The Bin Laden Plot

33 WASHINGTON, D.C.

It was dark by the time Christine arrived at the White House, her SUV stopping beside the West Wing entrance. Most of the White House staff had left for the day, enabling a discreet meeting between the president and the CIA director.

Christine had contacted the president directly, requesting a snow-blind meeting. After working on the president’s staff for three years, she was well-versed in the protocols surrounding sensitive issues. A snow-blind meeting was one where attendance was limited, with only the participating individuals able to see the appointment on the president’s calendar. The president himself had entered tonight’s private meeting, meaning that only he — and the two Marines Christine was walking past — were aware of his late-night conversation with the CIA director.

After traversing the hallway to the Oval Office, not spotting anyone along the way, Christine knocked on the president’s door. He acknowledged and she entered, finding the president at his desk as expected. She took the center of three chairs facing him.

“What’s this about?” he asked, skipping the small talk he had engaged in during her previous visits.

Christine filled the president in on the UUV, Jimmy Carter, and Stethem issues, with the president voicing his concern over ONI’s preliminary assessment that Iran was responsible for sinking the destroyer. When Christine brought up the issue of Secretary Verbeck’s potential involvement in the matter, he listened intently.

When she finished, the president sat silently, evaluating the issue. While she awaited the president’s response, Christine used the opportunity to assess the situation as well, particularly with regard to the president’s relationship to Secretary Verbeck. He had nominated her for the position and she was also a close friend, dating back to his early days as a nascent politician, drawing on the support of rich and influential donors.

The president finally spoke. “You may proceed with an investigation into Secretary Verbeck. However, minimize the number of people at the agency who are involved in this, and when it comes to my administration, report directly, and only, to me.”

“I understand,” Christine replied. “I’ve already limited this topic to my DD, DDO, and DDA, and the personnel required to analyze the UUV information.”

“Excellent,” the president said. He offered an encouraging smile, in light of the upcoming presidential election and the potentially devastating effect a scandal involving his secretary of the Navy could have on the outcome. His thoughts then shifted to the other potential dark cloud hanging over his administration.

“How about the bin Laden issue?” he asked. “Have you made any progress?”

“Not yet,” Christine replied. “But we have a team about to land in Kuwait to pursue the matter.”