Free 02 Thunder of Heaven: A Joshua Jordan Novel by Tim Lahaye Page B

sources indicate that meetings orchestrated by Moscow have been held at a special location in Kyrgyzstan. We believe the two other nation states involved are North Korea and Iran. It appears that Kyrgyzstan is the strategic planning site for these attacks.”
    Former senator Alvin Leander, a short, feisty man with a bald head, shot out the first question. “Why Kyrgyzstan, for crying out loud?”
    The man on the screen was precise as he explained. “We have to start with Russia’s overthrow of Kyrgyzstan in April of 2010. In subsequent years, America retreated from its military air base there. The U.S. gave up our military base near Bishkek, which we had been using for our war in Afghanistan before we withdrew militarily from that country. As a result, it left Russia in unchallenged control of Kyrgyzstan. Russia managed to take control over the entire Collective Security Treaty Organization, the regional security coalition of all the former Soviet republics. With Kyrgyzstan firmly in Moscow’s lap, and a slow, steady process of putting all of its neighboring republics back under the Russian thumb, we see something amazing and very dangerous: the former Soviet empire has been entirely reconstructed — without any international condemnation or sanctions from the U.N. And this time without the need for a bloody revolution. Of course the current administration in Washington is aware of this but has opted to treat the rise of Russian power diplomatically. They don’t see the risks.
    “There is one more thing …,” the man on the screen added.
    There was a pause. Leander said, “We’re waiting.”
    “That Kyrgyzstan site is being monitored. A North Korean nuclear expert attended a meeting there. But we have intelligence that Iran is also involved.”
    “So you think Iran is in on this nuclear plot?”
    “Exactly.”
    “Against the U.S.?”
    “Iran may have a role, but their main interest is Israel. As we know, Iranian leaders have long harbored the desire to obliterate Israel. The other player, North Korea, has long despised our nation and wants to retaliate against the United States for destroying one of their navyvessels with the successful use of Mr. Jordan’s RTS system. So, that’s the playbook and the players.”
    Retired general “Rocky” Bridger, a stocky man with short salt-and-pepper hair, jumped in. He took off his reading glasses and tapped them on the table. “What’s the operational plan for the attack?”
    “We don’t have anything definitive yet, but some data indicate that portable nuclear devices are involved.”
    Bridger followed up. “Have you shared this with our government?”
    “Of course. Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the FBI. I’ve sent this to all of my contacts.”
    “And?” Bridger wondered out loud.
    “At first, some interest. But as time goes on, we have no assurances that our leads will be followed up on — and some evidence that they never will.”
    “How would you know if they had or hadn’t? You don’t have the same resources as the government.”
    “I can’t reveal sources, General, but we have friends in critical positions along the chain of command. They report that the data we shared with key federal agencies was … well … treated like a patient declared DOA in an emergency room.”
    Now Gallagher piped up. “Are you saying there’s a cancer in the government?”
    “Mr. Gallagher, I’m not at liberty to speculate. That’s one thing we don’t do. I’m tempted … but just can’t go any further. The new consolidation of national security agencies, while that has had some advantages, has one big disadvantage: there are now fewer people at the top who have the power to decide when to pursue and when not to pursue a threat.”
    Gallagher wouldn’t let up. “Well, let’s assume that there’s something rotten. How high? Attorney General? Higher than that?”
    Now Joshua turned to the former FBI special agent and had to