The White Palace was in chaos, and the situation outside wasn't any better. The recent explosion had been caused by a powerful bomb set off inside the Capitol Dome.
The blast shook the dome's hall, leaving it on the verge of collapse. Fortunately, Vice President Trueman Bull and Speaker of the House Eli had offices far enough from the dome that they escaped with only minor injuries. They were quickly escorted out by their respective security teams.
Meanwhile, Michael Banning, who was already on his way to the hospital as his wife was about to give birth, heard the explosion from a nearby street. Without a second thought, he abandoned his car and sprinted toward the Capitol.
As he ran, he used his radio to try and contact the White Palace. Unfortunately, one of the masterminds behind the attack was his respected mentor and friend, Martin Walker.
Upon hearing from Martin that President Benjamin Arthur was currently safe in the Oval Office, Banning was able to breathe a little easier.
When he reached the Capitol, he saw Speaker Eli being escorted out by security. Taking over, Banning helped drive Eli to the Washington National Guard Command Center.
Meanwhile, Vice President Trueman Bull was taken directly to the airport, where he boarded Air Force One. The moment he was seated, the plane began taxiing, and the captain's voice came over the intercom.
"Apologies, Mr. Vice President, but the situation is urgent. We need to reach an altitude of 45,000 feet within 45 seconds. Please fasten your seatbelt and notify the on-board medical team if you experience any discomfort. Thank you."
Barely five seconds after leaving the runway, the nose of the plane angled sharply upward, climbing at a steep 45-degree angle.
Inside the White Palace, William held Emily Kyle by the window, watching the commotion outside. In the distance, three Marine One helicopters raced toward the palace, risking hostile fire. As they approached, the distinct "rat-tat-tat" of a Gatling gun filled the air. Within seconds, a barrage of bullets took down the lead Marine One helicopter, making it clear to everyone outside that the presidential residence had been taken over again in less than six months.
Aboard Air Force One, Trueman Bull, having been briefed on the situation, contacted all the high-ranking officials he could reach. After a short discussion, they agreed to invoke a law enacted only three months earlier, which allowed the Vice President to authorize the change of nuclear and missile launch codes if the President's safety was uncertain.
This was to prevent a repeat of the near-disaster six months earlier when the White Palace takeover nearly led to a nationwide catastrophe. If it were confirmed that Benjamin Arthur had been captured, Trueman Bull, from the safety of Air Force One, would assume the presidency.
Having already endured one White Palace takeover, Trueman felt a sense of helplessness. These crises seemed to strike before he was prepared. Reflecting on the recent London attack and now this, Trueman couldn't shake the feeling that he was being tested by fate. Still, he knew that assuming the presidency would only be an option if Benjamin's death was confirmed; otherwise, appearing too eager could cost him dearly. Not only would it tarnish his reputation, but it could also turn the influential Arthur family from allies into adversaries.
In the Oval Office, Michael Banning was absent, leaving Martin Walker, the security director who typically didn't handle tactical operations, as the sole authority figure at Benjamin's side.
When he heard that one of the Marine One helicopters had been shot down, Martin Walker's face grew tense. After a moment of contemplation, he suggested, "Mr. President, I think we should head to the underground bunker. Once you're inside, any plans the intruders have will be for nothing. Even if we're forced to destroy the White Palace, you'll be safe and can wait for rescue there."
"I understand, but are you certain we seven can make it to the bunker entrance safely?" Benjamin asked with doubt.
Having experienced an invasion of the bunker before, Benjamin was understandably wary of going down there again and felt uneasy at Martin's suggestion.
Martin, however, was prepared for this reaction and smiled. "I know it'll be difficult to get to the main bunker 100 meters underground, so my plan is to take you to the secondary bunker, which is newly built at a depth of only 15 meters.
"This isn't a nuclear crisis, so there's no need to go to the main bunker. The secondary bunker is only about 20 meters from the Oval Office. I'll go ahead to check the way, and once I confirm it's clear, you can run over in under ten seconds."
Benjamin hesitated but knew Martin's logic was sound. A few seconds later, he nodded. "Alright, we'll try it your way. Be careful, Martin, and fall back if it's too risky."
"Yes, Mr. President," Martin replied. He turned to the Secret Service agents in the room and instructed them, "If I confirm it's safe, I'll knock with the code, and you'll bring the President out immediately. If there's any gunfire, don't come out, understood?"
"Yes, sir," replied the five agents, watching solemnly as Martin strode out of the office.
Martin closed the office door behind him and walked down the 20-meter hallway, where he encountered five heavily armed intruders. Instead of engaging in a shootout, he greeted one of them, a man named Emil Stein, with a handshake and a smile.
"Have our people hold their positions. To access the bunker, we need Benjamin's voiceprint, fingerprint, retina scan, and code. If we have him, the prints, voice, and scan won't be a problem, but the code would be tricky. Relying solely on the server's interface would waste valuable time. The sooner we control the missile system, the greater our chances of success."
"Got it." Emil Stein looked around the exposed hallway and chuckled. "I'll take some men to the East Wing, just in case Benjamin is too scared to come out. But, Martin, are you sure you can handle all of Benjamin's Secret Service by yourself?"
Martin confidently held up his gun. "Don't forget, I'm a former agent myself. I've been handling firearms for 40 years. Catching a few unsuspecting men off guard won't be a problem. Wait for my signal."
Emil, reassured by Martin's confidence, nodded and took his team to the East Wing to await further instructions.
After a minute, Martin returned to the Oval Office and knocked on the door with the agreed-upon code.
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