Tehran Decree (15 page)

‘It looks like we might have to use the SAS on this
job,’ alarm flared in Bruce Jone’s eyes

‘The SAS is the last thing we need...that would
simply put the heat up several notches, what we need now is
communication, not more confrontation,’ the defence minister looked
down his nose.

‘They’ve got the US president for Christ sakes,’ he
snorted.

‘We are all aware of that, however, since you mention
the SAS, there is a former commander I remember rather well, a
Roger Jansen...I think he may be able to help us,’ the NSW premier
began to slowly shake his head.

‘What can one man do? Unless he is some sort of
superman.’

‘Possibly a lot more than a mob of milling police
officers choking their lungs out in the cross city tunnel. He runs
a private investigative agency in Canberra, and has substantial
live terrorist experience, ’ the premier’s face lit up.

‘It’s not Roger Jansen of Roger the dodger fame is
it?’

‘That’a him premier...its the same man who single
handedly purged the police force of its corrupt commissioner and
police minister, then wound up the Great Swiss Bank robbery case,’
the premier’s brow creased yet again.

‘But wasn’t he also court martialed and given a stiff
prison sentence for striking a superior officer in
Afghanistan.'

‘Yes, premier, right again...obviously a slight
misunderstanding -- anyway, he has the sort of hands on terrorist
experience we desperately need at this moment. If anyone can
negotiate with the Muslim extremists in the tunnel, then he’s our
man,’ the premier forced a smile for the first time.

‘I hope you’re right minister because another
stuff-up like this isn’t going to create an Australian hero.’

‘That may be so sir, but Jansen is still our best bet
at the moment.’

‘Can we get him over here in time.’

‘Might take a couple of hours if we do it now.’

‘That’s too long...’

‘What about the Canberra International Airport, can
we get him on a fast jet from there? A private or military aircraft
will do, after all, it is national emergency,' the defence minister
jerked out a well worn note book from an inside pocket. Looking
guilty he ran off the number for the airport control offices.

‘That’s the managers number...I’m buggered if a can
commit it to memory -- short term memory loss you know,’ he touched
his temple suggesting a developing streak of senility.

‘About the fastest jet around at the moment would be
a VIP Learjet 60, she’ll do 600mph with a push, get him on one of
them, and he’ll be here in no time,’the PM frowned.

‘Isn’t there something faster than that? I believe we
have several Joint Strike Fighters the Lockheed Martin F-35 comes
to mind.’

‘But they are single strike fighters sir,’

‘Be that as it may...but I do believe they are
adaptable twin seaters if necessary. I do recall that provision in
the specifications.’

‘We’ll go for that then sir,’the PM nodded.

‘Good,’ Jones keyed in Jansen’s business number; the
former commander came on line almost immediately.

‘Hello, Canberra Investigative Agency...Jansen
here.’

‘Hello commander, defence minister speaking, we need
your expertise immediately,’ a strained silence pervaded the
line.

‘I’m sorry minister, but we only take private cases,
I’m sure you could find a perfectly good government investigator,
there are many highly qualified people who specialise in public
service cases.’

‘It’s not your investigative prowess we want
Roger...its your profound anti terrorist expertise,’ a second spell
of awkward silence followed. The New South Wales premier’s face
turned sour.

‘Look, we’re wasting our bloody time talking with
this jumped up, quasi-legal maverick, put your best, high ranking
officer in the field now,’ the PM suddenly felt the need to
intervene.

‘Give me the phone...I’ll have a word with him,’ he
clutched the phone authoritatively.

‘Hello Roger, it’s the PM here...we’re in desperate
straights, we need a highly qualified man who can think on his
feet. This is not about private, or public sectors, or egos -- it’s
about your country, it’s about perceived cowardice and heroism in
the face of your fellow men. As your PM, I am asking you to take on
this job,’ the PM let the message sink in.

Jansen sat mortified -- it was the last thing he
wanted to do -- sandwiched between the PM and the BIB it was an
impossible situation and one he just couldn’t refuse.

The reply came back slowly and deliberately.

“I understand sir...you have my full attention,’the
PM turned to the defence minister.

‘Get him here...now!’

Chapter Twenty-nine

The secretary of state tapped on the Oval office door
and came barging in red faced and sweating. He stood in front of
Jenkins desk puffing like a tractor engine, gathering his spent
energy, and trying desperately to sharpen his wits before a planned
confrontation which didn’t quite fire on time.

‘Please excuse me for disturbing you sir -- but what
the hell is this new directive glibly writing off president Garner,
we’re all well aware of your instant proclivity to jump into the
presidents shoes...but isn’t this going a little too far.’

‘I’m sorry you find it a little disturbing Colin, but
it is common ruling that the vice president becomes acting
president during the president’s absences, especially when he’s
abroad and at risk. I might also point out that if the president is
no longer capable of carrying out his duties no matter where he is,
then by the twenty-fifth amendment, the vice president takes over
the president’s duties totally...and if the situation continues
beyond all reasonable expectations...then the vice president is
officially sworn in as president of the United States of
America.’

‘Pardon my observations sir, but me thinks that
perhaps you’re too good an actor.’

‘Well Mr. Secretary, you might just have to swallow
your words, because the president is now in the hands of Jihad
terrorists, and his chances of survival are extremely remote.

‘How very convenient Mr. Acting President.’

‘You know your trouble don’t you Colin...you are not
a realist. In this job, above all else, we have to be realists,
because if you have your head in the clouds, you’ll continue to
crash headlong into reality. So unless you have something positive
to add to the discussion I suggest you leave this office now,’
Steadman glared menacingly at Jenkins intending to fire off a list
of nasty expletives, his better self changed his mind and he
executed a smart about turn, sucked in a huge quantity of air, and
stormed out of the office.

Chapter Thirty

White House

The coffee was still a little too hot for Jenkins
taste and he set the fine porcelain mug down in the middle of the
table mat. It just obscured the colourful White House logo printed
in the centre of the paper mat. His phone beeped in its amplifying
cradle and his female secretary’s voice came through loud and
clear.

‘The national security advisor is here sir.’

‘Good, tell him to come straight through.’ A beaming
security advisor strode into the oval office holding out his right
hand, the president grasped it warmly but with some reservation. A
smiling James Holden tended to be a worrying security advisor,
simply because he had a habit of always putting a positive spin on
the gravest of problems. His expression suddenly became more
serious as he put his hand in his pocket and produced a security
disk. He popped it into the desk recorder and pressed play.

‘I think you should here this Mr. President,’ a
distorted voice crackled over the speakers

‘
Do not terminate this call...I have vital
information...do not interrupt, I will only say this once. Listen
very carefully...the US president will leave government house on
Tuesday 15th, at 2.30pm precisely and enter circular quay, from
there he will go to Darling Harbour, stay for fifteen minutes, then
proceed to the Western distributor cross city tunnel, then exit at
the south airport turn off. He will be in right rear seat of the
second car sitting next to the defence secretary...’

Jenkins sat in silence apparently pondering the gist
of what he had just heard. He squinted coyly at his advisor.

‘Where did you get this recording James?’

‘It was a snag sir, the national security agency
pulled it from US outgoing transmissions...it was traced back to
Washington,’ Holden lowered his voice, ‘it came from the White
House Mr. President,’ Jenkins noticeably stiffened.

‘I presume this is genuine material,’ Holden smiled
one of his disarming smiles.

‘Would I joke about a thing like this to the
president?’

‘Have you checked its credibility?’

‘It is without question sir
--
in fact it came
from a mobile in this very building.’

‘What mobile?’ Holden quickly turned his head, as if
to check that they were alone, and began to whisper.

‘The mobile is registered with the secretary of state
sir,’ Jenkins fell back in his chair seemingly shocked by the
revelation.

‘Who knows about this?’

‘You, me, and few close NSA telecommunication
technicians. What I don’t understand sir, is why a man in his
position would make such a stupid call directly from the white
house offices on his own mobile...it’s just plain crazy!’

‘Have you applied voice recognition to the
message?’

‘We’re working on it, but it might be difficult to
pinpoint the culprit, the wave characteristics have been suppressed
to mask the voice, in any case the evidence points to the secretary
of state sir...and it might still be possible to match the wave
form with the secretary if we compare two similar dubbed voice
recordings, Jenkins peered intently at James Holden as if he had
revealed a state secret.

‘Indeed, let me ask you a simple question James,
which would you consider to be the most powerful attribute of human
nature...emotions, or intellect?’

‘Well, I’d go for the intellect sir.’

‘Really, well you could be wrong there, did you know
that the vast majority of crimes are perpetuated on an emotional
basis? All sexual type offenses are emotional
--
greed is
another common offence based on emotions. Put a man on drugs, and
given the chance, he will blow the whole world to hell just to
continue his supply.’

‘And your point sir?’

‘We need to look at the human emotive factor here,
because the intellectual factor is clearly missing in this case. I
suggest you recheck your info, and then we’ll put the FBI onto it,
but keep this under wraps until we are sure this is a bon fida
security breech.’

‘What about the Attorney General sir, shouldn’t he be
aware of this sir?’

‘Not at this stage James...if the media gets hold of
this we could have a political time bomb on our hands -- lets not
forget the lessons of Watergate. Even a good practical joke is no
longer a joke in the paranoid world we now live in.’

‘I take your point sir...we’ll sit on it for awhile,
but you do realize we can’t let this get away from us?’

‘I do James...but I think we should at least let the
smoke clear a little before jumping in at the deep end. After all,
our quarry has given this country a very large slice of his life,
and a career in tatters topped off with a hefty prison sentence
could well be fatal for an older man.’

Chapter Thirty-one

Government House Sydney

The defence minister checked his watch and smiled
sympathetically at an agitated prime minister. The agonising wait
and the continued progression of a nasty uncontrolled situation
were more that the PM could stand. He could no longer hide his
anxiety and he stood and began pacing the room. For the first time
in his career the defence minister felt sorry for the PM and he
tried to calm his superior.

‘I’m sure we’ll get on top of it sir...Jansen should
be here within the next thirty minutes,’the desk phone rang and the
police minister answered.’

‘Commander Steve Denison speaking sir, the BIB have
just given us an ultimatum -- we’ve got thirty minutes to
completely clear the tunnel of police both ends or they’ll shoot
the chief of staff. Apparently a private helicopter will land at
the tunnel airport turn off; we are to give them total safe
passage, or they’ll shoot the president and the security advisor as
well,’ the PM took the phone again.

‘Look commander, tell them we completely agree with
the their requests, but they must give us time to put them into
effect,’ The FBI director wriggled uncomfortably in his chair and
looked earnestly at the PM.

‘Please excuse this interruption prime minister but
we have to establish a procedure before we can allow the terrorists
to move the president.’

‘I see, what do you have in mind director...they are
about to shoot the chief of staff and maybe the president as well.’
The FBI director shook his head in symbolic defiance.

‘We can’t let them take the president just yet...we
have an alternate plan.’ Australia’s FBI boss straightened his
stance and adopted a serious demeanor. He carefully outlined
president Jenkin’s instructions regarding the marker bullet, and
the need to embed it in president Garner. The PM smiled
inwardly...this was typical US gung ho stuff, so reminiscent of CIA
covert procedures.

‘Well he’s your president director, we’ll see what we
can do,’ he turned toward the defence minister,

‘What do you know about Jansen’s military
capabilities?’

‘Most of it sir, I have his personal file here...and
yes, he is a first class marksman.’

‘Good, we’ll brief him the minute he gets here and
get someone to ready the rifle and accessories, we have no time to
waste.’

Cross City Tunnel Sydney