A Glint In Time (History and Time) by Frank J. Derfler Page A

missiles. Unknown to the US, the Soviet commander in Cuba had an additional nine tactical missiles with nuclear warheads and the authority to use them. During the 1989 meeting, he stated firmly that he would have launched the tactical missiles against any US invasion fleet or in the event of a US air strike on his forces. All of south Florida, Miami, US Naval facilities at Key West, and Air Force facilities at Homestead were in his range."
    "So somehow the survival of Joe Kennedy Junior kicked off stronger action against the Soviet missiles in Cuba and the Soviets launched the tactical missiles with nuclear warheads!" Janet exclaimed.
    "Yes, and there is a 20% chance that the longer range R-12s were launched too." Bill replied. "What's also driving the scenario is the fact that the US Strategic Air Command, under the control of Curtis LeMay, sent nuclear armed bombers beyond their fail safe points at the time of the deadline. Both sides had their fingers much tighter on the nuclear triggers than anyone thought before the 1989 meeting. We were right on the brink and the computer thinks that the presence of Joe Junior, either as president or as the primary advisor to the president, would have pushed us over."
    Janet said, "One nuclear explosion down there would have poisoned the Straights of Florida, Lake Okeechobee, and then the whole Gulf of Mexico. The effects on the environment would have been awful!"
    "And we gave the Woo family the bullets for their gun." Bill said.
    Sally was unable to speak. Either the horrible Vietnam War would continue to be a part of her life or she had contributed to the death of millions of Americans and maybe as many Russians. She wanted to bang her head into the console, but she tore off the headset and put her head down on her arms and started to cry instead. A minute later she gasped when she felt a hand on her leg.
    Sally's eyes popped open and she looked down to see Ted on the floor under her chair. He had a finger to his lips and his eyes begged for silence. He moved his hand from her leg to her shoulder and slowly but firmly pulled her down. Then she became aware of a commotion at the front of the room. Bill was speaking loudly. "You can't do this to us! What are you doing?"
    From her position under the console, Sally could hear a short reply and then some scuffling. Janet yelled, someone flew across a chair and fell heavily, and there were more shouts and sounds of blows. It became apparent that someone was pushing Bill and Janet out of the room. The sounds moved away and toward the kitchen. Sally felt Ted pushing her in the other direction, toward the door that led to the bathrooms and an outside hallway. She crawled her
    way toward the back of the room and then stood up when she got to the door. Ted pushed her against the wall next to the door and then opened it quickly. There was no one in the hallway.
    Ted grabbed her wrist and they walked briskly down the hall. Sally almost screamed when the door to the bathroom opened and a tall Indonesian walked out, holding a wad of toilet paper to his bleeding nose. He was the burly and sullen fellow who had taken their bags at the airport. Ted moved like a blur. He punched the man below the belt, forcing him to double up. Ted's knee caught him in the nose and his head flew back up. Ted rapped the man's head against the door jam and then pushed him back into the bathroom and closed the door.
    "Out the door and run for the river." Ted said.

IN THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS
    Friday, August 25, 1995
Indonesian Countryside
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    Excerpt from the Personal Narrative
of Brigadier
General Ted Arthurs
    Recorded May 2006
CLASSIFIED SECRET/TA
"Hostage rescue was always the plan we worked from. But I know that there were other agendas running."
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    Sally knew the route very well, so she just ran. Ted was at her side and out of the corner of her eye she noticed that he was pushing buttons on his pager as he kept pace with her. Then she heard a