The Oval Office The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 1520 10 June 2005
“Mr. President,” Secretary of Defense Frederick K. Beiderman said, “there’s some good news from General McFadden at CentCom.”
“That’s good, for a change.”
“It’s fragmentary, sir, but . . .”
“ ‘Fragmentary’ means you have only a part of it, right? Why does that worry me, Fred?”
“Sir, F-15s intercepted the missing 727 over the Atlantic . . .”
“Oh, shit, McNab couldn’t neutralize it? That’s . . .”
“Sir, Colonel Torine, who went to Mexico with Castillo?”
The president nodded.
“Sir, he’s flying it. That’s confirmed. The F-15s are escorting it to MacDill, in Tampa.”
“I know where MacDill is,” the president said. “Do we know—really know—that Colonel Whatsisname is flying it?”
“Yes, sir. That’s been confirmed. They should be in MacDill in about two hours.”
“Keep me posted,” the president said and then changed his mind and picked up a telephone.
“In exactly fifteen minutes, get me General Naylor at CentCom,” he ordered, hung up, and turned to Beiderman. “Maybe in fifteen minutes there will be more than fragmentary information. Have you told Natalie or Matt?”
“That’s next, sir. Them and the DCI.”
“Why don’t we let Matt Hall tell the DCI?” the president said. “Tell Matt to tell him after I hear from Naylor.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Christ, I wonder how much of Costa Rica is left after McNab pulled this off? That’s probably why we only have ‘fragmentary’ information.”
“I asked General McFadden about that, sir. He doesn’t know about collateral damage. He’s not in contact with Colonel Torine or General McNab. General McNab’s having communication problems again.”
“I almost wish you’d have waited until you knew more,” the president said. “But, of course, if you had, I would be all over you for not telling me earlier. Thanks, Fred.”
“Sir, if we have the airplane, it’s not going to crash into the Liberty Bell.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. What about Major Castillo?”
“Nothing on him yet, sir.”
“Yeah, I know. Our information is fragmentary. Tell Matt and Natalie, please, Fred, and then stay available.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
[FOUR]
MacDill Air Force Base Tampa, Florida 1710 10 June 2005
“Costa Rican Four-Oh-Seven, you are cleared for a straight-in approach to runway two-seven. The altimeter is two-nine -niner, the winds are negligible. Be advised there are a number of ground vehicles on either side of the runway. You are directed to stop on the runway at the end of your landing roll and to shut down your engines at that time. You will receive additional instructions at that time. Acknowledge. ”
“Fuck you,” Colonel Torine said to a dead microphone and then pushed the TRANSMIT switch. “Oh-seven, I have the runway in sight.”
He pushed the INTERCOM switch.