Conspiracy of Fire
Page 24
“Tomorrow, when my new power station opens, providing free electricity for all, it will send a message to the parasite government of the United States. The people will hear that message. And you Ms. Kane will return to your political masters in Washington and serve notice that their time is short.”
“You seem to forget, I got work to take care of Tao. The little matter of a United States Senator murdered, along with the Governor.”
“Murder Ms. Kane? A word you used once before—and yet you have absolutely no evidence. I would suggest to you that Senator Johnston and his friend the Governor are two very good examples of the failure and corruption inherent in your system of government.”
“I am sure Congress and the voters of the United States will give due consideration to your ideas Tao. No doubt you have an army of K-‐street sleazebags lobbying hard to make sure that happens. But nobody does democracy quite like we do here in America. My guess is your kooky little ideas will get short-‐shrift at the ballot box.”
“Democracy Ms Kane? How charming you should think that way. Plato thought of government as ever moving—like a clock, with many differing systems of rule. And I have to tell you Ms. Kane, the hour of democracy has long passed—we have moved onwards, into the time of the oligarchs— and very soon we will move farther still, into an even newer and brighter future. So tell me Ms. Kane, do you want to be a part of this new and exciting future, or perhaps you would prefer to
maintain your misplaced allegiance with the old and discredited past?”
“That is as close to a tempting offer as I have had all day—and if I refuse, what then? Maybe I end up like the senator, or the governor, or that goofy little rock doctor you had on your pay-‐roll, name of Brad Verner.”
Deng Tao beamed, his sharp little teeth glistening in the reflected light of the ocean. “Mr. Verner, but of course. A most hard working member of my organization, if some what misinformed by his friends in the environmental lobby.”
“Misinformed? I had him down as scared, a person tends to get that way when folks are shooting at them.”
“Please, Ms. Kane. Your concerns are groundless.” Deng Tao clapped his hands, The heavy bronze doors at the far end of the room opened slowly and there standing in the doorway was the sheepish and somewhat rumpled figure of Brad Verner.
41
Karyn fought back the heavy wave of euphoria that came rushing at her, like a revelation from on high. Here, alive. Not dead in some shallow grave as she had expected. He looked kind of strange though, all dressed up in a high-‐collared shirt and tuxedo. A bright red bow tie completed the ensemble. He looked rumpled, like a mad professor. The bow tie was strapped on tight and hung at a crooked angle like it would come spinning off at any minute.
Karyn fought the impulse to fire quick questions and establish just how this miraculous and unexpected turnaround had come about. Finally, she sucked a breath and said, “I was worried about you Verner, where on earth have you been?”
“The hell you were worried, you locked me in the trunk of my own car for chrissake. I could have died in there, suffocated or starved—or, I don’t know—run out of water or something. If the cops hadn’t rescued me, who knows what could have happened?”
“Rescued?”
“Yeah, they broke open the trunk and pulled me out, I felt so light-‐headed I thought I was going to puke. Lack of oxygen I guess.”
Karyn pursed her lips and nodded. “So the nice policemen broke you free did they Verner?”
“Yeah, they sure did, and I was never so glad to see anybody, let me tell you. I mean, you were acting nuts—all that crazy driving; and shooting at those people like that. I thought you were going to kill me or something.”
“I am sure you will forgive me Verner, I was
protecting you—acting in your best interests—you
understand that right?”
Verner looked pouty. “You kidnapped me.” Deng Tao clapped his hands—it was
difficult to know whether he did this to show his
delight, or whether he was trying to silence
Verner’s whining. “I think the important thing that
can be gained from this Mr. Verner is a received
wisdom. You are, after all, now safe and enjoying a
well deserved period of recuperation after your
terrifying ordeal.”
“Yeah, terrifying,” parroted Verner, “Locked
in the trunk of my car like that…
Deng Tao steepled his fingers together and
flexed them. He considered Karyn carefully, and
said, “A most disturbing story, I think you will
agree—gunplay, kidnapping, high-‐speed car chases,
all on the quiet streets of this paradise island. Tell
me Ms. Kane, are such antics a procedural
imperative for the U.S. Department of Justice? ” Karyn gave Tao a hard look. “Verner here
told me some real interesting stories about that
kooky power plant on the big Island Tao. He thinks
you are going to blow it up like a giant bomb.” Tao raised his eyebrows and let out a soft
almost musical laugh. “My goodness, what an
imaginative idea Ms. Kane, like something one
might find in a paperback thriller—were the idea
not so far fetched.” Tao’s intensely black eyes
crawled over Karyn, with barely concealed
amusement, his delicate little teeth sparkling as his
laughter trailed away.
Karyn smiled back, but the smile was thin
and ambivalent, without trace of humor, “You are
right of course Tao. There is no evidence to suggest that the Johnston deaths were anything other than a very unfortunate murder/suicide, brought on by an unsavory mixture of greed and stupidity. It would be difficult to mount a prosecution under such circumstances, but I am sure that the congressional inquiry will be far reaching.”
Deng Tao gave Karyn a dead look. “Inquiry?” He almost spat the word.
Karyn nodded. “Certainly. Tex Johnston was the Chairman of the Congressional House
Committee on Oversight and Government reform. No doubt his fellow Congressmen will want to analyze his sordid little business dealings in detail—who knows what kind of dirt they will churn up.”
“That would be most unfortunate,” said Tao thoughtfully. “Perhaps this very same Committee would look into the handling of the investigation into this case? Who knows Ms. Kane, we may see you on television, explaining away your actions over the past couple of days. I am sure that will make most interesting viewing, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Naturally I will co operate fully with any investigation. Cooperation is important. Take Verner here, one day he is slandering your organization from the rooftops, the next he is your biggest advocate. A testament to the righteousness of your cause no doubt, which is impressive, because only the other day he told me that you
r little power project was on schedule to cause a disaster bigger than Banda Aceh and the Fukushima Daiichi crisis at Tōhoku combined.”
“Environmentalists are people of passion
Ms. Kane, unfortunately that passion is often widely
misinformed. I think that once Mr. Verner had
chance to acquaint himself with the full and
incontrovertible facts, he realized that his fears
were groundless.”
Karyn nodded slowly. She turned to Verner
and said, “It is always important to have all the
facts, before passing judgment. Tell me Verner, how
are your folks doing? It must be rather nice in
Seattle this time of year. You were going to visit
them last time we talked. Did you change your
mind?”
Deng Tao swiveled towards Brad Verner,
his black eyes hard and implacable.
Brad Verner ran his thin nervous fingers
through his tangled mop of hair and looked
anxiously at Deng Tao, “I figured I could stick
around just a little while longer. It would be a
shame to miss the opening of the plant, after all the
hard work I have put in. I am flying out to the
power plant in Mr. Tao’s helicopter, first thing in
the morning.”
Deng Tao gave Karyn a triumphant look. “So
there we have it, a most regrettable
misunderstanding. I am glad we discussed this. ”
Deng Tao paused, flashed his sharp little teeth and
said, “Perhaps you would care to join Mr. Verner on
the flight over to the Big Island tomorrow. It
promises to be an event of world changing
proportions. You would receive VIP treatment
naturally and a ringside seat as the power plant
goes online.”
“Sounds fascinating, ” deadpanned Karyn,
“But switch flipping ceremonies really aren’t my
thing.”
Deng Tao looked disappointed. “Such a pity.
Still, the night is long and the party just starting and
you must know that both my wife and I can be very
persuasive Ms. Kane.”
Karyn looked at Brad Verner. He hung his
head on reflex. Karyn nodded, slowly thoughtfully
and turned to Deng Tao, “I am sure you can be
persuasive Tao, very persuasive, but then so can I.”
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Deng Tao looked at Karyn, his black eyes eating into her soul. “I had hoped, that once you had seen for yourself the majesty of our cause, you would join us. Ms. Kane. Calista Johnston, who always has a great deal of intuition in these matters, assured me that you were a strong and forward thinking woman; just the sort of person we would have ride at the very forefront of our new world order. And yet, you seem reticent, as though you prefer the tired allegiance of the past instead of joining with us. It saddens me Ms. Kane, that you would feel that way.”
Karyn soaked in the rhetoric then said, “You like to talk the big talk don’t you Tao? Yet you don’t know a damn thing about the small things that make the big world turn on its axis—things like loyalty, commitment and decency. If you want to buy your way into a new future for mankind, it is going to cost you more than a pocket full of gold coins. When it comes to real people, your smooth talking sales pitch won’t matter a damn. They will see through your talk of a new elite for what it is, a hell-‐ride to nothing.”
Deng Tao stared at her, his flat implacable eyes eating up every word. He wasn’t smiling now. The sharp little teeth tightened, his thin cruel lips twisting against Karyn’s words. “How very sure of yourself you are Ms. Kane. I can see that your misguided sense of duty has blinded you to the true nature of the golden future that awaits us all. No matter.” Deng Tao clapped his hands and the heavy bronze doors opened slowly.
“Tomorrow, as the new future rises with
the dawn, you will have to consol yourself, that you
wasted a great opportunity.” Deng Tao raised his
chin, his face twisting with displeasure. “Farewell
Ms. Kane, your commitment to the politics of failure
has sealed your destiny. We will not meet again.”
And with that, Deng Tao turned abruptly on his
heel and stalked out of the room.
Karyn watched him go. She turned to Brad
Verner and said, “Your new best pal is quite
something Verner. Are you really flying out to the
Big Island tomorrow?”
Brad Verner gave Karyn a desperate look. “I
have no choice, you know that don’t you?” Karyn pursed her lips and nodded slowly,
“What ever you think Verner.” Karyn paused,
looked after Deng Tao and said, “This is going to
end badly you know that don’t you?”
Desperate and afraid, Verner’s eyes
widened as though he were tying to communicate
some unspoken message.
Smiling ever so slightly Karyn nodded and
said, “I have business in Seattle next week, perhaps
I could drop in on your parents, if they are around
that is?”
Brad Verner looked ready to choke. “I am
sure they would be delighted to see you,” he
managed at last.”
Karyn nodded. It was just as she had
thought. Deng Tao’s people had Verner’s parents. If
they were lucky they would be bound and gagged,
maybe a little ragged around the corners, from a
cursory beating designed to give them a taste of
just how bad things would get if they didn’t do as
they were told. And if they weren’t lucky—well in that case, they would be dead already.
Karyn said nothing more. She stared at Brad Verner as he blinked at her then turned away, with slow hesitating steps. Karyn watched him go as he followed after Deng Tao, his new Master.
Looking back over his shoulder Brad Verner’s lips worked loosely, a confusion of thoughts hammering through his conflicted mind. He tripped, staggered, corrected and scampered away, as though fleeing from a looming tempest— but fleeing where? Where is there to flee, in a world that is spinning ever closer to madness? Karyn stood, watching as Brad Verner disappeared and the giant bronze doors closed after him.
Standing alone in the fish tank room, Karyn suddenly felt a crushing sense of claustrophobia. Above, below all around her the vast ocean was everywhere. Beyond the glass, vast schools of fish sparkled and whirled. Above them, larger more sinister shapes circled in the gloom. Sharks. That crazy, power mad freak Deng Tao had turned his ship into a giant floating Shark tank. Karyn watched as the sharks circled—beautiful, elegant, deadly. For a cold second she contemplated the idea of the ocean flooding the room. What would she do then? Millions of gallons of water flooding
in and no way of escape.
“Ms. Kane.” The voice came from behind, dripping smooth like warm honey. The intonation was vaguely French but with an unmistakable twist of the East.
Karyn turned slowly to see Calista Johnston, and with her, a quite beautiful Asian woman, wearing an elegant silk cocktail dress in
shimmering jade green and gold. The woman’s face had a high-‐boned, imperious quality, accentuated by the way she wore her hair, slicked tight behind her head.
Karyn raised her hand and circled a finger in the general direction of the newcomer, “Let me guess, the mysterious Mrs. Tao,” said Karyn.
An insidious look edged at the corners of the imperious face, and the woman’s heavy rouged lips parted, as though preparing to pass comment.
“This is quite some place you got here,” said Karyn. “And your husband is a bona-‐fide character to say the least.”
The rouged lips pursed with the faintest trace of disapproval. “You were right Calista very beautiful, but perhaps not quite so beautiful as you had led me to believe.” The woman held out her hand. “My name is Cheena Tao, I understand you are an investigator Ms. Kane?”
“You could say that. If chasing down blind-‐ alley leads in a case no one much cares for counts as investigation.”
Cheena Tao tilted her head at an angle that might have suggested vague amusement, but her bone-‐china features remained inscrutable. “How fascinating.” The words dripped cold like acid, eating into the dappled silence of the room. Bubbles trickled their way up the sides of the giant tank, struggling to free them selves from the oppressive gloom. “So tell me Ms. Kane, what progress have you made in this investigation of yours?”
“Not a whole lot. Matter of fact I will have to fly back to the mainland tomorrow. The promise of oversight often causes local law enforcement to