The Planner

Chapter Ten: Snow White

A few days later, Turq entered Planner’s office, carrying, very gingerly in front of her, a brief case. Planner looked up from his charts.

“Fort Detrick have delivered,” she said.

“In there?” Planner said incredulous.

“Yes. It’s safe,” said Turq unconvincingly as she held the case away from her body. “A dozen doses ranging from inert, two types of non-lethal and then… er… upwards. I’ve been given instructions. Verbally.”

“Wow”

“So shall I pass them over to the Eagle Team? I don’t want this hanging around,” said Turq.

Planner said, “Sure. But er… wait. Can you open it up?”

Turq set it down on the desk and delicately opened case. It had two combination locks. Inside the brief case were ten vials strapped to the case interior, each containing a gray powder. Each vial had a sticker with a hand written number.

“Which are the non-lethal?” asked Planner.

“The ones marked zero.”

“And there’s a minus one?”

“That’s inert,” said Turq. “Completely safe.”

“And the others are four, five and six?”

“That’s the expected body count,” sighed Turq.

Planner took a vial marked zero. “I have a favour to ask. Can you sprinkle some of the non-lethal material in the hijackers accommodation? To provide an evidence trail?⁹⁵”

Turq at first did not accept the vial, “They’re in Florida,” she said.

“Right,” smiled Planner, still holding the vial outstretched.

Turq reluctantly took the vial, “I’ll need an excuse to go.”

Planner suggested, “To introduce the extra hijackers maybe?”

“More figments of our fevered imagination,” sighed Turq.

“Right. In the meantime, I’ll take this to Eagle. I presume I don’t have to sign for it,” said Planner.

“No,” said Turq dismissively. “Which reminds me… what do you want done with that non-disclosure form from Fort Detrick?”

Planner gave a half a smile, “Shred it!”

* * * *

As Planner walked from his office, Bates broke-off a conversation with another Rainbow Team member and ran to catch up with Planner.

“Turq says this is it,” said Bates, indicating the brief case, walking along side.

“Yes,” said Planner.

“Where are you storing it?” asked Bates.

“Taking it to Eagle.”

“There’s something you should know first,” said Bates.

Planner stopped and turned towards Bates, “Oh?”

“One of the Eagle team died last night,” said Bates

“One of the guys we met? Which one?”

“Yes, Brown. The complainer. Poor attitude,” Bates explained.

“How?” asked Planner.

“Lost control of his car going downhill. Just a few miles from his home,” said Bates.

“Uh… Uh,” Planner was unable to speak.

“Tough huh?” said Bates. “Well, I guess, after Princess Diana, brake failure is the new black.⁹⁶”

“Uh… Uh,” Planner was still unable to speak as he made a connection and started to consider his wife’s death not as an accident but as an assassination.

“Are you ok?” said Bates worried.

Planner offered the brief case to Bates, “Can you take this?”

“To Eagle? Sure. Are you ok? Can I get you something?”

“Er… no. Can you…?”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.” Bates took the case and hurried off.

Planner returned to his office and sunk down; head in his hands. Planner considered a murderous sequence of events surrounding the deaths of his wife and daughter; they drove down a sloping road; spied by an assassin, who takes over the steering by remote control; driving the car through a weaken barrier. Planner remembered the plans for such a devices in CIA archives; how, under radio command, it would activate by an explosive bolt to turn the wheel sharply and then lock the steering; made from plastic and designed to melt within its own self created fire, it would be undetectable to investigators; the perfect murder weapon. He visualised his wife struggling with the steering wheel and his daughter crying out, as it tumbled off the road; He visualised the car bursting into flames. Why would she be murdered? Was he the target? Was he being paranoid?

Bates returned promptly and touched Planner on the shoulder. Planner looked up surprised, having not heard him approach.

“All done,” said Bates.

“Thanks,” said Planner with effort.

“I told them to store it. We’d give them instructions on how to use the material later.”

“Good,” said Planner looking down again.

Bates said, “Are you ok? You look as though you had a bit of a turn?”

“Probably all the hotel food… mixed with the news you gave me. Seems to have upset my stomach.”

“Stomach? Right,” said Bates sarcastically. “That’s what it looked like.” Then Bates considered another thought, “Those vials were all sealed, weren’t they?”

“It’s not the anthrax,” said Planner, looking up.

“I think we should get you tested,” said Bates.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Well if you’re sure you’re sure, Ok. So are you ready for Snow White?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, seriously. Can you give me a minute and then we’ll be off,” said Planner, regaining his composure as Bates looked on with concern.

* * * *

Operation Snow White had the best offices of any of the operations. It looked more like a hotel lobby than an office. The North Tower of the World Trade Center dominated the view from the window.

Mr Snow looked like an aging diplomat, suited, slim with white hair. Snow was accompanied by Digger who looked out of place with the fine, white leather upholstered seating. Snow showed Planner and Bates to two such comfortable chairs. There was a map of the USA on the wall and a pile of Disneyesque cartoon characters in a pile on a low table.

“Yes, I’m Snow White,” he said smoothly. “But I don’t hang out in the woods and talk to birds.”

“Do you have to watch out in the Big Apple though?” joked Bates.

“Ha! Ha!” he laughed unconvincingly. “Only for the poisonous bits; I try avoid such places. Oh, and this is my operations man, Digger.”

Planner shook his hand “We’ve met. Have you been able to check out my suggestions on the Nastran model?”

“Indeed. Very useful, Mr Planner,” Digger said enthusiastically, as only an Irishman can. “We’ve been able to reduce the amount of explosive. Very useful.”

“And this is my Number One, Bates.”

“Pleased to meet you, I’m sure.”

Bates shook his hand, “Likewise.”

Reaching into his brief case, Planner said, “I realise we haven’t much time, but before we get into details, I was just wondering whether you can outline your operational adjectives, since it seems to be the one mission where there is no written details.” Planner presented the blank page headed “Snow White” from his briefing pack.

“Yes, this operation is very sensitive,” said Snow. “It’s to do with The Names. Their stories, their locations.”

“Names?” asked Planner.

“Publically recognisable figures. They must never be linked with any aspect of the operation. So, of course, nothing in writing.”

“Secondly,” Digger added. “Snow White is about the destruction of all other information concerning the Big Event. Of all the operations, plans, data and other potential embarrassments. Leaving it snow-white, so-to-speak.”

“Quite a few precautions required there, I think,” said Planner.

“No. Not at all. It’s really quite simple,” said Digger.

“Really?” said Planner with furrowed brow. “Shredding and burning used to be the main options for destruction of paper records, but now with computers, data back-ups…”

Digger held out his hand. “Can I stop you there, Mr Planner? No, we’re proposing something much quicker, with much less paperwork.”

“Oh?”

“All the plans are here in WTC7, right?”

Planner nodded.

“So we just delete this building.”

“You’re going to blow up it?”

“Yes, we’re going to blow up the building. This building,” confirmed Digger, “Come the big event, it’ll come down along side the North Tower,” he said and pointing to the tower outside. “No-one will even notice it go down in the dust cloud. And along with it, all the paperwork and computers. Well, at least, all the data for Stages A and B.”

“Wow. That’s a surprise. Hmm. I think I understand the reason for the Las Vegas plan better now… And also the centralization of the planning into WTC7,” mused Planner. Then, with realisation, he said, “But what about the other tenants of the building? The mayor’s emergency office, for instance.”

“Yes. It’ll go too,” said Digger. “It won’t be used on the day obviously. Shame. Nice lot of computers and communications in there. But we’re able to re-use some of them to control the demolition.”

“I guess I thought that would be our control room,” said Planner.

Snow interrupted, “We have another planned.”

Planner looked at Bates. Bates smiled back broadly as-if he knew the plan.

“And the Securities and Exchange Commission?” asked Planner as another thought brought forth an epiphany.

“Yes, that too. In fact, that’s one of our primary targets within the building.”

“Enron…” said Planner involuntarily.

“You’ve heard about that too, eh? Yes, causing a few red faces with some Texan politicians, I hear. They want that tidied up,” said Digger cheerfully.

Planner fell silent.

“So is that the few billion I heard Snow White was about?” said Bates.

“That figure is probably deferred costs. It’s worth a lot of money to particular people. You know… not getting locked up,” smiled Digger.

“So what are the operations surrounding The Names?” asked Bates.

Snow walked over to the map. “These are to do with the first family and politicians. The seven dwarfs we’ve called them internally; inevitably, considering the code-name. We’ve run various scenarios and this is how we see it so far. Pardon me, if you find the associations seem less than diplomatic.” Snow picked up a pile of cartoon pictures and showed a picture of Dopey. “Firstly, the President. Obviously the President needs plausible deniability so has been kept away from detailed planning. He may look a bit incompetent hence the Dopey character. However we are sure this will only be transitory.”

Snow stuck the picture of Dopey to the map. “The President… will be in Florida. All he knows at the moment is strategy. He and his brother, Neil, will be at an elementary school promoting their No child left behind policy⁹⁷. After a brief TV appearance, the President will be taken to Offat Air Force base where we’ve arranged a meeting with Warren Buffet and the WTC CEOs.⁹⁸”

Snow showed a picture of Sleepy and stuck it on the map. “His wife, Laura, also in the dark, will be with Teddy Kennedy in Washington, thus reassuring him that this Big Event won’t be yet another strike on the Kennedys.”

Snow showed a picture of Happy and stuck it on the map. “Jeb Bush is helping with Operation Rainbow Stage C; He’ll be retrieving the Rainbow actors’ flight school records, and other data, down in Florida.”

Snow showed a picture of Bashful and stuck it on the map. “Marvin Bush has been helping with various Operation Stage A’s through his association with the flight schools and companies overseeing the WTC and airport security. He wants to quietly disappear now. But we’re hoping that he’ll be able to do just one job for us on the day of the Big Event; ensuring the sprinklers are disabled within the WTC complex.⁹⁹”

Snow showed a picture of Doc and stuck it on the map. “Bush Senior has kindly offered to host the Bin Laden family on the day and shield them from unnecessary public interest.¹⁰⁰”

Snow showed a picture of Sneezy and stuck it off the edge the map. “Usama Bin Laden himself is in hospital in Pakistan; Kidney disease¹⁰¹. We’re getting him a portable dialysis machine so we can get him out of our care. We control a series of sideshows here associated with the Saudi Royal Family. I won’t go into it… it does get quite messy… all Stage C activity.”

Snow showed a picture of Grumpy and stuck it on the map. “This is the code name for the re-arrangement of executive power. Anybody in the chain of command that could thwart the plan will be away; either out of the country, in LA or tied up on exercises. This leaves just the members of the COG in charge. They’ll be surrounded by other politicians and military staff, many of whom will not have been indoctrinated, and so they’ll have the job of keeping them in-check whilst also establishing their own alibis. The key person as far as transmitting our story will be Solicitor General, Ted Olson who will be receiving a call from his wife, Barbara, who is destined to fly on Flight 77.”

“Barbara Olson?” asked Bates. “Hell to Pay¹⁰² and TV star, Barbara Olson?”

“Yes, the very same,” nodded Snow. “The psychologists have argued that we must tell our side of the story early and for it to come from a trustworthy source.¹⁰³”

“And will she…?” asked Bates with his voice trailing off. He was asking whether she would be killed.

“Barbara Olson will cease to exist. No doubt she is already making other plans,” smiled Snow enigmatically.

Bates and Planner fell silent and all that could be heard was the air conditioning and in the far distance the sound of workman installing cables across the building.

Snow then flipped over the last picture, a picture of a fairy tale Prince. But he did not stick it on the map. Instead, Snow started to pace. “So all these guys are busy. Everyone has their orders but who’s running the show? There’s always mishaps, changes of plan and so forth. Who’s going to make sure it’s all going to go like clockwork from the control center? Who has the technical skills and a view of the Big Picture? Who could it possibly be?

Snow handed the Prince logo to Planner.

“Me,” said Planner flatly.

Snow smiled, “Could there be anyone else?”

Planner looked around to Bates and tried to smile. Bates beamed back.