WASHINGTON, D.C.
OVAL OFFICE, THE WHITE HOUSE
President Ryan was sitting at the Resolute desk when his private cell phone rang. The people who had access to that number were a privileged few, including his wife and kids. They knew to only use it for an extreme emergency because they knew he’d answer it, no matter what, even if the world was on fire.
It was Jack Junior.
“Son, what’s wrong?” He could barely hear Jack for the interference.
“I don’t have time to explain but Gavin and I just found out that there’s going to be a five-trillion-dollar robbery any time now. It’s an operation using a quantum computer called TRIBULATION. And there’s more—”
Ryan was stunned. How did Jack find this out?
“You’re too late. It’s already happened.”
“What?”
“Son, I’m putting you on speakerphone. I’m here with Secretary of the Treasury Stephen Hodges and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Wesley Moorcroft. Tell them what else you know about TRIBULATION. We still need more information about which banks were hit.”
“The banks? Forget the banks. Gavin can fill you in on that later. Right now we’ve got a real DEFCON situation about to hit us.”
“What do you mean?”
“TRIBULATION’s next target is a joint Chinese-Russian military exercise in the Bering Sea called Snow Dragon. They’re going to use TRIBULATION to hack their systems. These assholes want to start World War Three.”
“When?”
“Now!”
The color drained from Ryan’s face.
“So we’re too late?”
“Not necessarily. The intel said the launch date was today. I’m assuming it’s happening now. Or maybe we still have a little time. All I know is that we’ve got to shut it down now no matter what.”
“How?”
“TRIBULATION is in Knoxville. That’s where I am, too.”
“There’s an FBI SWAT team in Knoxville,” Ryan said. “What’s the address for this TRIBULATION thing?”
He grabbed a pad and pen from his desk and wrote the address down as Jack recited it. He ripped the paper from the pad and shoved it into Arnie’s hands. “Call Director Medina. Tell her to get her SWAT team to this address ASAP. Fill her in on what you’ve heard and have her call me for anything else she needs—and get Scott, Bob, and Mary Pat up here pronto.”
“On it, boss.” Arnie bolted into action.
“One more thing, Pop,” Jack said over the speakerphone. “Get an FBI team down to Houston.”
Ryan shouted at Arnie, halfway out the door. “Arnie, hold up.” He turned back to the phone. “Why Houston?”
“Because Buck Logan is the asshole behind all of this.”
“Logan?”
“Gavin can fill you in. But you better grab Logan before he hears about Knoxville.”
“You catch that?” Ryan asked van Damm.
“I’ll put the call in to Medina right now.”
“Son, any chance you can get over to that address, be our eyes on the ground? It’ll be at least thirty minutes before the FBI can saddle up.”
“Get there? I’m already here.”
“Sit tight, then. I’ll get back to you when I know more. You did good, son. Son?”
Jack’s line was dead.