January 28, 1987. 2:53 AM, Moscow time.
Mikhail Gorbachev sits alone, in his office in the Kremlin. A television is tuned to CNN, readying for President Reagan's State of The Union speech. He is idly going through some letters in a pile of what his aide marked low importance. An envelope catches his eye, addressed:
To General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev
From Captain Mikhail Ulyanov, Soviet Navy
Odd that his aide didn't open this, Gorbachev thinks. It's been sitting on his desk in that pile since morning. Gorbachev opens the envelope, and removes a single sheet of paper He begins to read it. After about 30 seconds, his face turns white, as if he'd seen a ghost. He hits a black alarm button on his desk, and simultaneously picks up a red phone...one he'd never had to use before, and hoped he never would. He hears a couple of clicks, and as aides and security rush into the room, he speaks into the phone...
"This is General Secretary Gorbachev. I must speak to the President. Immediately."