by Robin Mahle
“Eh, it’s all right.” Caison shrugged a shoulder and cocked his head.
“Thanks.” She spotted the kid. “Who’s this?”
“Someone who’s going to help us,” Shaw said. “Okay. We’d better hit the road. We’re burning daylight and I want to get back into Beijing well before the embassy closes. Can’t risk spending the night there. We get in. We get you out.”
“The ambassador,” Axell began. “Can you convince him to keep his mouth shut about this? And make sure she gets out safely? My fear is that he’ll make contact with State. And if the secretary finds out, which he undoubtedly would, he’ll go to the president. And then we’re screwed.”
“I’ll have to wait and see, Axell. She’ll be allowed to go home and the important thing to remember is that she stays out of the hands of the MSS or Chinese Police. There might be consequences for her returning home, but it won’t be death.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” Lacy said. “Anyway, isn’t our goal here to create a diversion? Divert resources away from discovering your operation with Yang?”
“Yes. Word will get around that you’re in the embassy. CIA, whoever’s loyal to Handley, will inform him. And that’s ultimately what we want. I’ll be leaving a few breadcrumbs. Just enough to garner attention. You all won’t have much time to get Yang,” Shaw said.
“And then our next problem will be in ensuring we get out,” Caison said.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Hopefully, this will all be over before long and Yang will be out of the picture. Once that happens,” Shaw glanced to Axell, “I believe Handley, the president, or whoever else is involved in the plan will want to distance themselves as quickly as possible. Any and all connections to Yang will be erased. And it’ll be like none of this ever happened.”
“I need to start now.” Yan walked toward the laptop. “This won’t do.” He retrieved his own.
“Hey, hang on there.” Aaron turned to Shaw and appeared concerned.
“It’s okay, Hunter. Let him use his own computer. He’s done this before. We just need your help once inside. You’ve run into the database before when you were at Langley. You know the ins and outs of it.”
“How’d you?” Aaron stopped short. “Never mind. Fine. Let’s get started.” He approached Lacy and stared at her hair. “You look—different.”
“That’s kind of the point.” She gently took hold of his arms. “I’ll be fine. Like Shaw said, this will be over soon. Just do what you need to do to make sure I get out of here, okay? Once I’m home, they won’t keep me quiet.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I’ll get you out. You just stay safe, okay?” He kissed her cheek.
Caison turned away and peered out again onto the small alleyway. “Okay. We’d better get moving.”
Lacy grabbed her bag again. “I’m ready. Let’s go.”
“Axell, I’ll be in touch when we’ve reached Beijing.” Shaw checked the time. “It’ll be a good two, two and half hours by bus. In the meantime, Hunter, you’ve got about twenty minutes to get her in the system.”
“That’s all?”
“Yep. She’s got to get on that bus. I’ve got my own passport. I’ll be good. So just make sure she gets on that bus or this will be over before it begins.”
The bus station was now only minutes away. And as they approached in what was called an unofficial taxi with a driver who was yet another in a string of paid informants for the CIA, Shaw peered through the windshield.
“No increased security, from what I can see.” He turned to Lacy in the back seat. “That’s a good sign they don’t know you’re here.” He turned to the cab driver. “Pull up over there. Away from the passenger entrance.”
The driver did as instructed and stopped alongside the curb, several feet west of the entrance.
“Thanks. I’ll be in touch.” He handed the man 30cny and opened the door. “Give me a second,” he said to Lacy as he stood on the curb, surveying the immediate area. A moment later, he opened her door. “Okay, come on.”
“Should we go in?” Lacy asked.
“Yeah. We stand out here much longer and people will think we’re lost and start coming and asking if we need help. I just want to buy Hunter and Yan as much time as I can.”
“Me too.” Lacy appeared on edge, her eyes darting back and forth, her steps slow and deliberate.
“Relax, Merrick. I need you to look like a tourist, understand?”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s all right. Let’s just keep moving.” He reached for her hand and laced his fingers between hers. “We’re just an average couple touring around, all right?” She nodded as he pulled them nearer the entrance. “First thing we’ll do is walk toward the monitor with the schedules posted. And we’ll figure out when the next bus is due to leave. One step at a time, got it?”
Lacy held on to his hand, inhaling calming breaths as she stepped in line with him. She needed to pull this off and get to the embassy. It was the only thing would take the heat off of Axell and the others so they could find Yang and take care of him. Then, this would be over. Yang wouldn’t be protected by security staff here. He was working against his own government and his low profile would be his weak link.
What they would face at home remained to be seen, but right now, she just wanted to step foot back onto American soil and the US Embassy would be the closest thing to that.
“Says here the next bus leaves in fifteen minutes.” Shaw turned to her with noted relief. “Perfect. We’ve got some time.”
“What now? Do we go buy the tickets?”
“Not yet. Let’s grab a coffee like anyone else would. We’ll give it, say, ten minutes. And hopefully, that will be enough. I see a coffee kiosk over there.”
They walked toward the kiosk and Shaw paid for the coffees.
“I’ll tell you, they get a Starbucks in here and this place would be booming.” Shaw smiled and raised his cup. “You know they open something like a store a day in this country? Boggles the mind how they’re so successful here. They’re one of only a handful of US companies that’ve seen that kind of success in China. They have a Disneyland in Shanghai, so there’s that too.”
Lacy could see he was trying to put her at ease, take her mind off of the fact that if Aaron and this Chinese hacker didn’t do what they needed to do, she would likely be hauled off and sent to some prison. Shaw too. Perhaps he was also convincing himself everything would turn out just fine. “Must be difficult in a country known for its tea to make a successful bid in the coffee industry.” She indulged his efforts and he appeared to appreciate it.
“Oh yeah, for sure.” Shaw sipped on the coffee and continued to survey the area.
“Should we, um, you know, go ahead and go to the counter?” Lacy asked.
“I suppose so. We’ve given it enough time. Shit or get off the pot, right? Sorry, no offense.”
“None taken. I’m not easily offended.”
“Good to know. I think I’ve spent too much time around Maddox.” He led the way toward the counter.
“He’s an interesting guy.”
“You have no idea.” Shaw approached first and retrieved his wallet and passport. In Mandarin, he began, “Excuse me? I’d like to get two tickets for the next bus to Beijing?”
The man behind the counter noted their Western appearance and began speaking English. “Passport, please. Thank you. And you too?” He peered at Lacy.
“Uh, yes. Sorry. Here you go.” She smiled and handed him her fake passport with her blonde hair and a name she suddenly blanked on.
He proceeded to scan in the documents. Shaw’s passed with flying colors and the man handed it back to him.
“Much appreciated.”
Lacy noted a slight elevation in Shaw’s tone. Like he was nervous. This wasn’t a good sign. But she waited, still wearing a smile.
“And here you go, madam. That will be 320 yuan.”
Shaw paid the man and was handed two bus tickets. “Tha
nk you, sir.” He grabbed Lacy by the arm and pulled her gently away from the counter before turning to her as they reached the terminal. “Well done, Merrick.”
“I knew he’d do it.”
“Hunter? Yes, he does seem capable. Or I doubt he’d be working for Trevor Axell.” He stopped short and turned to her. “Do you know much about Agent Axell?”
“I think so. I’ve known him for a while. We’re pretty close, I’d say.”
“I see.”
The bus opened its doors.
“That’s our ride. Ladies first.”
Chapter 24
The private chartered flight was about to take off from Dulles Airport with Shen Yang aboard and anxious about the news his plans might have been compromised. He’d enlisted the aid of his US intelligence partners to ensure the flight’s anonymity. His ties to the MSS were compromised in the wake of Matthew Greiner’s murder and the arrival of the troublesome Lacy Merrick in Beijing. And after the subway station bombing, word had reached Yang that the Ministry suspected his involvement. This could only have happened as a result of Mehmut’s loose tongue. Another reason for Yang’s growing anxiety about the larger plan.
CIA Director Handley wanted Yang there as much as he needed to be there, though Handley’s concern was for the team led by Agent Axell no one had yet located. And their exposure of what the CIA had conspired to accomplish with the Movement and Yang himself. It was a concern Yang did not share. He had the money. He had the people. And Yang was ready to sever ties with the clandestine agency upon execution of the plan. These people, Agent Axell and his team, they did not pose a threat to Yang. The Ministry and State Police. These were the ones Yang feared.
With his wife in hiding in the US, he would send for her afterwards. Yang was not so naïve to assume the CIA would continue to provide assistance, or cover. Their goal would soon be reached, but Yang’s was only just beginning.
The sun had risen high and burned through the wintery smog that reached far from Beijing and into Chengde.
“Hunter?” Axell approached him as he remained seated at the kitchen dinette. “She’s fine. If she didn’t make it onto the bus, we’d know about it by now. They’re well on their way back to Beijing. You did good.”
“What happens when they get there? What if the embassy turns her over?”
“They won’t. You’re forgetting the optics here. Lacy Merrick, US citizen, FBI analyst, who uncovered a dark government conspiracy. Nothing will happen to her, not here anyway. Once we get back home, that might be another story, but we’ll figure that out later.”
“Keep your eye on the prize, man.” Maddox joined the two and patted Aaron’s shoulder before turning to Axell. “When are we heading out? Best be soon. Sources tell me Yang will be arriving on a 6pm flight.”
“How long till he makes it back to Xinjiang, then?”
“Couple hours after that. He’ll take a puddle jumper from Beijing direct to Xinjiang. I have a plane on standby whenever you’re ready. Mind you, it won’t be the luxurious ride I lined up before. Short notice and all. But we’ll make it in one piece.” He looked to Caison. “I suppose you’re coming with us too?”
“Yes. Hunter’s going to get on the next bus and get to Beijing. He’ll make contact with Shaw and meet up with him after making sure Lacy’s safely at the embassy.”
“Better do it quick, then. I have no idea what they’ll do with her once she’s at the embassy. Keep her overnight, maybe. Send her on the next flight home in the a.m., possibly. But if it goes tits up, Shaw’s going to need all the help he can get. The good news is she’s out of here. Word on the street is operatives are looking for her. And they know about this place.”
“Keep your head down, Hunter. I mean it. Contact Shaw as soon as you arrive and find out where he and Lacy are. Hopefully, in the embassy,” Axell said.
“What should I do if all goes to plan?”
Axell laughed. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? Nothing ever goes to plan. But, in that event, Shaw might send you to another safe house until he can get you on a flight. Unless he’s stuck at the embassy with Lacy. We just don’t know. He has to protect his cover. He’s risking a lot by getting her there in the first place. If she can get inside the embassy on her own, she’ll be able to handle herself. I’m not worried about that and neither should you. Right now, Yang’s got to be taken care of before it’s too late.”
“Good luck.”
“You too. Make sure you get home safely. That’s your only job. Lacy can take care of herself.”
Maddox walked onto the concourse of the private air strip that appeared to have cost him a fair bit of money to keep heads turned and eyes elsewhere. That was the one thing about Communist China. There were a whole lot of poor people here, including those with jobs. Especially in the rural areas. And offering a few extra bucks, or Yuan as it were, meant a family might get to treat themselves to an extra helping of dinner, or just dinner. That often carried more weight for them than protecting their country from the CIA, who had their own thriving economy among its paid assets.
“Hop onboard, Caison, Axell. We’ll be there in a few short hours.”
“Before Yang?” Caison said as he walked up the staircase.
“Good God I hope so, or else what’s the point?”
Caison stepped aboard the small, older model Cessna. “Didn’t know they had Cessnas here.”
Maddox soon joined him, followed by Axell. “Oh yeah. Division went bust a few years back, though. The company thought it would be cheaper to manufacture them here, ship them off to the US, and reassemble them there. They ended up selling them here too, but not a huge call for personal aircraft in this country. So we picked up a few of them for just such an occasion. It’ll get us where we need to go. Don’t you worry your pretty blonde head about that.” Maddox sat in the pilot’s seat.
“Wait. You’re flying this?”
“Yeah. I got a license. I’m perfectly capable of getting us there in one piece.”
Caison cast a worried glance to Axell.
“Just take a seat and don’t think about it.” Axell sat down and secured his belt, pulling it extra tight for show.
“Gee, I feel so much better now,” Caison replied.
Within minutes, they were in the air and the plane rattled hard on takeoff. “Sorry about that. We’ll level off here in a minute.” Maddox gave Caison and Axell a thumbs-up.
“What’s our plan on arrival?” Caison appeared to create a distraction for himself with conversation.
“We’ll tail Yang. He’ll probably head straight to Fatima’s home. Possibly to the man we pinned the leak on, Mehmut. We’ll have to see. But either way, we’ll take him out down there and make it look like his own men did it.”
“What about the plans for the attack? His people? How are we going to stop them?”
“We won’t have to worry much about that part of it. Whatever we find relating to the planned attack, Maddox will make sure ends up in the hands of the Party. They’ll take care of it from there.”
“I’m sure they will.” Caison knew what that meant. No one in Yang’s confidence was going to make it out alive.
The next couple of hours found the agents quiet as they considered how this was going to play out and whether they, themselves, would make it out alive. Yang was a powerful man with millions of US dollars that afforded him many powerful weapons. Rocket launchers, grenade launchers, AK47s; you name it, they’d have it. Not to mention the likelihood several bombs had already been constructed. And these three agents were equipped with only side arms. Not exactly a fair fight. But the hope was that there wouldn’t be a fight. They had the element of surprise on their side, thanks to Fatima, and it would have to be enough.
Lacy adjusted her wig and began to step off the bus after the long, nail-biting journey back to Beijing. Every moment spent wondering if the police would charge the bus and haul her away. Every moment spent wondering what was happening with the rest of her team. Now they had
arrived and the time for speculation was over.
“Hang on.” Shaw extended his arm across her. “Let me go first. Stay behind me. Closely.” He stood and grabbed her hand to pull her up. “Just hang tight.”
The true dangers lay ahead. Getting to the embassy undetected when the authorities knew who she was and what she looked like, and in fact hunted her at this very moment. The blonde wig might offer some safeguard, but any cop who looked at her for longer than ten seconds just might recognize her. And then there was the surveillance—Skynet. And that feeling that haunted her months ago returned. They were watching and waiting for her. Her heart beat faster the more she considered the odds.
“Now. Come on. Let’s go.” Shaw twisted out from the cramped seat and held on to her hand. “Once we step off, keep your head down. Do not look up under any circumstances.”
“The cameras.”
“Yes.”
They approached the front of the bus. Shaw nodded a thank you to the driver and walked down the steps, emerging onto the sidewalk. He glanced both ways and continued to grip Lacy’s hand almost to the point that it became painful. She cringed but kept her head down.
“It’s a two-mile walk. You okay with that?”
“I think I can manage.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“I know. Let’s just get there. How much time do we have before it closes?”
Shaw checked his watch. “We’re fine. Got another two hours. Plenty of time. Just stick close.”
Lacy was so concerned about being caught on camera, she stared at her feet until she nearly ran into someone. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, sir.”
The man, who appeared to be Chinese, bowed his head and said something she didn’t understand but assumed was an acknowledgement of her apology. He smiled and moved on.
“Okay, I know I said keep your head down, but try not to run into anyone else.”
“Well, you’re the one who’s supposed to be leading the way. Maybe you can try to avoid people.”