Robert Miller had just confirmed the code for the last transmission to Ambassador Wilson in Moscow when he picked up the phone and dialed Packer.
The ISA bureau chief picked up after the second ring. Despite the hour, he sounded alert. "That you, Robert?"
"Roger, Pack. Berry Lucas of the State Department is here. He approved the content and the code. Wilson has read it and confirmed it."
"Let's hear it."
"'Code R-O-D-A-L. TR-time 05/05/77: COVERT confirmed Danjia. White Shark High Flyingon site. Second confirmation code 55sTR-time 06/09/77: RM-BLCAP.'"
"Anything else?"
"Afraid so, Pack. Driver says the place is crawling with Russians."
"Aprihinen said he would give us seventy-two hours. What the hell is going on?"
"Apparently he doesn't think we can get the job done," Miller said.
"Give me a couple of hours," Packer said with a sigh. Then he added, "Sounds like Bogner and Driver have their hands full."
Chapter Eight
Shu Li had selected the Qingyuan Binguan, one of Haikou's lesser hotels, as the site for their meeting because she knew the hotel's manager, and he could assure them of privacy.
She drove Bogner back to the Haikou, and while he changed clothes, again persuaded her friend, Ti Minn, to create a diversion for the man Quan had assigned to trail the two representatives of Jade. To no one's surprise, the ruse worked again. While the little man again pretended to read a newspaper in the alcove by the elevator, Ti Minn, using the hotel telephone and speaking loudly enough for him to hear, agreed to meet Driver in the hotel's bar. Quan's man bought the deception, and the three, Driver, Bogner, and Shu Li, left the Haikou by the service elevator.
On Haifu Road, in her Renault, Shu Li instructed the two men how to make contact with Le Win Fo.
"Le comes to Haikou twice a month to buy supplies for the orphans at Zebo. He always stays at the Qingyuan Binguan. The manager of the hotel is an old friend and very much opposed to the direction of the Han Ki Po government. He will see that you have complete privacy. In all probability, Quan has someone keeping an eye on Le Win Fo, so don't be surprised if you don't make contact right away. He won't make contact until he's certain the coast is clear."
"What about you?" Bogner asked.
"Have you been watching out the rearview mirror?" Shu Li said. "There's a black Subaru following us. Our Russian friends don't trust anyone. That plus, after you roughed up one of them last night, he may have a personal grudge. I'll try to divert them. If they don't see you get out, they'll follow me."
"How do we get back to the hotel?" Driver said.
"Take a taxi. My friend, Yua Lin, will call one for you. It's too dangerous for me to come back. They may have already figured out that you're getting more attention from the Haikou's concierge than normal."
Shu Li pulled into the darkened street market across from the Qingyuan, walked up to one of the newsstands, and purchased a pack of cigarettes. While she did, Bogner and Driver got out of the car and stood in the shadows of one of the vendor's booths. Then they watched while the Subaru stopped two hundred feet away and waited. Shu Li got back in the car and drove away. The Subaru followed.
"You can bet your sweet ass they'll be back as soon as they figure out there's no one in the car with her," Driver said.
The two men crossed the street, entered the lobby of the Qingyuan, and went into the bar. Following instructions, they sat at the bar, ordered drinks, and waited. Thirty minutes later, a man dressed in a three-piece suit walked up to the bar, ordered a beer, and slid a shi yuan note to the bartender. It was the signal.
Bogner asked the man what time it was. "Jidian zhong?"
"San shiyi," the man replied, and walked away.
"Third floor, room eleven," Bogner whispered.
"Where the hell did you learn Chinese?" Driver asked.
"Shu Li coached me," Bogner smiled, "all the way back from Zebo."
They waited ten minutes, then Bogner went first with Driver following, making certain they hadn't picked up another of Quan's goons in the process.
Bogner made the introductions brief, and Le Win Fo spread a series of charts and documents on the bed.
"We have a great deal to accomplish, and from what Captain Bogner has told me, Colonel Driver, very little time to do it. So first of all, Colonel, let me tell you what little I do know about the Russian aircraft that has recently arrived at Danjia."
Driver sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the drawings.
"First of all, let me explain the installation. There are three hangars in all, two small and one large. The large hangar contains four military aircraft. Two of the aircraft are Sukhoi Su-27 Flankers, and the third is a MiG-23U trainer. Quite recently, a fourth aircraft was flown in. It is an unusual aircraft in appearance, and since its arrival, the base commander, Colonel Quan, has doubled security…"
Driver looked at Bogner. "That's gotta be our baby."
"Did you get a look at it?" Bogner asked.
Le shook his head. "Only when it flies over Zebo."
"Any other aircraft?" Driver pushed.
"Several, but they are not housed in the main hangar," Le said. "Many of them are quite old, and I am told some of them are not serviceable. They are parked on the tarmac between the infirmary and the commissary."
"Where's the hangar in relation to the airstrip?" Driver said.
Le Win Fo pointed to the map. "The hangars are located here, on the northern side of the installation. The main runway is hereto the right. The flight path is north out over the Sangtao reservoir. The reservoir covers five hundred-plus square miles, and Quan patrols the southern part of the reservoir with four gunboats. Helicopters cover the rest. They are small, but they are armed with machine guns. At Zebo we have heard reports from local fishermen who have tried fishing these waters that both the boats and the patrol helicopters will not hesitate to open fireand seemingly without provocation."
"Have you noticed any activity with that Russian plane?" Driver asked.
Le Win Fo frowned. "I must exercise caution that I do not ask too many questions. Questions arouse suspicion. But I am told that the Russian pilot who flew the aircraft to Danjia is conducting a series of training sessions for Quan's pilots. The flights are conducted in the very early hours of the morning."
Driver continued to study the map. "What's the protocol on those flights?"
"I am told that the first flight of the day uses the two Flanker aircraft. The Russian instructor puts the students through a series of maneuvers to test their proficiency. Then the Russian pilot gives them a shakedown in the new plane."
"That confirms Spitz's suspicion that the Su-39 Borisov hijacked has an elevated two-seat cockpit to accommodate either an observer or a copilot," Driver said.
"We'll know for sure when we get our hands on Schubatis," Bogner confirmed.
"Then getting Dr. Schubatis out of the cell block is your first priority," Le speculated.
Bogner nodded. "First Schubatis, then the -39."
"What about Schubatis?" Driver asked. "What kind of shape is he in? Are we going to have to carry him out?"
"He is very weak," Le Win Fo confirmed, "but he was able to move around the cell when I spoke to him today, even though his leg is still in a cast."
"How and when do we get him?" Bogner asked.
Le Win Fo straightened and looked at his watch. "It is a quarter past nine. In exactly fifteen minutes, Father Hua will call the manager of the Qingyuan and inform him that I am required back at Zebo. That will explain why I do not stay for the evening as is my custom. You will wait fifteen minutes so as not to arouse suspicion, then follow me. I have arranged for a car. It is a dark blue Simca, parked across the street in the marketplace." He looked at Driver. "Captain Bogner knows the way. I have also arranged to have the car brought back to the citythat way there will be no way to trace it to your use."