THE LAST ARK

CHAPTER 28: PANDEMONIUM

National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Washington, DC T h ree Days Before Temple Ceremony

“Breaking News,” announces CNN anchor Drake Rapper. “A former US president seeks political asylum. Global intelligence in chaos. Israel is on the brink of both war and peace. America faces yet another constitutional crisis. Th ose are the headlines. Let’s jump right in.” A stock photo image of the FPOTUS laughing with the crown prince, now the new Saudi king, appears behind the anchor. Not since September 11 has Matt Adelson seen such utter pandemonium within the global intelligence community. Sparked by a Saudi Arabian press release, Matt sits with the other intelligence agency directors to watch the CNN coverage. Th e video background changes to a DOJ press conference. “For the fi rst time in American history, a former president facing multiple state and federal criminal indictments seeks political asylum,” Drake Rapper reports. “Confi dential sources at the DOJ have confi rmed that the former president fled criminal prosecution for felony indictments related to tax, insurance, and bank fraud, perjury, racketeering, election interference, seditious conspiracy, and more.” Rapper continues. “Moments ago, the Saudi Arabian government announced that they have granted the former president temporary asylum from politically motivated persecution. In the Saudi statement, the former president blames the current administration of Stalin-style efforts to eliminate him as a candidate in the next election.” T he image changes again to the Russian dictator. “Putin has condemned the criminal indictments, also calling them reminiscent of a Nazi-era purge. Others were quick to condemn the statement in light of Ukrainian war crimes and the treatment of opponents such as Navalny. Here in the states, GOP leaders are calling for the impeachment of the current president, while violent protests across the nation grow more frequent and more violent.” Matt mutes the television and turns to the directors of the US intelligence community, where he reads every emotion from shock to rage to fear and utter disbelief. Around the table sits NSA Director Sean Asher, CIA Director Alan Russell, Homeland Security Director Peter Wallace, Naval Intelligence Commander Dave Jackson, Secret Service Director Randall Bell II, and FBI Director Nick Wright. The world’s best intelligence team humiliated; each made to look like a bunch of fools by a lawless former leader and the betrayal of an ally. “For the first time in our history, the greatest and most resilient democracy on Earth gets humiliated on a world stage as if we were a third world junta. While we know the story of persecution is total hokum, a share of those watching, especially his base, will buy it like Sunday gospel. I have a meeting with Security Advisor Dominic and the president this afternoon. I need analysis briefs from each of you before I go,” he states. “Questions?” “Who allowed him to travel on a Saudi aircraft?” questions Commander Jackson. “The FAA grounded his personal plane for maintenance. The Saudi government offered the use of one of theirs. We had no legal premise to restrict his travel until after the DOJ issued indictments and the courts ruled on bail,” responds FBI Director Wright. “Did we have any intelligence the Saudis planned to help?” asks NSA Director Asher. “None,” replies CIA Director Russell. “But a Saudi prince visited his estate last week.” “Any clue why the new Saudi king would kick off US relations with a slap in the face?” questions HLS Director Wallace. “The new Saudi king remains bitter over the CIA Khashoggi murder report that pointed to his involvement. We also humiliated him on a world stage when the president insisted on dealing with the king before his death,” responds Russell. “What about our allies,” asks Commander Jackson. “Within the past few hours, Alan, James, and I have fielded calls or reached out to nearly every intelligence network on the planet. I just got off the phone ten minutes ago with Sir Anthony Giles at MI5,” Matt says. “Each of them questions the US ability to control the FPOTUS, or the top-secret knowledge he still carries in his head. Many more worry over how the US will respond that may exacerbate the already tense situation.” Famous for never reading a security briefing report, the former leader must still retain enough top-secret knowledge to be extremely dangerous in the hands of a hostile regime. “It’s worse than that,” interjects Russell. “Every single ally has curtailed or suspended intelligence sharing until we can restore confidence. Our field resources are being told by their local contacts to take a vacation or go home. T hey canceled the upcoming G7 and cut our NATO commander out of EU troop planning. Although, they realize that may be a step too far.” “Perfect,” says HLS Wallace. “With Russian occupation of Ukraine bleeding over the border and China preparing to invade Taiwan, this muck could not come at a worse time.” Matt ignores the speculative hand-wringing. “Putin has already issued a press release praising the Saudi government for their humanitarian aid to the beleaguered US president. No doubt Putin will stoke the propaganda machine to make us pay for the Ukraine sanctions.” “Will the former president add value to the peace negotiations?” questions Asher. “Symbolic, perhaps, but an Israeli-Saudi peace deal will absolutely ignite Iranian rage,” responds Russell. “They will see the Israeli-Saudi alliance as a provocation.” “How has the asylum news landed on social media?” asks Matt, redirecting. FBI Director Nick Wright shakes his head slightly. “No surprise. Gab, Parlor, Telegraph, Rumble—all of them are on fire with rage, conspiracies, blame, and calls for civil war. The GOP is calling for a special counsel to investigate the DOJ over what they call a corrupt investigation. This incident will replace Afghanistan or inflation as a rallying cry for every contested election. They will go to war with the DOJ to stoke the false claim of a political witch-hunt so they can stoke the false claim of a stolen election.” “Supporters plan protests for tomorrow in twenty cities, including the capital,” says Wallace. “Capitol Police are re-erecting the barricade, and the National Guard will deploy in advance.” “This fiasco will drive a stake into the reelection campaign,” notes Commander Jackson. “Politics and polls are not our concern,” Matt replies. Truth be told; in Washington, everything is politics. Elections have consequences, and the consequence of losing the next one could end the American democratic experiment. “I need your assessments by noon.”