Washington, DC
Shortly after the United States obliterated the capital of North Korea and its brutish dictator
Within the bowels of the United States Department of State, a brilliant young analyst rocketed out of the political and administrative morass of the civil service system and into a position of authority and impact.
Near the end of the first quarter of the twenty-first century, the United States was the target of a series of horrific terrorist attacks. These incidents were orchestrated by a fanatical group of Middle Eastern religious extremists who used technical ruses to attribute them to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—the DPRK—more commonly known as North Korea. Their objective was to instigate a war between the United States and Pyongyang forces. The plan assumed that such a conflict would expand to include Russia and China, resulting in an all-out nuclear slugfest. Out of the ashes of humanity’s remains would rise a new, global Islamic caliphate and a caliph who would take his place as the rightful ruler of the entire world.
Following the second terrorist attack, the POTUS directed then–Secretary of State Robert “Bulldog” Pitts to develop a plan that would allow the US to engage and destroy the DPRK military infrastructure while minimizing collateral damage and civilian casualties. The action would have to be executed without instigating retaliation from other world powers, a near-impossible feat. The task was punted to David Stakley, a team leader in the Intelligence and Research Division of the State Department.
Leveraging a serendipitous flash of pure genius, David and his team conceived a strategy that brought the rabid dictatorship to its knees. And through the development of the Asian Independent Free Trade Union, AIFTU, it actually bonded the United States, Russia, and China into a partnership the likes of which had never been seen before.
It also endeared him to President Matthew Sheppard. Upon the Bulldog’s resignation due to a massive but nonfatal heart attack, David was nominated and subsequently confirmed as the new secretary of state. At thirty-nine, he was the youngest SecState since the creation of the office in 1789.
David was elated and beamed with justifiable pride throughout the confirmation ceremony. But during the obligatory round of congratulatory handshakes, he couldn’t help noticing the aloof demeanor and cold, almost distasteful expression emanating from the vice president.
Something just wasn’t right.