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"He's going for the National Archives building," the President said, a bitter edge to his voice "Fawkes is trying to destroy the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution"

"I urge you, Mr President, to order a nuclear strike on the Iowa at once" Higgins's norray

The President looked like one hunted His shoulders were hunched as though he were cold "No," he said with finality

Higgins dropped his hands to his side and sat heavily in his chair Ke over

"There is another solution," he said slowly, deliberately "We knock out the Iowa's number-two turret"

"Knock out the turret?" Higgins said, a skeptical look in his eyes

"So Satan penetration ht, General Sayre?"

Air Force chief General Miles Sayre nodded in agreee their way through three yards of concrete"

"I see your point," said Higgins "But the accuracy? Miss, and you ht unleash the QD"

"It can be done," said Sayre, a usually taciturn uidance control to the ground troop

s Your people, General Higgins, are close enough to the Iowa to lay a Satan within a two-foot diameter"

Higgins snatched the phone and stared at the President "If Fawkesschedule, we have less than two minutes"

"Go for it," the President said without hesitation

While Higgins gave instructions to the forces deployed around the Iowa, Kemper consulted a file on the ship's construction

"That turret is protected with steel ar seven to seventeen inches thick," said Kemper "We may not destroy it, but we'll sure as hell stun the crew"