The Eye of Shiva

CHAPTER 64

The first of the transporters emerged from the tunnel entrance. The truck was painted in camouflage tan and brown, as if the natural colors somehow made the white body of the missile invisible. It was a big vehicle, low to the ground. The Agni III missile lay waiting and silent, clamped to the ramp that would raise it skyward for launch.

A box-like station behind the cab housed a control board and the electronics to initiate the firing sequence. The Agni III had an inertial guidance system augmented by GPS, a recent upgrade that improved accuracy. Targeting was controlled on site. The target data and launch codes were entered by the operator on a computer keyboard or by way of a pre-programmed card. It only took one man to initiate a launch if everything else was ready, unlike the two man systems common in the older ICBM silos.

Rao watched the first transporter move into place. A second crawled from the cavern into the sunlight. Ijay came over.

"It will take us another fifteen minutes to bring out the others," he said.

"We don't need them," Rao said. "These will be enough. Get them ready for launch."

"We only have one man familiar with these," Ijay said. "He has to tell the others what to do. It will slow things down some."

"Just get them ready," Rao said. "There are satellites up there. We don't have a lot of time."

Ijay's headset crackled. It was the sergeant he'd sent down the hill.

"Yes."

"We're down to the valley floor. No sign of anyone."

"Good. Come back up. Stay alert." He turned toward Rao. "No sign of intruders."

"Very good," Rao said. "I need to make a call."

He walked to the edge of the area and called Krivi.

"My friend," Krivi said. He was speaking English. "How are you?"

"Your pills are wonderful, Krivi," Rao said. "I feel good. I wanted to let you know that we're about to proceed as planned."

"Excellent," Krivi said, "excellent. India will always be grateful, Ashok. You will be remembered for generations. What you do today is only the beginning. Others will follow you."

In Virginia, Elizabeth had just finished arguing with the Pentagon about re-tasking a satellite to give them visual coverage of the missile site in Kashmir, with no success. Stephanie's program picked up Rao's call and put it on the office speakers.

Elizabeth said, "Who's Krivi?"

"I don't know," Stephanie said, "but at least Cobra is speaking English for a change."

"We're almost ready to launch," Rao said. "Perhaps fifteen minutes. Islamabad will cease to exist."

Krivi was still talking but Elizabeth wasn't listening.

"Shit," Elizabeth said. "What are the GPS coordinates for that base?"

Stephanie wrote them down.

"I'm calling the White House."

Elizabeth got up and went to her office and called Rice on his private number. The president picked up after two rings.

"Director."

"Sir, we have an emergency situation in India."

"Go on."

"There is about to be an unauthorized nuclear missile launch from Kashmir, aimed at Pakistan. My team is on site but may not be able to stop it in time. I am requesting a strike. We have a window of less than fifteen minutes, no more."

"You're certain."

"Yes, sir, absolutely."

"Director, if you're wrong, we'll be in a shitload of trouble."

"Sir, I'm not wrong. I'm certain."

"Very well." There was a pause while Rice thought it through. Elizabeth realized she was holding her breath.

"I'm connecting us to the Pentagon," Rice said. "Tell them where to go. I'll authorize the mission."

Thank God for a president who's not afraid to make tough decisions, she thought.

A new voice came on line.

"Special Operations Command, General Atkins speaking."

"General, this is the President."

"Yes, sir, I recognize your identity."

"There is going to be a missile launch in India. I am authorizing an immediate strike. Take it out, now. I have Director Harker on the line. She'll give you the target data."

"Yes, sir."

"Go ahead, Director," Rice said.

"General Atkins, this is Director Harker. Here are the GPS coordinates for the missile. It's nuclear."

She read them off.

Atkins said, "Mister President, please hold."

"Who's behind it?" Rice said.

"The same man who set up the attack in Manila," Elizabeth said. "He wants a war."

Atkins came back on line.

"We have a Reaper Q9 running hot out of Bagram over Pakistan," Atkins said. "I'm diverting it to the target."

"Very good, General. Keep me informed."

"Yes, sir, will do."

"Well, Director," Rice said. "We're committed. Better tell your people to keep their heads down."