that attitude.
Until now.
Huntington froze, staring down at the document he’d just read. If the National Security Agency’s analysts were right, he was looking at the transcript of a conversation between Belgium’s Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Every day, the dozens of NSA-managed satellites and listening posts scattered around the world routinely intercepted huge volumes of radio, radiotelephone, telephone, telex, and fax transmissions. Ironically, evaluating this enormous flow of information was far more difficult than collecting it in the first place. Messages or conversations in the clear were stored and sorted by supercomputers programmed to hunt for hundreds of key words or phrases. Transmissions that were scrambled or coded in some fashion were automatically bucked up to special teams equipped with their own code-breaking computers. Nevertheless, although automation helped eliminate much of the preliminary “grunt work,” the thousands of human intelligence experts behind the machines were always swamped. Their work was often tedious, but sometimes they struck gold.
Huntington read the transcript again, this time more carefully, testing his first impressions. His eyebrows rose as his imagination added inflections and hidden meanings to the plain, black-and-white typescript in front of him. His every instinct sensed an opportunity here.
COMINT INTERCEPT — NSOC EURCON WORKING GROUP
Intercept Station:
USAF Electronic Security Command Detachment, RAF Chicksands, England
Time:
121627 Jun
Transmission Method:
Microwave relay, scrambled
Belgian Minister of Defense (MOD):
I am afraid I have very bad news, Mr. Prime Minister. Desaix has completely refused to consider our concerns about the use of our troops. He…
Belgian Prime Minister (PM):
What? He dismissed our request? Out of hand?
MOD:
Yes, sir. Not only that, but he reiterated the Defense Secretariat’s warning order. We have just seventy-two hours to begin moving both the 1st and 4th mechanized brigades.
PM:
But not into combat, I hope?
MOD:
No, Prime Minister. At least not directly. I’ve been assured that our soldiers will only be used to man key logistics centers — one at Metz and the other in Germany, just outside Munich. They won’t be on the front lines.
PM:
But these supply depots are still targets for American bombs, true?
(Note: Pause timed at 6.5 seconds.)
MOD:
Yes, Prime Minister. That is true.
PM:
Very well, Madeleine. When do you return?
MOD:
Immediately, sir. General Leman and I see no point in staying here any longer.
(Note: Leman identified as Gen. Alexandre Leman, chief of staff of the Belgian armed forces.
PM:
I understand. In that case, I shall convene an emergency cabinet meeting as soon as you arrive.
MOD:
Of course, Prime Minister. Though I fear we have no choice but to comply with this directive.
PM:
Yes… you are undoubtedly correct. Still, I would prefer to go over
our options. I wish you a safe journey, Madeleine.
MOD:
Thank you, Gerard.
LINE DISCONNECT
Identification Confidence Factor:
High. Voice patterns for both participants match patterns already on file.
Huntington nodded to himself, convinced he was right. As the head of his own firm, he’d visited Belgium many times back when Brussels was the administrative center of the old EC. He knew many of the tiny country’s leading industrialists, financiers, and politicians personally. With a little pressure in the right places, this new display of French arrogance could be turned into one of the EurCon fault lines he’d been seeking. But could the United States and its allies move quickly enough to capitalize on it?
He laid the rest of the SIGINT data aside and picked up the phone. “This is Ross Huntington, I need to speak to the President… Yes, right away.”
An hour later, Ross Huntington sat in a chair facing the President’s imposing desk. Both General Reid Galloway and Walter Quinn flanked him, one on either side. After hearing his close friend and advisor’s plan through once by himself, the President had asked the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the CIA director to sit in while Huntington walked them through his supporting evidence, his deductions based on that evidence, and the high- stakes gamble he proposed. Harris Thurman hadn’t been invited, and the ultracautious, fence-sitting Secretary of State was conspicuous by his absence.
“Well, gentlemen?” the President asked after Huntington had finished laying out his case. “What do you think?”
Galloway stirred, looking up from his big, capable hands. “From a military point of view, what Ross suggests is perfectly feasible. It’ll play merry hell with our bombing schedule for a couple of days, but we’ve definitely got the aircraft and weapons in-theater to do the job and to do it damn thoroughly.” His voice trailed off.
“But?” the President pressed him.
“Frankly, sir, it’s what comes next that worries me.” The general nodded toward Huntington. “Sending any civilian, especially someone as high up as Ross, so deep into enemy territory strikes me as taking one hell of a big chance. I’m not sure the game’s worth the candle.”
Huntington spoke up. “Technically we’re not at war with Belgium, General.” He held up a hand to forestall any protest. “Oh, I know the Belgians are part of EurCon, but we’ve never recognized EurCon — not as a legitimate government. And we’ve never received a declaration of war from Brussels. So, legally, I can travel wherever I want — with a valid passport and visa.”
Galloway snorted. “Yeah. But we already know the French don’t give a damn about legality. If they get wind of what you’re up to, you can bet the DGSE will close in hard and fast, visa or no visa.”
Huntington nodded. “That’s why this whole affair has to be handled carefully and by me personally. Our embassy staff over there can’t do it. They’re probably tagged by French or German intelligence wherever they go. But I know the right people to contact — people I can trust to keep quiet.”
Galloway looked unconvinced. But then he shrugged. Debating imponderables wasn’t the general’s style. He preferred dealing in facts.
The President glanced at Quinn. “What about you, Walt? Any thoughts on this?”
“Yes, sir. I say it’s worth trying, risks and all.” The rotund CIA director surprised them all with his certainty. He explained. “So far we’ve been playing catch-up to the French and Germans, Mr. President. They shut off Poland’s
