Langford continued. “What this is really about is that cargo. We already know what was in those plants. So unless the Chinese intended to attack all along, it was simply the value of their cargo that left them no choice but to fight their way out. The fact that their sub hadn’t moved means they were prepared for more than one scenario.”
“What are you suggesting, Admiral?” asked Collier. “To ignore the fact they destroyed our ship and killed a fifth of its crew?”
“What I’m suggesting is we may very well find our counterattack provokes them into an ever-increasing escalation that they never had any interest in pursuing. And in the meantime, while we prepare to burn our resources to show the world who’s mightier, they are quietly sending over a dozen vessels into the Atlantic to search for anything left of those plants. In other words, our sabre rattling may simply end up providing them the opportunity they need to keep us busy. While they recover what was clearly important enough to start a fight over in the first place.”
Carr looked at him pensively. “You’re suggesting we go after it ourselves.”
“Correct.”
“Even though we’re still not sure why they sank their own ship only hours after escaping from Georgetown.”
“I’m not sure it matters, Mr. President.”
The President raised an eyebrow.
“Cleary something went wrong. Whether it’s a coup within their government or just a catastrophic mistake, it’s crystal clear what they really care about.”
“Maybe they realized there was something dangerous onboard,” Collier said sarcastically.
Langford considered it. “It’s possible. But they’re still sending every ship they have to salvage it.”
“So, we try to get there first.”
“Exactly.”
“And you don’t think,” Collier replied, “that our own salvage ships trying to get there before theirs will create an escalation?”
“Not if we don’t send our salvage ships.”
Miller stared at him from across the table with a puzzled expression. “I’m not following.”
“Commander Lawton was the primary researcher of the plant sample we stole from the Chinese. She’s confident that based on its cellular structure, and the fact that salt water is almost the perfect solvent, there isn’t going to be much for China to recover in the Atlantic. Not to mention the area was still burning four days later from thousands of gallons of spilled diesel fuel.”
“I’m afraid you’ve lost me,” Carr said. “If there’s nothing left to recover, how then are you proposing we go after it?”
After a deep breath, Langford turned back to the President. “There may be two other ways to grab what the Chinese are after… before they can. One is through the DNA of a small monkey. And the other may be in a box shipped to Beijing, one that the Chinese government may not even realize they have.”
President Carr, who was leaning back in his black leather chair, suddenly leaned forward.
“What did you just say?”
14
Wil Borger leaned back in his chair with a loud squeak. His heavyset frame filled every inch of space between the armrests. “That’s our man.”
Clay was studying the screen again, staring at the Chinese military photo ID. It had taken most of the night, but they finally identified the individual on the Xian Y-20 who was transporting back what they suspected was the extracted genetic material. If they were correct, the contents of that case could now be the most valuable item on the planet. But, the real question was… where was it now?
“Lieutenant Li of the Chinese Army. Enlisted at the age of twenty-one. Received a direct appointment to officer training after four years and has since then risen from Officer Cadet to First Lieutenant. Pretty impressive.”
Borger nodded with arms crossed over his large belly, mostly hidden by a deep blue and white Hawaiian shirt. “Awarded the Medal of Outstanding Service and the Medal for Outstanding Achievement. What’s the Medal of Army Brilliance for?”
Clay shook his head. “Not sure.”
“Well, one thing is for sure, this guy is highly decorated.”
“He is indeed.”
“So why have this guy Li escort the box home, almost nonstop on a secure military plane? Anyone could have done that. An honor thing maybe?”
“Possibly. Both the Chinese political and military systems are highly class-based… but if you were trying to keep something quiet, especially something this big, would you pick one of the more recognized officers in the army?”
“Not unless I wanted someone to notice.”
“Right. Then why would they want someone to notice?”
Borger shrugged. “Maybe credibility. As in ‘look what I have and you don’t.’ ”
“Maybe. But then you’d have to worry about it being intercepted.” Clay moved his chair closer. “Bring up that picture of him deplaning in Beijing again.”
Borger complied and brought another image up on screen. It was a satellite image, slightly grainier than the first, of Li walking from the giant Y-20 to a large hangar at the Tongxian Air Base in Beijing.
“Do you see any security around the hangar?” Clay asked.
Borger zoomed in. “No.”
“And he’s moving quickly.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“So either the place was empty, which I doubt, or there was no show or display intended here.”
“Okay,” frowned Borger. “Then we’re back to why pick someone that a lot of people on that base might recognize?”
Clay remained quiet for a long time. Finally, the corner of his mouth curled. “Trust,” he mumbled.
“What?”
“Trust,” Clay repeated, louder.
“Trust?”
“Trust.” Now Clay was thinking out loud. “Whoever brought it in was going to be noticed. Especially on that plane. That was unavoidable. To keep it secure meant using the Y-20, which also meant attention. There would be no way to avoid that… especially if it all had to happen fast.”
“So you give up anonymity for speed.”
“Exactly.”
“But why a hero Lieutenant then?”
“Because if you need it done fast, and you’re going to be seen, you better be damn sure you can trust the man bringing it!”
“Ahhh,” Borger replied, nodding his head. “Someone you could trust not to screw you.”
“Right.”
“So, someone in the government was out to get the sample first, and used our friend Li to protect it.”
Clay shook his head again. “Not just anyone in the government. A politician wouldn’t use someone like Li. A military man would. A military man with a hell of a lot of clout to commandeer a new prototype like the Y-20.”
“So… now we find out who he took it to. Someone in the military.”
“That’s right. And someone who knew exactly what was happening in that jungle in Guyana!”
Borger smiled, then clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Our next challenge.”
Clay stood up and stretched. “How about a caffeine break?”
“Nah, I’m good. Just bring me another.”
Clay nodded and picked up the empty can of Jolt cola from Borger’s desk. “Didn’t they make this stuff illegal?”
“That’s NOT funny!”
With a chuckle, Clay turned and left the dark room. The sun was up outside, but without any windows, there was no indication of time in Borger’s “bunker.” Once outside and into the light, Clay blinked and quickly made his way down the wide beige-colored hallway toward the stairs.