Bethesda MD
Burning Tree Country Club
The Vice President of the United States was in mid swing when the Secret Service Agent’s phone rudely broke his concentration. On the 17th hole and a stroke behind the Chairman of the GOP to whom he had never lost, the VP was furious at the interruption. Phones were as unacceptable on the golf course as women were which, thanks to the Burning Tree Country Club, was never going to happen. Fines had been imposed but the ultra rich members paid them with pleasure. Even the removal of a liquor license had failed and despite their dry club house, the members of the club still enjoyed their male-only haven.
“What the hell are you doing with your phone on?!” shouted the VP to the senior agent in his protective duty.
Tom Sullivan had served the VP for five of his seven years in office as VP and, of course, he knew better than to have his phone with him. “It’s not mine, Sir,” he answered, hiding his irritation. “It’s your hotline phone. It must be an emergency,” he replied calmly and handed the phone to the VP.
In seven years, the only person to have called that number was the President and even then, only once, three years earlier, after the bomb had exploded in Texas.
“Andrew Russell,” answered the VP.
“I’ve got some bad news.”
“Who is this?”
“Director Johnson, CIA.”
“Ah, Allan, what’s up?”
“Can you talk?”
The VP walked away from the small group that had crowded around.
“OK, I can now.”
“We missed him.”
The VP dropped the jovial tone. “Missed who?” he asked menacingly.
“Definitely one and maybe the other.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t want to use names on this line.”
“Don’t be fucking ridiculous, this is the phone I’d be told the president is dead on, of course you can give me names.”
“We missed the brother.”
“Missed?”
“We think he took out our men. We’ve not been able to get in contact with them.”
“Maybe they’re just out of cell coverage,” suggested the VP nervously.
“I don’t think so. They definitely missed him.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because Sam phoned the Secret Service.”
“What?!”
“Well, he didn’t give his name but just after my guys were supposed to have taken him out, a death threat was issued by Yuri Andriev against Senator Baker.”
The VP almost dropped the phone. He had never agreed with the plan, it had disaster written all over it but he had been overruled.
“Jesus!..And the Senator?”
“That’s the other thing, he’s gone missing.”
“My office. Twenty minutes!” the VP threw the cell phone angrily at Agent Sullivan. “We’re leaving! NOW!”