Free Blackout by Jason Elam, Steve Yohn

you really think we need to worry about a security breach in this Suburban?”
    Scott looked around and dropped his voice to a low whisper. “Okay. So MI6 got some info from a North Korean mole via a Chinese pipeline. Apparently, Pyongyang saw fit to sell two EMP devices to a terrorist group that is intent on bringing them here to the U.S.”
    Fear stole into Riley’s heart. Depending on the type of device, this could mean the end of the United States as it currently existed. Even a small EMP weapon could knock a major city back to the Stone Age for months or years to come. “What’s the size of the device? What sort of delivery system was sold with it? How high in the atmosphere could it get?”
    â€œLike I said, we just don’t know for sure. We don’t even know if it’s nuclear or nonnuclear. All we think we know is—” Scott held up a finger for each point—“two EMPs, headed for the U.S., North Korea to terrorists.”
    â€œWhat kind of pressure are we putting on North Korea?”
    â€œCome on, you know North Korea. It’s already the most sanctioned country on the face of the earth. Besides, right now this is still an intelligence rumor. It’s completely uncorroborated. Without more evidence, if we acted against the DPRK it would cause a firestorm of international protest.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œI know this MI6 analyst. I trust her. Her name’s Anna Zeller, and she and I have traded information for years. She’s not one to fly off the handle or run after cheap leads. Pach, she’s scared. Scared for us.”
    Riley paused to let the information sink in. Writing that thesis had been one of the first eye-openers he’d had as a young cadet as to how dangerous a place the world was. EMPs could mean millions dead, America gone, the world changed. The scenario was so extreme that he had never been able to shake it from his mind. Back home in Parker, he had a shelf on his bookcase devoted completely to books, reports, and videos discussing the EMP threat.
    He stretched his arm across the back of the seat, but the smell from his armpit caused him to drop it again. Then a thought struck him. “But what am I doing here in D.C., going to see the president?”
    Scott’s crafty smile spread across his face as he reached into his shaving kit and tossed Riley a stick of Right Guard Xtreme Power Gel. “I need someone to fill President Lloyd in on worst-case EMP scenarios.”
    With a nod of thanks, Riley popped the cap, twisted up the gel, and glided it under his arms. Then, taking one more whiff of himself, he rubbed it over his chest and stomach and put a little on the outside of the shirt, too. As he rubbed, he said, “But, Scott, I wrote that thesis years ago, and since then I could hardly be described as an EMP expert. Shouldn’t you find some egghead PhD who’s made the study of electromagnetic pulse weapons his life’s work?”
    â€œNo, I need you in there. First of all, EMPs are still an understudied and underappreciated technology. So, sure, there are a handful of eggheads out there who are experts in this. However, between your thesis and your continued research, you’re probably barely behind the curve. But, more importantly, an egghead is not going to help me with what I have planned,” Scott said firmly. Then his resolve faltered a bit, and he added, “And this is where things could get a little bit dicey between us.”
    â€œDicey how?” Riley asked suspiciously. He recognized the tone in Scott’s voice. It often accompanied major changes that Scott had planned for Riley’s life.
    â€œOh, Pach,” Scott began with a little chuckle, “you are seriously gonna laugh. At least I hope you’re going to laugh.” Scott looked at Riley with a big grin, apparently hoping that his humorous demeanor would at least get a smile out of his friend. Riley tossed