Rogue Patriot
Mike Trial
Copyright © 2016 Mike Trial
www.miketrialwriter.com
Published in eBook format by Compass Flower Press
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-9421-6848-5
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical or by any information or storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author or publisher.
Published by Compass Flower Press
an imprint of AKA-Publishing
Columbia. Missouri
Chapter 1
Rear Admiral Richardson, Chief of Naval Intelligence Western Pacific, put a map projection on the big screen that covered one wall of the crowded Operations Center. He zoomed down to northeastern North Korea. “These are intelligence satellite images—three hours old,” Richardson said. His red laser indicator touched a railcar on a siding. “Last night, the North Korean Strategic Rocket Forces moved their one fully operational ballistic missile to this launch facility.” He zoomed in until the image pixelated then backed out to focus on the three missile stages on their railcars, and a pile of gray tarpaulins beside the tracks.
Richardson turned to the twenty people at the semi-circular table facing the screen. “I reiterate, this is TOP SECRET, need to know,” his eyes stopped at one of two civilians in the room—a small man, fit, well dressed—and attentive.
“He stays,” Admiral William Hallam, the senior officer in the room, and Chief of U.S. Naval Forces Western Pacific said softly. “He’s cleared and we need everyone’s input on this situation.”
J.D. Iselin, CEO of Iselin Security Options, turned to Admiral Hallam. “Your SEALS’ training with our Ghost drones is complete, you may not need me at this point.”
Hallam stopped him. “No, you stay, JD. He turned to Rear Admiral Richardson. “Proceed.”
“The National Reconnaissance Office has put a Global Hawk on loiter to track the launch site continuously.” A crystal clear overhead picture came onto the projection. “Tae Po Dong 2, three stage, liquid fueled, ballistic missile,” he said. “North Korea’s most advanced.”
“We’re sure it’s not a decoy?” someone asked.
“We’re sure. This rail car originated at their high security missile manufacturing site and was brought directly to the launch site.”
“That’s unusual,” someone added. “They usually run the railcars around some so we don’t see the direct route...”
“This time they’re in a hurry to launch,” Richardson said. He put a large red circle on the map, centered on the launch site. The circle took in all of Japan, Taiwan, Guam, North China, and Eastern Siberia. “That missile is capable of putting a twenty-kiloton warhead on target anywhere in this circle.”
Richardson zoomed back into the launch site and indicated a wisp of steam at tankage on the north side of the launch platform. “They have already delivered liquid oxygen to the site.” The red dot of his pointer touched a mobile crane. “They’re now moving up the mobile crane they’ll use to stack the missile. After stacking, fueling will take four hours, during which time they will place the warhead and set its guidance.”
“Total time from now until they can launch?” Hallam asked.
“No more than ten hours.”
There was much rustling around the table. Richardson shifted.
“Relax, you are the messenger, not the enemy,” Hallam said to Richardson. “Turn up the room lights.”
In the suddenly over-bright room, a Vice Admiral with sea-operations tabs on his uniform addressed Hallam, “Sir, they know our satellites are seeing this. In the past, prior to putting a missile on the pad, there was a pronouncement from the Kim government about ‘peaceful use of space’ by the People’s Republic of North Korea. As of now there has been nothing.”
An Air Force colonel on his left added, “And there is nothing in the regional situation to provoke Kim Jong-un into making a gesture.”
“They don’t have much fuel manufacturing and storage capability,” the Vice Admiral said. “If they’ve brought kerosene and liquid oxygen to the site, they’re going to launch.”
“Maybe Kim Jong-un himself doesn’t know about this,” said Richardson.
“Possibly,” Hallam agreed equably. “Elaborate.”
Richardson turned to a small, bald-headed man dressed in open collar shirt and sports jacket. “I think perhaps Mr. Kyle can speak to that.”
The CIA Japan/Korea bureau chief stood. “The most obvious candidate for this level of insub-ordination in the Kim regime is General Chae. There should be a photo...” A photo of a Korean in an impeccable blue uniform with Strategic Rocket Forces insignia on the shoulder boards came on the screen. Unlike most Koreans, he had grey eyes.
Richardson added, “The Strategic Rocket Forces are an army branch, like armor, infantry, or artillery, but it is also a government directorate that includes special weapons development, like nuclear weapons. A Mr. Park is the chief scientist...”
“Mr. Park is chief scientist,” Kyle interjected. “But he’s not in the line of military authority. Interestingly, Park was educated here in Japan in the post WWII years.”
“Stay on task, Mr. Kyle,” Hallam said.
“Yes sir,” Kyle said. “Chae’s family got him his position through patronage. But he is highly intelligent, a good leader, very aggressive, and an ultranationalist, the scion of one of the most prestigious old-line Korean families. His family is wealthy. He’s travelled overseas, so he knows what the world is like. He sees North Korea falling further and further behind other nations, especially China. His family aligned with the Japanese during WWII and lost a great deal when the Chinese took back Manchuria.”
“So Chae doesn’t hate the U.S.A. or Japan so much as he hates China,” Hallam mused. “Enough to launch a single nuclear strike against China?”
“No, sir,” Richardson said. “He knows that would simply provoke China into launching an invasion of North Korea, which they would win.”
“And our agency believes if that happens,” Kyle added, “The Red Army would continue their march south and take South Korea. We could not stop them.”
“All right, let me summarize. We need to develop an operations plan,” Hallam said. “This missile preparation appears to be without the Kim government’s approval, or even knowledge. It will likely not be a strike against China. So that leaves either a demonstration launch or a strike against Japan or South Korea.”
