The War Planners (6 page)

She said, “This threat requires urgent action and new ideas.  We can’t use the same lessons learned in the sessions that were held a decade ago when trying to protect against another September 11th.  For we are no longer trying to protect against terrorists, but against the country with the largest economy and military on the planet.”

The room became quiet.  David could sense that reality was setting in for the others in the classroom.

“A few weeks ago we lost contact with one of our assets in Shanghai.  Before that happened, he sent me a message that revealed two important things.  The most important was what we have already discussed.  China is planning to attack the United States.  Very few in the Chinese leadership are aware of this plan.  They are dedicated to keeping it secret.  But rest assured, the decision makers that matter are very aware.  The second big item that our Chinese asset revealed is the reason you all are here instead of a team from the Pentagon doing this
in
the Pentagon.  We as a country have been infiltrated by the Chinese intelligence community.  Badly.  And they have been actively deepening this penetration.  The Chinese have key people feeding them information inside just about every key government organization.  Sleepers have been activated.  New operatives have been inserted.  They are making moves to get ready for a war.”

David heard rumbles from around the room. 

“There is a bit of a cat-and-mouse game going on right now.  There is just a small team assigned to this project.  We are keeping this operation quiet, even from our own agencies, while we figure out whom we can trust.  At the same time, we know that we have to plan our defense.  While we know that the Chinese are planning the attack and we know some of their objectives, we don’t know exactly
how
they intend to do it.  We know a little, but not nearly enough.  That’s where you come in.  This isn’t just a regular consulting project.  We want you to be ruthless and calculating as you think of what they might do.  We will provide you with what we have uncovered as their probable objectives.  But before our man was killed...and yes, he was killed...”  

A few people gasped.  Most stared at Lena in shock.  She spoke with an unemotional detachment.  They were hanging on every word.  

“…we were unable to get any of their detailed plans.  We have begun a very thorough mole-hunt in the government and military right now.  We need to use the next few months to root out every Chinese spy that has infiltrated us.  Only then can we be share this information with the people who will need to know.  What we don’t want to do is tip our hand and bring on war without preparation.  We are afraid that if we start disseminating this information and some of their spies find out, the Chinese might move up their timetable before we can prepare.  Also, in that scenario they would then be attacking with their spies in place.  That
can’t
happen.”  

She looked around the room.

“I know this is shocking.  I know it may seem unbelievable if you are just now hearing it.  But I assure you it is very real.  Our world may soon change drastically.  We may be in a war like our generation has never known.  So I ask that you each do your part to the best of your ability.  Work hard.  Make the best decisions you can.  Help to prepare our country for the worst.  Good luck.  Now, let’s get to work.”

The group sat stunned.  Slowly, people started to stand up and move down the stairs aisles of the room towards the back door where the administrative papers waited.  The Air Force Major was there, helping everyone get their paperwork done.  The crowd resumed speculation on what the future had in store with a renewed fervor.  

David found himself waiting in line to sign his non-disclosure agreement and collect a security badge.  That struck him as a bit silly.  If this island really were in the middle of nowhere, wouldn’t Lena and whoever else was running this show already know exactly who was here?  The badges seemed more for show than anything. 
But show
for
whom
?

“Thank you for participating today Mr. Manning.”

David hadn’t seen Lena walk up behind him.  Closer up, she was even more attractive.  Her dark brown eyes stared intently into his. 

“Of course.  I’m glad to help.” 

“I’m very interested to hear more about ARES.  We’ll look forward to a full briefing from you later.  I am fascinated to hear about its capabilities.  And to know more about these men that have created the program.”

David was surprised she knew about it.  But if that was why Tom sent him, it made sense that she would. 

He said, “ARES.  Yeah.  Well I don’t know if you would even call them men.  The three of them were in their early twenties.  Boys, I’d say.”

She shook her head.  She said, “Remarkable.  But I guess many of our strongest tech companies were started by exuberant youths.  It takes a fiery intellect to really change the world.  Like young Natesh there.” 

She nodded toward Natesh, who was out of earshot across the room. 

David said, “It sounds like we’ll need that brain power to help us, in light of the plot you’ve uncovered.  Hopefully we can harness that power for the good guys.”

Lena said, “David, that’s why we brought you all here, to harness that intellectual power.  And I promise you we’ll do exactly that.” 

She nodded a farewell, turned, and walked out the door.

David watched her go and felt an uneasy voice in his head begin to whisper.  It was the same voice that he felt when Tom was speaking to him on the plane.  Lena and Tom had both said all of the right things. 

But the whisper was still there.  The whisper was what his father used to call it when David was a boy.  His father’s sage advice never failed to keep David out of trouble: 
When the whisper tells you not to follow the pack, hear the whisper like a scream
.

Natesh sat on his bed, his moist palms pressed against white cotton bed sheets.  He was always the most nervous on the first day.  That was when all those intelligent and accomplished eyes began to judge him.  In the first 30 minutes, Natesh found, the vast majority of his spectators made their decision as to the worth of his service.  So like any good salesman, he had to nail it on the up front.  And he did it, time after time. 

That was how he had made his millions.  Not through his intellectual prowess.  Smart people were a dime a dozen.  Natesh made his millions by selling himself.  He delivered both a high quality exhibition and intellectual output for his clients.  But he had to give them a convincing show for their money. 

He always got nervous, and today’s nervousness went beyond anything that he had felt before. He needed to keep calm.  Just stick to the script.  He must forget that the final product here wasn’t a product at all, but bloodshed.  He tried to console himself with the fact that if he did his job well, there would be less of it.    

Natesh had his routine.  The stories changed depending on the exact project, but the basic formula stayed constant.  Introductions came first.  Then he would tell a story to both captivate and serve as inspiration for a strategy.  For this project, Natesh decided that he would tell his story about a professional pickpocket from New York City.  That one usually went over well.  Natesh would follow that up with comparisons between the competitors.  Normally his competitors were two major conglomerates.  Today, they were two superpowers.  From there, Natesh would get to the meat of the conversation.  He would go over project objectives and begin brainstorming about ways to create competitive advantage.  MBA’s usually ate it up.  He wasn’t so sure about this audience. 

It was highly likely that the activities they created in this particular project would involve killing on a mass scale.  It would be unlike anything Natesh had worked on before.  He hoped that his gift for analysis and strategic thinking surpassed the line between corporate battle and actual battle.  Certainly the man who had picked him for this assignment thought so. 

But oftentimes, with the gift of genius comes the curse of thinking deeply.  Life’s harsh realities were magnified by this lens.  Natesh thought about how people on the Manhattan project had felt, knowing that they were designing death.  There was the utilitarian justification that was used by so many after the bombs were dropped on Japan.  A supposedly far larger number would have been lost in a hostile invasion of the Japanese mainland.  Was this war-planning analogous to that?  They were designing a most efficient plan for war. Natesh hoped that the greatest good would rise from the smoke.   

Three sharp knocks sounded on his door.  

He opened it to find Lena staring at him.  Natesh’s parents were both Indian.  While he would never admit as much in an American society dominated by political correctness, he preferred women that were from a similar ethnic background to his own.  Lena, however, was a truly beautiful Asian woman.  Her looks seriously called into question any previous preference Natesh had.  Her dark brown eyes had a fire that showed intelligence, confidence, and—what was it?  There was some other quality there.  Passion?  No.  Ruthless commitment.  She looked like she had never failed at anything in her life, and that she had expected as much.  With full lips and a well-proportioned, athletic body, she looked like she could have been a model for one of those women’s fitness magazines.  Natesh wondered if it was her looks that made his blood pressure rise when she was around.  No, it was her ruthlessness.

“Good morning, Lena.  We have another twenty minutes before—”

“Let’s talk in my office.  Please follow me.”

She turned and walked down the barracks hallway.  Natesh grabbed his key and presentation notes off his nightstand and hustled to catch up.  He was glad that he had gotten ready early.  They walked out of the barracks and down a 100-foot-stretch of gravel that brought them to the smallest building on the island base.  Everyone assumed that this was a base, although Lena was likely the only one that knew for sure.  An arc of tropical trees shaded the path. 

Natesh’s feet crunched through the stones and seashells as he walked. The morning sun cast a beautiful light over the beaches beyond the runway.  He wanted to stop and admire the monstrous green mountain at the heart of the island, but Lena trudged onward at a quick pace.  A trickle of sweat slid down his forehead as he hobbled after her.

They reached the concrete structure with satellite dishes and a group of antennae on top.  Razor wire lined the roof.  Metal bars caged in each of the narrow windows, making it look like a small town jail.  Lena’s fingers danced over the digital keypad as she typed in the code to the single steel door.  Natesh heard a faint beep and then a click as the door unlatched.  They entered the Comms Building, as it was known, and Lena sealed the door behind them.

She looked at him, her eyes filled with that ever-present intensity.  He had seen that look from many a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley.  Athletes called it the eye of the tiger.  Natesh thought this metaphor fit.  Lena was every bit the predator.

Her voice was flat.  “So...are you all set?”

Natesh could feel the sweat between the tips of his fingers and his palms.  “Yes.  All set.”  He tried to sound calm. 

She saw through the lie.  “You’re worried?”

Natesh said, “It’s just a lot to process, that’s all.”

“Yes.”  She nodded.

“I’m fine.  I’ve done this sort of thing many times.  I’ll be fine.”

Disapproval flickered in her eyes, then calm.  Her voice was soft as she said, “Natesh.  We have watched you for some time now.  You are quite capable.  I know that you’ve never done anything like
this
before.  But to be frank, no one has. Stick to your routine.  Get in a rhythm, and be the conduit for others to provide the information.”

He nodded.  “Sure.  Sure.  As you say.  I will be good.  Thanks.”

“I’m here to help.” 

She said,  “This is the Communications room.  Major Combs and you will be the only ones with access.  Take this paper.  On it is your code that will open the outer door to this building.  Memorize it.  You won’t be able to take it with you.  You’ll be able to go on these computers and get information from the outside world.  These computers are on a censored and monitored network.  You won’t be able to access to the whole Internet.  If there are any sites that you need or information that you aren’t able to get, the email system only goes to one person.  He is my colleague that will be able to do external research for you.  We’re giving you this privilege because we want you to be the single point of contact for all of the members of the Red Cell.  If there is information that you all need to access as you are making your plans, you’ll be the one to get it.  Understood?”

Natesh nodded.  “Yes.”  He looked around the room.  There were three spotless computer terminals.  The computers were bulkier than what he was used to.  Military grade, he imagined.  There was another steel door at the far side of the room.  It had a keypad next to it, just like the one on the outside of the building.

Natesh asked, “Does my code work on that door?”

“No.”  Replied Lena.

“What’s back there?”

“My living quarters.”

“You need a digital lock on your living quarters?” 

She frowned.  “We had better head to class.” 

They rose and walked outside, Lena shutting the door as they left.  Once again they walked next to each other on the gravel path.  This time they headed to the second largest of the buildings, the Classroom. 

The Classroom sat atop a small hill, which overlooked the runway on one side.  A pristine beach of dark grey sand lay just outside its walls on the other. Breaking waves intermingled with the sounds of island gulls hovering overhead. 

It was almost eight a.m.  Natesh just had to get through this presentation.  Then he would have the momentum to get through this first day.  Then he would get through the first week.  And then...Well, there was a lot of change ahead. Natesh tried not to think of how important his part might be.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Lena said, “Just breathe.  We briefed them yesterday on the big picture.  They understand what’s at stake here.  Remember that.  Everyone here wants to help defend the United States.  You are a talented man.  And our country needs you.”  She put her hand on the muscle between his neck and shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.  “I know you’re absorbing a lot right now.  We all are.  But you need to relax, Natesh. All of this will work out.”

They stood outside the double glass doors of the Classroom building.

“Thanks,” he replied.  There was nothing like a few choice words from an attractive woman to prop up the ego of a doubting man.  What’s more, Lena seemed to have a gift for handling people.

Moments later, Natesh stood on the auditorium stage, studying the faces in his audience.  His nerves calmed as he shifted into business mode.  About half of the seats were filled.  The others were funneling in.  Most people sipped steaming coffee from Styrofoam cups.   

The loud drone of aircraft engines caused most people to look out expansive windows.  A large multi-engine propeller plane rolled down the runway.  Every other day, that plane was supposed to be bringing in supplies from who knows where.  Lena and the Major had told them about it last night during their indoctrination.  This was the first drop-off. 

They had been told about all of the buildings on the island.  They were told where to go to get food and to wash their clothes.  There was very little infrastructure.  Only a handful of Asian maids and cooks lived in back of the cafeteria.  None spoke English, not that it mattered.  The Major had warned against speaking with them.  They were cleared to work here, but no conversations were to go on within earshot of any of them.  There were strict security rules to follow.  Lena had explained the rules clearly.  Don’t go outside the boundaries of the base fence.  It circled the runway and the buildings, but split the island in half, with nothing but mountainous jungle on the other side.  Don’t communicate off the island.  Natesh wasn’t sure how anyone could have pulled that off anyway.  It wasn’t like they had a satellite phone.  Lena told them that if anyone had any problems, medical or otherwise, they were to see her as soon as possible.  No one had raised any concerns.

Natesh watched the runway scene through the window as men in protective eyewear and helmets jumped down from a retractable ramp on the rear of the aircraft.  The men rolled off crates near one of the taxiways and then immediately hopped back on board.  Within minutes, the plane had taken off.  As soon as it had, the Asian stewards that cooked their food and made up their rooms each day scurried out to the crates and brought them back to the cafeteria building.  What was this place? 

Everyone was seated.  Natesh walked over and stood up in front of the podium.  He looked at his watch.  8:01 a.m.  “Good morning.  I hope you all have been able to sleep better than I have.”

He got a few tired smiles in reply.

“Well...at least we all know why we’re here.  Let’s do the best that we possibly can at this.  The better job we do at planning out possible Chinese attack strategies and tactics, the better our nation will be able to prepare.”

“Amen.” someone said in the back.  There were several nods of approval at that.  Most of the group had progressed from the frantic denials and arguments of last night into a patriotic eagerness to contribute. 

“So...” He looked at everyone in the room.  He saw Lena in the back of the room, standing by the window.  She had an encouraging smile and gave him a polite nod, as if to prod him along. 

Natesh cleared his throat.  He said, “Let’s look at the facts.  We started to examine some of the numbers yesterday.  On everyone’s desk is an official report that compares China and the US.  It’s a threat assessment conducted jointly by the CIA and the Pentagon last year that essentially does what we’re going to do today.  It’s a SWOT analysis.  For those of you that aren’t familiar, SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.  But what took the CIA and the Pentagon over six months to conclude, I can sum up in two sentences.  One: China is really big.  And two: the United States has a military technology advantage.  Let me ask you all a question.  If you all have ten men and I have just one...but my one has a gun where as your ten men have swords...how would you attack me?”

“I’d rush you,” said a young man in the front row.

“Alright. So, rushing the man with a gun, that would be an example of a tactic we could use.  We, if we were the Chinese, could gather as many troops as possible and start ramping up production of military assets.  We could start massing troops on US beachheads and overcome the American military with overwhelming force.  But I can tell you from my experience in business strategy, that this may not be the best tactic to use if it is not accompanied by other strong initiatives.  For our strategy must also take into account our long-term goals.  Our strategy will help us to identify the best tactical options.  We can then make a series of tactical choices with our end goal in mind.”

Natesh looked out at his audience.  Several of the military men had looks of skepticism on their faces.  They saw a young Indian man trying to teach them about military strategy.  That was fine with Natesh.  Let them think what they want.  He clenched his jaw a few times and focused on Lena, standing in the back of the room.   She gave him a thumbs-up.  She really was a nice coach.