The Second Chinese Revolution (The Russian Agents Book 5)

by Ted Halstead

  Which after a few seconds, he held up triumphantly and laughed.

  "It's a 'Made in China' sticker! I can't remember the last time I saw one of these. The factory was too cheap to print it directly on their product! No wonder their junk doesn't work," the guard said, shaking his head.

  Then the guard contemptuously tossed the Gateway into the nearest forty-foot container.

  "So, now I'll answer your questions. No, we don't want any of this technotrash. And we won't confiscate and hold these containers. Let the stupid Europeans pay to ship them to Dali. It's a brand new line, and I'm sure they could use the money."

  The new rail line from the Myanmar border to Dali had just opened after seemingly endless years under construction. Stretching over more than three hundred kilometers, three-quarters of its length was composed of bridges and tunnels. One tunnel under the Gaoligong Mountains was over thirty-four kilometers long.

  Lishi nodded and said, "Yes, sir." In fact, he had no doubt that the Railway Authority would welcome Euros.

  Lishi's documents only listed the two containers' travel as far as Dali. But payment had already been wired to the Railway Authority to send them on from there to Guangzhou, on China's heavily populated southern coast. From there, the Gateways would be easy to distribute for maximum effect.

  Fortunately, the Chinese government made no effort to monitor ordinary commercial shipments' movements within its borders.

  The guard snapped, "Close it up," and Lishi rushed to obey. By the time he hurried back to the semitrailer's cab, the documents Lishi had given the guard earlier were in his hand.

  Now Lishi could see a large stamp had been affixed to the documents, with an attached metal grommet transfixing the entire sheaf of paper.

  "Move along," the guard growled.

  Lishi didn't have to be told twice.

  As he drove the short distance to the train station, the same thought kept rolling around his head. Lishi's boss had said the Gateways he was carrying would help bring revolution to China.

  How? He said free access to uncensored information through satellite Internet would let the people know how badly China was being ruled. Satellite Internet would also let them organize an effective movement to overthrow their oppressors, out of sight of government spies.

  A China where you didn't deal with men like that border guard every day? People who were able to wield power without accountability of any kind, who considered it their right to command?

  Lishi would believe it when he saw it.

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  The White House

  Washington DC

  President Hernandez's expression could hardly have been more different than the last time Eli Wade and General Robinson had been shown into the Oval Office. Then he had been all smiles at seeing his most prominent campaign contributor and his favorite advisor.

  Now Hernandez's glare as he looked up from the papers on his desk could have stripped paint.

  Because now Hernandez saw Wade as the man who might force America into war with China.

  And Robinson as the man who had failed to stop Wade, or even warn Hernandez that Wade posed such a danger to American national security.

  Hernandez coldly gestured for both men to sit on the sofa while he took the large chair opposite them.

  Then he took in Wade's bandaged face. Yes, Hernandez had been told that Wade's injuries weren't that serious, just bruises and stitches. Stitches from flying glass and bruises from being pushed to the ground by his security detail.

  Still, he had to say something.

  "How are you feeling?" Hernandez asked and immediately kicked himself at the note of genuine concern he heard in his voice.

  Well, Wade didn't look good and had looked even worse when cameras had zoomed in on his bloody face right after the attempted assassination.

  That was one reason why rather than having Wade arrested after his unauthorized rocket launch yesterday, Hernandez had decided on this meeting.

  Plus, Hernandez thought he had a better chance of getting the truth than FBI interrogators could from a billionaire like Wade flanked by the best lawyers money could hire.

  "I'm fine, Mr. President," Wade answered. "I may have a scar or two, but I can live with that."

  Hernandez had to work hard to keep what he was thinking off his face. That Wade could afford the world's best plastic surgeons, and the only reason he would have any scar on his face is that he wanted it there. To remind everyone of the assassination attempt.

  Hernandez instead nodded and said, "I'm glad to hear that."

  Then he turned to Robinson and asked, "General, since this attack may be linked to recent rocket launches by Mr. Wade's company from Air Force facilities, I asked you to coordinate with the FBI on the investigation. Any news to report?"

  Robinson nodded. "The FBI briefed me on an important discovery they made just before I came here, sir. They matched the round they recovered from the attack on Mr. Wade to another one in their ballistic database. That round was found near the recent incident in Nevada."

  Hernandez frowned. "The one with the Claymore mine and the four dead bodies?"

  Robinson nodded. "Yes, sir."

  Hernandez shook his head. "That was days ago. So you're telling me this was no spur-of-the-moment attack."

  "That's right, sir. It now looks like the assassins were test-firing their rifle out in the desert, and the dead men tried to steal it from them," Robinson said.

  Hernandez nodded absently. "Yes. I remember that all the dead men had criminal records, so that fits."

  Robinson continued, "The FBI has had no luck tracing whoever rented the office space used to stage the attack. The funds were wired to the rental agent, and he never met whoever paid in person. Everything was in the name of a bogus company, and payments were routed through a string of shell companies and offshore banks. The money was real enough, and that's all that mattered to the people renting the space."

  Hernandez grunted. "We've had Presidential candidates with offshore accounts. Nothing financial surprises me anymore."

  Then he paused. "You said 'assassins' plural. Do we know that for sure?"

  "Yes, sir," Robinson said. "We suspected it from the start because snipers often operate with a spotter. Video footage from the office building they used is still being analyzed, but we think we've got images of the two men who carried out the attack."

  Hernandez nodded. "Good. Any hope of identifying them through facial recognition?"

  Robinson shook his head. "The FBI has already tried. The men were wearing windbreakers with hoods anytime they were on camera, plus sunglasses. With their eyes and ears covered, there's no hope of getting a match, even if we already have their images on file. All we can say for sure is that they were white and middle-aged."

  "And not Chinese," Hernandez said flatly.

  "Of course, that doesn't mean the Chinese couldn't have hired them, sir," Wade said.

  Hernandez turned to Wade and started to say something but then visibly reconsidered.

  "We'll get back to the Chinese in a moment," Hernandez said.

  Turning back to Robinson, Hernandez asked, "Any trace of the assassins so far?"

  Robinson shook his head. "Local police searched for blocks in every direction, but it looks like they escaped through San Francisco's sewer system. There was a report of trespassers in a hotel basement blocks away that may or may not be related. Since that hotel was next to a subway station, if it was them, it's safe to say they're now far from the scene. The FBI has passed on what little we know to all other law enforcement and border security agencies."

  "But you think it's unlikely we'll find them," Hernandez said flatly.

  Robinson nodded. "Yes, sir."

  Hernandez turned back to Wade. "OK, Eli, you told the press that your Eagle missile launch was a test flight carrying nothing but instruments. That a communications snafu accounted for your failure to request authorization for the launch. And that you got the readings y
ou were looking for during this so-called test, and everything went well. We both know none of that was true. What were you really up to, and what really happened?"

  Hernandez could hear his voice rising towards the end and had made an effort to control his growing anger.

  An effort that, he knew, had not been entirely successful.

  "Mr. President, I'm going to tell you exactly what I did and why I did it. First, the Eagle rocket was carrying a payload of sixty SpaceLink satellites to provide Internet service to the countries around China," Wade said.

  "And within it," Hernandez added quietly.

  Wade nodded. "Yes. Believe me, when this all started, that wasn't my intention. But after the Chinese used a laser attack to destroy my satellites in orbit and then blew up two of my rockets, I'll admit my intentions changed. Every satellite I've launched or attempted to launch before this was headed for an orbit designed to provide Internet service to countries bordering China. But yes, I know now that there were and are Chinese citizens using those satellites to access the Internet free of their government's censorship."

  "And what happened to the Eagle rocket's satellite payload?" Hernandez asked.

  "It was struck by an object just like my last Spaceship's payload and was also destroyed. Mostly," Wade said with a smile.

  "So, you're saying some satellites survived?" Hernandez asked.

  Wade nodded. "Yes. Thirteen had time to deploy before the Chinese weapon struck the rest of the payload."

  Hernandez sighed. "I'm going to pass over the fact you have no proof China was behind the strike on your satellites because I think it's likely they were. Do you think the Chinese government knows thirteen satellites survived?"

  "No, sir, I don't. Because of astronomers' complaints, every generation of SpaceLink satellites has been less visible from the ground than the last. And no satellite has emitted a radio signal since deployment," Wade said.

  Robinson frowned. "Mr. Wade, we both know that satellites must remain in contact with a ground station to remain viable. How can you be sure you'll be able to reestablish contact?"

  Wade smiled. "Because we're still in contact with those satellites. I said they're not emitting any radio signals. But all of them have a tight-beam laser onboard. Too low power to communicate with a ground station, but able to reach other powered SpaceLink satellites I already had in orbit."

  "Ingenious," Robinson said, nodding. "Not enough bandwidth for operation, but fine to maintain constant steerage contact."

  "So, what do you plan to do with these thirteen satellites, assuming they still work?" Hernandez asked.

  Wade shook his head. "I'm not planning to do anything. I've had time to think during the flight here. Risking my companies is one thing. But other people besides me could have been hurt or killed yesterday. From what I heard you say about Nevada, I guess they already have. If the Chinese are setting off mines, blowing up rockets, and sending assassins to stop my satellites now, who knows how much further they're willing to go? It's time for me to step back and let you handle this."

  "I'm glad to hear you say that," Hernandez said.

  Seeing Wade's expression in response, he added quietly, "Do you have something else to tell us, Eli?"

  Wade nodded. "Yes, sir. It's about the Spaceship launch yesterday."

  Hernandez frowned. "The one that went off course and landed in Myanmar near the Chinese border. We assumed you did that deliberately to distract the Chinese from the Eagle launch."

  "That's right, sir. That was one of its purposes. But the other was to deliver a cargo of Gateways to Forward," Wade said.

  Hernandez stared at Wade. "Forward. The Chinese organization that's been calling for the overthrow of the Communist Party. That's claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. That Forward."

  "Yes, sir," Wade said stoically.

  "How many Gateways did you send? And anyway, I thought you said Gateways were being made by people you didn't authorize inside China. Was that a lie?" Hernandez asked.

  "No, sir. I've never lied to you and never would. All the Gateways except the ones I sent yesterday were made in China without my knowledge or permission. I had these made and sent because I couldn't stand by while the Chinese government blew up my rockets without paying a price of any kind," Wade said quietly.

  Wade paused and then added, "I think it's worth remembering the Chinese had already decided to kill me before I sent the Gateways. To answer your first question, enough Gateways to fill two forty-foot shipping containers. I don't know the exact number offhand, but thousands. We've managed to make them pretty small."

  Hernandez shook his head. "Are they in China now?"

  Wade nodded. "Yes, sir. Just before I boarded the flight here, I was notified that the Gateway shipment cleared Chinese customs at Ruili and is on a train bound for Guangzhou. From there, Forward will distribute them all over China."

  "And even with the satellites that were destroyed, can people within China still use the ones that remain to access the Internet using these Gateways without government censorship or monitoring?" Hernandez asked.

  "Not in a few areas within China's interior. But we estimate that over ninety percent of Chinese residents can still access a usable SpaceLink signal. That will improve a little once our Gateways are distributed. They're a higher quality product than what the Chinese produced," Wade replied.

  "Of course they are," Hernandez said acidly, shaking his head. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

  "If you mean taking action to support Forward's call for free and fair elections in China, yes, I do. I don't support government censorship, and I don't think you do either. If my Gateways make it harder for the Communist Party to impose it, isn't that a good thing?" Wade said defiantly.

  "But that's not all they're doing, is it? What about the Shanghai Stock Exchange cyberattack? Americans lost money in that too. And who knows what else Forward is planning? Isn't one of the points of these Gateways that Forward can plan and execute more attacks without any chance the Chinese government will find out?" Hernandez asked.

  Wade shrugged. "Sure, they could be used that way. But I'll tell you something I didn't on my last visit. I talked with my SpaceLink chief about finding a way to cut off Chinese users without a paid account when their government attacked my satellites with a laser weapon. And then destroyed two of my rockets, plus most of the cargo on a third. If they hadn't, we wouldn't be where we are now."

  Hernandez sat back, suddenly thoughtful. "Of course. You've always been able to cut off users inside China if you decided to do it."

  Wade held up his hands and shook his head. "I said we were talking about how to do it. It's not like flipping a switch. We also have to be sure we're not shutting off any legitimate users in the countries bordering China by mistake."

  "Frankly, your customer service reputation isn't my priority here. We're talking about a country with thermonuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to where we sit. Governed by a Communist Party that made it clear how far they'll go to stay in power by running over Chinese citizens with tanks at Tiananmen. The safety of American citizens is what I care about most, first, last, and always," Hernandez said.

  Wade nodded. "I can't argue with that. Especially after finding myself in China's crosshairs. So, do you want me to shut off satellite Internet service to the Gateways in China?"

  Hernandez shook his head. "For now, no. What you will do is coordinate with General Robinson and whoever he designates to accomplish two things. First, to ensure that if I decide to shut off the Gateways, it will happen as soon as I give the order. Second, to be sure I am the only one who can decide to turn on the last thirteen satellites you deployed."

  Wade looked puzzled. "Yes, sir. I have to admit, though, I'm confused. You mean there's a chance you'll want to improve Gateway access in China?"

  Hernandez nodded. "One of the first things I've learned in this job is not to foreclose options. Today I don't think I'll want to t
urn on your satellites. But who knows what will happen tomorrow?"

  Wade stood, correctly guessing that their meeting was over. "Understood, sir. I'll get right on it."

  "Thanks, Eli. General, please come back after you see Mr. Wade out. There's a lot we need to discuss," Hernandez said.

  "Yes, sir," Robinson replied.

  Once they were gone, Hernandez almost called for another cup of coffee but stopped himself. It would be his fourth today, and it wasn't yet noon.

  The Chinese government wouldn't be able to prove America was behind its lost base and submarine. Or the satellite Internet devices letting thousands of its citizens avoid Chinese censorship and tracking.

  Any more than Hernandez could prove China was behind destroying American satellites and rockets. And trying to assassinate one of its leading citizens.

  Yes. Probably best to keep his nerves steady while discussing options with General Robinson.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Zhongnanhai Compound

  Beijing, China

  President Lin looked at General Yang, the Air Force commander, and shook his head.

  "You told me that a review of radar tracks after the attack on our base at the Indian border established that the drones were launched from Jorhat Air Force Station, correct?"

  Yang nodded. "That's right, sir. In India’s Assam province, close to our border. Jorhat AFS has been active for decades as a transport base and currently has two squadrons of An-32 aircraft on station. It's only recently that drones were added."

  "So, tell me why you think attacking it in retaliation for the Indian attack on our base would be a mistake," Lin said.

  Yang could see from Lin's scowl that he would need to tread carefully.

  "Sir, we have the ability to strike Jorhat or any other base in India. However, you asked us to avoid civilian casualties. Our analysis shows that may not be possible. Jorhat's rural area is heavily populated, with a total of about a million residents. Farming is carried out nearly to the air force station's fence line. But that is not the only issue," Yang said.

  Lin sighed. "What else?"