Crisis on it. See what his reaction is.”
***
The aide wrote the note out on an index card and went to the VP’s table. She discreetly handed over the note. Ward glanced at it and quickly excused himself.
“Would y’all excuse me for just a second?” he said while getting up. The southern accent was for the direct benefit of the Georgians sharing the table.
He exited the banquet room, the aide in tow, glancing once again at the note. Panic cracked his voice. “Get Dick on the phone.”
She pressed the chief of staff’s private number and handed him the phone.
The VP started pacing, waiting for an answer. Finally Watson picked up on the other end.
“Where did this come from?” Ward asked.
“It came through the form on the White House web page. I wasn’t sure if I should bother you, but we were talking about making an appearance down there the other day.”
“You did the right thing. Do we have a number for this guy? I vaguely remember something about this,” he lied.
“Working on that right now. We have an email, but should have a phone number momentarily.”
“Get it to me as soon as possible. And Dick, let’s keep this quiet in case it’s some crackpot.”
“No problem, boss. We’ll get you the number as soon as we have it.”
Ward handed the phone back to the aide. He wiped his brow and tried to breathe deeply. Relax. He hoped Watson would not question the immediacy and secrecy he was asking for.
Chapter 21
Mel was back on her phone, thumbs jamming away on the keyboard. The ride was smooth. She glanced over at Mac as he shook his head watching as she navigated the tiny screen. Basically a ludite, he didn't get it at all.
“You know your messages can wait ‘till we get back.”
“You know that thing’s a nuke, don’t you?” she glanced up from her Wikipedia screen. “The amount of military-related information on Wikipedia is astounding.”
“How did you figure that out off that thing?” he asked.
“Duh, run a search on the picture and bam, instant results.” She decided it may be a good idea to tone it down a little. “Although the internet is not the source of all knowledge some think, it can be useful. What we have here is a MK 101Lulu. A 11-kiloton bomb used from 1958 to 1971. I wonder what it’s doing here?”
“That's what he called it — a goddamn Lulu.” Mac gazed out the salt-crusted windshield. “There’s all kinds of unexploded ordnance in these waters. From World War II through Vietnam the armed forces didn’t have the oversight they do now. There were huge swaths of land and water they were allowed to use for training missions and testing. Some are marked as munitions dumps on charts, others are unaccounted for. All kinds of stuff was coming in and out of here during those couple of months.”
“Surely even the Navy wouldn’t leave a nuke out there,” Mel said, “I know dad’s skeptical of the government’s ability to do anything. I am too for that matter.” The only thing they were good at was fighting her lawsuits she thought.
“The last storm must have shifted things around down there. I’ve dove on that ledge dozens of times and have never seen it.”
“The drone we saw,” she said slowly, starting to put things together. “You and Dad talked to someone he knew at the Naval station. Whatever his reluctance to give it to them, I bet they’re after it. I bet that was them.”
“I don't know why he wouldn’t just turn it over. You know how he is with authority, but it seems like there’s more to it. His contempt for the Navy guy and Ward was evident. Just kept muttering to himself on the way back about sinking both of them.
“Yeah, he’s used to keeping himself company on that island. Must have some great conversations with himself.”
They were silent, both processing the information available.
“What if Ward, Gillum and Wood were the only ones that know it was a nuke. That would explain a lot - the secrecy
***
The aide wrote the note out on an index card and went to the VP’s table. She discreetly handed over the note. Ward glanced at it and quickly excused himself.
“Would y’all excuse me for just a second?” he said while getting up. The southern accent was for the direct benefit of the Georgians sharing the table.
He exited the banquet room, the aide in tow, glancing once again at the note. Panic cracked his voice. “Get Dick on the phone.”
She pressed the chief of staff’s private number and handed him the phone.
The VP started pacing, waiting for an answer. Finally Watson picked up on the other end.
“Where did this come from?” Ward asked.
“It came through the form on the White House web page. I wasn’t sure if I should bother you, but we were talking about making an appearance down there the other day.”
“You did the right thing. Do we have a number for this guy? I vaguely remember something about this,” he lied.
“Working on that right now. We have an email, but should have a phone number momentarily.”
“Get it to me as soon as possible. And Dick, let’s keep this quiet in case it’s some crackpot.”
“No problem, boss. We’ll get you the number as soon as we have it.”
Ward handed the phone back to the aide. He wiped his brow and tried to breathe deeply. Relax. He hoped Watson would not question the immediacy and secrecy he was asking for.
Chapter 21
Mel was back on her phone, thumbs jamming away on the keyboard. The ride was smooth. She glanced over at Mac as he shook his head watching as she navigated the tiny screen. Basically a ludite, he didn't get it at all.
“You know your messages can wait ‘till we get back.”
“You know that thing’s a nuke, don’t you?” she glanced up from her Wikipedia screen. “The amount of military-related information on Wikipedia is astounding.”
“How did you figure that out off that thing?” he asked.
“Duh, run a search on the picture and bam, instant results.” She decided it may be a good idea to tone it down a little. “Although the internet is not the source of all knowledge some think, it can be useful. What we have here is a MK 101Lulu. A 11-kiloton bomb used from 1958 to 1971. I wonder what it’s doing here?”
“That's what he called it — a goddamn Lulu.” Mac gazed out the salt-crusted windshield. “There’s all kinds of unexploded ordnance in these waters. From World War II through Vietnam the armed forces didn’t have the oversight they do now. There were huge swaths of land and water they were allowed to use for training missions and testing. Some are marked as munitions dumps on charts, others are unaccounted for. All kinds of stuff was coming in and out of here during those couple of months.”
“Surely even the Navy wouldn’t leave a nuke out there,” Mel said, “I know dad’s skeptical of the government’s ability to do anything. I am too for that matter.” The only thing they were good at was fighting her lawsuits she thought.
“The last storm must have shifted things around down there. I’ve dove on that ledge dozens of times and have never seen it.”
“The drone we saw,” she said slowly, starting to put things together. “You and Dad talked to someone he knew at the Naval station. Whatever his reluctance to give it to them, I bet they’re after it. I bet that was them.”
“I don't know why he wouldn’t just turn it over. You know how he is with authority, but it seems like there’s more to it. His contempt for the Navy guy and Ward was evident. Just kept muttering to himself on the way back about sinking both of them.
“Yeah, he’s used to keeping himself company on that island. Must have some great conversations with himself.”
They were silent, both processing the information available.
“What if Ward, Gillum and Wood were the only ones that know it was a nuke. That would explain a lot - the secrecy
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