“If we do not draw American blood, they will continue to attack us secretly, won’t they?” Dr. Huang asked.
“I have come to no other conclusion,” Fong replied. “Neither has the Premier nor the General. What we propose to do here, is done out of necessity, not revenge.”
Dr. Huang went reluctantly to his computer and started typing. Within two minutes the printer began spitting out sheets of seismic recordings. “Here, look at this.” Dr. Huang placed the first set of seismic recordings in front of the group. “Guang Xi, what do you see?”
“It’s a typical subduction zone rupture pattern.”
“Yes, it is,” Dr. Huang replied. “This is the seismic recording that was released from various countries, specifically from America first. Then other countries released the same recording.” He placed another seismic recording on the table.
“This one’s different,” Guang Xi commented. “Look, there are two spikes that shouldn’t be there.”
“This recording is of the same event, but from our own equipment,” Dr. Huang replied. ”What does this recording tell you?”
Guang Xi looked up at Dr. Huang. “Those two spikes are high velocity explosive signatures.”
“Yes,” Dr. Huang confirmed.
“It was a weapon test,” Dr. Zheng said. “And by releasing the seismic recordings and pushing other countries to release the same data, they covered up what they had done. No one would dare to challenge them.”
“So General Hu Jiang Xi was right in his suspicions, America is waging a secret war on other countries that don’t bend to its wishes,” Fong said.
“With impunity,” Dr. Zheng added.
“Yes,” Fong replied. “So far.”
“Guang Xi, what size do you estimate those two explosions to be?” Dr. Huang asked.
“The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake was what, a 9.2? That would make the explosive devices something in the range of… 100 kilotons each.”
“That places them in the nuclear range,” Dr. Zheng said. “Could that be a size launched from a submarine as a torpedo or a mine?”
“Yes,” Fong replied. “And it probably was.”
“Guang Xi, could you calculate what size explosives and how many would be needed to trigger the Cascadia Subduction Zone and not leave an explosive signature like this one did?”
Guang Xi thought for a moment. “Yes, I can.”
“Fong, inform General Hu Jiang Xi that we have a plan.”
“All we need now is the agreement of the Central Committee tomorrow,” Fong replied. “And America’s secret war against China will come to an end.”
CHAPTER 10
“What the hell is going on?” Senator Elizabeth Bechtel from Oregon demanded. She was 49, five-five in height, trim and fit, with dark brown hair, which she kept dyed on a regular schedule. She was attractive, but her sternness and relentless focus showed through her face.
“Senator, with all due respect, I can’t get into this with you right now. We’re in a state of crisis and I don’t have the time,” Secretary of State Sam Forrester replied.
“You’re going to make the time,” she insisted. I’ve known him for years, she thought. Either he talks tough or he acts. As long as he’s talking back, I can keep pushing. “I’m on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I know we have a freighter loaded with earthquake relief supplies that was just refused entry into Shanghai Harbor. All other relief ships are being let in and are unloading. I thought China was our friend. Why are they turning our ship away?”
“Look, I really don’t have the time, so can I get back to you?” he asked.
“No,” she replied firmly. “What’s wrong with our ship?” What is he hiding?
“Nothing,” he said. “Now please get out of my office. I’ll get back to you. I promise.”
She studied his face and recognized the panic he was trying to hide. “It’s more than just our relief ship, isn’t it? Have they turned any of our commercial ships away?”
“No, senator, they haven’t. Now get out of my office.” He stood defiantly for a moment. When she didn’t move he added, “Do I have to call security?”
She slowly walked around him, examining his features more closely. “Sam, you and I have been friends for a long time,” she said quietly. “We stood together in the Senate and fought for the same things, believed in the same things. Just because you’re Secretary of State now doesn’t change that. You look terrified. Nothing has ever affected you like this. If it’s not just our ship, what is it?”
He took a long breath and sighed. “It’s going to hit the news media in a matter of hours anyway. China just cancelled the visas for every American citizen in their country. Our people have 48 hours to leave the country.”
“Or what?” she asked, stunned by the revelation. “Or they will be arrested?”
“They didn’t say, but yes, the implication is that our people will be arrested.”
She raised her left hand to her mouth, paused and lowered it. “Certainly there must be some sort of diplomatic solution to this crisis? What is our ambassador in Beijing doing?”
“He’s trying to get in to see the Chinese President. So far he isn’t getting an answer from anyone. They’re ignoring him.”
If they’re stonewalling our people, this is serious. “Then the 48 hours doesn’t apply to our embassy?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about all of the companies we run inside of China?” she asked, the economic ramifications running through her mind. “What happens to them?”
“They might get nationalized. What most people don’t know is that the Chinese Military is a silent partner in every foreign company that operates in Mainland China.”
“We import a half trillion dollars’ worth of goods from China every year. What’s going to happen with that?”
He glanced out the window of his office, slowly returning his gaze to her. “We don’t know. Right now it’s just our people. So far no shipping has been affected, but that could change at any time.”
“And our military ships?”
“Nothing yet. Right now, we don’t have any U.S. military ships near Chinese waters, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
“Holy crap,” she said, as she sat in one of his chairs, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “Any explanation from China?”
“Nope. Not a single word.”
“Did they seem angry? Upset?”
“With the Chinese, it’s often hard to tell, but no, no angry words — just an official notice to leave.”
“And you don’t have any idea why this is happening?”
“Not a clue. The CIA seems stumped, NSA is silent as usual. The President is coming unglued wanting to find out what happened.”
“Do you think it has something to do with the earthquake?” she asked.
Forrester shrugged. “The timing is curious, but so far we don’t have any evidence that it is connected to the order to leave.”
“Damn, this is serious,” she said. “The Chinese don’t do anything without a solid reason behind it. The political ramifications are immense. You’ll keep me informed?”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”