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The Button

The men gathered around the table in the oval office of the White House all looked very concerned. Major general Douglas Smith was busy speaking of course we know that the Kremlin has got a number of them even China has a larger number of them even India and Pakistan have got a small number of them.

But I never thought any one would be crazy enough to actually press the button.

The president moved uneasily in his chair well gentlemen it appears that some one is about to press the button he said. The light on the red telephone flickered and then rang; the president picked it up and listened for a few moments. Thank you he said and replaced the receiver on its cradle.

It appears that some one was crazy enough in Moscow to press the button, a collective gasp came from the table one of his senior aids said are we sure it is not just a computer glitch? The president replied no that was NATO head quarters on the line and they confirm that they have confirmation that at exactly 8: 45 PM Moscow time the president of the Russian republic pressed the button. This has also been confirmed by our friends in London who report that there sources tell them that it was a unilateral decision by the Russian government to resort to pressing the button as they had exhausted all other options.

Major general Smith looked concerned as the beads of sweat broke out on his forehead,

How much time does that leave us to counter act he asked the president? About 12 minutes before continental United States is effected replied the president. Who was also sweating profusely. A senior senator on the staff looked up the sweat plainly visible on the front of his shirt Sir we cannot just sit here doing nothing we have to decide what action to take. Damit man we are busy doing just that replied the major general after all he was feeling a little annoyed at this senator who was upstaging him and he could feel the sweat running down his back making him very uncomfortable. Has China done any thing he asked the room in general. I don’t think so said the Minster responsible for the Asian block. Well don’t think replied the president get hold of some one there and find out right now he ended. The Minster hurried from the room to make a number of phone calls while the rest of the room debated what to do the time was running out. Maybe we could put our people on full alert said the major general? Yes agreed the president make the phone call Douglas he said.

The Minster for the Asian block hurried back in to the office? Well asked the president hopefully? Bad news I am afraid said the Minster China has gone on full alert and they to are preparing to press the button said the frightened Minster. Dame and tarnation cried the General the whole world has gone mad.

How bad is it asked the senior aid to the president how many of us will survive this disaster what are the USA’s chances of survival 1 in ten million or even worse? He said out loud voicing his thoughts as the sweat rolled freely down the front of his shirt. Mr. president please you must decide you must press the button if we are by any means to stay in the race. Can we get some one to order some cool juice asked the president this is hot work, one of his aids hurried from the room to arrange the juice?

Gentleman the way I see it said the major general is that we have lost the first advantage and now we have but to try our best to limit the damage as best possible.

And how exactly are we to do this he continued is by pushing the button and hope to heaven that it works. We must remember we were not the first one’s to press the button we are not the maniac’s who started this but as a responsible government of these great United States we have to take action he said. As the sweat dripped from his long nose on to the brightly polished table. Out side the door the aid was struggling with the cart of cold drinks that he had rustled up despairingly he thought if they don’t act soon we would not be able to enjoy these drinks. He was a young man and he didn’t want to die and quite frankly he was glad for the break he had got getting out of the office, which was getting hotter by the minute. Any way he thought as he pushed the trolley through the door it wont be long now before the decide after all it had been 12 minutes some time ago.

Well Mr. president you have heard what we all have to say and now it is up to you it is your decision said the Major general. No body liked the Major general it was largely his fault that things had got so bad between Russia and the USA.

I still think we should vote on it said the president here take some paper and hand them to every body lets all vote according to our own conscience he said and then we will count the vote’s after all this concerns all of us he said sweat now running freely from his forehead and the stains visible under his arm pits

Quickly because there was not much time now remaining the pieces of paper were handed out and each man wrote yes or no the votes were collected by the senior aid who took them over to the small writing desk by the window. And he began to count. while the joiner aid to the president handed out soft drinks.

Shortly there after the senior aid returned to the table and handed the president the results. Slowly and deliberately the president opened the folded paper and read. Gentleman the yes votes have won he said I just want you all to know that you all had a chance to continue as we were but you have chosen to follow the course of the yes vote he said so now I will press the button he said moving to the console he raised his hand and pressed the button.

Everybody in the room at that moment knew we had taken a momentous step by pressing the button. A number of men sighed and waited it would not be long now.

A low rumble was heard and every body turned expectantly to the direction it had come from the president moved to the window and looked out on a peaceful garden as the room filled with cool air conditioned air, after all if they could turn air conditioners on in the Kremlin then I guess it would be okay to do the same in the Oval office. Now every body was relaxing talking softly and drinking coke

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