"And now you are standing outside a barn in America, associating with agents of a failed General," Jian said.
"It was my choice. Just like you, I was recruited by General Kung. This safe house was established to support the medical needs of any agents who required medical assistance. I suppose that there are other sites like this, but I don't know for sure," Lingli said.
"Probably so, I only know the heads of the other regions. I don't know the details of their areas. I have the team here and one other," Jian casually replied.
"Another team? You have said nothing about another team," Lingli said.
"Habit, Doctor . . . compartmentalization is the American term for it," Jian said.
"Where are they? Are they coming here?" Lingli asked.
"The reason I am telling you, is that they are coming here today. Our true mission continues, and I need all of the remaining agents for us to succeed," Jian said, while glancing at the position of the sun.
"They should arrive late tonight. We have to make room for six more," Jian said, as he started walking toward the barn to tell the others.
CHAPTER 14
230 Harlless Bridge Road
Little Rock, South Carolina, USA
May 5, 2017
2145 hours EST
The driver and the passenger in the front seat exchanged nervous glances as the brown truck turned onto the unpaved driveway.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Chong Yunru asked, while pausing just off the pavement.
"Positive, look at the oak tree on the right side of the road," Guan Xing replied, as he opened his window and shined a flashlight at two ribbons hanging from the lowest tree branch. One ribbon was yellow, the other red.
"That's the sign. Have you met this Wang Jian before?" Yunru asked, and began heading down the drive.
"No, he was in a different unit back in China. I do remember his name, though. He was a Sergeant Major First Class and had a reputation as an excellent soldier and leader. Like us, he is a Siberian Tiger. He is our leader now, and has summoned us all here for a reason. We'll find out why when he sees fit," Xing said.
. . . .
The House
2150 hours EST
"I hear a vehicle coming down the road," Bingwen said, sticking his head inside the front door of the farm house.
Everyone rose from their seats and walked outside to the porch. The night was warm. The tree frogs and crickets were holding a non-stop conversation. The cicadas chimed in at regular intervals. A waxing moon cast dark shadows from the surrounding trees. The headlights from the van could be seen winding down the dirt road toward the house.
Jian gestured with his hand. Chonglin and Bingwen slipped off the porch and into the shadows. Both were armed with automatic assault weapons.
The brown truck pulled up to the front of the house, turned off the lights, and silenced the engine. A man on the passenger side opened the door and stepped out. The interior light did not come on.
Jian stepped forward from the porch and greeted the man from the brown truck.
"Zuòwéi yī zhǐ lǎohǔ huó dé gèng hǎo yī nián (Better to live one year as a tiger) . . ." Jian said, in Mandarin.
". . . Bǐ miányáng hái yào zhǎng dá yībǎi nián (. . . than a hundred years as a sheep)," Xing replied.
"Greetings, brother tiger," Jian said, as the two men shook hands.
The van and the porch both emptied at the same time. Chonglin and Bingwen secured their weapons, and stepped out from the shadows on either side of the porch. Greetings, handshakes, and bows abounded as the reunited Siberian Tigers walked into the farmhouse, deep in the South Carolina countryside.
Doctor Zhang Lingli stood to the side, alone, as a sense of dread crept up her spine.
CHAPTER 15
Central Intelligence Agency
Mission Center for Weapons and Counterproliferation
3rd Floor Meeting Room
Manassas, Virginia, USA
May 6, 2017
1000 hours EST
"Ladies, gentlemen, we have one remaining problem," Director Janet Davidson said, while pacing at the head of the long walnut table.
"As most of you are aware, during the last six months, we, along with significant help from our brothers and sisters in Homeland Security, have secured 49 nuclear devices smuggled into the United States. Based on information reluctantly provided by the People's Republic of China, there is one remaining device. Agent Langford, if you would, please provide an update on where we stand with the last device," Janet said.
"Based on the information provided by our Chinese 'friends', the one remaining device is a Chinese Type 6 weapon dating from the early 70's. It was designed to be dropped from a bomber, but was stripped of its fins and modified. The outer shell was removed, and anti-tampering devices and a remote controlled trigger were added. It should be identical to the original device that was found in San Francisco. That device was disarmed by a contract company working for the Department of Energy. That puts it in the 30-40 kiloton range. To put that into context, the Hiroshima device had a yield of 16 kilotons," Amanda said.
"For example, if a weapon of this size was detonated in Alexandria, Virginia, the impact on the Mid-Atlantic States would be devastating," Amanda said, as she brought up a map of the eastern United States on a large screen located behind her. She then keyed in some data and pressed enter.
"As you can see, the immediate deaths would be approximately 11,000. Another 20,000 would be severely injured and would probably die within 24 hours. That's just from the initial effects of the blast, the ionizing radiation and thermal effects. The greater impact would be from the fallout. Within about eight hours, residents of Washington and Baltimore would be exposed to levels of ionizing radiation that would quickly be fatal, approximately 100 Rem per hour. Those areas would be uninhabitable for decades. This software only shows fallout areas exceeding 1 Rem per hour. The effects of the plume would extend all the way up to Maine. The entire Northeast would be contaminated to some extent. The panic would be incredible. The economic impact . . . ," Amanda said, and then paused, letting the significance of the one remaining missing device sink in.
"Personally and professionally, I find this whole thing appalling. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been intentionally left out of the loop during this entire event. The fact that I am just now being briefed on an event of such national . . ." Assistant Director James Allen, of the FBI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate, began.
"Spare me the theatrics, Assistant Director Allen. The FBI has become a sieve. To be blunt . . . you couldn't be trusted with the information," Janet said, tiring of his tirade.
"Who couldn't trust us? You?" James asked.
"No, the President," Janet said, then smiled.
"I don't believe it! Clarisse, is this true?" Director Allen asked Clarisse Beaumont, the National Security Advisor, who sat across the table from him.
"Yes, James, it's true. The President felt that the FBI could not be trusted to keep this information from the press. The only reason you're sitting here now is the latest event at the hospital in Alexandria. Your agents on the ground were quick enough to gain classified information before we could shut the whole thing down," Clarisse replied.
"Well, good for them. This should be out in the open, at least within the Federal government," James said.
"James, the Chinese were blackmailing the United States. They threatened to go to the press with information about the 50 nuclear weapons they had smuggled into our country. Even you must be able to imagine the impact that information would have had if it had become available to the general public. The markets would have crashed, and there would have been a national panic. The country would have become ungovernable. This was way beyond 'Need to Know'," Clarisse said.
"I am in charge of the FBI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. I have 35,000 people that report to me. I needed to know!" James said, while standing up and slamming his fist onto the table
.
"Well . . . you know now. If the FBI wishes to discuss it with the President, feel free. The FBI has gone through three Directors in the last 18 months. I suppose a new Assistant Director of WMD could be arranged," Clarisse said.
"Are you threatening me?" James asked.
"No, I'm telling you that if the information you are now privy to leaks, it will endanger the nation. The individual or individuals responsible for the leak will disappear into federal detention for an extended stay. As of today, there have been no leaks during this entire event," Clarisse said, upping the ante from an implied threat to a direct one.
Assistant Director Allen sat down. Clarisse nodded at Janet to continue. She nodded at Amanda.
"As I said, the Chinese provided a file containing all the locations of the devices and the individuals involved. This particular device was stored behind a restaurant named the Fusion, three miles southwest of Fort Benning, in Fort Mitchell, Alabama. The odd thing about this location was the age of the restaurant. The restaurant is only one year old. Every other location used to store one of these devices had been in place for a decade or longer. The only thing I can surmise are the changes initiated at Fort Benning as part of the base consolidation process initiated back in 2005 and completed in 2011. The Armor School was moved there from Fort Knox, and the Maneuver Center of Excellence was established. This translates as more troops and more senior leadership in one location. The Fusion restaurant was a perfect place for a device. The initial blast would take out South Fort Benning, and the plume from the fallout would have swept across the remainder of the base, rendering it inoperable and killing thousands of combat troops and their families." Amanda said.
"So where is the device now?" James asked.
"The family that owned the restaurant was found dead inside their home. The home had been burned down. Local fire investigators determined that the fire had been set. Autopsies verified that the family had been murdered. Their throats were cut. Homeland verified the analyses," said Assistant Secretary Max Lopez, of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of Homeland Security.
"You have no clue where the weapon is, do you?" James asked, while looking around the table.
"At this time . . . no. We think that the assault on the hospital in Alexandria to rescue the Chinese agent is related to the disappearance of the final nuclear weapon. We're hoping that if we can find him, we'll find the device. We're following leads at this time," Janet said.
"The only significant thing you said was, 'At this time, no,' the rest was smoke. Who in the Senate and the House of Representatives knows about this?" James asked.
"The President has had private discussions with the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader in the Senate," Clarisse said.
"So . . . the vast majority of the federal officials duly elected by the people of this nation have no idea what's going on. This is treasonous . . ." James began.
Amanda's phone began to vibrate and slide across the table top. Glancing down at the phone, she saw that a text had come in from Detective Morehead. After reading the text, she looked up and saw that the argument was once again flowing back and forth across the table.
"We've had a breakthrough," she said, but was ignored as the debate escalated.
Amanda reached down and dug her nails into Janet's arm. Her boss, deep into the argument, glared up at her.
"Director, we've had a breakthrough," Amanda said.
"A serious one?" Janet asked, while removing Amanda's hand from her arm.
"Yes, ma'am. Detective Morehead found an eye witness who saw the truck after it left the storage facility," Amanda said.
Janet stood, then bellowed in a voice that had terrified Marine recruits for almost a decade, "All right people, listen up!"
The room, filled with self-important people who were not used to being shouted at, grew silent.
"We have had a breakthrough. Local police in Alexandria have been following leads in the hospital murders. We knew that the assailants escaped from the hospital in an ambulance and went to a nearby storage facility. We assumed it was to switch vehicles, but due to the early morning hours and the dense fog that blanketed the area, we had no idea what type of vehicle they were driving. Now we do. Agent Langford . . ." Janet said, and sat down.
"Young lady, this means nothing. The vehicle was in Virginia. The bomb was in Georgia. What does one have to do with the other?" James said.
"Sir, it means everything! Chinese agents from across the country have been detained. Based on the personnel list provided by their government, there is only a relative handful left at large . . . less than 20. My theory is that they are consolidating their remaining forces and continuing their mission. If we find them, we find the device," Amanda said, as Assistant Director Allen glared at her.
"So what was the vehicle?" James asked.
"A U-Haul moving van," Amanda said, then grew angry when Assistant Director Allen began laughing.
"Wonderful, that's a great lead. There are probably 50,000 U-Haul trucks in this country. Did the witness get a license plate number, at least a partial?" James asked.
Amanda bit her tongue as she picked up her phone, called Detective Morehead, set the phone on speaker, turned up the volume, and set it back on the table.
"Morehead here! I'm busy girl, what do you want?" Angelo said.
"Detective Morehead, I'm in a conference with high level personnel from other agencies in the Federal Government. I need some details about your text. Are you interviewing the witness who saw the U-Haul leave Public Storage?" Amanda said.
"Well, I was until you interrupted me?" Angelo said.
"Detective Morehead, my name is Clarisse Beaumont. I'm the National Security Advisor. Do us both a favor and cut the bullshit. Please answer Agent Langford's questions," Clarisse said.
The cell phone was silent for a few seconds.
"I'm conducting an interview with Ms. Jennifer Stone. She was out running on the morning of April 20th when she saw a U-Haul van pull out from the driveway below the Public Storage facility located at 401 South Pickett Street in Alexandria, Virginia. The truck drove south and went right past her. She remembers seeing an Asian man in a ball cap sitting in the passenger seat," Angelo said.
"Did she get a license number?" Amanda asked.
"No, but she does remember the design on the side of the truck . . . or part of it," Angelo said.
"Great, no license and she saw 'U-Haul' on the side. That's helpful," James said.
"What did she see? What was the design?" Amanda asked.
"She remembers seeing a guy in a tube and it was yellow . . . if that makes any sense," Angelo said.
Amanda began laughing, and said, "Angelo, that's great! Email me if she remembers anything else," Amanda said.
"I'm glad you find this amusing, Agent Langford," James said.
"Actually, Assistant Director Allen, that partial ID was very helpful. When I first started with the Agency last year I drove up here in a U-Haul truck. Back in the 80's they started an advertising program called SuperGraphics. One of the things they did was place a large design on the side of their trucks for each state in the US," Amanda said, while reaching under the table and retrieving her IPad.
"All we have to do is find out which state has a man in a tube that's yellow," Amanda said, while keying in 'U-Haul SuperGraphics' on the IPad.
A minute later she looked up, smiled, and said, "South Carolina. Now we have something specific to look for. If they took any toll roads, stopped at gas stations. This is great! We have something to track . . . a U-Haul truck with the South Carolina logo and an Asian man in a ball cap sitting on the passenger side."
"Finding this truck will take a lot of resources. The assistance of the FBI would be very helpful. No one would need to know why this truck has to be found. They just need to find it," Clarisse said, while folding her hands and staring at Assistant Director Allen.
"I think we can help you with this," James said.
The House
230 Harlless Bridge Road
Little Rock, South Carolina, USA
May 10, 2017
1930 hours EST
"Lingli, we're starting to run low on supplies," Jian said, while glancing around the nearly empty pantry behind the kitchen.
"I know. I'm going on a supply run tonight. With this many people in the house, we've run out more quickly than I expected," Lingli said, while displaying the long list of things they needed.
"There's a Food Lion in Dillon, a few miles away from here. They're open until 10PM. Since I buy in bulk, I had to have a cover story. I'm the crazy Asian 'Prepper' lady who lives out in the woods," Lingli said, while displaying her camo hunting attire and boonie hat.
"Prepper? I haven't heard that term before," Jian said.
"They think that the end of the world is coming. They hoard food, water, weapons, and live by themselves, or in tight-knit family groups," Lingli said.
"They might be right, but was that wise? You give them something to remember," Jian asked.
"An Asian in South Carolina is already noteworthy. The people here are rustic and individualistic. Now I blend in. Dressed like this, I'm one of them," Lingli said, while tucking her list into her pants pocket and walking out the pantry door.
"Do you need some help?" Jian asked, as he followed her out of the pantry.
"Chonglin already volunteered. He'll stay in the Suburban, but help me load after I buy everything we need," Lingli said.
The Suburban
2000 hours EST
As Lingli left the dirt driveway and pulled onto Harlless Bridge Road, she glanced down at the gas gauge on the 2007 Chevy Suburban.
"We'll have to stop for gas. It's nearly empty. There's an Exxon station just past the Food Lion. I always get $40 worth of gas, and always pay cash. That way there is no paper trail. I've read that that's the way preppers do things," Lingli said, as they turned left on Highway 57.
HARRIS (Detonation) Page 6