look her square the eyes.

“What you are watching is… well was the location of our F-35. Closely behind it were two North Korean J-20 jets that were apparently in pursuit. The radar we are watching is being sent by our Sea-Base X-Band radar station that is sitting on a semi-submersible oil platform ten miles off the coast of South Korean in the Sea of Japan.”

“And?” the President prompted, her patience running thin.

“And my best guess is that our F-35 was shot down and our pilot was able to take out at least one of the enemy jets.”

“I didn’t know that the F-35 could shoot a jet that was behind it?” The President said, daring the General to lie to her.

“Sure it can. The F-35 Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System provides the pilot the ability to…”

“Enough,” the President yelled.

Everyone one in the room stopped talking and turned to look at the pair.

A red light on a phone sitting on the big conference table started blinking and the General excused himself and picked up the receiver.

He listened for a moment and then announced to the group, “We have a saltwater emergency beacon that was just activated.”

The General listened for more information and then turned to the President and asked her, “What would you like us to do?”

“What are you talking about?” President Weston replied.

“Looks like our pilot may have ejected and is floating around in the Sea of Japan. Would you like us to rescue him?”

The President stood up from the table, flipped her bangs out of her eyes, walked over to the door and said, “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

A minute later, she was gone and the situation taking place in the Situation Room had concluded.