Read Online America's Trust by Murray McDonald - Free Book Online
Authors: Murray McDonald
Tags: thriller
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received no dissent to his actions.
“Gentlemen, take us to full battle readiness!”
A cheer filled the room as the military men, concerned at their lack of action, were about to be unleashed and respond to the threat before them.
***
Situation Room
The White House
Washington D.C.
“Mr. President!” a panicked shout cut across the room. The president turned to the young telecoms operator, whose outburst had stopped the most powerful men in the free world in their tracks.
“Yes, son?” asked the president, a calming tone to his voice.
“The Russians have started fueling their ICBMs!”
Chapter 10
“Extinction?” questioned Swanson, failing to hide her skepticism.
“If I’m right, our country is already on the brink of war, a war we don’t even know is coming,” he emphasized.
Two fighter jets flying low overhead interrupted any further conversation, their engines drowning out everything in their wake.
“You couldn’t have…” Swanson tried but was cut off by another two jets. She waited for the quiet to return. “…timed that more perfectly,” she said before another two streaked overhead.
Both looked out tentatively from the bandstand and were shocked by the sight that greeted them. A sea of military helicopters swarmed towards them and Washington ahead, a flock of fighters swirling like predators above.
“Holy shit!” exclaimed Butler.
Swanson looked at him for answers.
He shook his head. “They’re evacuating the Cabinet and senior office holders. It’s part of the Continuity of Government Plan.”
“Bullshit!” replied Swanson halfheartedly. The scale of the operation was unlike anything she had seen before.
“I have to get to the president,” announced Butler, striding away from the bandstand.
Swanson grabbed his elbow. “I think he already knows,” she remarked.
“If there’s one thing I’ve discovered over the last two years, it’s that nothing is what it seems.”
“What the fuck do you mean, nothing is what it seems?” she asked as he pulled against her grasp. “What does that even mean?”
“Literally that.” Butler didn’t have time to argue with her or explain. He just needed to get to the president. He escaped her hold and made off at a jog.
“You won’t get anywhere near the president,” she warned.
Butler looked back and smiled a smile that suggested otherwise. Swanson was a sworn officer of the law and Butler was, only hours earlier, the subject of a top priority manhunt and arrested by her within spitting distance of the White House. What if there were some massive conspiracy and Butler was in fact the lone gunman? Whatever the case, something was most definitely going down and Jane Swanson was not the type of person to miss out. She picked up the pace and fell in behind Butler’s steady jog just as he began to slow to a stop.
The small diner that sat at the park’s entrance had a TV set that flashed a picture of an American Airlines Boeing 777.
“So are you going to tell me what you uncovered?” she asked when she eventually caught up with him.
Butler ignored her question, walking into the diner, his full attention on the TV screen.
“That’s the new US ambassador to China,” he explained to Swanson as the screen filled with James Marshall’s photo.
“Can you turn that up?” he commanded rather than asked of the waitress, who although unhappy by the order, did as she was told.
“… just to confirm, reports suggest that American Airlines AA187 from Chicago to Beijing has crashed in Mongolia, all on board are presumed dead…”
“Holy fuck!” exclaimed Swanson, reading the news scrolling across the screen. Two hundred and forty-one passengers had been on board along with the ambassador. The news had floored Butler who fell into a seat and placed his head in his hands, his head shaking slowly.
Swanson placed a reassuring hand on his back. “Was he a good friend?” she asked.
“Who?” replied
“Gentlemen, take us to full battle readiness!”
A cheer filled the room as the military men, concerned at their lack of action, were about to be unleashed and respond to the threat before them.
***
Situation Room
The White House
Washington D.C.
“Mr. President!” a panicked shout cut across the room. The president turned to the young telecoms operator, whose outburst had stopped the most powerful men in the free world in their tracks.
“Yes, son?” asked the president, a calming tone to his voice.
“The Russians have started fueling their ICBMs!”
Chapter 10
“Extinction?” questioned Swanson, failing to hide her skepticism.
“If I’m right, our country is already on the brink of war, a war we don’t even know is coming,” he emphasized.
Two fighter jets flying low overhead interrupted any further conversation, their engines drowning out everything in their wake.
“You couldn’t have…” Swanson tried but was cut off by another two jets. She waited for the quiet to return. “…timed that more perfectly,” she said before another two streaked overhead.
Both looked out tentatively from the bandstand and were shocked by the sight that greeted them. A sea of military helicopters swarmed towards them and Washington ahead, a flock of fighters swirling like predators above.
“Holy shit!” exclaimed Butler.
Swanson looked at him for answers.
He shook his head. “They’re evacuating the Cabinet and senior office holders. It’s part of the Continuity of Government Plan.”
“Bullshit!” replied Swanson halfheartedly. The scale of the operation was unlike anything she had seen before.
“I have to get to the president,” announced Butler, striding away from the bandstand.
Swanson grabbed his elbow. “I think he already knows,” she remarked.
“If there’s one thing I’ve discovered over the last two years, it’s that nothing is what it seems.”
“What the fuck do you mean, nothing is what it seems?” she asked as he pulled against her grasp. “What does that even mean?”
“Literally that.” Butler didn’t have time to argue with her or explain. He just needed to get to the president. He escaped her hold and made off at a jog.
“You won’t get anywhere near the president,” she warned.
Butler looked back and smiled a smile that suggested otherwise. Swanson was a sworn officer of the law and Butler was, only hours earlier, the subject of a top priority manhunt and arrested by her within spitting distance of the White House. What if there were some massive conspiracy and Butler was in fact the lone gunman? Whatever the case, something was most definitely going down and Jane Swanson was not the type of person to miss out. She picked up the pace and fell in behind Butler’s steady jog just as he began to slow to a stop.
The small diner that sat at the park’s entrance had a TV set that flashed a picture of an American Airlines Boeing 777.
“So are you going to tell me what you uncovered?” she asked when she eventually caught up with him.
Butler ignored her question, walking into the diner, his full attention on the TV screen.
“That’s the new US ambassador to China,” he explained to Swanson as the screen filled with James Marshall’s photo.
“Can you turn that up?” he commanded rather than asked of the waitress, who although unhappy by the order, did as she was told.
“… just to confirm, reports suggest that American Airlines AA187 from Chicago to Beijing has crashed in Mongolia, all on board are presumed dead…”
“Holy fuck!” exclaimed Swanson, reading the news scrolling across the screen. Two hundred and forty-one passengers had been on board along with the ambassador. The news had floored Butler who fell into a seat and placed his head in his hands, his head shaking slowly.
Swanson placed a reassuring hand on his back. “Was he a good friend?” she asked.
“Who?” replied
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