“Ok, I’ll see what I can do.”
Later Lemineux handed Nathan a communications slip. He read it.
“Lieutenant Kaminski, get yourself ready. A ROC Army Blackhawk is flying out to meet us, we’ll surface in ten minutes.”
“Oh right sir, I’ll get ready.”
She returned to her cabin, she didn’t need much, just her pad and tablet, she changed into a few civilian clothes and hitched up the skirt, so it was much shorter. She walked out of the cabin and then remembered. Nikki turned and took out her makeup and applied it. She walked back out into the control room. The COB smiled at her. “Are we going to a dance sir?”
She smirked back. “I am Chief, but you’re staying aboard.” The boat surfaced, she stood on the sail with the COB, he sneaked in a cigarette. “Here he is sir.” A Black Hawk flew in and lowered a line with a harness for under her arms. She let the line touch the boat to discharge static, pulled it on and was winched up to the helicopter. The crew pointed to a seat, strapped her in and handed her a headset.
“Morning, madam Kaminski. We go to Taipei. 30 minutes.”
“Thank you.” They approached from the west, she looked over the city skyline dominated by the huge Taipei 101 tower. The helicopter lost height and headed towards a low building in its own grounds. She heard the crew talking in Chinese to someone on the ground. The Black Hawk approached a helipad and landed. A crewman slid the door open and the blades started to slow. “Here madam Kaminski, you contact.” She got out and lowered her head, a man waited for her.
“This way please.” He led her off into the building. The receptionist issued a pass after waiting to see her USN card Photo pass.
She was led along wide corridors with marble floors. Several potted plants adorned the sidewalls. Chinese men and women dressed mostly in white shirts walked by chattering. They entered an office. The woman at the desk checked her pass, phoned someone and took her to a large dark wooden door. She opened it, Nikki walked in and a Chinese man middle aged with glasses sat behind a desk. He stood and shook her hand. She noticed he ran his eyes up and down her legs. “Hello madam Kaminski, I’m Chen Huo Director of 2nd Division NSB. How can we help the US Navy?”
“Mister Chen you must be aware that we inserted your Officer May Hsin ashore.” She flicked her hair aside and smiled.
“Yes, I am thank you.”
“Our problem is we cannot communicate with her and our mission is entwined with hers. This makes it more difficult for us. We’d like to be able to communicate if necessary.”
He played with a ceramic figure on his desk and thought.
“She is on a sensitive mission as you will be aware, there are times when we cannot communicate with her.”
Nikki smiled at him, with her best alluring smile. “Yes, we know that, but you will have some access. We have none. We’ll only use it if necessary and we can clear it with you first. If you need it to happen, I can contact our State Department, then our Government will speak with yours.” It was a thinly disguised threat, she gambled that he wouldn’t want any government interference. She lowered her voice, reached out, raised her chin and placed her palms on his desk, looking at him with a puppy dog smile. “Please Mr Chen, I’d be most thankful. Only with your permission.” He played with the ceramic figure, carefully weighing up his options. Nikki stood and walked over to the windows with her back to him.
“You have a beautiful city.” She leaned forward looking out at the cityscape. Nikki showed him as much bare leg as she could, she knew the skirt didn’t come much below her ass.
“We will give you as much access as we can Madam Kaminski.” She turned and gave him a beaming smile. “That would be so good Chen, thanks.” He picked up the phone and spoke into it.
“I’ll get you a tea, someone will be here soon. Where are you from in America?”
“Georgia.” He frowned.
“South East, the deep south.”
“I’ve been to Washington, to Langley and California.”
“Better food where I’m from. You’ll have to check it out sometime.”
The door opened and the woman from outside laid down two teas and a younger man entered.
“This is Mister Ming Lo, when you call him ask for 2nd Directorate. He’s May’s case Officer.” They spoke in Chinese and Ming Lo handed over a sheet with names and numbers.
“Madam Kaminski. These are numbers she can be contacted on. I’ve highlighted the cell phones, some of these will only be used once. There are two email accounts, Twitter and What’s App. My email and my number is at the bottom.
You will call me first before you call her?”
“Yes Ming, always. Can you let her know that we may call her, in case she thinks it’s a trick?”
“Yes, I do that. Can you make a phone call from the submarine?”
“Yes.” Nikki had no idea, but she knew Lemineux would come up with something. He may have to route it via satellite from the states.
“Gooday madam.” Ming Lo left the office.
“Thank you for your help here Mr Chen. I won’t keep you any longer but there is something else you could help me with.”
“Yes?”
“I’d like to meet with Officers at the National Ministry of Defence building, I believe it’s here in Taipei?”
He looked at her in surprise, he wondered for a few moments and then thought it better to get her passed on. “Yes, I’ll make a call, it’s not far away.”
SOON NIKKI WAS IN A limousine heading for the Dazhi area of the Zhongshan district. She thought it better to change in the back seat. She took off her civilians and put on her Naval uniform, the car soon pulled into what amounted to a modern campus style complex. The driver stopped at a gatehouse, the guard took her USN pass and checked it, phoning in the details. The guard passed it back, her pass was approved. The limousine drove through the grass covered grounds and passed by various buildings to an eight-story building. She left and walked up the steps, military officers of all services and ranks had walked around the grounds, it was the same in here. She entered and showed her pass.
“Just wait here Lieutenant.” A few minutes later a Major in an Army uniform approached her.
“Lieutenant Kaminski? Major Hu. Republic of China Army follow me.” She was led to a meeting room on the next floor, Officers from all services Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines sat at the table. She sat at her place.
A Navy Captain fixed her with a hard stare. “You come with the best wishes of a director of the NSB. We are aware that you are with the USS Stonewall Jackson. You are most welcome here, but Lieutenant Kaminski, what is it that you want?”
Nikki decided she’d come this far now it wasn’t the time to get all cautious.
“It’s not what I want that matters Captain. What’s been keeping me up at nights is what a Shang class boat is up to off your coast.”
“We get several of them testing us from time to time. They’re around and then go away when we get near them.” Nikki narrowed her eyes and stared at him.
“Lieutenant Kaminski, PLAN surveillance is common off our coast, we keep an eye on each other,” he waved his hand away dismissively.
Nikki formed a sarcastic smile and leaned forward, she slapped the table.
“Captain, do highway 8, highway 7 the Dongshi bridge mean anything to you? Because they do to this Shang’s Captain. He’s got a hard on for Taichung City. Carrying out a close shore recon twice on subsequent nights.” She stood and started to pace the room. Stopping with hands on hips, looking at the ceiling with a puzzled frown.
“Now, let’s think why?” Nikki smiled at the Officers.