NORAD spy satellites detect an unscheduled and totally unexpected 400 kiloton nuclear explosion in a remote part of the Atlantic, far from land and shipping lanes. It did no harm and left no clue as to its origin or why it was detonated. Nor was there any indication as to what the delivery system was. It was this total lack of information that made the event so mysterious, perplexing, and threatening. The president was immediately notified of the event and of the steps being taken by the military and the CIA to learn more about the detonation. He was also informed of the Defense Departments decision to issue the military’s highest alert for forces in that defense zone. In the frantic days that followed, the nation found itself on the brink of a nuclear disaster - the circumstances of which would ultimately destroy America as a functioning nation if not stopped.
