by Sam Powers
Lee reached up with both hands, trying to pry the man’s arms away. But his grip was like a vice and he was much stronger than her. She could feel her neck muscles giving under the strain of fighting strangulation. In desperation, she jabbed at both of his eyes with her forefingers, pushing until she felt a squishing sensation. He screamed in a terrible, high pitched wail and pitched over sideways, crying and bellowing.
Lee’s training kicked in and she reached down to the prone man’s waistband, pulling out a handgun. There were still the men outside, and there was still at least one guard inside unaccounted for...
The fine hairs on her neck stood up. She spun around, gun outstretched. The gangster was in a similar pose. He looked about eighteen years old. His hand was shaking.
‘Look around you,’ she said. ‘Who do you think is more likely to miss right now? You? Or me?’
‘Don’t shoot him,’ a voice requested.
Daisy cocked her head just enough to look past the slightly taller youth. The man walking out of the shadows was older, perhaps in his sixties. She recognized him immediately. ‘Benson Chu.’ Chu was one of the most famous Mountain Masters in China, effective head of the thousand-plus member Black Cranes. ‘He is my grandson, and while he probably deserves his fate, I would rather like to see if I can turn his direction in life around.’
‘And why should I acquiesce to your request when your other men have been trying to kill me for the last ten minutes?’
‘Because if you pull that trigger, the other six men will gun you down where you stand.’
‘And if I lower my weapon?’
‘We will hold you with your American associate until State Security arrives. We have reached... an arrangement, shall we say.’
‘Where is he?’
‘In the other outbuilding, keeping a calm head. On the other hand, my grandson, Deng, is nine feet in front of you, shaking like a leaf in a strong breeze. My sister would be most displeased with me if I allowed you to blow his brains out. Now, lower your weapon. You have no chance of escape.’
Lee did as requested. At least they would be moving her halfway toward her goal; if past form told the tale, Brennan would know where Master Yip was located. If she could get it out of him and still leave him for State Security, even better.
The ‘cell’ was a powered down old meat locker at the back of the second building. Lee was escorted to the door and then shoved inside. The exterior lock clanked shut behind her.
‘Oh goodie,’ a familiar voice said from the opposite corner of the room. ‘It’s you.’
She turned and sighed. Joe Brennan was sitting on one of the two cots that had been set up as a makeshift sleeping quarters.
He wasn’t going to be easy to deal with. ‘Mr. Brennan. I’d like to say I’m surprised to find you here but, in all honesty, I’d almost expected it.’ In fact, she’d been counting on it; but he didn’t need to know that.
‘From the way the guard was talking earlier, we’re both being sent to Beijing,’ Brennan said.
‘I wouldn’t count on it. We’re not beaten yet,’ she said. ‘And most of these guys aren’t exactly what you’d call disciplined.’
‘We’re suicidally outnumbered. Short of the Mountain Master having a change of heart, I suspect we’re about to become bargaining chips in the Black Cranes’ ongoing quarrels with authority.’
‘And all before you had a chance to meet with Master Yip Po,’ she said.
‘Before I had a chance to even find him.’
‘Damn.’
He frowned. ‘You haven’t...’
‘Not yet, no. I suppose I should have expected you to be useless in that regard.’
‘You know, for a little girl who’s had her buttocks spanked twice by yours truly, you sure do have a high regard for yourself.’
‘No, I just know Americans. Nobody thinks more of himself with less reason to do so than an American.’
‘And no one thinks less of everyone else with no reason to do so than the Chinese.’
‘Then we’ve established that we don’t like each other.’
‘I think I got that message the first three times you punched me in the face,’ Brennan said. ‘But I thought our two sides had reached an agreement to help each other.’
‘To share information and intelligence. Not to co-operate in all regards when it comes to getting that information and deciding what you may see.’
‘And yet somehow, you not only aren’t in a sharing sort of mood, you seem to be in the same trouble I am. Now how did you manage that, exactly? Why is Daisy Lee hanging around a Harbin meat locker at midnight?’
Before she could answer, the lock clanked open. The door swung to with a creak.
Daisy Lee smiled. ‘I wondered if you were related,’ she said to the new arrival.
Jackson Chu smiled back. ‘He’s my uncle. I assume you’re talking about the Mountain Master?’
‘You still owe me a life from Macau.’
‘Yes, about that... you invaded our compound, killed our men and threatened my nephew -- his grandson.’
‘It’s a good thing you weren’t there,’ she said.
‘And why is that?’
‘Because I’d have been forced to kill you, too,’ Daisy said, ‘rather than just talking about it.’
He frowned as he undid her shackles. ‘I rather thought we had nice chemistry, you and I.’
‘Let’s pretend, however, that you’re a criminal, and that I work for State Security,’ Lee said. ‘We’ll get along better that way, okay?’
From the corner, Brennan sounded fatigued. ‘Are you two done with the charm initiative? Because if we don’t get out of here soon, your beloved State Security will shoot all three of us, not just me and wonder girl, here.’
‘Your gratitude for my rescue attempt is about what I’d expect from you,’ she chided. ‘I could have left you here to rot...’
‘And why didn’t you?’ Brennan asked. ‘Let’s just examine that for a second. I know what my objective is. And I suspect it’s the same as yours. But you’re looking for me, which means you need my help. That means you don’t have any clue where to find Master Yip Po, and neither does State Security.’
‘Presumptuous, too!’ she said. ‘How much crasser could you be?’
He ignored her. ‘Now, since the Black Cranes were planning to hand me over to State Security for a wad of cash, that must mean you’re not here representing your branch of Chinese intelligence; you’re on your own.’
‘He talks too much,’ Chu said. ‘Are you sure I can’t just kill him?’
‘Not until I know what he knows,’ she said.
‘Either of you are welcome to try,’ Brennan offered. ‘But let me extend the idea a little here before we get to that: you came here on your own, without your department’s support, which means there’s someone there who either doesn’t trust you, or who you think is a crook.’
‘He really is annoying, isn’t he?’ Chu proposed.
‘I’m just here to do a job...’ Brennan said.
‘Stuff like that doesn’t help,’ Lee added. ‘But if you’re asking, yes, I’m probably in a lot of trouble for coming up here. Some gratitude...’
‘You weren’t here to make friends with me, Lee,’ Brennan said. ‘You’re just working the angles, same as I would do. Let’s not insult each other’s intelligence by suggesting it was altruism.’
‘Fine. If not altruism, then at least a motivation to save lives, the same as you.’
‘Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I’m no closer to Yip Po than you are.’
Chu looked quizzical. ‘Master Yip Po? The two of you are here for the venerated Master Yip?’
‘We are,’ Lee replied. ‘You know him?’
Chu nodded. ‘He trained me as a boy. But I’m afraid the two of you have put yourself at considerable risk for very little reason; Master Yip fled Harbin many years ago. He is still in contact with the Black Cranes, of course...’
‘Where?
’ Brennan demanded.
‘I am not at liberty...’
‘You owe me your life,’ Lee said.
‘And I am repaying you by helping you escape.’
‘No, not for Macau,’ she said. ‘For now.’
‘I don’t....
‘Simple: You can tell us where Master Yip is hiding, or we can hold you here until they turn you over to your uncle. Since he will almost certainly make an example of you by killing you, it stands to reason that if we choose not to turn you over, you once again owe me a life.’
Chu looked slightly horrified. ‘That’s...’
‘Only fair,’ Lee said.
‘...pretty twisted,’ Brennan replied with a smile. ‘I like it.’
Chu peered at her suspiciously. ‘You wouldn’t really kill me after I tried to help you, would you, Daisy Lee?’
Her gaze back was flat and cold. ‘Try me.’
‘If it’s any consolation, she lies a lot,’ Brennan said. ‘But just to be on the safe side, it might be better if you helped us instead.’
‘He’s a half day’s drive from here. He receives a healthy stipend from the society but the pressure from the central committee over the years became too great for him to remain in the city.’
‘Now was that so hard?’ Lee asked. ‘The next question is even easier: how are you going to get us out of here?’
30/
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Hay-Adams Hotel, auxiliary conference room
The Chinese weren’t making life any easier, Jonah Tarrant had decided.
The meeting had taken a half-hour just to establish where the six-member delegation would sit. Now David Chen was making demands, and Tarrant had to be polite. Chen carried weight on both sides of the Pacific, with over twenty billion dollars invested in the U.S. economy to go along with his role as chairman of state security.
‘Mr. Chen, what you’re asking is already a considerable get in terms of budget allocation, due to the last-minute nature of the talks. But to add another detail of six men at such a late date…’
‘It is not a discussion point, deputy director.’ Chen was stoic and unemotional at all times. Strictly business. Tarrant found him slightly unnerving. ‘We will have an additional committee delegate attending, Mr. Wen Xiu of the interior ministry…’
That caught Tarrant off guard. ‘Wen…?’
‘You are surprised because of our reputation for disliking each other, of course,’ Chen said. ‘But you must understand the gravity of these discussions requires his presence. Although North Korea is an international matter, we share a border, and therefore there are internal security considerations that must be weighed.’
‘Certainly,’ Tarrant said. ‘The timing is short and…’
‘And I have no doubt that you will be able to accommodate the request, deputy director,’ Chen suggested.
‘If there was any way we could schedule these sessions at a later date…’
‘But there is not, so it does not bear discussing,’ Chen said. ‘The launch has forced all of our hands and the Premier and vice-premier are both anxious to meet with the President and vice-president, to ensure that we are reading from the same page when we discuss these matters with PyongYan.’
‘What about the public time, the meet-and-greet in New York’s Chinatown? Surely that’s something…’
Chen cut him off. ‘The premier wishes for it to be clear that he considers past enmities between our nations to be just that, and that our spirit of openness will continue, despite any missteps either side may have taken in the past two years. One important part of that is engaging with Chinese people in America, and Chinese Americans. It is important that there be no suggestion of weakness in any manner…’
‘Of course, of course,’ Tarrant agreed. As much as the need to save face seemed paramount to the Chinese, his bosses weren’t much better. They continually wondered about the political fallout of any decision, no matter how small. It amounted to much the same thing. ‘We’ve kept it short but poignant; there’s a motorcade through Chinatown to wave to folks, with the Premier’s limousine directly behind the President’s second security detail. The Premier will shake hands with Betty Wu, one of the city’s oldest residents at a hundred-and-four at a seniors’ home. That will be right before the start of the public session …’’
‘Four vehicles back?’ Chen looked worried by the arrangement. ‘He may not like that.’
‘Placing them adjacent to each other is out of the question, given Legacy. We don’t expect anyone to get through our cordon – or to be even close, for that matter – but that’s a bridge too far.’
Chen considered the options, a worried frown barely creasing his brow for an instant. ‘Acceptable,’ he eventually said. ‘But…’
Tarrant hadn’t seen Chen pause before, or struggle for words. ‘Chairman…’
‘Off the record… I admit I must agree with your initial assessment. I asked them to reconsider, but the vice-premier has the premier’s ear, and Wen Xiu in turn his.’
It was a surprisingly frank admission. ‘You suggested waiting until Legacy has a resolution?’
The chairman smiled at that. ‘That… would be taking openness a step too far, to discuss such matters. Let us just say that I share your concerns. But the vice-premier won’t hear of it.’
He tried not to show any hint of satisfaction. But Tarrant liked Chen being off his game, perturbed. It was an advantage, a potential destabilizing factor. By the time the sessions kicked off in seven days, he might even be nervous enough to convince them to cancel the public portion of the visit.
At the very least, the retinue decision would cost Chen in his boss’s eyes.
Tarrant gave his guest a rueful smile. Destabilizing the central committee with his own failure? Maybe this summit won’t be a total disaster after all.
BEIJING
Wen Xiu was meeting with regional policing representatives in the hall of the interior ministry when Yan finally tracked him down. The chairman’s call from Washington had not been a surprise and, as expected, the Americans had demanded the premier’s motorcade be separate from their president’s.
But more importantly, they had approved additional security for the interior minister to attend. ‘Sir!’ Yan called out as the scrum of officials began to dissipate. ‘Sir… over here!’
Wen saw the bureaucrat frantically waving his arms from across the hall. He moved through the sparse crowd, making apologies and offering greetings in equal measure, until they were face to face.
‘You contacted Chairman Chen in Washington?’
‘I did, sir, yes. He indicated the Americans have approved your request, per the instruction of Vice-Premier Liu.’
Wen smiled at the attribution. ‘Chen really thought he would have the Premier’s ear alone for the entire trip, didn’t he?’
‘It is not for me to speculate…’ Yan stammered.
‘Oh, calm yourself! Our mutual dislike is no secret to anyone. The question you need to ask yourself, Yan, is who will be left standing when Legacy is complete?’
‘They seem to believe they have the matter well in hand.’
‘Who? The Americans? Don’t make me laugh! As we speak, their best effort is somewhere in Harbin, being held for us by the Black Crane Society, ready to be delivered to us.’
‘They are here?!?’ Yan’s alarm was evident. ‘Surely the risk of exposure for sending field operatives – short-term players…’
‘Apparently they think this Legacy issue is a substantial problem.’ Wen almost snickered at the thought. ‘But it will amount to nothing. A forty-year-old sleeper cell?’ He looked at the younger man with what Yan supposed was an attempt at sage wisdom. ‘It will come to nothing. It will be the modern equivalent of one of those Japanese soldiers on the islands, coming to light, blinded by the modern world, his war long over.’
‘And… if it isn’t? Yan asked, braving a contrarian stance. ‘If Legacy is successful? What then?’
&
nbsp; The older man shrugged, his eyes darting around the room to ensure no one was listening in. ‘Then? There are many who believe our nation’s new openness is a betrayal of sorts. There is a rural campaign underway, a misinformation effort via local internet boards, sent out from within our borders. It’s probably the Russians. The rural poor are increasingly disillusioned that they are not receiving the same benefits from an open China as those in the cities. And they are legion. The administration will have to answer to them and many others… should they be embraced by the west so tightly that it chokes us all.’
Yan waited for a moment to see if the more senior man had any other profundities, before adding, ‘I’ve emailed your travel schedule to your assistant and CC’d you.’
‘Then our business for today is concluded,’ Wen said. ‘Thank you as always for your loyal efforts.’
‘Of course,’ Yan said.
The interior minister’s assistant sidled up behind him silently, then led him away by the elbow to another meet-and-greet near the main doors. Yan watched them walk away then checked his phone for messages. He looked around the room cautiously, then switched the official government phone for another in his left coat pocket. He used a thumbprint to open its screen, then tapped the encrypted message app. Then he smiled and turned it off, placing the phone back in his pocket.
The message contained just two words:
‘Water flows.’
31/
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Senior Agent Brandon Mah was waiting in Tarrant’s office reception when the deputy director and his personal assistant returned. He had a young woman with him and he gave her a worried glance before standing to greet his boss; the badge said she was NSA, but she was familiar nonetheless.