Chapter 2 The prologue begins here

This must have been caused by the shock of the moment.Ryan thought so.He seemed to be two people at the same time.One was looking out the window of the lunch room at CNN's Washington bureau to watch the flames emanating from the ruins of the Capitol. Yellow sparks burst out of a field of orange light like somber flowers, representing With more than a thousand lives devoured an hour ago.At the moment, the numbness overtakes the pain, but he knows it will come, as pain is often felt after a hard punch rather than immediately.Once more Death stretched out his dreadful hand; he saw Death approaching, stopped, and at last drew back.Happily, his children had no idea that their young lives had been so close to death; to them it was nothing more than an accident of which they did not understand.At the moment, they are with their mother.Having their mother by their side makes them feel safe when their father is not around.It was a situation he and the kids had grown used to, even though they didn't like it.John.Patrick.Ren stared at the tragic scene after the god of death swept through, and he was completely numb to this one.

Another stared at the same scene and knew he had to do something.As much as he tried to keep himself sane, reason couldn't win because it couldn't tell him what to do or where to start. Mr President.This is operator Andrea.Price's voice. Um?Ryan replied without turning his head from the window.Through the image reflected in the glass, he could see six other Secret Service agents holding guns behind him to prevent others from approaching. A group of CNN workers stood outside the door. They were all journalists. Part of the reason for gathering here was naturally the need for work, but the main reason was pure human curiosity, wanting to witness this historical event in person. moment.They want to experience the feeling of being there, but they don't understand the fact that this kind of thing is the same for everyone.Whether it's a car accident or a sudden and serious illness, people's unprepared minds stop functioning and try to find a reasonable explanation for the chaos. The tougher the test, the harder it is to return to sanity.However, at least someone who has been trained in hazard handling knows how to call for help according to the procedure.

Mr. President, we must invite you to Where to go?a safe place?where is that?asked Jack, and silently berated himself for the cruelty of the question, because at least twenty other Operators were also buried in the fire a mile away, and they're all standing in the lunch room with the new president now friends of men and women; he has no right to pass on to them his restlessness.Where is my family?he asked after a moment. At the Marine Corps Barracks at I and Eighth Streets, your instructions are being followed, Mr. President. Yes, it would be nice for them to be able to report commands that have been executed.Ryan nodded slowly while thinking.It was also good for him to know that his orders had been carried out.Anyway, he finally did what he had to do.Is this a start you can count on?

Mr. President, what if this was an organized and premeditated event? No, that can't be the case.Andrea, right?asked President Wren.He was amazed at how tired his voice sounded, and it reminded him that shock and stress can be more exhausting than the most strenuous physical activity.He didn't even have the energy to shake his head and clear his voice. It is possible.Operator Price pointed out. Yes, I think she is right.So, what to do with the program? Walk on the knee machine.Price replied that she was referring to the National Emergency Air Command Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747 at Andrews Air Force Base.Jack considered the suggestion, then frowned.

No, I can't escape, I think I should go back there.President Wren pointed to the flame.Yes, I should be there, shouldn't I? No, Mr. President, that's too dangerous. That's where I should be, Andrea. He had begun to think like a statesman, Price thought, and was frustrated by it. Ren saw the look on her face and realized he should explain.He had learned a trick once, perhaps the only one available at the moment, and it flashed through his mind like a signpost on a highway.This is a leadership skill that I learned at Quanti.Rescue teams want to see you at work, they want to know you're there for them.And I also had to make sure that it was all true, that I had indeed become president.

Is he really the president? The Secret Service thinks so.He had taken oaths, made statements, and prayed to God that his efforts would bear fruit, but it was all done so quickly, so briefly.In John.Patrick.For almost the first time in Ryan's life, he wished he could wake up from this unbelievable nightmare after closing his eyes.However, when he opened his eyes, orange-red flames and dancing flames were still flashing in the ruins.He knew he had said those things. He even made a little speech, didn't he?But now he couldn't remember any of them. A minute ago, he said let's get to work, which he remembered.But this is just a habitual blurt out, what does it mean?

Jack, Ryan shook his head, as if he had to put in a lot of effort to do this, then turned around and looked directly at the operator in the room. OK, who's left? Minister of Commerce and Minister of the Interior.Operator Price replied that this was the latest news she got through her personal radio.The secretary of commerce is currently in San Francisco and the secretary of the interior is in New Mexico.They have all been called and the Air Force will be picking them up shortly.We lost all the other cabinet members, including Secretary Shaw, the nine justices of the Supreme Court, and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.We have not yet been able to determine how many members of Congress were not present when the incident occurred.

Where is Mrs. Dooling? Price shook his head. She didn't escape. Mr. President, their children are now in the White House. Faced with this other tragedy, Jack nodded sadly, speechless.He closed his eyes, knowing that this was yet another thing he had to deal with himself.For the Doolings' children, this was not a public event, but a simple, fleeting and tragic outcome: Both parents died, and they were now orphans.Jack had seen them before, talked to them like smiling and saying hello to other people's children, but they were real children he knew faces and names, except that all they had now were the surnames their parents had given them. Their faces, too, will be distorted by the shocking and unbelievably painful truth.They will, like Jack, try to close their eyes and forget this inescapable nightmare.However, it will be more difficult for them because they are so young and vulnerable.Did they know?

Yes, Mr. President.Andre replied that they were watching TV at that time, and the operators had to tell them the truth.Their grandparents are still alive, and they have other relatives, and we will bring them in as well.She didn't mention much, in fact, all this has been prepared long ago. In the secret service operation center a few blocks west of the White House, there is a sealed paper bag in a confidential filing cabinet that contains contingency plans for various emergencies. , and the solution adopted today is only one of them. And yet, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of children who have lost their parents, not just two.Jack had to temporarily put Durin's child aside.As hard as it is, it's also a relief to let it go for a while.He looked at Operator Price again.

You mean, now I represent the whole government? Yes, Mr. President.that's why we That's why I had to do what I had to do.Jack walked towards the door, his sudden movement frightened the Secret Service operatives to put on a vigilant posture.There are some cameras on the corridor, Ren walked straight past them, and the two operators leading the way distracted the journalists crowded in the corridor to clear the passage; those reporters were also caught off guard and only focused on photography.No one asked any questions.That's odd, Jack thought, without the slightest smile on his face.He didn't even think about the look on his face.An elevator door was open and waiting; thirty seconds later he hurried into the spacious lobby.In the hall, besides the Secret Service operatives, there were other people.Half of the operators were holding submachine guns pointed at the ceiling.They must have been brought in from elsewhere. There were more of them than he had seen twenty minutes before.Then he saw the Marines standing outside.Most of them did not put on neat full uniforms, and some even only wore red T-shirts and camouflage pants, shivering from the cold.

We need a little more security staff.Price explained, so I called the barracks for backup. I see.Ren nodded.No one would think it unseemly for the President of the United States to be surrounded by Marines as he is now.Most of them are still children, with no expression on their smooth youthful faces. For people with weapons, this is a frightening and dangerous state. They watch the parking lot intently like watchdogs, rifles in hand.A captain was standing outside the door talking to an operator. When President Ryan walked out, the Marine Corps officer stood at attention and saluted him.Well, he also thought it was true.Ren nodded in return, and gestured to the nearest Hummer. to Capitol Hill.John.Patrick.Ren ordered succinctly. The car drove much faster than he imagined.The police have blocked all the main streets, and fire engines have also rushed to the scene to do their best to rescue.An official vehicle of the Secret Service, which looks like something between a station wagon and a pickup truck, cuts ahead with its warning lights flashing and its siren honking.The security personnel were sweating and probably cursing the stupidity of their new boss (as the president was called inside the White House). The tail of the Boeing 747 was still fairly intact, at least recognizable as an arrow slashed obliquely on some dead animal.To Lane's surprise, the flames continued.The Capitol is a stone building, but inside there are wooden desks and a lot of papers and God knows what other combustible substances.Above the building are military helicopters, hovering like moths, their rotors glowing against the orange flames on the ground.There are red and white fire trucks everywhere, and the warning lights on the vehicles are also flashing red and white, adding a little color to the smoke and steam rising into the sky.Firefighters were rushing back and forth as hoses snaked all over the floor to every visible hydrant, pumping water to the pumps of the fire brigade vehicles.Because many water pipes were not fully connected to the fire hydrants, the small sprays sprayed from the cracks quickly froze in the cold night. The southern end of the Capitol has been devastated; the steps are recognizable, but the colonnades and roof are beyond recognition; the House of Representatives is a pit filled with oblong stones, white marble smoky with dust blacken.The dome of the building on the north side collapsed, and part of it is still recognizable, because it was cast in wrought iron during the Civil War, so some remnants of pie slices still remain more or less original; firefighting efforts mainly focus on Here, because this is the central part of the Capitol.There are countless water pipes, some hovering on the ground, and some protruding directly from the top of the ladder and the water tower of the elevator.The firefighters hoped that the sprayed water would prevent the fire from spreading further, but looking at Wren's location, it really didn't seem to have any effect. On the contrary, the most conspicuous scene at the scene was the ambulances in groups of three and four, and the medical staff on board could only stand there in pain, at a loss as to what to do.None of the folding stretchers placed in front of them were used.The experienced medics had nothing to do but stare at the blackened but still recognizable and repulsive white tail fin of the flamingo.JAL Everyone thinks the war with Japan is over, but is it?Is this the last provocation or revenge?Or just a horrific and ironic accident?Jack's feeling was that such a scenario would be like a car accident, perhaps on a different scale, but at least not so different in kind.And for those well-trained rescuers, the result of this operation was like so many other rescue efforts: it was too late.Too late, so they couldn't put out the fire in time; too late, so they couldn't save the very lives they swore to save; too late, so they couldn't save anything at all. The Humvee approached the southeast corner of the Capitol and stopped just outside the circle of fire trucks.Before Ryan got out of the car, a whole class of marines surrounded him again, and one of the captains went forward to open the car door for the new president. So, who is in charge here?Jack asked Operator Price.At this moment, he realized for the first time that it was so cold tonight. I think it might be someone from the fire brigade. Let's go find him.Jack started walking towards the fire trucks.Wearing a thin wool suit, he was already shivering.Fire chiefs usually wear white hats, right?And these guys were in cars, not fire trucks, which he remembered from his childhood in Baltimore.He saw three red cars and walked in that direction. Damn it, Mr. President!Operator Price screamed at him.The other operators all rushed forward, and the marines didn't know whether to lead or follow; no one's manual explained how to deal with this situation, and the rules of the Secret Service were also violated by the president up.Then, one of the operators suddenly broke the embarrassment, quickly boarded the fire truck closest to him, and brought back a rubber fireproof suit. Mr. President, it will be warmer in this one.Operator Laman said while helping the president put it on.Wearing this outfit makes the president look like one of the hundreds of firefighters running around.Price gave Rahman a wink and a nod of approval, the first time she had shown such near-indiscretion since the Boeing 747 crashed on Capitol Hill.What was even more satisfying to her was that President Lane didn't seem to really realize why they wanted him to wear this heavy fire suit.Secret Service operatives will remember this moment as the beginning of a contest: a contest between the Secret Service operative and the President of the United States, a contest between the President's ego and the Operator's deception. competition. The first fire chief Lane found was talking on the radio, trying to direct the firefighters to get closer to the flames; a man in civilian clothes stood by and spread a large bundle of papers on the side of the car. on the hood.Jack thought that this might be the architectural design of the Capitol.Ryan waited a few feet away, while the two looked at the blueprint, gesticulating left and right, and the fire chief intermittently gave instructions through the walkie-talkie. Also, please be careful not to touch those loose rocks.Fire Chief Paul.Magill gave the final instructions, then turned around, rubbed his eyes, and asked: Who are you? This is the president.Price told him. Magill blinked in astonishment.He quickly glanced at the gunmen around him, and then at Ren.It just sucks.The fire chief spoke first. Did anyone survive? Magill shook his head.None here, but three over there, all of which were blown out.We think they were in the Congressional Speakers' Lounge, or around there, and maybe the blast just blew them out of the window.It was two attendants and a Secret Service operative, both burned or blasted.We're searching, well, we're going to do our best, but so far, if people don't burn to death, they're suffocating from lack of oxygen, so there's no chance of survival.Paul.Magill was a black man as tall as Ryan, with a strong chest.His hands have large patches of white spots, showing that he has fought fiercely with fire in his past career.His weather-beaten face was now full of grief, for fire is not the enemy of humanity, but a merciless thing that scars the lucky and consumes the rest.Mr. President, we may have good luck.Some may stay in a small room with the door closed.According to the blueprint, there are many small rooms like this in this place, and we may be able to rescue some survivors.I have encountered this kind of thing before, but most of the people still shook their heads. The fire has been brought under control and should not spread anymore. Has anyone escaped from the conference hall?Operator Laman asked.What he really wanted to know was the name of the operator who was blown out, but it was not in line with his professional style to ask directly.Magill just shook his head. No.He watched the fading fire, and then said: That would have to be done very quickly.He shook his head again. I want to go and have a look.Jack said impulsively. no.Magill replied immediately, it's too dangerous, Mr. President.Firefighting is my business, I have my own rules, you know? I have to go see it.Ren said, calming down a little.They met eyes and exchanged ideas; Magill still didn't like the idea.He looked again at the men with the guns, mistaking them for the new president, too, if he was the president. Mr. President, the scene will make you unbearable. It was dusk in Hawaii at this time, Rear Admiral Robert.The plane piloted by Jackson was preparing to land at Naval Air Station Barbers Point.He looked at the brightly lit hotels on the south shore of Oahu from the corner of his eye, and suddenly remembered how much it would cost to stay in one of the guest rooms.Never since his early twenties had he shared a house with two or three Navy pilots to save money for bar-hopping and impress the locals with their ostentatious gregarious manners. woman.His Tomcat landed softly despite the long flight and three refueling en route, because Robert still considered himself a fighter pilot and an artist in flight, so no detail was willing to be overlooked.After landing, he gradually slowed down appropriately and turned right onto the taxiway. Tomcat 500, continue to slide towards the end I've been here before, miss.Jackson smiled and said he was breaking the rules by doing so.But he's a major general, and what rules do fighter pilots and major generals care about. 500, there is a car waiting for you. Thanks.Robert could see the car parked by the farthest hangar, and a sailor was waving the usual glowing baton. Not a bad trip for an old guy.The crew in the back seat of the plane said while putting away the map and some important documents that are not currently needed. Kudos to you.I've never been this stiff before, Jackson told himself.He adjusted his sitting posture, and his buttocks that seemed to be filled with lead were heavy and painful.All feelings are gone, how can it still hurt?He asked himself with a wry smile.The answer that flashed in his mind was: too old.Then, his leg felt sick too; goddamn arthritis.These forced him to order Sanchos to send him a fighter jet.It would have been too far to take him to Pearl Harbor from the USS Stennis on a carrier-based transport plane, and his orders were specific: Return as quickly as possible.Therefore, he borrowed this Tomcat fighter jet, which had a broken fire control system and could not perform normal tasks; the Air Force provided aerial tankers.After seven hours of silent flight, he crossed half the Pacific Ocean.There is no doubt that this will be the last time.As Jackson turned the fighter toward the tarmac, he shifted his seat again, only to experience another throbbing pain in his back. Isn't that the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet?asked Jackson, who seemed to recognize the man in white next to the blue car. That's Admiral Dave.Sidon, he didn't stand up straight, but leaned against the car body, flipping through the relevant documents.At this point Robert has shut down the engine and opened the cockpit cover.A sailor prepared a sort of mechanic's ladder to make it easier for Robert to disembark.Another soldier, to be precise, a female soldier, took out the major general's luggage from the storage compartment at the bottom of the fuselage.It seems that someone has been waiting very anxiously. problem occurs.As soon as Robert's feet landed, Sidon said. I thought we won.Jackson said, and stopped on the hot concrete tarmac.He froze for a few minutes before his mind returned to normal functioning, but instinct told him that something unusual was happening. The president is dead and we have a new president.Seton handed over a folder, he's your friend.We are going to temporarily enter the third level of combat readiness. Damn it, Major General Jackson said, reading the first page of the official document, then looked up.Jack is the new one? Don't you know he's the vice president? Jackson shook his head.I got caught up in something before I left the ship this morning, oh my!After speaking, he shook his head again. Sidon nodded.Ed.When Kirti resigned over the sex scandal, the president persuaded Wren to take over as vice president until next year's election, which Congress approved.It's just that before he started working, an accident happened and the plane crashed into the Capitol.All members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff died.The Deputy Chiefs have all been replaced.Michael.General Michael Moore.Moore is the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Calls have been made to get all commanders in chief to Washington as soon as possible.There is a KC|Ten transport plane waiting for us at Hickam Air Force Base. Is it a threat from abroad?Jackson asked.In terms of permanent assignment, his regular job is the deputy chief of operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second combatant commander. Sidon shrugged.In theory, it shouldn't be.The intelligence staff said that the situation has calmed down and the Japanese are no longer engaged in war Jackson interjected: However, the United States has never suffered such a blow in the past. The plane is waiting.You can change after you get on the plane, and grooming doesn't matter anymore, Robert. At all times, the world is divided by time and space, especially time. If she had a moment to think, she would, but she hardly had time.She was in her sixties, and her petite frame had begun to bend from years of devotion to work, and it was getting worse because there were few young people to help her and give her rest.It's just so unfair; she used to think of other people and take over for them, and generations of people used to do the same thing, but it's not the same anymore, and there's always no one for her do something.She tried hard not to think about these questions because it wasn't worth it, it didn't fit her place in the world, and it violated a promise she made to God more than forty years ago. Jane.Sister Baptiste is an experienced and skilled nurse.Regardless of the drastic political changes in her surroundings, or whether her patients were African or European, she always carried out her work in the same way and with the same skill. When she was young, her body was very strong, and several doctors called her Sister Hard Rock, but these doctors came and went, but she stayed here and never left.Along the way, even the hardest rock will be worn through.Tiredness made her start to make mistakes. The boy was only eight years old, handsome, fit, intelligent, and had been an honor student and chaperone at the nearby Catholic school.A few hours earlier, at midnight, he had been driven to the hospital by his father.The diagnosing doctor thought he had meningitis, but routine tests failed to confirm the diagnosis.Severe headaches, vomiting, twitching of the limbs, dizziness, and high fever are typical symptoms of meningitis.She hoped it wouldn't become contagious, and while the disease was curable, the problem was getting patients to come for treatment. The other wards have already quieted down in such a late night, no, it should be said that it is early morning.The boy's biggest problem at the moment was a persistent high fever, so she pulled back the covers and sponged him, which seemed to calm his uncomfortable young body.Then she took a moment to check for other symptoms; she found nothing, save for an old bandage on his left hand.How could the doctor ignore this?Jane.Baptiste walked back to the nurses' station, where two of her assistants were dozing off.She didn't want to wake them up, and went back to the patients with clean bandages and antiseptic.She slowly and carefully unwrapped the bandage, blinking sleepily at the same time.She saw a bite wound, like a puppy or a monkey.Her eyes blinked harder now, which could be dangerous.She was supposed to go back to the nurse's station to get the rubber gloves, but it was forty meters away from the ward, her legs were exhausted, and besides, the patient had calmed down and her hands wouldn't move.So she turned on the antiseptic and slowly and gently turned his hand so that the wound was completely exposed.When she shook the bottle with the other hand, a little bit of the disinfectant leaked from the side of her thumb and dripped onto the patient's face.The little boy raised his head and sneezed in his sleep, spewing foam into the air.Jane.Baptiste started, but didn't stop.She proceeded to pour the disinfectant onto a cotton ball and carefully wipe the wound.Next, she capped the bottle, put it away, and began applying a new bandage.At this time, she wiped her face with the back of her hand, but she didn't notice that when the patient sneezed, the hand she was holding shook once, leaving a bruise on her hand that oozed from the wound. Blood.When she rubbed her eyes, the blood was still on her hands.In this way, it doesn't matter if you wear gloves or not. Should stay here, Jack told himself.Two medics led him up a lighted hallway off the east staircase, and he was accompanied by a group of Marines and Secret Service operatives, still at gunpoint.The scene was awkward and funny because no one knew what to do.Then they came across a fortified line of firefighters and water hoses.The group of firefighters were busy spraying water, and a lot of water splashed back on everyone's face, which made people feel chilly.The fire has been covered by water mist; although the water pipes are still pouring, fire rescue personnel have been able to safely climb into the ruins of the conference hall.Without expert judgment, ordinary people can understand what they find.No one looked up, no one gestured, no one shouted.Male and female rescuers, despite being unable to clearly distinguish their gender at such distances, groped forward cautiously and with their own safety in mind, as they clearly had no reason to risk their lives for the dead. God!he thought silently.Some of the people he knew were here, and not just Americans.Jack could see that the entire auditorium had collapsed into the big hole in the conference hall.If he remembered correctly, it should be the diplomatic gallery, with dignitaries from all walks of life and their families sitting on it, many of whom he knew. They came to Capitol Hill to watch him take the oath of office.Was their death his fault? Did he leave the CNN building because he had to do something, or was he just doing it himself?Ryan is not so sure now.Perhaps, just for a change of environment?Or was he, like those around the Capitol, just fascinated by the sight of the scene?Those people, like him, stood in silence, just watching, doing nothing; the numbness had not subsided.He had come here hoping to discover something, to feel something, to set about doing something, but he found only something that he wanted to avoid. It's too cold in here, Mr. President, at least we should stay away from this water column.Price urged him on. All right.Ren nodded, turned and walked down the steps.He felt that the fireproof jacket was not very warm, so he shivered again. He hoped that it was just because of the cold and not for other reasons. The camera setup was slow, but it was up.Lane noticed that all the cameras were Japanese, so he snorted unhappily as they broke through the police and fire chief's lines.Standing in front of each camera was a reporter. All three he could see were men with microphones in their hands, talking in a serious manner, hoping to sound like they knew the situation best.Ryan noticed that there were several lights hitting him.People all over the United States and the world are watching him on television, expecting him to make a difference.How can these people have the illusion that government officials are smarter than their family doctors, lawyers or accountants?He thinks back to his first week as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps, when the unit he was assigned to also thought he should know how to command and lead a platoon.Another sergeant who was ten years older than him also came to him to solve family problems. He actually hoped that he, a second lieutenant who had neither wife nor children at the time, could tell a man who did not get along well with his wife and children what to do.Jack remembered that today this situation is generally called a leadership challenge, which means you don't know what to do next.But since the camera was filming, he had to do something. It's just that he can't do it at all.He had come to the scene hoping to discover something that would spur him to action, but had only found a more helpless feeling; perhaps another problem had been discovered. Arnold.What about Van Damme?He needed Van Damme, badly. In the White House, the President.Price replied. So, let's go there!Ryan ordered. "Mr. President," Price said after a moment's hesitation, that may not be safe, if there is Damn it!I can't run away, I can't sneak off to Camp David, don't you understand?He was more deflated than angry.He raised his right hand and pointed to the ruins of the Capitol. Those people are all dead. Now I represent the government.God bless me, the government can't get cold feet. What appeared to be President Rennes, a news anchor said from his warm, dry studio, seemed to want to direct rescue operations, and we all know that Rennes is not unaccustomed to dealing with crises. I have known Ryan for six years.A senior current affairs analyst said.In fact, he didn't really know Ren, although they had met each other at various banquets in the past few years.He was a low-key gentleman and certainly one of the shrewdest men in the government.Such an assessment cannot be without controversy.Presenter Tom leans forward, with half of his face facing his colleague and the other half facing the camera. John, though, he's not a politician, he doesn't have a political background or experience, he's just an expert on national security issues when national security isn't an issue at all.he said decisively. Analyst John resisted the urge to say that too decisively, but the other guy couldn't help it. Yeah, grumbled Chavez, and the plane that crashed into the Capitol was actually a disoriented plane.Ah, my God!he said. Brother Ding, we are really serving a great country!What other country pays a group of people five million dollars a year to act stupid?John.Clark decided to finish the beer first, because there was no need to drive back to Washington before Marie Fu called him.After all, he is just a worker bee who is only responsible for work, and only senior officials of the Central Intelligence Agency will be busy running around at this time.They may not accomplish anything but appear anxious and important; and that means nothing to the worker bees. Since there was nothing to report, the speech of President During was rebroadcasted on TV.At that time, in the conference hall, the cameras of C|SPAN (Editor's Note: Jointly funded and operated by the major cable TV companies in the United States, specializing in broadcasting the public deliberations and hearings of the Senate and House of Representatives) were operating, and the operators used various lenses to introduce Senior officials sitting in the front row.The death list was listed again. In addition to the two cabinet ministers who survived, the dead included: members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, heads of independent agencies, Federal Reserve Director, FBI Director Shaw Bill, Director of the Bureau of Budget, and National Aviation Administration. And the administrator of NASA and the nine justices of the Supreme Court.The news anchors read out their names and positions in turn.The video was broadcast until the Secret Service agents ran into the conference hall.At that point, President During was taken aback and caused a brief confusion.Everyone looked around to see if there was any danger around them, and those who reacted faster among them were probably already wondering why there was an extra gunman in the auditorium; then there were three consecutive pictures in the camera: only the road behind the conference hall牆轟地彷彿移了位，然後便是一片黑暗。主播和時事分析家重新出現在螢光幕上，他們先是盯著桌子上的監視器，然後交換了一下眼神。也許只有此時，這起事件才能對他們造成衝擊，就像它也震撼了新任總統一樣。 雷恩總統的主要任務將是重建政府，如果他有能耐的話。經過一段長時間的停頓之後，分析家約翰說。God!這麼多善良的男女就這樣死了他想起了幾年前，在他成為資深時事分析家之前，他也是和他那些專家朋友們一起坐在那間會議廳裡。對他來說，他同樣是在極度震驚過後才意識到事情真正發生了。他的手在桌面下開始顫抖起來；身為專業分析家的他，可以做到不讓自己的聲音發抖，但卻不可能完全控制住臉上的表情。他的臉流露出一種突如其來的極度悲傷，更因上了妝的關係，在電視螢幕上顯得一片灰白。 天意。Mamod.Haji.達葉蘭在六千哩之外低聲說道。他舉起遙控器，把聲音關掉，不想聽那些廢話。 以前他曾見過雷恩一次，覺得他盛氣凌人典型的美國人模樣但現在的他卻不一樣了。攝影機鏡頭不時地拉近，拍攝著一個抓著自己外套，頭左右晃動，嘴巴微微張開的男人，他不但傲氣全無，而且還一副吃驚的樣子。多有意思啊！ 此時，全世界都在聽著同樣的報導，看著同樣的畫面。人們都非常關切這次事件，因為歷史已經造成，目前最迫切的是了解事情的整個經過。 在另一個地方的另一個人正盯著辦公桌上電視機旁的電子鐘，做著簡單的算術。在美國，可怕的一天即將結束，而在他所坐的這個地方，新的一天才剛剛開始。透過桌後的窗戶，可以看見外面那片鋪著石頭地面的大廣場。廣場上有許多來來往往的自行車，儘管汽車的數量也不少這幾年來汽車數量已增長了百分之十但自行車依然是主要的交通工具。這是不合理的，不是嗎？ 他打算改變這一點，而且是迅速又果斷地這是歷史術語，因為他懂得向歷史學習，但他所精心制訂的計劃卻遭美國人破壞而胎死腹中。他不信上帝，但他相信命運，而這命運就是他在電視螢光幕上所見到的一切。當他伸手去端那個沒有把手，盛著綠茶的杯子時，他自言自語道：命運真是個善變的女人。幾天前她還賜給美國人幸運，而今天那麼，命運女神的意圖是什麼呢，不過，他認為自己的需要以及意圖更重要。他伸手去拿電話，隨後又改變了主意。他啜了口茶，滾燙的茶水燙得他嘴疼。這也好，他必須振奮起來；疼痛能促使他進行深沉思考，而偉大的想法總是由沉思中誕生。 不管成功與否，他的計劃還算不賴。雖然這個計劃被他手下那些笨蛋執行得一塌糊塗，更因為命運女神對美國一時的慷慨饋贈而宣告中止，不過它確實是一個出色的計劃，他再次這樣告訴自己。如今他將再有其他機會來驗證這個計劃，這全是命運女神幫的忙。他的思路伸展到了未來，對於可預期的一切感到歡欣。他想著想著，偶爾微微一笑，露出神往的表情。他希望電話待一會兒再響，因為他還需要進一步思考，最好是不要有人打擾。他又想了一會兒，發現自己這個計劃的真正目的其實已經實現了，不是嗎？他曾希望整垮美國，而現在美國真的垮了。雖然不是依他選擇的方式，但終究還是被整垮了。這樣豈不更好嗎？he asked himself.Yes. 如此，這場遊戲就可以繼續下去了，對嗎？ 這就是命運女神，以歷史的更迭來戲弄人們。其實她並不是任何人的朋友或敵人抑或她是呢？He snorted.也許她只是有點幽默。 不管是換成誰，誰都會感到氣憤。幾天前，她受到了侮辱，而且竟然是讓一位外國人只不過是一個前任州長來告訴她，她所統領的國家必須怎麼做。當然，她一直很謹慎，每件事都做得很老練。政府本身並沒有受到任何牽連，只不過是在公海上舉行了一場大規模的海軍演習。當然，這個海域是所有船隻都可自由航行的。沒有任何威脅性通牒文件的發布，沒有任何正式行動方針的提出，也沒有任何看法和立場的聲明。在他們看來，美國人沒幹什麼事，只不過是說了句傲慢的話：據理力爭，還有呼籲安理會召開會議。其實會議上也沒什麼可說，因為沒有達成正式結論，而她的國家也沒有發布任何通告。他們所做的只是演習，難道不是嗎？和平演習。當然，這些演習已經促成美國反日力量的分裂，然而她事先根本不可能知道會有這樣的結果，不是嗎？是的，她當然不知道。 此時此刻，她桌上放著一份文件：要求盡速恢復艦隊的整體作戰能力。不，她搖了搖頭，這是不夠的。無論她或她的國家，現在都不可能獨自採取行動。這需要時間、朋友和計劃的配合。然而，她的國家有這方面的需求，而她的工作就是要使這些需求獲得滿足。 That's right, that's it. 她也在喝茶，而且是用一個精緻的瓷杯。按照英國人的習慣，她在茶裡加了一點糖和少許牛奶這種習慣是受她的出身、地位以及所受教育的影響，而也就是這一切，再加上她的耐性，才使她得以入主這個辦公室。在世界各地觀看相同電視畫面的所有人當中，也許只有她才最明白這個機會是什麼；這個機會是多麼的龐大，多麼的吸引人。更妙的是，在她受命進入這間辦公室之後，很快就得到了這個機會；這一切都是一位現已死去的男人所賜。這個機會太好了，所以根本不能放過。 這真是太恐怖了，克拉克先生。Domingo.查維斯揉了一下眼睛，試圖整理自己的思緒。他已經醒了好幾個小時，但由於受到時空的影響，他也不知道自己究竟醒了多久。他躺在客廳的長沙發上，光著腳翹在茶几上。屋裡的女人們都睡了，其中一個明天要工作，另一個則要面臨大學的考試；那個要考試的還不知道明天可能已經沒有什麼學可上了。 告訴我為什麼，丁。John.克拉克以命令的口氣說道。 查維斯閉著眼說道：我記得在和平時期內還從未發生過這種事情，約翰；目前的世界和上週並沒有什麼太大的不同。上週的狀況確實很複雜，我們算是打贏了涉入的這場小戰爭，然而世界並沒有因此而有太大的改變，我們也沒因此而比從前強大多少，對嗎？ 那麼是世界厭惡平靜了？約翰平靜地問。 Sometimes it is.查維斯打了個哈欠說，該死！如果我們沒碰到這種事該多好！ 我沒做到什麼，對嗎？傑克平靜而冷淡地說道，他已經完全受到了打擊。現場還有火光，不過升到空中的已是蒸氣而不再是黑煙了。現在進入國會大廈的，是人們最不願看到的東西屍袋。那種橡膠袋的兩端各有環扣把手，中間還有拉鍊。大批的屍袋有些已被運出來，由一對一對的消防隊員搬運著，慢慢走下這棟殘破的石造建築。這才剛剛開始，而且不會馬上結束。當他站在台階的最上頭時，並沒有看見任何一具屍體，但不知怎地，當他看到最初這幾個屍袋時，感覺反而更糟。 不，總統先生。幹員普萊斯說，她的臉色和他一樣難看，這對您不太好。 I know.雷恩點點頭，向別處看去。 我不知道該做什麼，他告訴自己。哪裡有這種救援工作的訓練手冊或課程呢？我該問誰呢？我該何去何從？ 我不想幹了！他在心裡大聲喊道，但隨後又不禁為這種自私自利的念頭而自責。他是以領導人的身分來到了這個恐怖之地，而且還在電視攝影機前表現出自有定見的樣子但這全是在騙人。 我願意傾聽任何意見。雷恩終於說道。 幹員安德麗．普萊斯長長地吁了一口氣，然後實現了長久以來美國密勤局所有幹員敢想而不敢做的事。總統先生，您確實需要為您的工作理出頭緒，她不能說得太過頭有些事情您能做，而有些則不能。您有手下為您工作，先挑出那些帶頭的人，讓他們去做事。然後，也許您就可以開始完成自己的工作了。 回白宮嗎？ 那裡才有電話，總統先生。 誰是總統衛隊的隊長？ 原本是安迪．walker.普萊斯不必說出沃克現在在哪裡。雷恩俯視著她，做出了當總統後的第一個決定。 妳升官了。 普萊斯點了點頭。請跟我來，總統先生。她很高興看到這位總統和其他人一樣，能夠學習服從命令。剛走了十呎，雷恩就踩到一塊冰塊而滑倒了。兩名幹員把他扶了起來；這件事使他顯得更加脆弱。一名沉著冷靜的攝影師捕捉到這個鏡頭，並把它交給《新聞周刊》，做為下一期的封面。 如你們所見，雷恩總統正要離開國會山莊。他坐的好像是一輛軍車，而不是密勤局的車。你認為他將會怎麼做？主播問道。 平心而論，分析家約翰說，恐怕他這會兒可能都還不知道。 這個看法不到一秒鐘就傳遍了全球；包括朋友和敵手在內，都完全同意這種說法。 有些事情必須速戰速決。他不知道這事情是對是錯其實他知道這是不對的，但在某些重要階段裡，規則都會有些混亂，不是嗎？做為一個兩代都歷任公職的政治家族後裔，他自從離開法學院之後，就一直在政府部門任職。或許他在經濟方面鮮有實務經驗，除了當受益人之外他家的理財人員嫻熟地操作處理著各種信託和證券資產，大概只有在繳稅的時候，他才要花點時間和他們見面；或許他從未做過律師這一行，儘管有數千條法律都是他經手處理的；或許他從未為自己的國家出征服役但他自認是國防安全問題專家；或許做了太多反而落得一事無成。不過，他了解政府，因為這一直是他的專業領域，他的所有活動不只是工作。在此時，美國需要一位真正熟悉政府的人。Ed.基爾惕認為，國家需要治療，而他正深諳此道。 於是，他拿起電話。克利夫。我是埃德