At Andrews Air Force Base, Castle received an alert from young Ramsey, who had been closely monitoring the near-Earth reconnaissance satellite. The AC-130 gunship clandestinely provided to Amir by the Japanese intelligence agency had taken off. Remarkably, despite the U.S. military typically requiring a 13-person crew to operate such an aircraft, the enemy had managed to fly it with just two pilots, much like the scenario Castle had seen in a movie from his previous life. The six Gatling guns aboard were all computer-controlled, allowing for this minimalist operation.
Castle immediately instructed his associate to direct the patrolling drone toward the AC-130's trajectory. The goal was to intercept and destroy the heavily armed aircraft before the F-22 jets from Andrews could reach it. Concurrently, Castle summoned the Air Force brigadier general accompanying him.
"What did you say? An AC-130 gunship, modified and heading toward the no-fly zone over Washington, with the mission to attack the White House?"
The brigadier general was stunned. This revelation was far beyond anything he had anticipated.
"General, I am not joking. Look at this," Castle said, turning his laptop toward the general. It displayed satellite reconnaissance images shared by Ramsey. "Let me be clear: I am not here to inspect F-22 fighter jets. If I wanted to study them, I'd go straight to Lockheed Martin.
"My purpose here is to ensure that Colonel Clark does not turn a blind eye to this AC-130 as it enters the Washington no-fly zone. Colonel Clark belongs to a clandestine organization, one that has conspired with a foreign adversary to orchestrate this attack on the White House and the president."
The general, though initially incredulous, quickly realized the gravity of the situation. The reconnaissance images clearly showed an unidentified C-130 nearing Washington. Yet, Andrews Air Force Base, tasked with safeguarding the airspace over the capital, had not responded. This was far from normal.
The general, known for his decisiveness, responded without hesitation: "What do you need me to do?"
Castle outlined his plan: "Assume command of Andrews Air Force Base immediately as the highest-ranking officer present. Deploy the standby fighters to intercept the unidentified aircraft. If the plane fails to respond to warnings and continues toward Washington, order it shot down before it enters the no-fly zone.
"Additionally, have the base military police detain Colonel Clark. His negligence—failing to deploy radar operators and withholding information about this threat—is deliberate and unacceptable."
The general acted swiftly, joining Castle and the military police in confronting Colonel Clark at the control tower. Upon their arrival, Clark immediately surrendered, raising his hands without resistance. He had realized his cover was blown.
The general, now convinced of Clark's complicity, declared his assumption of command. Two F-22 fighter jets, fully fueled and armed, were launched from the base to intercept the rogue AC-130.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, the South Korean Prime Minister's motorcade entered Pennsylvania Avenue, nearing the White House. Steve and Booth, two trusted operatives, discreetly closed in on the Secret Service mole embedded by the Roxette organization. At the same time, Michael Banning, standing behind President Benjamin Arthur, remained vigilant.
Banning felt a pang of sorrow knowing that his close friend had been revealed as a traitor. Yet, there was no time for sentimentality amidst the unfolding crisis. He silently observed as Steve and Booth efficiently apprehended the mole, who was then handcuffed and escorted to a secure room.
As the South Korean Prime Minister's delegation entered the White House grounds, Banning briefed the Secret Service agents over their internal communication channel about the imminent attack. He instructed them to hold off the first wave of attackers until reinforcements from the National Guard could arrive in three to five minutes.
Banning also identified a critical threat: the man accompanying the South Korean Prime Minister, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and posing as an interpreter, was none other than Kim Yonkang, the leader of the assault. Banning ordered the agents to apprehend him at the exact moment the Prime Minister shook hands with President Benjamin.
The tension in the air was palpable as everyone braced for the impending attack. With operatives positioned and plans in motion, the White House was prepared for a battle that would test the resilience of those defending it.
(End of Chapter)
[Unlock +20 Advanced Chapters on Patreon.com/Mutter]
[For every 100 Power Stones, 1 Bonus Chapter will be released]
[Thank you for reading!]