“Who is that bitch? I thought she worked for Remington.”
“She did,” Jake said. “But she was undercover with the Taiwan National Security Bureau.”
“She’s a spook?” Really, Alexandra wasn’t surprised. She knew the woman had to either be a trained assassin or a government intelligence officer. Perhaps both. “Why is she still on us?”
“Because we’re still on General Wu Gang,” Jake said. “Her government also doesn’t like what the general has been up to with his current business.”
“The general had to be the one who sent the killers to my apartment in Munich,” she decided.
“I think you’re right.”
“Why not just kill the man?” she wanted to know.
Jake put up his hands. “That’s way above my pay grade. The Agency has told me to back off of the guy.”
Alexandra thought about that, along with the congenial tone her former boss had just displayed to her on the phone. Was it possible that the general had contacts and influence with the governments of Germany and America?
“What are you thinking?” Jake asked.
She explained her theory to Jake, who was more than supportive of her supposition. That’s one of the things she loved about the man. He would listen to any whacky theory and still consider the possibility that she was right.
“All right,” Jake said. “Let’s get some breakfast and then head over to the general’s factory.”
“What can we expect to accomplish?” she needed to know.
He glanced at her, uncertain. “I don’t know. Just to let him know we’re still alive.”
26
Jake had just finished breakfast when he got a call from his favorite former director of the CIA, Kurt Jenkins. He pulled himself away from the table and out into a secluded area of the expansive lobby.
“What can I do for you, Kurt?” Jake asked, his eyes scanning the room for anyone who might be listening.
“Are you still in Saigon?” Jenkins asked.
“Yes. We’re about to head over to the general’s factory for a little discussion.”
Hesitation on the other end of the line. Finally, Jenkins sighed and said, “You need to stand down.”
“Stand down. You just authorized and organized two guns for us last night.”
“I know. So, you met the nun.”
“Of course.” Then Jake also explained what had happened with his encounter with the Taiwanese intelligence officer.
“Are you sure she’s with Taiwan’s National Security Bureau?”
“I believe so. Could you back channel her story to verify for me? Code name is Lin.” He spelled it for his old boss.
“Yeah, I’ll check on her. But they’re not usually active much beyond their island and mainland China.”
“Special circumstances,” Jake said. “The general is making some big moves. She thinks he’s bringing the two countries to the brink of war. Possibly for economic gain. We tend to agree with her assessment. So, why are you telling me to stand down? Who gave that order?”
More delay by Jenkins. Jake knew the man well enough to know that he was uncomfortable relaying this order.
“From the highest levels of government,” Jenkins said.
“That’s bullshit, Kurt. Just tell me it came from the current director.”
“You’re a smart man, Jake. But let’s say it came from even higher than that.”
Knowing that Jenkins had stuck his neck out for Jake many times in the past, Jake wasn’t going to push the man more than this. But this was a big reason why Jake had left the Agency in the first place — he couldn’t stand the politics of those above him.
Alexandra came from the restaurant and saw Jake, but she kept her distance and hung out on the far side of the lobby, her eyes in constant observation mode.
Jake finally said, “This general must have some pull.”
“Perhaps,” Jenkins conceded. “But I think it’s more than that. Bill Remington embarrassed the administration. If it ever got out that a man of his position was selling out his country, there’s no way for a second term.”
“Since when do you care if this president gets another shot at screwing up our country?”
“Jesus, Jake. I don’t care about that. I’m worried about you.”
He laughed inside. Then he smiled and nodded at Alexandra. “I didn’t know you cared, Kurt.”
“You bastard. I sent you there to find Remington. You did that with great alacrity. But now it’s time to come home. Let the Agency take care of the general.”
Alexandra came over to him and stood a few feet away now.
“Listen, I don’t know if there’s anything else to find here. This guy is a billionaire with friends all over the place. But you have to know that he is at least partially responsible for our ships at general quarters in the straits of Taiwan. This is a potential Tonkin Bay incident waiting to happen. We’re one screw up away from an all-out shooting war with the Communist Chinese. And you want me to stand down?”
“What do you think you can accomplish by harassing the man?”
“Harassing him? He’s tried to kill me since I first stepped foot in Asia. He set up my friend Chad Hunter. He was running Remington like a puppet. He’s also simply buying up huge chunks of the military industrial complex, with the intention of throwing gas onto the fire. Why? To increase his wealth and power.”
Jenkins sighed. “Jake, I really hate when you see a conspiracy behind every tree.”
“When have any of my conspiracy theories been wrong?” Jake asked.
Silence.
“That’s right. A theory is only crazy if it doesn’t turn out to be supported by facts. I’ll get you the damn facts.” With that, Jake hung up on Kurt Jenkins and he shoved his phone into his pocket.
“Wow,” Alexandra said. “You were tough on him.”
“He’ll get over it. You ready to go?”
She nodded. “Should we check out?”
“Yeah. We’ll grab our bags and get the hell out of here. If we need to stay in Saigon, we can check in to another place.”
Within the hour the two of them had packed their small bags, checked out of the hotel, and were standing out front waiting for a taxi.
The street out front was busy with traffic, the majority of which seemed to Jake to consist of motor scooters. Jake guessed they were the preferred mode of transportation in Saigon. He even saw one Vespa drive by with a stack of new LCD TVs in their original boxes. Another carried a family of four.
When a car with dark windows slowed down out on the street, Jake immediately knew something wasn’t right. He simultaneously dropped his bag and pulled Alexandra to the ground behind a cement barrier just as the first bullets flew from the back window of the car.
Jake rolled to his right and drew his Glock. Then he shot three times at the back car, his bullets striking the trunk of the car as it sped off.
Others who had been standing out front, including a door man and two bell hops, had screamed and scrambled for cover.
“You all right?” Jake asked, checking over Alexandra for any wounds.
“Yeah. Let’s get those bastards.” Her gun was also pulled and ready to fire.
By now the light a half a block away had turned, stacking up cars and motor scooters out front. It was as if the drivers had no idea what had just happened, which was probably the case.
They both left their bags on the sidewalk and ran out to the street. Now the scooter drivers looked concerned when they saw the guns.
Jake holstered his gun and found the newest Vespa. Then he helped the driver off the scooter with his left hand while he hoisted himself into the driver’s seat. The man yelled at him in Vietnamese, but he shut his mouth when Alexandra pointed her gun in his general direction while getting on the scooter behind Jake.