The Third World War: A Terrifying Novel of Global Conflict

52

'Mr President, Toru Sato wants to speak to you urgently.'

'Sato. Japan,' said West to himself. 'Tell him to—' But he managed to stop himself in time, remembering how Kozlov didn't take his call, and he was now finding out what was happening along with the rest of the world by watching television.

Kozlov was still speaking. 'We have to rebuild Pakistan into a nation which works and which does not threaten. We have to neutralize the threat of North Korea, but also realize the aspirations of the people who live there—'

'I'll take the call,' said West.

'Stuart Nolan is on the other line from London,' said Kozerski.

'Give me Nolan first,' said West, picking up the phone. At least with the British, there was no standing on ceremony. 'Stuart?'

'I'll be quick,' said Nolan. 'First, we must not buckle on this. Their systems stink and their failure is all over the place. Does anyone believe this hogwash? I'll bring Europe into line, Jim. You have my word on this — even if it's my dying word. Second, we have specific human intelligence that the Pakistanis are holding out around the base at Chagai Hills in Baluchistan. This is one of their key nuclear sites. Damned difficult place to fight in. The Russians are bogged down, and they don't have the right kit to bust through. I'll get Charles Colchester to brief Chris Pierce directly. Third, on your agreement, I'm happy to hit Park Ho right now. We have HMS Vengeance in the South China Sea. You might be under conditions from China, but that duplicitous little bastard Song never told me not to strike above the fortieth parallel.'

West found himself unexpectedly relieved. With Peter Brock gone, he should have talked to Nolan more often. 'Can you hold, Stuart? I've got to deal with Sato, then I'll be right back.'

He nodded at Kozerski, who put Sato on the line, but in the pause he couldn't help tuning back into the television, where Jamie Song was now talking: 'Look at the statistics of the World Bank which praises China and Cuba above all other countries in their work at poverty alleviation. Those countries living under the post-Cold-War American system of new democracies and IMF loans are simply becoming poorer and poorer — whole swathes of Latin America and Africa are worse off now than when we were fighting the Cold War. Why? Because this bogus system of so-called freedom is a breeding ground for tribalism, corruption and selfish interest groups. In China, we have found another way—'

'Turn it down,' said West to Kozerski, slowly waving his hand to make the point. 'Mr Prime Minister,' he said. 'Thanks for calling.' Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Kozerski signalling him, but it was only after Sato had begun speaking that he understood what his Chief of Staff had been trying to say.

'Mr President,' said Sato stiffly. 'This is a courtesy call. Given the new alliance between China and Russia, we have just conducted an underground nuclear test. Ken Yamada, my defence minister, will be briefing Chris Pierce fully.'

The blood drained out of West's face. 'Sato, for Christ's sake—'

'My nation demands it.' Sato paused awkwardly. 'I'm sorry, Jim. I wish it hadn't come to this. But it has.'

The line went dead. Kozerski, who had been listening in, looked across and shook his head. 'We were getting seismographic analysis in from Hawaii,' said Kozerski, apologetically.

'Chris, Japan's tested,' said West.

The Defense Secretary, on the phone to the Pentagon, raised a finger in the air. 'Hold, please,' he said, then turned to the President. 'Atmospheric or underground?'

'Underground,' said Kozerski.

Pierce nodded. 'I'll get back to you,' he said, cutting his call and getting up.

Momentarily, West spoke to Nolan. 'Stuart, Japan's just gone nuclear. Can you hold for a couple more minutes?'

'He told us as much at Camp David,' grunted Nolan. 'I'll stay on the line.'

'Do we get Mary over there?' said Pierce. 'And if so, can she do anything?'

West, head lowered, listened to Nolan's acknowledgement, absorbed Pierce's question, and for some reason saw an image of himself with Valerie and Lizzie, walking hand in hand through tall grass one summer in France.

He brought Nolan back across the line. 'An underground test,' he said bluntly.

'Fourteen kilotons,' said Kozerski.

'Fourteen kilotons,' repeated West.

'What are you going to do?'

'I'm bringing Chris Pierce and John Kozerski in on this conversation, Stuart.' West allowed a few seconds for Kozerski to set up the conference call. 'All right, gentlemen, this is what I plan. Any objections or ideas, state them now. Mary stays in Beijing. Her aim is to nail down a new strategic alliance with China, Russia, Japan, India, the US and Europe. We'll send a team out to work with her.

'We describe Japan's tests as "unfortunate, but understandable". We underline the strength of the US-Japan security relationship. Stuart, I would like to take you up on your offer to strike North Korea above the fortieth parallel. Chris, we're going to go in between the fortieth and Pyongyang. Only the nuclear facilities and launch sites. Seal them off. And I want to strike the Chagai Hills in Pakistan, if we can stand up Stuart's human intelligence. Give Kozlov and Song enough warning to get their men out.'