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Ten Minutes To Doomsday

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Inspired by Writers Digest Flash fiction February Challenger 2022 prompt to write a story that takes place in ten minutes.  Not posted or published.

February 22, 2025, 2025 7:00 pm WDC 10 minutes before doomsday

General Sam Adams was on duty on February 22, 2025nd at 7:00 PM in NORAD Command Center in Colorado when he received the flash notification that incoming nuclear missiles were being detected coming from North Korea. China and Russia using hypersonic missile technology. The best estimate was they had 10 minutes before Washington DC, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and NORAD would be obliterated by ICBM bombs.

The flash notification went out to hundreds of top-secret users throughout the world including of course the White House situation room, When Sam got the notification, he immediately put in a high-priority call to the White House, and was connected to President Al Wilson.

“Mr. President, Sam Adams, General in charge of NORAD here. We have received notification that incoming nuclear missiles are using hypersonic technology en route to Washington DC, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and NORAD. We are trying to verify that this is indeed correct not a computer glitch but given the recent international situation, we feel that it is probably the real deal. We should have a confirmation within 30 seconds we recommend an immediate evacuation of the White House to the alternate command center in Pennsylvania. we also recommend that President announce this to the American public and the world. We recommend going to Defcon Five and that we go prepare for immediate counter-reaction. We will know in two minutes where the missiles are coming from and we can get our missiles in the air in three minutes.”

 February 22, 2025 7:01  9 minutes to Doomsday

Sam Adams turns to his staff and demands verification status.

“Damn it what’s the status is it’s real is it’s a glitch?”

Col. Joshua Smith responds.

“ Sir, as far as we can tell it’s real, and we also know exactly from where they’re coming from. The missiles are coming from China, North Korea, and Russia.  There are 10 missiles in total. all ICBMs use hypersonic technology and we have 9 minutes before detonation.

We believe that this facility will not be destroyed because we are so deep underground, but DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York will be destroyed with an estimated causality of ten to 20 million people. We will have the countermeasures ready for your approval and Washington’s approval in two minutes.

Oh CNN is announcing that the US is under nuclear attack.  somehow they found out about it.

“Get Me CNN right now.”

“Sir, go ahead you are life.”

“This is general Sam Adams.  I don’t know how you found out because that is top secret need to know but since you found out, I can acknowledge that the US is under the US is undercounted under military attack with incoming hypersonic ICBMs coming from China, North Korea, and Russia targeting DC,  Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City,

The president will be addressing the nation in two minutes. I can assure you and the American people that vigorous countermeasures will launch within 5 minutes targeting North Korea Beijing and Russia best guess estimate is about 20 million people who die and we have 8 minutes before detonation.”

February 22, 2025  7:02 pm WDC  8 minutes Before Doomsday

The newly elected president Wilson assembled his national security team in the situation room in person and virtually he started the meeting by looping in genome Adams who gave an updated brief and then he turned to his staff and said we have 8 minutes before detonation in two minutes I will make his speech to the United States to the American people in the world and seven minutes we will launch countermeasures and in six minutes we will evacuate to our alternative headquarters we may not make it there in time recommendations?

General Tony Smith, Joint Chiefs speaks up,

“Have we deployed missile defenses?”

Sam Adams responds,

“Underway but we may only knock out one or two missiles. They’re just going too fast.  Our missile defenses are not capable of tracking and taking down hypersonic missiles. “

The president speaks up,

“Ladies and gentlemen we have just a few minutes before we have to leave.  Here’s what I want to do call the Presidents of China, North Korea, then and Russia and tell them we are launching 200 missiles at them unless they have the means to either destroy the missiles en route or recall them. Then speak to the American public and move to the underground bunkers under the WH and hope that they hold up.  Bring me the football.”

February 22, 2025 7:03 pm WDC 7 minutes Before Doomsday

President Wilson calls the Presidents of China, North Korea, and Russia on a video conference call.

Gentlemen, you have launched an unprovoked attack on the U.S. Don’t deny it.  I am authorizing 200 ICBM’s to be launched at your key military sites and your capital cities. They will launch in two minutes and reach their destination in 30 minutes.  Once launched they can not be stopped or recalled.  If you can destroy your missiles or recall them I suggest you do so now.”

President Stanislaus of Russia responded,

“This was an unfortunate accident, a computer glitch.  Unfortunately, once launched they can not be recalled. But if you launch missiles at us we will have to respond in kind.”

“Okay, you give me no choice. I am authorizing release right now” He opens up the football and enters that day’s code, authorizing 200 missiles to be sent to China,  North Korea, and Russia and turns to Sam Adams,  Is that it?”

“Yes, I will send a flash notification confirming that this is not a drill and is authorized. Done. The missiles should be in the air in five minutes.

February 22, 2025 7:04 pm WDC  6 minutes to Doomsday

The president addresses the nation.  My fellow Americans, the United States is under attack by hypersonic missiles coming from China, North Korea, and Russia targeting WDC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York.  The ten missiles will detonate in ten minutes.  Power is likely to be shut off for most of the United States for several weeks at least.  If you are in the affected areas, we pray you will somehow survive.  I am going to an emergency bunker and if I survive will direct the reconstruction efforts.  I have authorized sending 200 ICBMs to China, North Korea, and Russia targeting their military and control centers. We hope that will end this exchange of missiles. Good night and God bless America.

February 22, 2025 February  7:05 pm WDC  5 minutes to doomsday

The president and the senior command staff are rushed to helicopters and take off.  With any luck, they will escape the blast radius and reach the alternative command center in 15 minutes.

There is total panic as everyone tries to flee the city at once.  Most will die in traffic.

February 22, 2025 7:06 pm WDC  4 minutes to Doomsday

Sam Adams briefs the president by phone on preparations.

‘Mr. President, the ICBM’s are en route to their destinations. There is no indication that any more missiles are headlining out the way. I do have good news, our missile defense worked and two of the eight have been destroyed over the Pacific ocean but the rest are closing into their targets.  Los Angeles and Las Vegas will be hit first, DC and NYC about ten minutes later.  We will keep trying to knock them out.

February 22, 2025 7:07 pm WDC 3 minutes to Doomsday

The senior staff are out of the dangerous area and will arrive at the alternate command site before the missiles arrive.  They are watching the chaotic traffic and monitoring the news.  The president has been calling allies around the world and evoked Article Five of NATO.  All the allies agree to help with the reconstruction. France and the UK agree to launch additional ICBMs targeting military targets in China, North Korea, and Russia after the US ICBMs reach their targets.  The president also persuades Wall Street to suspend trading for two weeks.

February 22, 2025 7:08 pm WDC  2 minutes to doomsday

With two minutes left, The president authorizes private calls to families affected.  His wife and children had made it to the Choppers on time but most of the white house staff, congress and Senators, and federal government employees were in the blast zone.  The president discusses with his staff what they will do immediately after detonation and how they will start the reconstruction process.  He declares a state of national emergency and martial law with dusk to dawn curfew across the country and calls upon the military to deploy to non-affected cities to keep order after the detonation.

February 22, 2025 7:09 pm WDC 1 minute to doomsday

Everyone is watching the approach of the missiles via television news crews who are in the air over DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and NYC.  They see five missiles hit Las Vegas and Los Angeles and see the mushroom clouds before the transmission dies.

February 22, 2025 7:10 pm WDC  Doomsday Zero Hour Los Angeles and Las Vegas

15 million people died in the U.S. ten minutes after the bombs arrived.  Massive out of control wildfires killed millions more.  Power was out everywhere. Telecommunications were out everywhere as well. The president and his senior staff arrived safely.  DC and NYC were destroyed five minutes after arrival.  30 million people died in China, 10 million in North Kore, 5 million in South Korea, ten million in Japan (the North Koreans nuked both), and 30 million in Russia. There were no more nuclear exchanges as the leaders of the three countries perished in the US counter-launch.

The End

• Hypersonic weapons incorporate the speed of a ballistic missile with the maneuvering capabilities of a cruise missile. Hypersonic weapons refer to weapons that travel faster than Mach 5 (~3,800mph) and have the capability to maneuver during the entire flight.

hypersonic weapons who has them?