Revisiting 'Fail-Safe' Page #5

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in the Number 3 bank.

Right away, Chief.

Sir, the Fail Safe box.

I see it.

Check Omaha by radio.

Somebody screwed up.

Yes, sir.

Try another band.

Try them all.

It's the Russians.

Jamming our signals to keep us

from getting the go-ahead.

-They're too late for that.

-It's got to be a mistake.

Request permission to verify, sir.

Permission granted.

I read it as ''CAP 81 1.''

I concur your reading

is Charlie Alpha Poppa 81 1.

We will now both open

our operational orders.

Last year, on a flight from Hamburg...

...we lost an engine over England.

One was a heart stopper, but to lose two--

General Bogan.

Why is that group of planes up there

headed for Russia?

In the case of a surprise attack,

people still advocate a return...

...to manned bombers for a first strike

retaliation rather than missiles.

Why? They're slower, they can be recalled.

The missiles cannot.

They provide a maximum reaction time

for thought, evaluation...

...the detection of error,

perhaps even a peaceful resolution.

I find this point of view

dangerously old fashioned, gentlemen.

We must speed up in this circumstance,

not slow down.

Time is a....

Colonel Purnell, get me Omaha.

Colonel.

-Colonel Cascio.

-Sir.

Get me the President.

Tell Peter not to even hint to the press

there's an emergency.

Tell the Vice President what's happened.

He'll know what to do.

-We met before at your office.

-Yes, sir. I'm the Russian translator.

I hope there won't be any use

for you today. Nothing personal.

No, they'll get wind of this,

they always do.

Tell Peter to tell the press that it is urgent.

It's not a backbreaker.

Not yet. And, off the record, no leaks.

Any leaks on this, the guy and his paper

are dead, now and forever.

-I'll tell him in those words.

-Where's the list for the Pentagon meeting?

-Right here, Mr. President.

-Give it to Buck.

I think that'll be all for now. Stay close.

Right outside, sir.

Sit down, Buck.

-You know what's happened?

-No, sir.

One of our bomber groups

got the wrong message...

...went off to attack Russia.

The whole thing may get settled down

in a couple of minutes. Probably will.

The bombers will realize their mistake

and turn back or...

...we'll contact them by radio

and recall them.

But if things do get serious

then I may have to speak to the Kremlin.

That's where you come in.

-I'll do my best, sir.

-I know you will.

Who's on that Pentagon list?

I want them in on this.

Secretary of Defense...

...Chiefs of Staff...

...Professor....

Groteschele.

Runs an expensive think tank.

Pentagon likes him.

He says what they want to hear.

Is there a General Black on that list?

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