"Wait," the supervisor said. "That's how I want you to handle it. Three positions, three birds."

"Yeah," the Pred pilot said. "I hope the guys who are taking fire can wait."

"Well, I hear they're in more trouble than mortars..."

"Good evening, Prime Minister..."

President Cliff, unlike his predecessor, was an "early to bed, early to rise" person. He liked a definite schedule and minimum possible interruptions in it.

However, he was more than aware that sometimes a president had to adjust such things. Such as when an international crisis of epic proportions, if very very quiet, was underway.

The problem was the files Mike had picked up inAlbania . They contained blackmail information that could damage every major government in the world. Even when it was information that damaged an opponent, it was so inflammable that it was bound to blow back on the groups in power.

Since none of the governments had trusted the others with the information, Mike, as the easiest to erase if need-be, had been chosen as the guardian.

And now the guardian was on international TV, apparently about to be wiped out by a superior force.

"I am happy that you were willing to take my call," the Prime Minister said. "It is very late for you, is it not?"

The j.a.panese neverever came to the point!

"Sometimes it is necessary to adjust your schedule," President Cliff replied. He could play the indirect game when he had to.

"Some issues do take precedence over personal comfort," the Prime Minister of j.a.pan said. "I was, in fact, awakened from a quite pleasant dream by a senior aide when a particular name was noticed on television."

"I have had a very busy day," President Cliff replied. "But I have been watching some television this evening."

"I note a name, one I had not expected to see on CNN."

"As have I. Were you awake for his most remarkable...display? I was having supper."

"You have my sympathies," the Prime Minister replied. "I have seen the replay. He is...formidable.

However, there is the issue of certain materials..."

"The materials are secure," President Cliff said, trying not to sigh in relief that it had only taken this long to get to the point. They must be really exercised. "This issue has had my attention for some days now.

Perhaps I should have ensured you were informed but it was a private matter, some aspects of which have, unfortunately, become public. However, for many reasons but not least the security of certain materials I dispatched a Ranger company to secure the area. They are unaware of that portion of their mission but are under definite orders to ensure the security of the facility in question. I am also privy to certain details regarding close security and termination of the materials in the event of unauthorized access. I will ensure that you are given sufficient information to ensure your own peace of mind on that score tomorrow."

"I was, in fact, aware of the presence of your infantry unit," the Prime Minister said. "However, my advisors tell me that they are unsure of its ability to secure the materials in the event of attack by the forces in the area. And while we are equally aware of the 'tripwire' aspect of even a small American force being in place... These are, after all, fedayeen and all the response in the world will not save the situation if they capture the materials."

The President looked around the Situation Room and rolled his eyes. The G.o.d d.a.m.ned j.a.panese were telling him that a company of Rangers wasn't enough! G.o.dd.a.m.n them!

He had one of two choices, tell them to f.u.c.k off or play their game. But the point was...Was a company of Rangers enough? Colonel Pierson's talk about war theory was all well and good but the operative word wastheory .

"I apologize for this, Prime Minister, but could you hold for just a moment?" the president said.

"Of course," the Prime Minister said, politely.

The President of theUnited States put the Prime Minister of j.a.pan, who was up in the middle of the d.a.m.ned night, on hold, and looked around the room.

"How fast can we get some B-52s on station?" the president asked. "InGeorgia . The j.a.panese don't think that a company of Rangers can ensure the security of the Keldara."

"What do the j.a.panese care about..." the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs started to say.

"Not now," the Secretary of Defense snapped. "You're not in that compartment. They do. Leave it at that. How long?"

"We don't have any inGermany right now..." the Chairman replied. "England. Whooo... Nine hours? If we scramble themright now. If they can get off fast; they're not on pad alert..."

"B-1s," the Secretary of State said. "Qatar. Tankers out ofIraq andTurkey , afterburner as far as they can on fuel. This morning's report had three mission capable."

"Yes, ma'am," the chairman said, shaking his head. So how in the h.e.l.l did she keep up with all the changes she was making in her own departmentand read, apparently, his entire morning readiness report? "That's the answer, Mr. President. Four hours or so after they lift off."

"Start loading them with JDAMs," the president said. "Or whatever they should carry to support the Rangers in the event the Chechens enter the area." He picked up the phone and hit the release key. "Mr.

Prime Minister, I apologize for keeping you on hold so long. We are dispatching aircraft at this time.

They can be in the area before the Chechens can approach the facility. I will also call the President of Georgia and reensure that he is aware that I consider the Valley of the Keldara to be a place worthy of defense. It might be useful if your government..."

"Said similar things?" the Prime Minister finished for him. "We will consider that with serious intent.

Thank you for relieving me of this burden, Mr. President. Perhaps I can return to pleasant dreams. My best to your lovely wife. I hope she was not too discommoded by the images on the television."

"She was s.n.a.t.c.hed out of the room just in time," the president said. "And I wish you pleasant dreams, Prime Minister."

"I've sent the orders to prepare the B-1s, Mr. President," the CJCS said. "I'll know in about thirty minutes how long it will take for them to get to the mission area."

"We've got calls from the Brits, the Germans, the French, the Russians..." the Secretary of State said, ticking them off on her manicured fingers.

"If it's a Prime Minister I'll talk to them if I have to," the president said. "Otherwise, field it lower. But that's the party line. The area is secure, there are Rangers guarding it, we've got bombers on the way in case that's not enough and maybe they should suggest to the Georgians that they do some of their own d.a.m.ned jobs. It wouldn't kill them to push a battalion up into that pa.s.s!"

"I agree, Mr. President," the Secretary of State replied, looking over at her aide who was scribbling notes. "Get that to the people authorized to discuss this issue."

"That's not many people outside this room," the SecDef pointed out. "Us, Pierson, who else?"

"Not me," the Chairman said, chuckling. He'd been watching the TV with half an eye during the discussion and now tried not to swear. "What the fu... Sorry, sir." The news had tuned back to "Special Bulletin: Battle for Chechnya" but this was a room preparing for a news conference.

"I've heard the word before," the president said, turning the sound up.

"...the Minister of Defense for the country of Georgia," the announcer was saying, "on the subject of the battle going on in Guerrmo Pa.s.s where a group of Georgian soldiers have been trapped and are about to be overrun by Chechen freedom-fighters..."

"Why doesn't the guy just get a job with Al-Jazeera?" the Secretary of Defense said.

"Doesn't want to get hit by a .50 cal?" the Chairman asked, rhetorically.

"Thank youso much for bringing that up, General," the president said, turning slightly green.

"Sorry, sir."

"Minister for Defense, Vakhtang Gelovani," the Georgian spokesperson said, backing away from the podium.

Gelovani was a short, broad man who fit his suit like a stuffed sausage. He was also sweating under all the camera lights and whoever had done his makeup had given him racc.o.o.n eyes and lip gloss that was too bright.

"I wish to read a brief statement," Gelovani said in thickly accented English. "Then I will take questions.

"The current battle is taking place on territory which is internationally recognized as belonging to the country ofGeorgia . The Chechen terrorists who use this area are criminals who are to be dealt with as criminals should. The local militia currently operating in the area were on a mission without the support of the Georgian government when they were detected. At this time, the Georgian government has no plans to come to their aid. That concludes my statement. I will now take questions."

"The b.a.s.t.a.r.d is hanging them out to dry!" the Chairman snapped.

"So are we," the president pointed out. "Otherwise those B-1s would have another mission."

"Minister Gelovani, are you saying that this is a rogue operation?" The reporter was a Brit, probably print since he was taking notes on a laptop.

Gelovani leaned down for his aide to whisper in his ear and then straightened.

"No. The militia were authorized to operate in this region but were not specifically ordered to do so. The regular Georgian military was planning on a major offensive in the area this spring, after the pa.s.ses were clear. By stirring up the nest they may have compromised this offensive."

"Oh myG.o.d ," the Chairman said, shaking his head. "Is henuts ? You don't give away stuff like that on TV!"

"He wasn't planning it, anyway," the Secretary of State said. "We'd know if he was. I think he just made it up on the fly."

"Minister, the group currently fighting, these are the militia called the Keldara, yes?"The reporter was probably Russian from the accent and obviously had been doing his homework.

"That is correct,"Gelovani answered, starting to point to another reporter.

"Minister!"the Russian shouted."On redirect. The Keldara, they are called the Tigers of the Mountains, yes? Is it true that they have an American commander? Is this an American operation?"

"NO!"Gelovani shouted, slamming his fist into the podium."The commander of the Keldara is an American, yes. That is legal under an old law that is currently under review and will probably be changed. But this is not an American operation! We are not backside kissers of the Americans!"

"Hey, Minister!"one of the reporters shouted and caught his attention."These Kaldara people, are they the guys who make the beer?"The reporter had a pad of paper in his hand and a look that was somehow "former military." Since that was really unusual for the mainstream media, he was probably an independent, a stringer, blogger or both.

"Oh my G.o.d," the Secretary of Defense said, shaking his head as the Defense Minister bent over for another conversation with his aide. "This is getting into Twilight Zone. When is this guy going to just shut up and call it a day?"

"Yes,"Gelovani answered."The Keldara do make beer..."

"The Mountain Tiger stuff?"the reporter asked the clearly confused minister."They're distributing it in the States and there was a little AP item on it where they said that part of the proceeds went to supporting the war on terror. Buddy of mine said it's pretty popular around military bases... Is that the same stuff?"

The minister bent down again and then came up, clearly trying to make sense of how things had gone so wrong.

"I think so,"Gelovani replied."I wasn't aware they sold their beer. But they are called the Tigers of the Mountains and they make beer. It is probably the same." He carefully picked his questioner this time.

"Minister Gelovani, you say that you are not sending any forces in support?"The reporter was European, probably German."Then you are going to allow your own force to be overrun?"

"The Keldara are not members of Georgia's National Guard,"Gelovani stated, emphatically.

"But you they are from Georgia, ja?"the reporter pressed."So you are going to let the Chechens kill a hundred of your people. Why?"

"They are notmypeople!"Gelovani shouted, pounding the podium."They are Keldara! They live inGeorgia but they are not Georgians! They have no business being in this country!"

"So are they immigrants? Are they Turks?"the reporter asked as other reporters jumped to their feet and started yelling their own questions. There was nothing a roomful of reporters love more than a senior minister who is clearly bleeding and just begging to be finished off. All of them had questions that were perfect to do that.

"Who are the Keldara?"

"Who is this American that is leading them? Do you feel it takes an American to fight the Chechens?"

"Do you think they are going to win? Is that why you're not sending forces, because they can win where 'Georgian' troops cannot?"

"Minister Gelovani, is it true to say that you're prejudiced against the Keldara?!"

"Minister, are you afraid to commit your troops to a battle with the Chechens?!"

"Do you think that you can ever recapture the Pansiki Gorge?!"

"Minister, is this a political move against General Umarov, the Chief of Staff? You're reported to be considering a run for the presidency; are the Keldara part of your opposition?! Are you trying to deliberately kill them off?"

"Would you say that the Keldara are trying to do your job for you?"

"NO FURTHER QUESTIONS!"Gelovani screamed, storming off the dais. There was not a side exit to the room so the cameras followed him in full retreat, at one point having to push a female reporter out of his way. The girl, who had been shouting questions while not actually looking at him, went over backwards with a scream of fear and landed on the lap of one of the male Russian TV reporters.

"Minuet," the President said, tears streaming down his face from laughing. He paused to catch his breath.

"Minuet. Call the President of Georgia and ask him if he'd like any help from the American military. Of course, if he feels that that is backside-kissing."

"Yes, sir," the Secretary of State said, but she wasn't laughing. "But there was one important question asked in all of that."

"What?" the president asked, wiping at his eyes.

"Wh.o.a.re the Keldara?"

Nielson had his head in his hands whenLydia touched his shoulder. He was trying to figure out if Mike had seen the casualty reports. Anger could be worse than fear in a commander. Given Lasko's sniper shot, it had to have been Lasko, he probably had.

"General Umarov."

Nielson picked up the phone without lifting his head and hit the flashing b.u.t.ton.

"Colonel Nielson."

"The Zhoda Battalion is drawing weapons and ammunition at this time," Umarov said. "Some of them are coming by truck to the Valley. Others are going to be carried to the pa.s.s by helicopter. But it will take a while to get them organized and ready. They will not be to the pa.s.s before nightfall. Sorry."

"Not a problem," Nielson said, still holding his head in one hand. "They won't get there in time to do anything but pick up bodies, but I appreciate the gesture."

"I'm sorry it took this," Umarov replied. "I almost feel sorry for the Defense Minister. Almost. But there was a reason that he was so off balance. Would you mind telling me why the President has been fielding calls from j.a.pan, China, Russia, India, Italy, France, Germany and Great Britain, not to mention a call from your own Secretary of State, about their interest in ensuring the Chechens do not capture the Valley of the Keldara? They've all been quite polite about their calls but equally...intense."

"I dunno. They like our beer?"