The Second Chinese Revolution (The Russian Agents Book 5)

by Ted Halstead

  “Of course I care,” Kharlov said with a frown. “I worked with them before, and would risk my life for both.”

  “Risking your life is normal and expected in these missions. Alina risked much more than that for you. She risked her career,” Evgeny said, shaking his head.

  “How so?” Kharlov asked.

  “When I was contacted by the cartels with their ransom demand, I told Alina we should let them kill you. I told her after your failure to follow orders in Cocoa Beach you deserved it. Alina objected strongly, and pointed out your dead body could still be tied to the mission. I replied that though greedy and often incompetent, this particular gang could be counted on to dispose of your body without trace,” Evgeny said, and then paused and shook his head again.

  “Alina told me if I refused to rescue you, she would resign, and we would no longer be friends,” Evgeny said quietly.

  Kharlov could hear from the way Evgeny said the words that he still had trouble believing Alina had spoken them.

  “And how is it that you, a retired contractor in Mexico, know about my failure to follow orders in Cocoa Beach?” Kharlov asked.

  Evgeny smiled. “As I hope you’ve guessed by now, I’m a bit more than that. I was actually in charge of all active field operations in North America until today. If we do make it back to Moscow I may end up in charge of no more than a desk, or start collecting a pension.”

  “Is it really so bad?” Kharlov asked. “After all, we did succeed with the objective in Florida.”

  Evgeny’s laugh was short and sharp. “That’s the only reason I didn’t include ‘unmarked grave’ in the list of possible outcomes. But your unauthorized use of explosives ensured the Americans know their rocket’s detonation was no accident. They may not yet know it was us. But they’re not stupid, and might still figure it out.”

  Kharlov shook his head stubbornly. “I don’t see how.”

  Evgeny ignored his comment, and continued. “Then there is the small matter of the funds I expended on our escape, and the cost of rebuilding our operations in Mexico. I don’t envy my successor.”

  “I had no idea I was causing such trouble,” Kharlov said sincerely. “I can only repeat that I will do whatever I can to repay you for your help.”

  “Assuming we both make it back to Moscow, and we’re both still working for the FSB after our debriefings, I may well hold you to that. But as I said, I’m not the one you most need to thank,” Evgeny said.

  “Yes, I understand. By the time I get back to Moscow I hope I’ll have thought of an appropriate way to express my appreciation,” Kharlov said.

  Evgeny’s attention was focused on the distant conversation between the Mexican and Guatemalan officers, and so it took a moment for Kharlov’s statement to register.

  When it did, Evgeny’s reaction was completely unexpected.

  Deep disappointment.

  “Surely she would not have picked someone with such limited intelligence,” Evgeny said, evidently to himself, since he was still watching the distant conversation. Which had become quite animated.

  To the point where Kharlov had to ask, “What are they saying? Can you hear anything?”

  Evgeny shrugged. “Not really, but I know what they’re saying anyway. I gave that Mexican officer enough money to let him live comfortably anywhere he wants. But that could change if he has to give too much to that Guatemalan officer. And he’s rightly worried that if he doesn’t get us on that plane, I might find a way to take back some or all of the money I sent him today.”

  “How will we know which way this goes?” Kharlov asked.

  Evgeny nodded towards a truck in camouflage colors idling next to the terminal building.

  “I’m betting that truck is full of soldiers loyal to this Guatemalan officer. Who are loyal because of the money they’re expecting from this trip to the airport,” Evgeny replied, and then gestured towards a set of metal stairs attached to a small vehicle with a driver at the wheel.

  “So the question is whether the stairs or the truck start moving towards us. Oh, and that silent fellow with the tie sitting in the jeep will be the immigration officer who needs to stamp our passports for departure. He has to be paid too, out of the Guatemalan officer’s cut,” Evgeny said.

  “A delicate negotiation. I see why it’s taking a while,” Kharlov said, and then paused.

  “Was that comment about ‘limited intelligence’ directed at me? What have I done that seemed so stupid to you?” Kharlov asked.

  Evgeny’s attention remained focused on the distant conversation, but he shook his head. “It was the wrong thing to say. Now that I think about it more, it’s not intelligence you lack, but experience. You joined Spetsnaz at a young age, were then a warlord in separatist Ukraine, and next immediately began your FSB training. So, you have never been in a serious relationship.”

  “No,” Kharlov said with a shrug. “As you say, time and circumstances never made that a real possibility. So?”

  Evgeny smiled, and at first Kharlov thought it was because the Guatemalan officer had lifted his radio to his mouth, and the vehicle with the stairs had begun moving towards them.

  But no. “Alina would have never risked her career as she did for someone she simply liked. If she survives her next assignment and finds you in Moscow, I expect her to make that clear to you. In her own way.”

  Evgeny said, “Get out your passport,” as the jeep also began moving towards them.

  Then he added, “Your file says you have fought Chechen terrorists and Ukrainian human traffickers, survived a buried nuclear detonation, and helped retrieve a stolen Russian thermonuclear weapon before also helping to destroy an American rocket. Correct?”

  Kharlov nodded silently.

  Evgeny’s smile broadened. “Now at last you face a real challenge. A relationship with a strong Russian woman.”

  His right eyebrow arched as he handed his passport to the man with the tie who had just reached the helicopter.

  “Good luck,” Evgeny said.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant

  One Hundred Kilometers South of Shanghai, China

  Senior Manager Tan looked up from his control board at Plant Complex Director Wu, and smiled.

  "Please check these readings, Director. I think we've done it," Tan said.

  Wu looked over Tan's shoulder intently at the many dials and gauges that displayed data critical to the reactor's operation.

  Or, in this case, to its safe shutdown.

  For several tense minutes, Wu said nothing as he reviewed the data displayed by the control panel.

  A half-dozen plant workers within earshot did their best to appear busy with their tasks while waiting for Wu to speak.

  Then Wu exhaled in relief and patted Tan on the shoulder.

  "Congratulations. I didn't think we had time, but I've never been happier to be proved wrong," Wu said with a broad smile.

  All the plant workers nearby cheered and clapped, and soon everyone else at the plant was too.

  They all knew how close they had come to disaster.

  In the control room, seawater was around their ankles. In many other levels of the plant, it was still higher.

  But it wasn't rising anymore, and the rain outside had finally stopped.

  The outside door to the plant swung open, admitting a platoon of soldiers with a scowling officer at their head.

  The officer marched up to Wu and asked, "I am Captain Jin. Where are Manager Tan and Director Wu?"

  Wu looked at Jin and replied, "I am Director Wu, and sitting next to me is Senior Manager Tan. What do you want?"

  Jin nodded with satisfaction. "You are both under arrest. Before I escort you both to prison, you are to restart this reactor, which you have shut down in violation of direct orders to keep it in operation."

  Wu shook his head in disgust. "Look down, Captain. What do you see?"

  "Water," Jin said defiantly. "So what?" He waved at all the control e
quipment around them. "This is all still working. So that proves you can restart the reactor."

  The reaction from everyone in the room was the last one the Captain had expected.

  They all laughed. Loudly. Some of the men actually doubled over.

  Jin's face contorted with anger, and he pulled out his pistol. The soldiers behind him raised their rifles.

  "If I have to shoot every man here, I'm going to follow my orders and get this reactor restarted. Now, are you going to do as I say, or am I going to save the government the cost of trying you two?" Jin snarled.

  Wu shrugged. "Death by your bullets is far preferable to death by radiation poisoning, and every man here knows it. Did your superiors give you the codes needed to restart this reactor? Did you bring anyone with you who knows how to enter the control codes for this plant?"

  Jin hesitated. "No to both. They said you two know how to restart the reactor, and I should force you to do so before taking you to prison."

  Wu nodded. "Well, then we have a problem. The water here is nothing compared to what has seeped into the reactor area itself. If we try to restart it now, the explosion and fallout that result will be many times worse than at Fukushima. You have heard of Fukushima, right, Captain?"

  "Yes," Jin said sullenly. "But that doesn't change my orders."

  Wu noticed, though, that some of the soldiers behind the Captain were looking at each other with alarm.

  "Captain, did your superiors tell you that water from the storm had entered the reactor?" Wu asked.

  "No," Jin replied.

  "I'm not a soldier," Wu said. "But it seems to me that if something important has happened that your superiors should know about, you should tell them. Our communications have been cut off because of the typhoon."

  Then Wu gestured towards the radio strapped to Jin's belt.

  "But are military communications working?" Wu asked.

  Jin stood seething for several moments. Obviously, he wanted nothing more than to ignore what Wu had said and continue trying to force him to restart the reactor.

  But Jin had noticed his men's reaction as well. Even if he didn't believe Wu, it was obvious some of them did.

  Finally, Jin decided a status update would be prudent.

  "Guard them," Jin ordered, pointing at Wu and Tan. "Make sure they don't do anything while I'm on the radio."

  All the soldiers lowered their rifles, and several surrounded Wu and Tan, who looked at each other and shook their heads.

  Jin moved back towards the exit door and had an increasingly agitated conversation that none of them could overhear.

  When he walked back, Jin was still seething. But now, for a different reason.

  "I have new orders," Jin announced. "Pumps and other equipment are on the way and should arrive later today. All plant workers are to remain at work until the reactor is safe to restart. A new plant manager is on the way."

  Then Jin pointed at Wu and Tan. "These two men are still under arrest and are to be sent for trial immediately. Restrain them."

  Two soldiers began to place plastic handcuffs on Wu and Tan.

  Several plant workers moved towards the soldiers, and one Wu couldn't see shouted from the back of the room, "This isn't right! These men saved us!"

  An angry murmur swept through the room, and more plant workers started to move towards the soldiers.

  The soldiers looked at each other uneasily, and several raised their rifles again.

  In a loud, clear voice, Wu said, "Captain Jin is in charge here until the new plant manager arrives. You must obey his orders. I know you will all do your best to remove this water and get the plant operational again. It has been an honor to work with you."

  Then Tan spoke. "Director Wu is right. You must follow Captain Jin's orders. I also have been honored to work with you."

  The plant workers looked at each other, and from their expressions Tan could see they still weren’t happy.

  But they stopped moving towards the soldiers.

  Both Wu and Tan were marched out of the plant and into the back of an unmarked green van. Benches were bolted to both sides of the interior. Each was chained to a bench across from the other.

  Wu and Tan both noticed that a TV news crew had video equipment pointed in their direction as they entered the van, but nobody in the crew made any effort to speak to them.

  Moments later, the van lurched into motion.

  Tan looked at Wu with admiration. "That was quick thinking, sir. Just a few seconds later, and I'm sure those soldiers would have started shooting."

  Wu nodded absently. "And nothing the workers did could have saved us. Good men would have died for no purpose."

  Tan asked quietly, "Do you think we have any chance, sir?

  Wu shook his head. "No. But we go to meet our ancestors knowing that we did our duty. Death comes for us all, sooner or later. At least we die with a clear conscience, and our heads held high."

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Three Gorges Dam

  Hubei Province, Central China

  Hydropower Director Peng was looking at the gauges that measured the dam's reservoir level when Dam Manager Shen walked to his side.

  "You will want to know whether I have checked personally to make sure these readings are accurate, sir," Shen said.

  "Good," Peng said with a smile. "We are beginning to understand one another."

  But there was no smile on Shen's face when he replied.

  "Sir, the readings are accurate. The stress being inflicted on this dam is just as bad as the gauges say. The typhoon has now passed. But another storm system is on the way from the south. We don't have the equipment or materials to shore up the dam well enough to survive," Shen said somberly.

  "Help is on the way," Peng said confidently. "I'm still an officer in the Army reserves. I was able to use military radio communications to call on some old colleagues of mine from the Army and explain the situation. I've been told that General Shi himself has ordered troops and equipment to be sent immediately."

  Shen brightened for a moment and began to speak but then paused and shook his head.

  "Sir, that's good news, but nothing the Army does will matter if we can't get Xiluodu to cut back on the water they're sending downstream. The storm has cut all phone and Internet service from here, so I can't even ask them to reduce their water flow. Anyway, I know their manager. It would take more than a plea from either of us to have him risk his precious power quota," Shen said bitterly.

  The Xiluodu Dam, the world's third-largest, was still considerably smaller than the Three Gorges Dam because it was further upstream. But it had the most significant impact on the water sent downstream to the Three Gorges Dam. And since the typhoon had weakened considerably between the two dams, Peng knew it couldn't have faced the same challenge as the Three Gorges Dam with its reservoir level.

  Peng smiled. "I have even better news for you, then. A helicopter should arrive here any minute to take me to Xiluodu. You are right about their manager. But with me standing in front of him, you can be sure the water flowing down to you from Xiluodu will slow considerably."

  Shen looked more than dubious. "A helicopter, sir? Who is crazy enough to fly one in this weather? The typhoon has just passed, and another powerful storm is on the way. For that matter, even if you can persuade someone to fly, do you think you'll survive the flight?"

  Peng's smile widened. "The pilot is another friend of mine from my Army days. He's just as crazy as I am."

  Then Peng sobered. "And consider the alternative. If I stayed here with you and did nothing, would I be safe?"

  Shen looked at the gauges again for a moment and then sighed. "No, sir, I suppose not."

  A plant worker emerged from the elevator to the upper level and waved at Peng, who nodded and said to Shen, "Well, that's my ride. I've also asked for military assistance at Xiluodu, just in case I've underestimated the danger there. At a minimum, they should be able to set up radio communications between Xiluodu and
Three Gorges."

  Shen bowed to Peng and said, "Sir, I admire your courage. Good luck on your journey."

  Peng bowed back and said, "Good luck to us all, Shen."

  Then he hurried to the elevator, where the door was being held open for him by the same plant worker who had waved to him earlier. Peng nodded his thanks and then looked out at the scene as the doors closed shut.

  Would this be the last time he saw the Three Gorges Dam?

  Peng shook his head, trying to will away such thoughts. Not if he had anything to say about it, he thought savagely.

  The wind buffeted Peng as soon as the elevator doors opened.

  Much worse, water whipped up by the wind sprayed over him from the reservoir.

  Not just once or twice. Continuously.

  That shouldn't be happening, Peng thought immediately.

  And it couldn't unless the reservoir's level was critically high.

  His teeth chattering, Peng hurried to the helicopter pad. To reach it, he had to travel most of the dam's length to the pad, set just beyond it.

  Well, there was the helicopter. But where was the pilot?

  There. Peng saw the pilot, Captain Zhong, just a short distance away.

  Zhong was doubled over and vomiting.

  Peng frowned. From the appearance of the ground at Zhong's feet, he'd been emptying his stomach for a while.

  Peng waited until Zhong had straightened and unsteadily wiped his mouth on his sleeve before approaching him.

  Peng handed him a handkerchief and a bottle of water he'd been saving for the flight.

  It looked like Zhong needed it more.

  Zhong emptied part of the bottle on his face and then wiped it more thoroughly with the handkerchief. Next, he swallowed the rest of the bottle.

  "That's better," Zhong said with a sigh.

  Then Zhong focused on Peng for the first time.

  "Peng," he spat, shaking his head and cursing, before finally pausing for breath.

  "You have no idea how close you came to making my wife a widow," Zhong said.