The French minister confirmed and impressed his apprehension upon the Admiral.
His government had just received a report from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology about the likely effects of a tsunami caused by the explosion of the Cumbre Vieja, and were concerned with the apparent seriousness of the situation. However, his Government wasn’t yet fully convinced that the threat was actually real. Contrary to the States conviction, they had seen no hard evidence that it would take place.
Arnold asked him to simply accept, on trust, the opinion of the United States military on this matter. “Mind you, we intend to do everything in our power to stop them,” added Arnold. “And we’re not asking for assistance, though there will be damage to the cities and coastlines of many other nations.”
“Yes, the Swiss scientists confirm the damage would be widespread,” was the reply.
“And of course your own coast in Brittany may be on the receiving end of a very substantial tidal wave, possibly 80 feet high, straight into your Navy headquarters in Brest. That’s almost as much trouble as we’ll be in four hours later.”
“I understand,” said the Frenchman hesitantly. “The issue for us is, firstly, do we believe in the threat? Secondly, do we think it is sufficiently serious for us to dismantle the entire European Global Positioning System? I’m sorry to say that the answer would be no.”
“Well, we are not asking for a complete dismantling,” said Arnold. “Just a forty-eight-hour shutdown, if we have not already located and destroyed the submarine. You do understand that we will black out our own satellites, which represents a total of 90 percent of all the Global Positioning Systems in space?”
“I imagine you will, Admiral. Given your history with the Middle Eastern nations, I’m afraid the French Government does not approve of anything you do east of the Suez Canal.”
“Then I am obliged to inform you of the consequences. First, you will lose your Navy on your west coast. The Atlantic peninsula of Brittany will be catastrophically flooded. Secondly, you will forfeit the goodwill of the United States for a very long time. And should the eruption take place on La Palma, with all that it entails, we will not hesitate to make public the fact that it was France who essentially caused it, refusing even a modicum of cooperation in the cause of preventing a world disaster.
“Thirdly, the President of the United States will ask Congress to approve a bill to level a 100 percent tariff on all French goods entering the United States. And fourthly, we will lock you out of the oil markets of Iraq and Saudi Arabia, both of which we effectively control. Which would seem a pity, for the sake of turning the fucking lights out for a couple of days.”
“I will relay your thoughts, and your threats, to my President,” replied the French Foreign Minister.
But Arnold had already slammed the phone down. “
“Everyone’s late today, the French Foreign Minister, the sandwich…I’m being treated like someone who works in the mailroom.”
Kathy laughed. “No luck with Paris?”
“None. Can you get the French Ambassador in here right away. I need to try to get him to understand.”
“Now?”
The level of jocularity between the two was at its lowest level in recent memory. Outside the door, removal men were carrying priceless tables and lamps along the corridor. Army trucks were lined up outside. Officers were checking and recording every treasure every step of the way. The Pentagon had taken over the networks on the East Coast, broadcasting twenty-four hours a day from the Press Briefing Room four doors from the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
Government spokesmen were already urging families with no commitment to employers in Washington to leave the city in order to ease congestion. Traffic was being directed to state highways to the north and west, leaving Interstate Highways 66 and 270 in the main for Federal convoys and other official traffic.
It was a little over two miles to the French Embassy, located on Reservoir Road on the northern border of Georgetown University. And Arnold Morgan awaited the arrival of the ambassador with growing impatience. Finally, Gaston Jobert showed up at 2:20 P.M. and Kathy ushered him into the Oval Office, where he was greeted by both Admiral Morgan and the President.
Kathy brought them some coffee, and M. Jobert sat and listened to the chronology of events from beginning to end. Arnold left out nothing, from the missiles identified at Mount St. Helens to the blasting of Montserrat. He explained the Hamas demands, the impossibility of complying with them, and then he explained the strategy of the United States Navy. Above all, he specified the critical nature of the GPS satellites.
“Generally speaking,” said Arnold, “he’ll send his missiles in under guidance from our own satellites. If he cannot locate them, he’ll search for the European one. And if he locates that, he’ll use that.
“If he runs into a blackout situation, he’ll have to come inshore for a visual firing. And that’s when we’ll get him. Needless to say, I am mystified at the attitude of your Government, and I have invited you here essentially in order for you to make them see sense.”
“Does my Government know the full history — the submarine, the missiles, and everything?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, I have understood with much…er, clarity…I see it would be very bad for France…if we were seen…to, er…have stopped you catching this submarine before it destroys your coast, and part of ours as well. That would be absolutely crazy…”
“Well, M. Jobert,
M. Jobert, a debonair man of around fifty, slim, dark, Gallic in attitude, replied, “This was M. Jean Crepeau?”
“That’s him,” said Arnold. “A very anti-American little man, actually, which is somewhat absurd in the world today. Can you imagine us refusing to help you in this way, if Paris was under threat of a major terrorist attack?”
“No, Admiral Morgan. No. I cannot. But I have lived here for many years. I am very fond of the Americans, and this rather embarrasses me, as it will, in the end, embarrass my government.”
M. Jobert paused for a moment and sipped his coffee. “As a diplomat, I am going to speak out of turn. But you have been frank with me. M. Crepeau is a man whose political ambitions are very much greater than his abilities. And our Prime Minister is not much better. But in the President himself, Pierre Dreyfus, you have a man of far greater stature and far more sense…a little too proud for his own good. But a man of intelligence and judgment.
“Most people in my government are afraid of him…On the other hand, I am not, mainly because he’s married to my sister, Janine. I’ve known him since we were both about fifteen years old.
“I have already discussed this with him. And I think a call direct from President Bedford tomorrow morning will sort this out fairly quickly. In the end, France has no option, because in the end, you would shoot our satellite down,
Admiral Arnold smiled grimly. “You would leave us very little choice,” he replied. “The cities of Washington and New York, against your little sputnik Helios? No contest.”
M. Jobert stood up to leave. “You may leave it with me, gentlemen,” he said. “I will speak to the President at length this evening. I’ll tell him it’s too much trouble to refuse your request…I believe the phrase was ‘
“Nicely put,” said Arnold Morgan.
11
Adm. Ben Badr held course zero-six-zero as they moved across the black depths of the Cape Verde Plain. Young Ahmed Sabah, Shakira’s brother and Hamas officer, had become a trusted confidant of the
