Most of the J-Staff and several other members of the Joint Chiefs were already present in the NMCC when General Wilbur Curtis trotted in and took his place in the front row center seat. Beside him, sitting in the seat reserved for the highest-ranking civilian present — usually Frank Kellogg, the President’s National Security Advisor, or even Thomas Preston, the Secretary of Defense himself — was Paul Cesare, the President’s Chief of Staff. Curtis gave him a brief nod but ignored him as he clicked on the microphone at his seat. He didn’t care for Cesare. Never had. Shortly after Curtis had been dismissed from the last Situation Room meeting on this crisis, he’d phoned Cesare, trying to get in to see the President alone, to privately make the case for more fighters to accompany the carriers as well as deploying the Air Battle Force. He’d gotten nothing from Cesare but a chilly “The issue is closed.” He was Machiavellian and ruthless. He’d play either side of the fence as long as it was the side the President was on, and mow down anyone who got in his way. Curtis more than disliked him, he couldn’t stand him. “Curtis here. Situation report, please.”
Navy Captain Rebecca Rodgers’ voice came over the NMCC’s loudspeaker: “Good afternoon, sir, Captain Rodgers here. This briefing is classified Top Secret, no foreign nationals, sensitive intelligence sources and methods involved. The command center is secure, with the gallery sound-isolated. Briefing contents describe a priority-two incident.” She paused for a moment in case Curtis wanted to configure the NMCC any differently. He did not, and she went on.
Damn, Curtis thought, here it comes…
“About fifteen minutes ago the aircraft carrier
There was considerable murmuring among the assembled. Several of the Joint Chiefs shifted in their seats, bracing themselves for more. Paul Cesare sat there shaking his head, not believing what he’d just heard.
Well, Wilbur Curtis thought, the shit’s hitting the fan a lot faster than anyone expected. And with the President’s Chief of Staff sitting right here, the news was going to travel faster than Curtis could respond. He needed to have a list of options prepared for the National Command Authority literally
Curtis expected an argument out of the President’s big aide — Cesare certainly had the security clearance and the “need to know” for everything that went on in the NMCC — but to his surprise, Cesare was acting rather stunned, and not just from the news he had just heard. “Um… I was notified that a group of senators was going to meet with the Secretary of Defense at one o’clock,” he replied. “Something to do with the Philippine crises and the Chinese… our military options, something like that. These senators want to keep the President from committing any troops at all to Southeast Asia — they’re afraid we might be starting another Vietnam conflict, or World War Three. They’re pressing Secretary Preston — which means the President — into withdrawing all forces from the Philippines. Preston’s trying to walk a balancing act, but he thought the meeting here was at least a little further away from… the public eye and the press… than on the Hill or at Defense.”
Curtis couldn’t believe it. Once again the White House was pulling the Pentagon into a political mudfight. It was typical. God, how he hated politics. He turned to Cesare. “That’s all well and fine, Mr. Cesare, but that doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”
“Uh… well, gathering information. So that, um, the President can make an informed response when the senators press him.”
Admiral Cunningham, the Chief of Naval Operations, discreetly cleared his throat behind him. Curtis could feel the gaze of his JCS colleagues and staffers on him, silently urging him to deal with the emergency at hand — Cesare would have to wait. “I’ll provide you with whatever you need later, Mr. Cesare, but for this situation, your place is up in the gallery.”
“I’d really prefer to sit here and—”
“Mr. Cesare—”
“General—”
Curtis motioned to the NMCC’s senior security policeman, Army Command Sergeant Major Jefferson, who stepped over immediately in front of Cesare. “Jake, please see that Mr. Cesare finds his way upstairs to the gallery with the other visitors, and double-check everyone’s credentials up there.”
Cesare rose to his feet. “The President will expect a full report…”
