Deadly Force by Keith Douglass

out what these Loyalists want first, before we can decide anything.”
    Billings caught the President’s attention. “Sir, what about our long-standing and well-voiced policy of never negotiating with terrorists? Does that include the people who are now holding the Vice President of our nation against his will?”
    President Edwards shook his head, his lips a firm angry line. “I just don’t know, Sage. I don’t know. First we have to determine that these men who have Vice President Adams are terrorists. Perhaps this no-negotiating problem will just go away.”
    â€œVietnam,” General Lawford said. Everyone looked up. “Reminds me of how the SEALs worked the war in Vietnam. They made the rivers their highways, charged up anddown them getting their jobs done neatly and swiftly. I’d suggest we send in our special platoon of SEALs to be on station there in Sierra City, even before we decide what we need to do. Anything we come up with, they probably would be involved with anyway.”
    Lawford looked around the table. “Mr. Donaldson, could you get your favorite SEAL platoon over to Sierra City in twenty-four hours?”
    â€œWe could.” He looked at the head of the table. “Mr. President, I’m liking what General Lawford just said more and more. Fact is, we can put the SEALs on the scene, and use them for recon if nothing else. They can get in and out of a rat trap and not even bother the cheese.”
    The President looked around the table. He saw three of the men nod. Worthington bobbed his head. “Let’s do it, then see what else we can do when we need to do it,” he said.
    â€œAre there any Naval units in that area?” the President asked.
    â€œWe utilized some of our assets last week up near Spain, which are the closest ones to this problem,” Johnson said. “I remember the CNO saying he had no units south of there, so we would have to fly south off a carrier.”
    â€œSpain is how far from West Africa?” General Lawford asked.
    Donaldson frowned. “Just a minute.” He wrinkled his brow and rubbed his forehead. “Even with some flyovers, it would be over three thousand miles from the task force in place to that small country. We would do better to fly in some Rangers from Germany with a couple of stopovers.”
    â€œPremature,” the President said. “First we find out what this guy wants, and then we talk with him.”
    â€œWe try to figure out a new policy about negotiating with terrorists?” the CIA man, Donaldson, asked.
    â€œWe’re not negotiating, and we don’t know that he’s a terrorist,” the FBI director said. “First we wait and see what we have here.”
    A knock sounded on a door, and an aide came in with some papers in his hand. He went to the President andwhispered something to him, then gave him the papers.
    The President put them on the table, adjusted his reading glasses, and went over the words carefully. Partway through he looked up.
    â€œWell, this is good news. A SATCOM message directly from Adams. The Vice President says not to worry about him. He goes on:
    â€œÂ â€˜I’m being well treated and I am safe and in no danger. I already consider these men I’m with as friends, not enemies, and certainly not terrorists. I’m not sure why I am here, but Mojombo Washington, the leader of the Loyalist Party, told me that he would be making some demands on the United States soon.
    â€œÂ â€˜I don’t feel like a hostage, and certainly not like a person who has been kidnapped, although technically, I guess I was. I’ll be back in touch with you when I have more news. In the meantime, don’t do anything sudden, rash, or bold. General Lawford, there is no reason for any massive military response, at least not right now. Mr. Washington has not told me what to say. He’s listening to me and usually grinning. He says