"...Mr. President, we are running out of time. You MUST do it. The missiles will strike in a matter of minutes."

The President continued to hesitate. How does one come to a decision that will kill millions upon millions of innocent people? He fought against the overwhelming urge to ask his aides the question he dared not ask -- could not ask, as President. It was a question that nearly drowned out all other coherent thoughts in his mind: Is his family safe? As President, though, he could never show that he was putting concerns for his family over the needs of his country. He wondered, for a moment, if his counterpart agonized over the same thoughts, before issuing HIS orders. Who would have thought his adversary would be the one to launch a preemptive attack. His aides warned him, though, not to be fooled by the posturing and pretensions.

He walked over to a briefcase, removed the launch codes and selected an attack option. The dual targets were: WASHINGTON, DC AND NEW YORK CITY. He then walked over to a secure phone used to transmit nuclear missile launch orders. Once the President conveys the codes and the attack plan, and the codes are verified by the General Staff Command Post on the other end of the secure line, the order to launch is given. The President began reading the codes very slowly: "E - M - E - T - I -- B...".