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just north of Colorado Spiings...'
'Gentlemen, if I were to take cover beneath the ground right now, it would set
the stage for a national panic. I can't-'
'Frankly, Mr. President,' Provost said, 'the nation is already in a state of
suppressed panic. You have already allowed martial law to be declared in some
areas.'
'That was necessary,' Heathstone said glumly.
'True, but we have no assurance that . . . well, that Tonopah devices could
not be constructed by some of our own citizens. Aside from the Tolkien
devices, we stand endangered by subversive elements here in our own country
should such subversives manage to construct short-range Tonopah weapons.'
'I see,' Heathstonesaid.
'We urge you to depart immediately for the Deeprock site since it is only
there that we can guarantee with any
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certainty your, ah, if I may put it that way, your mental safety.'
'I see,' Heathstone said once more. 'What about other government and military
people?'
'I have already,' said Walters, 'ordered all underground installations to
become fully operational, and strategic military personnel are already
beginning to transfer their operations. A complete breakdown of the subsurface
nuclear defence colonies is available for you at Deeprock, as well as computer
communications between them and with the surface world.'
Heathstone's raised eyebrows indicated his reservations about his Defence
Secretary's actions without presidential authorisation. 'You're getting the
military people squirreled away safely - what about the civilians?'
'Certain members of Congress and other government officials are considered
strategic, and, with your agreement, we can begin to execute measures for
their safety. It seems advisable to maintain secrecy as long as possible and
not to disturb the visible orderliness of the government until absolutely
necessary.'
'Gentlemen,' Heathstone said heavily, 'you are suggestlug that the Executive
Office should become a prisoner of the military beneath the ground while
Congress and other governmental functions remain as before...'
'That is not what we are suggesting,' protested Provost.
'That is what it amounts to,' Heathstone said angrily.
" 'That is not, Mr. President, what it would be in reality,' insisted Seth
Mead.
The President stood up and paced the floor, pounding one fist into his palm.
'I wifi take your recommendation into consideration. I have asked the Russian
Premier for a summit talk, and I will take no action until I have heard from
him. To do so would jeopardise the success of those talks. What would Tosygen
conclude if the American President ran to a bunker?' He glared at his
advisers.
'Speed and secrecy are paramount, Mr. President,' said
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Mead. 'You could simply be on vacation in the Rockies...'
'I will let you know. Thank you, gentlemen,' said Heathstone abruptly. 'Seth,
would you please remain here withme?'
When the others had gone, Heathstone sat down at his desk and rang for his
secretary. Hedy Allison, an elegantly tall woman with black hair and green
eyes betraying her own Indian heritage, entered silently through a small door.
'Seth,' Heathstone began, 'I have had a call in to Horns-borough, trying to
find out why it is that Tosygen hasn't responded ~o my urgent appeals for a
meeting.'
'I have just this moment gotten through to Ambassador Hornsborough, Mr.
President,' Hedy Allison said crisply. 'He is on line four.'
'Good,' Heathstone responded, clicking on the telephonic unit.
'David, what the hell is going on with Tosygen?'
The long-distance wires were full of crackle, but the voice of David
Hornsborough broke through the static clearly enough to make his agitation
apparent.
'Mr. President, I don't even know where the Premier is. In fact, it seems
almost all the Russian Government has suddenly decided to take vacations in
the Crimea - at least, that's the official line.'
'You mean Tosygen is not in Moscow?'
'That seems to be so, Mr. President. And some strange things are going on
here. There are sounds of gunfire throughout the city, and we have been
notified about some sort of martial law taking effect. The embassy is
surrounded with Russian troops, sent here, I have been informed, to guard us.'
'I see.' Heathstone and Mead exchanged quiet looks.
'What do you want me to do, Mr. President? I'd like to evacuate some of our
personnel here.'
'Yes, by all means,' said Seth Mead, who could hear Hornsborough clearly, if
faintly, from the phone the President held.
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Heathstone ignored his Secretary of State's comment and said, 'David, I'd like
to ask you to do everything you can to reach Tosygen. When you succeed, ask
him to meet with me at any location he suggests. Do you feel your security
there will last another twenty-four hours?'
'It seems good. The Russian troops have drawn up some tanks. They're very good
with tanks, you know.'
'Thanks, David. Let's hold this line open. Put Helena on it, and she can keep
in constant touch with Hedy here. Let us know the instant the situation
changes, one way or another.'
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