Lena was pleased to see him. He greeted her warmly, clasping her hands in his own. “It is good to see you, Ms. Chou.” She noted that he used the name she went by now. The cover name that she had taken in the United States. She wondered how the good general felt about that.
She offered Jinshan a respectful bow. “Thank you, Chairman Jinshan.”
Aside from General Chen, there were two others in the room. A PLA Navy admiral by the name of Zhang, and a man that Lena knew was high up in the MSS. The group sat at a table while the MSS man updated them on the day’s findings.
Lena observed the meeting in silence. Taking in everything. Studying the men around the table. What they said and how they said it. She guessed at their motives, and at their opinions of each other, updating and refining her views as more information came to light.
She had been correct in her assessment. Each man was posturing. Playing not to win a war, but to earn a title, to seize dominion over the others. Her father, General Chen, seemed obsessed with the invasion of Hawaii. Admiral Zhang, head of the PLA Navy, disagreed that this was their most pressing objective. He wanted to use a new type of ship to attack Guam first, and then move on to Hawaii. But the additional step could add weeks or even months to the timetable.
General Chen said, “The Americans will reinforce Hawaii during the next few weeks. We cannot afford to wait until—”
Admiral Zhang said, “Admiral Song is the fleet commander. We should respect his judgment in this. As he has stated, it is imperative that US air power in the western half of the Pacific Ocean be destroyed before bringing our fleet to Hawaii. Guam’s runway has already been refurbished. If Guam is not destroyed—”
General Chen said, “Then we can split the fleet. We have enough ships.”
The admiral shook his head. “This is not a good plan. Our sea combat strategy…”
“Don’t talk to me about strategy, Admiral. I am an expert in military strategy.”
Lena glanced at Jinshan, whose face remained impassive. Like her, he was a listener. She noticed how tired and frail he looked. There was a yellow tint to his skin. The cancer, she knew. The Central Committee members must realize that he was failing. If his health grew weak enough, they would begin thinking about what came next. When that happened, he would be in danger, if he wasn’t already.
She now understood Jinshan’s urgency. Why they had made some moves earlier than planned. Jinshan needed to see the war through. To be sure that no one else — like her bumbling father — screwed it up.
Admiral Zhang sighed. “We will need the Jiaolong-class ships to win any battles with American carrier groups.”
General Chen scoffed. “The Chinese Navy should be fully capable of defeating our adversaries in battle. If you cannot lead us to victory, Admiral, perhaps we should find someone else—”
Jinshan smiled. “That will be enough, General. I suggest that we remember who our enemies are.” He paused in thought and then turned to Lena. “Miss Chou, tell me, what would you have us do?”
Lena ignored the disapproving eyes of her father as she said, “We must assume the Americans are already reinforcing their military capabilities at both locations. Both locations are important to them, but Guam’s proximity to China makes it unique. If Guam tumbles, our fleet will be able to traverse the Pacific towards Hawaii with impunity. But with the American airfields at Guam operational, they will be able to harass our convoys as they head west, and launch more effective attacks on our sea bases.”
Jinshan allowed a thin smile to form on his lips. “I concur,” he said. “We will support Admiral Zhang’s recommendation to attack Guam before all else.”
Lena could see the expression of contempt growing on her father’s face as he looked between her and Jinshan. I have made myself an enemy to my own father, she realized. So be it.
Lena met General Chen’s gaze. This time she didn’t break her stare. He did. And she could tell that he was fuming inside.
“General Chen…”
The silent battle of wills was disrupted as the head of the MSS asked General Chen for input on something. The men conversed a few minutes longer. After a few final details were agreed upon by Jinshan and his military council, he dismissed them.
“Lena, please remain,” Jinshan said quietly.
He waited until the others left and then said, “I commend you on your accomplishments. You have succeeded beyond my highest expectations.”
She smiled. “You honor me with your praise, Chairman Jinshan.” She meant it.
Lena understood that logically, she should harbor ill will toward Jinshan. The man who had stolen her life away when he had recruited her into the MSS’s program for illegal operatives. This world of black operations and espionage had transformed her into a vicious and violent woman. She knew that he was at least partly responsible for the mental and emotional damage she had suffered over the years. The occasional nightmares. Her inexplicable secret desire to commit violent acts, even when they were unrelated to her work. She had researched both of these symptoms. They were both indicative of a larger psychotic issue — one that was likely the result of her violent and sometimes traumatic work.
But that same world of espionage was also filled with excitement, fulfillment, and passion. A life of highs unlike anything else. She had been taken as a know-nothing teenage girl and forged into one of China’s greatest weapons. Jinshan was responsible for this growth. In that way, he was more of a father to her than General Chen had ever been. He had molded her into the woman she was today. He was proud of her achievements. The teenager he had recruited was gone. Li Chen had been a scared little girl. But Lena Chou, despite her scars, internal and external, was invincible.
It was Jinshan who showed signs of mortality.
“How is your health, Chairman?”
Jinshan shrugged. “All of us have limited time. I am confident I will remain able-bodied until we achieve our goal.”
Lena wasn’t so sure, but she let it be. “How may I serve you, then?”
Jinshan pointed to a digital map on his wall. It showed the Pacific Theater. “I wish you to join us here for the time being, as counselor to the chairman. You shall sit in on our leadership team conferences. Your insight will be a welcome addition.”
“As you wish.”
“You have unique insight into the hearts and minds of American intelligence. I wish you to work with the minister of state security. Already we have apprehended many of the American intelligence operatives within China. Soon we will be doing the same in Korea, Japan and any other territories as we expand. Some of the information that comes in will need…” He searched for the right word. “Vetting. I cannot be there to oversee these projects. We will need to evaluate the accuracy of the information we receive from our American agents. The Americans will attempt to deceive us. Your understanding of American intelligence, military, and politicians goes beyond many of our best analysts. Insert yourself into the program. Understand our top-level strategy, and whether the intelligence we receive supports our decisions.”
Lena nodded. “I am at your service, Chairman.”
14
“You there! What are you doing?”
Lin Yu looked wide-eyed at his company sergeant. The chief sergeant second class was as new to combat as Lin Yu, but he was older and had been in the PLA much longer.