There are very few Americans who would reply "in a sec," or "soon," if they meant "possibly some time today, or not." There are different words and phrases for

There are very few Americans who would reply "in a sec," or "soon," if they meant "possibly some time today, or not." There are different words and phrases for each length of indeterminate time. That's apparently not the case with the word in the article, and that's why it's confusing without broader context.