Black wind

stay away from Korea until after the National Assembly vote on the expulsion of our military forces.”
    “What does the admiral have to say about this?” Pitt asked of Gunn.
    Gunn shook his head slowly. “Admiral, er, Vice President Sandecker has informed me that the president is deferring to the State Department for reaction to the sinking of the Sea Rover. Dirk and Summer’s indictment of Kang has unfortunately resulted in the edict that Jim just mentioned. Everyone is to lay low until after the National Assembly vote. Apparently, intelligence reports have revealed secret business dealings between Kang and the president of South Korea that go well beyond their known public friendship. The president is afraid of losing his support against the National Assembly measure if a potentially embarrassing investigation is initiated.”
    “Doesn’t he understand the magnitude of the risk involved with the weapons Kang possesses?” Summer asked incredulously.
    Gunn nodded. “The president has iterated that once the resolution has been voted upon, he will request an immediate and full investigation from the Korean authorities into Kang’s involvement with the sinking of the Sea Rover and his potential connections to North Korea. In the meantime, he has authorized Homeland Security to issue a heightened domestic security advisory, with emphasis on aircraft and marine vessels arriving from Japan and South Korea.”
    The younger Pitt began pacing across the room in frustration. “It’s too little too late,” Dirk finally said in a low tone. “Promoting the removal of U.S. forces in South Korea is part of Kang’s strategy, using the perceived terrorist threat from Japan as a diversion. Don’t you see? If he’s going to attempt a strike on the U.S.” it will happen before the vote comes up in the National Assembly.”
    “Which is just ten days from now,” Gunn said.
    “Then we have to anticipate Kang’s next move,” Pitt injected with a logical calmness. “We know he operates a large shipping line and therefore has comprehensive knowledge of American port facilities. It would figure that he would try to bring the weapons in via a commercial freighter, most likely on the West Coast.”
    “Much easier than smuggling it on an airplane,” Giordino agreed. “Probably send them over on a Japanese-flagged carrier.”
    “Or perhaps the elusive Baekje” Dirk added.
    “Yaeger has the rundown on what to look for in the way of biological components and likely storage,” Gunn said. “I’ll see that customs is appropriately educated for their port inspections.”
    “That may still be too late,” Pitt replied. “They could release the agent as they’re sailing into port, contaminating the whole region before they dock. Think of San Francisco Bay, for example.”
    “Or even before they arrive at port, if there is a prevailing wind. The release in the Aleutians was apparently launched by boat offshore of Yunaska Island, so it’s certainly possible they could strike without entering port,” Dirk said.
    “The Coast Guard is tasked with port security under Homeland Security jurisdiction and presently boards and inspects all incoming commercial vessels shortly before arrival in port,” noted Webster.
    “But do they board and inspect offshore commercial vessels that are not port bound?” Dirk asked.
    “I do not believe that the Coast Guard’s resources are sufficient for that to be considered part of their security mission. They have beefed up their sea marshal program but still have a limited number of vessels available that they can put to sea. Asking for expanded coverage along the entire West Coast is well beyond their resource ability.”
    “What about the Navy?” Summer asked. “Why can’t some ships of the Pacific Fleet be pressed into service? With the national security at risk, it seems to me we should press every available military vessel into blockade duty.”
    “A good question with a sticky answer,” Gunn responded. “It’s a gray area of the Navy’s mission. They’re never big on playing a supporting role to the Coast Guard. They’d likely balk at the request until we got the secretary of defense or the White House to press the issue. I’ll bring it up with the vice president, but, realistically, we’re talking a week at best before they could be brought online. And that might be too late.”
    “There is another option,” Pitt said, reaching into a desk drawer and withdrawing a