Picking up speed at full throttle as it rolled down the runway toward takeoff, Air Force One was in defense mode. As a consequence of the need for a rapid escape and clear airspace to the south, a temporary hold had been placed on the scheduled departures from SEATAC and the Renton Municipal Airport. The pilot, Colonel Van Horn, with assistance from his co-pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Fleming, pulled back on the yoke to lift the nose of the plane. Within seconds the powerful jets of the modified Boeing-747 had freed Air Force One from an earthly grip at twelve forty-five, and she began a slow cumbersome climb into the sky.

The navigator, Major Hopkins, pressed the headset close to his right ear and reported to his captain, “Sir, an Oregon Air National Guard escort of fighters has been deployed from Portland International Airport. They will be coming in from our right shortly.”

“Coming in from Portland Oregon? Isn’t there a fighter base closer to us than that?”

“No sir. Unfortunately McChord Air Force Base just south of Tacoma doesn’t have a fighter wing at the current time. Their aircraft are mostly cargo and recon.”

“Roger that Hop. Can you try to get confirmation on how many fighters from Oregon we should expect, and when they will arrive?”

“Yes sir. I’ll get that for you right away.”

On the deck below, President Harwell attempted to process the limited information he had been given by agent Bishop while in transit from Husky Stadium. A few key members of his staff who had made the journey west with him were sifting through additional reports, as they would be required to provide insight as to what had transpired. Others had been out of position to meet with the motorcade when it departed the stadium abruptly, and had been left behind. Perhaps transportation back to Washington D.C. could be arranged for them via the FBI section chief in Seattle, but it was surely to be of minor significance in the coming hours and days.

Agent Bishop had made a few calls of inquiry, and while in communication with his boss back in Washington D.C. to confirm the safety of the President, he felt the heavy jet banking to the left in order to obtain a more easterly heading. After listening to his verbal report, the woman praised agent Bishop for taking the initiative to evacuate the President based on the slow intelligence report he had received. Then she relayed word to him that Vice President Sutherland had been taken to a secure location. A moment after that call had ended, another agent approached him and said, “Excuse me agent Bishop, but POTUS has sent for you.”

While standing to move past the woman, he replied, “Alright, thanks Carolyn.”

In the nose section of Air Force One, President Harwell motioned for agent Bishop to enter his office. Then after hanging up the phone he said, “Heath, thanks for getting me out of Husky stadium without causing a panic.”

“You’re welcome sir.”

“And also for briefing me on what you knew about the West Point attack.”

“Certainly sir, I’m glad to be of service.”

“You always are Heath, and I won’t forget it.”

“Thank you sir, I appreciate the thought.”

“You’re welcome Heath. Now, I’m about to go into the conference room to discuss some rather bad news that goes beyond West Point, and I want you in there with me.”

“Yes sir.”

“This could turn into a very long day, and I want you by my side until we have figured out what the hell is going on.”

“I understand sir, whatever you need me to do.”

“Alright then, now come with me.”

Within the conference room, staff members stood as President Harwell entered. Then when motioned to speak, one of them said, “Mr. President, at this time we know very little of what has happened at West Point other than that the assailants came in via parachute. I’m afraid that it will be several hours, perhaps even days, before an accurate count of the dead and wounded can be made available to us, but initial reports would seem to imply that the count will be in excess of a thousand.”

With a sigh of dejection, President Harwell replied, “Alright, I understand. I’m aware that it will be difficult, but I would like to have those totals sooner than later if you please.”

“Yes sir, I will keep you updated.”

After motioning for everyone to sit down, and then pointing toward the next person at the table, President Harwell asked, “What do you have with regard to Annapolis?”

“Annapolis? Don’t you mean West Point sir?”

“No, I just got off the phone with someone who has confirmed that Annapolis was also attacked.”

Caught completely off guard by the news of Annapolis, the man had no information about that attack to give the President. He stood and said, “I’m sorry Mr. President, but if you will excuse me, I will find out what I can about Annapolis for you.”

At that moment another staff member entered the conference room and said, “Excuse me for being late sir, but I have just received a report that the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs has been attacked as well.”

All three of the military academies had suffered attacks simultaneously in what must have been a highly organized and well thought out plan, so agent Bishop knew that the President had correctly stated that this could turn into a very long day. Glancing in his direction, he took notice of an expression on the face of the President that was rarely ever seen. With just cause, the man was clearly pissed off. The room fell silent as President Jordan Harwell repeatedly clenched and unclenched his left hand. Then while glaring at the man who had just brought forth the additional bad news, he took a deep breath and broke the silence by asking him, “Has the attack on the Air Force Academy been confirmed?”

The man’s voice cracked a little as he responded, “Yes Mr. President, that information has been confirmed.”

Then aimed at no particular individual, President Harwell asked, “What about the University of Washington?”

Those seated at the table fell silent once again, and their inadequacy in responding to the question at hand was ill timed. Sensing that his input would be welcomed to break the deafening silence, Agent Bishop broke protocol and spoke up. He said, “Excuse me Mr. President, but I may be able to help with that question.”

Turning around, the President said, “Well based on the fact that no one else in this meeting appears to be able to answer my question, then by all means Heath, please do so.”

“Yes sir. Once we had you safely aboard Air Force One, I made phone contact with a local agent still on the ground at Husky Stadium. He made no mention of an attack, nor did my direct supervisor in D.C. when I spoke with her a short time ago. I can’t confirm at this time that the University of Washington was spared, but the evidence would suggest that it has been sir.”

Shifting his gaze toward those at the conference table, President Harwell then added, “Agent Bishop appears to have made a logical conclusion, but we still need confirmation.”

One of the men at the table signaled to his aide, and she ran out of the conference room. Then he said, “We will get confirmation on that for you as quickly as possible sir.”

Agent Bishop then interrupted again and added, “Mr. President. Since the attack on West Point was accomplished with the use of parachute jumpers, and there is a planned jump into Husky Stadium at halftime, may I suggest that we contact whoever can cancel that jump as a precautionary measure?”

Turning once again to face the conference table, the President said, “Agent Bishop has made an excellent suggestion. Can I assume that one of you will follow up on it immediately?”

Another man at the table picked up a phone with a direct link to the communication center up near the flight deck. Then he said, “This comes directly from the President, so the message is priority number one. Make contact with the flight crew of the helicopter heading toward Husky Stadium, and order them to abort the parachute jump. We are very short on time, so you must act quickly.”

After a nod of approval toward the staff member, President Harwell looked at his watch and said, “I hope that we aren’t too late.”

Then agent Bishop spoke up again by adding, “Mr. President. Although aborting the jump is the prudent move with regard to safety for all those within Husky Stadium, as a result of that action, we still won’t know if you were an intended target for some time.”

Turning again to face agent Bishop, he replied, “Expand on that thought please.”

“Yes sir. If the jumpers for Husky Stadium are part of the same terrorist movement, and aborting that jump has foiled their intended plans, then they could attempt to use the helicopter as a weapon by killing the flight crew and crashing it. That is unless they have already killed the flight crew and one of them knows how to fly it. Then the possibilities of damage are magnified.”

“I understand Heath, so what do you suggest?”

“Well sir, they could follow such a course of action and then we would know that you were most probably an intended target. The downside for them by doing so is that it would tip their hand, and that cell, if it is one, could never be used again for anything of significance in the future. On the other hand, if they don’t crash the helicopter, and return to base with nothing more than questions of why they had been aborted, that would imply innocence on their part. With their jump scheduled for some time between ninety minutes and two hours after those who hit West Point and the other academies that would seem logical, as they would have no element of surprise to rely on. As for me sir, I would still caution on the safe side by taking the appropriate measures. Having said that sir, I suggest that we detain the jumpers and the flight crew for questioning even if they return directly to their base. That could help us to determine if they are one aspect of the larger terrorist act that included you as a target, or completely innocent of any wrong doing. Additionally, I would have Dr. Plummer from the University of Washington interviewed by the local FBI. Perhaps it is nothing, but he was eager to have you stay in the stadium suite when we were preparing to evacuate you.”

After nodding in silence toward agent Bishop, President Harwell reversed his pivot to stare directly upon those gathered around the conference table. Then he said, “Agent Bishop has expressed some keen insight into this matter, and we should act upon it accordingly. We shall wait to see what course of action the helicopter bound for Husky Stadium takes in order to help us determine if I was, and perhaps still am, an intended target. In the meantime, place a call to the FBI field office in Seattle so that Dr. Plummer can be spoken to. While all of that is going on, let’s attempt to discover exactly who was a target at the various military academies, and why.”