Liu wasn’t fooled into believing there was a truthful answer to that question. The general was looking to execute Red Island before China’s president canceled it, but wanted to leave a scapegoat, someone to blame, if it didn’t go well. By answering, Liu was being maneuvered into that sacrificial role. If he delayed implementation too long and Red Island was canceled, his future in COSTIND was over. He’d be lucky to get a job as a dock worker. On the other hand, if he pushed it too close and it failed, Yu would have him killed long before he returned home.
His career, his very life, was coming down to this moment. “I can implement the plan in three days,” he said, shaving five days from the original timetable.
“Can it be done the day after tomorrow?” The general’s eyes bored into his. His meaning was clear. Red Island will be executed the day after tomorrow.
“Yes,” Liu said, then qualified his answer. “But only if the DF-31 missiles are here. We can smuggle the warheads later, they are smaller, but those rockets need to be in Panama before the canal is closed. Afterward there will be too much scrutiny to offload them.”
Yu glanced at the compliant president and canal director. “You think they will pursue a vigorous investigation?”
“Not them, but even if the Americans are denied the right to place troops here, they will send in covert teams of investigators. Hatcherly’s warehouses will be watched closely. It’s too much of a risk to unload the missiles after such a team arrives. The Americans shouldn’t be underestimated.”
“That’s why you didn’t want the warheads brought in until after the canal was closed?”
“Yes, sir.” Liu was heartened to see that Yu understood the subtleties of the operation. “It’s likely that the United States will send a group from NEST, that’s their Nuclear Emergency Search Team. Even under the best shielding, a nuclear warhead may be detected by their sophisticated equipment. I’ve heard they can identify trace radiation from medical X-ray machines that haven’t been used for years.”
Yu grunted.
Liu continued. “If the rockets were here, we could proceed with the rest of the operation and then bring in the warheads after a few weeks. But I believe the DF-31s are still in China, yes?”
Liu saw immediately that he’d been outmaneuvered. Yu gave no outward sign, but he could feel it. The missiles were already in Panamanian waters, or would be by the next day.
The general didn’t need to state the obvious. “You have an enclosed dry dock at the Hatcherly facility that you plan to use for their unloading?”
Liu swallowed. The operation was going ahead a full week before his schedule and he couldn’t stop it. His only choice now was to put his full efforts into seeing it through. “Yes, General. There’s a ship in it now, ostensibly for a refit, but it’s a COSTIND vessel we’ve been keeping there as cover.”
“Have it moved out,” Yu ordered through the cloud of a freshly lit cigarette, his dark eyes squinting. “The vessel carrying the missiles, a refrigerator ship named Korvald, will arrive tomorrow night.”
“And the warheads?”
“Are still in China. As you suggest, we’ll ship them in a few weeks.”
“Ah, General. The gold? I have enough from the supply you gave to me at the beginning of the operation to make one more payment, but after that ...”
“You will get no more from COSTIND. It is up to you to find the treasure. That is all there is to it.”
Liu stopped himself from protesting more. He knew the general wouldn’t be swayed by any argument he could devise.
There were over a hundred and fifty men scouring the volcanic lake and the banks of the River of Ruin. He’d always known it was only a matter of time to find it, but time was the one thing now taken from him.
Liu nodded at the two Panamanians pretending not to be offended that they’d been excluded from the conversation. “I will negotiate to extend the bullion you’ve given me. I should be able to buy a few more weeks.”
Yu just shrugged. He had no interest in those kinds of details. “Is there anything else you need from me?”
“I don’t think so, sir. My geologists have assured me that the ground in the Gaillard Cut has been sufficiently saturated with water to ensure liquefaction when the explosives go off.”
Implementation of Red Island had been designed to coincide with Panama’s rainy season so that the land had soaked up a tremendous amount of water. Under the onslaught of the special explosives they were to use, the wet ground would become a liquid slurry unable to support its own weight. The principle was the same that caused such devastation during earthquakes. Structures on solid rock fared well during a temblor but buildings on reclaimed land were severely damaged because the soil seemed to dissolve in a process called liquefaction.
Liu continued. “Most of the crew have already been taken off Gemini and the submersible is ready to retrieve the remainder once everything is in position.”
“What about the diving chamber near the lock?”
“Explosive charges are in place to destroy it as soon as the men have attached the diverter submersible to the ship we intend to use to block the canal.”
“And you know which ship that will be?”
“Yes, sir. Like Gemini, it’s a bulk carrier registered in Liberia. She’s named Mario diCastorelli and is already on station and ready to go through the canal. She’s loaded with Portland cement and scrap steel. When Gemini explodes she should roll over and that cargo will turn into a solid mass weighing about twelve thousand tons. Removing just her hulk alone will take several months.”
“Well thought out.”
“Thank you, General.” Liu was startled by the compliment. “It was an idea I had after first making this proposal to the minister of defense.”
“Who is crewing the Mario diCastorelli?”
“As the name implies she’s owned by a shell company in Italy with Liberian registration. Her crew is mostly Filipinos with Greek officers. They have no idea what’s in store for them. Gemini will detonate less than a hundred feet from their ship. Just before the explosion, the submersible will dock at Gamboa to unload the divers and the crew from Gemini. It will be scuttled there. All the men will be driven straight from Gamboa to Cristobal on the Atlantic coast, where a ship will spirit them away.”
“And it is the last piece of physical evidence?”
“That’s correct. The diving bell and mini-sub are the last links. At some point during the redredging operation, their remains will be quietly retrieved and disposed of.”
“You’ve thought this out well, Yousheng. I’m pleased. With the exception of finding the gold, everything has gone remarkably smoothly. Just for the sake of argument, could you maintain control of Panama after the canal is closed if you don’t find the treasure?”
Liu shook his head. “For the short term, perhaps, but it’s not sustainable. Panama’s economy depends on transit tariffs far and above what we can provide through taxes on using our railroad and pipeline. Without the money, the country will descend into chaos. Quintero would be overthrown and his likely replacement would invite American troops in to keep the peace and see that the canal is reopened.”
“But if we keep them afloat economically, they will resist when the Americans pressure them to allow them in?”