“I am glad to hear this is so, Leader.”
Chairman Hong straightened and slapped the desk. “Shun Li, I have made my decision. You will be my hand in this.”
Relief flooded through her, and she said in a ringing voice, “I will do whatever you command.”
“Attend to my words word closely, for this is critical. Despite his supposedly defensive brilliance, Chao Pin’s deployments will fail. The Americans have too many Behemoth tanks. My experts believe the Americans will create a massive hole in our lines and pour through, surrounding and devouring our armies in Oklahoma as they did in Colorado.”
“Doesn’t Chao Pin see this danger?”
“He seeks to bring more laser tanks and greater numbers of T-66s to America. But the enemy’s submarines sink too many transports. No. I will stake my reputation on this… although it will only be between you and me that I do this.”
“Yes, Leader,” she said.
“If I am wrong, you will never speak of word of this to anyone.”
If he’s wrong, he’ll kill me. “May I ask a question, Leader?”
“Please do.”
“How does a Chinese defeat in Oklahoma help us? I mean, help you, Leader?”
A shark’s smile spread across his face. “I have borrowed your cleverest people and this without your knowledge. It is how I know you are only a good policewoman and not a great one. They have smuggled short-range nuclear missiles into northern Mexico for my purposes. No one knows about these missiles but for you, me and the selected East Lightning border formations.”
“Leader?” she whispered.
“This is interesting,” Hong said. “I can smell the fear oozing onto your skin. Why do so many people wilt at the mention of nuclear weapons?”
Because of radioactive fallout and end-of-the-world scenarios, Shun Li thought.
“The Americans have used nuclear weapons before,” he said. “I refer to the Arctic shelf ice attack against us in 2032 and the Santa Cruz bombing in 2039 and finally in the Atlantic Ocean in 2040 when they destroyed the German amphibious fleet closing in on the New Jersey shore.”
“We have used nuclear depth charges,” Shun Li pointed out.
“As we should!” he said.
“Yes, yes, I completely agree.”
“No. You say that out of fear.”
She hesitated before nodding. “You are always right, Leader. I do fear nuclear weapons. I am afraid I lack your strength of will.”
He sighed. “That is why I must rule China. Only I have the resolve to take the steps needed. In terms of my breadth of vision, I am a giant. I see far over everyone else’s head. Believe me when I say that the Americans will storm through the breach in Oklahoma. At that critical point, I will unleash the nuclear warheads and obliterate their carefully gathered armor. I will seal the breach by inflicting a massive defeat against American arms.”
“Won’t the Americans retaliate with nuclear weapons?”
“Let them. We have the ability to absorb staggering losses. They do not. Thus, they will wilt before us.”
Strength oozed from Shun Li so it felt as if her head became too heavy to hold up. This was terrible news. So far, neither side had used nuclear weapons on the land battlefields, although the Americans did destroy one of their own ports as the Chinese invaded there. The Chairman had already referred to it: Santa Cruz in northern California in the first days of the war. The attack nearly drove Hong mad with a desire for revenge. This latest idea—was it a delayed reaction to Santa Cruz? Each time someone used nuclear weapons, she feared it brought the world that much closer to the dreaded holocaust. Yet she couldn’t dwell on that now.
Another thing bothered her about this. “There’s something I don’t understand. If we’re going to use nuclear missiles in Oklahoma, why don’t we strike first? Let us smash enemy concentrations and advance against them.”
“You surprise me with such a simple question.”
“Forgive me, but I am no military strategist, merely a simple policewoman. I’m thinking of our soldiers, Leader. Don’t we need as many of them as possible?”
“My plan entails several facets. First, the Americans have tac-lasers just as we do. For our rockets to hit en masse, the enemy must move beyond their antimissile belts. My experts inform me that American commanders believe in exploitation drives deep into enemy territory. Once they break through, American armor will lunge ahead of their antimissile defenses. That is the moment we can annihilate them with nuclear warheads.”
“Ah.”
“Second, the nuclear attack used at my discretion and timing, will help to destroy Chao Pin’s credibility. With the American breakthrough, he will have failed China and the invasion army. I will save everyone from his blunder in such a way that everyone will understand my wisdom and his foolishness.”
“Yes, that makes sense,” Shun Li forced herself to say.
“Afterward, Chao Pin will die in order to pay for his insolence.”
Shun Li almost frowned in disbelief. If Hong thought unleashing nuclear war in Oklahoma and Texas would turn the military against Chao Pin…
“I see your doubts,” Hong said. “Firstly, I must admit that the marshal is wise to keep my guardsmen away from the Ruling Committee meetings. His officers flank my Lion Guardsmen man for man in Mao Square during the sessions. In other words, we have a standoff. During the meetings is the only time he’s truly vulnerable. Therefore, that is the place to strike. Secondly, you must realize that people act like sheep.”
“Yes, Leader.”
“They need someone to follow. Once I unleash the nuclear holocaust on the American military, you will perform your task for China. Shock in the meeting chamber will allow you the opportunity.”
“I do not understand.”
“You carry a service pistol with you at all times, do you not?”
“I do,” she whispered.
“Yes. The day the others on the Ruling Committee realize Chao Pin has failed China is the day you will draw your gun and shoot him down like a mad dog.”
Disbelief caused Shun Li’s mouth to drop open.
“China will call upon you,” Hong said. “You will act—”
“If I shoot Marshal Chao Pin,” she said, “the Army will demand my death.”
“Not so—for you will unleash East Lightning upon the traitors, killing everyone backing Chao Pin. Starting today, you will begin to choose special squads, your most trusted killers. I will provide you with a target list. You will use your best operatives to study their habits, deciding on the best locations to liquidate each. After you slay Chao Pin, you will help me purge the Army. Once my grip has become firm again over the military… then we will prosecute the war in such a way as to win.”
“Yes, Leader,” Shun Li said, forcing wondering admiration into her voice. This could turn into a disaster.
“Yes indeed,” Hong said. “But to achieve this masterpiece, we must work extraordinarily hard and with supreme cunning.”
Shun Li gazed at Hong, barely managing to suppress a shudder. It was possible he was quite mad. Yet she also realized that he had a rare gift at intrigue and at striking from out of the blue. In this regard, his madness was strength. One thing bothered her, though. How could he be so sure that Chinese arms would shatter before the American onslaught? Did he plan some secret treachery to ensure such a thing?
Yes, of course he does. She did shudder then. Hong would do anything for power. In that regard, the man lacked a soul. I dearly hope his plan does not bring about the end of the world.