Invasion: Alaska (21 page)

Together, the two teams launched two more missiles. Their training proved exquisite and more than justified. Two more altered Dragon Claw missiles skimmed the water and struck the burning supercarriers in the distance. Now at last, far away in the sky, two specks appeared.

“Aircraft!” shouted Wang.

“It’s time to leave!” shouted Lu.

He and Wang sprinted for the other side of the trawler. By following the old procedure, they would never have had time to don wetsuits and scuba tanks. This way, they could possibly escape and dive with the T-9s into the depths of the harbor.

The deep-cover trawler crew already roared away in their inflatables.

“Jump!” shouted Lu. He leaped overboard, plummeted and hit the water with his feet. His flippers were attached to his belt. Curling, with water gurgling in his ears, he halted his descent and groped for his flippers. It seemed like forever before they were on his feet. With several sharp kicks, he headed for the surface. Soon, he spied the nearest T-9 floundering in the sea. He swam harder and climbed aboard at the controls.

“Go,” said Wang, who had crawled on with him.

Lu turned on the T-9. It vibrated with power. He yanked the controls and began to dive, the craft’s propeller spinning wildly. Behind him, he heard the roar of fighter-launched air-to-ship missiles. Then a terrific explosion occurred. He looked back at the last moment. Debris was flying from the trawler. Then Lu’s head was underwater and he faced forward. There was another explosion that hurt his ears. He revved the T-9 and fled at full power, all the time diving deeper and deeper into the bay.

He had done it. He’d eliminated two American carriers and he was making his getaway. If the rescue submarine was out there, he would return to China as a hero, provided Wang could keep his mouth shut about killing the East Lightning political officers.

As Lu turned the T-9 slightly, aiming for the San Francisco Bay exit, he wondered if he should stop along the way and kill Wang for good measure. It was probably better to be sure than to trust a talker.

He’d think about it. There was no need to do it yet. He would make the decision once he’d actually gotten away and was out at sea. For now, he needed his wits, some luck, and more than his share of good karma. Ah, life was glorious indeed. He was a legend, and he’d broken an East Lightning political officer’s hand before killing him. Life was not only good—it was sweet.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

It had been several days now since Anna had confronted Colin Green. She had gone home, as he’d ordered. Shortly thereafter, several of Mr. Green’s security people had shown up. To her astonishment, they had told her she was recuperating from an illness and would need to stay inside for the next few days.

She’d tried her cell phone, but it hadn’t work, nor had her computer.

“This is kidnapping!” she declared.

The chief security agent had merely shaken his head. “We’re here to see that you have a full recovery, Ms. Chen. Then you’ll return to work.”

Anna presently sat in her living room, switching between CNN news, Fox and NBC. She watched the ongoing coverage of the sneak carrier attack.

The two supercarriers were wrecks. Susan Salisbury of Fox News, a stunning redhead and a former Miss America Queen, stood at the end of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco with a microphone in her hand. Behind her in the distance was the USS
Ronald Reagan
. She spoke about possible repairs, mentioning the Japanese sneak attack in World War Two. The Japanese then had damaged a carrier named
Lexington
. With her glossy red lips, Susan Salisbury told the audience how American service men had repaired the vintage carrier so it could fight in the critical battle of Midway in 1942. Her manner suggested the same sort of repairs might occur today with the
Ronald Reagan
.

Looking at the wreckage on the TV, Anna Chen doubted that.

“Has there been any further news concerning the identity of the terrorists making the attacks?” asked the prim Fox anchor, Don Howard.

“I’ve heard there’s several murdered fisherman aboard the trawler,” Susan Salisbury said. “They were killed assassin-style, apparently before the sneak attack took place. The authorities have reason to believe the boat was hijacked by Taiwanese extremists.”

“That’s very interesting, Susan,” the anchor said. “Retired General Ross is waiting in the Green Room. General, could you explain to our audience why Taiwanese extremists might wish to stage such an assault on our carriers.”

As white-haired, retired General Ross appeared on the TV, the apartment’s front door opened. Pressing mute with her remote, Anna looked up.

Two new security agents moved into the living room. They scanned the premises, wearing dark sunglasses and with jacks in their ears. They ignored the blond agent watching TV with Anna.

The National Security Advisor to the President, Colin Green, entered the room behind them. His gray hair was perfectly styled and his three-thousand dollar suit looked as if it had just been taken off a rack. “Outside everyone,” he said crisply. “I need to speak to her alone.”

As the others filed outside, Green adjusted his tie. It seemed like an unconscious gesture. He had an expensive gold ring with a dark stone on his finger, showing he was married.

“You’ve been watching the news?” asked Green. He moved to the couch but didn’t sit down.

“You’ve had me kidnapped,” Anna said.

The National Security Advisor stared at her. All warmth fled from him, leaving the naked, calculating man visible—the one who had climbed high in American political life. He took an audible breath and abruptly sat beside her. “I don’t think you understand the situation Ms. Chen.”

“Yes I do,” said Anna. “The Chinese destroyed two American carriers.”

“Chinese…er, why not Taiwanese extremists?” he asked.

“I have a request to make,” she said.

He frowned. “Now see here, Ms. Chen. You must understand—” He scowled. “Do you happen to know what it means if China and America hurl their ICBMs at each other? I know what the experts say. The laser defense systems and the anti-missile rockets would shoot down nearly ninety-five percent of the attack. I’ve read the reports. The Chinese are sure they have a superior system, and we have American know-how. Let me tell you something. That’s a load. The ICBM-people have their bright ideas on how to counter the defenses: reflector strips, spinning projectiles, aerosol clouds and armored ICBMs. It means it’s just like football, a game between offense and defense, and both sides are always coming up with something revolutionary that will change everything. Believe me, that’s all a load, too. It isn’t revolutionary and never will be because nothing works exactly how you think it’s going to. There is no perfect plan—ever. Therefore, if China and America hurl their ICBMs at each other, it would be a worldwide holocaust because more missiles would get through than either side believes. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that on my conscience. In fact, I so don’t want that on my conscience that I’ll make some very hard decisions about people like you to save millions of others.”

“That’s why you kidnapped me?”

“You’re my China expert, right?” Green said.

After several heartbeats, Anna said, “I tried to warn you about—”

Green made a sharp gesture as he said, “That’s already water under the bridge. We’re a long ways past that, believe me.” He pulled a pack of Lucky Strikes out of his three-thousand dollar suit. Extracting one, he stuck the cigarette between his lips and clicked a lighter, inhaling as he lit it. Leaving the pack and lighter on the coffee table, he took the cigarette and exhaled smoke through his nostrils.

“You’re not a Buddhist or Taoist by any chance?” he asked.

“No.”

“And you’re my Chinese expert?”

Anna turned away from the smoke. It smelled foul. “I am not anyone’s expert anymore.”

He dragged on the cigarette, as he seemed to study the ceiling. “You and I have had what I call a miscommunication. We’ve both made some mistakes. I’m willing to admit mine. Why can’t you admit yours?”

“I didn’t make a mistake.”

“Ah, there you are. You’re too proud, too stubborn. Look at me, girl.” He put a hand on his chest. “I was trying to stop a war. I want to save the planet. Hell, I’m trying to save the human race from annihilating itself.”

“You have the same evidence I do. Surely, you must have realized we were about to be attacked.”

“I don’t like American oilrigs exploding,” Green said. “I don’t like having oil pollute our beaches with tons of crude killing generations of irreplaceable wildlife. But that’s a long, long way from wanting to start a nuclear war with China over it.”

“They’re about to invade Alaska.”

Green hunched toward her. “That’s an incredible leap of logic. It would mean war, a massive war. Look what happened when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor or al-Qaeda blew up the World Trade Center. We went ape, nuking two cities one time and invading countless countries the other. Can you imagine what we’d do if China actually
invaded
American soil?”

“We’re not as powerful now as we were then,” Anna said.

“Those are practically treasonous words. We’re America. We’d go to war with China for a hundred years if they did something like that.”

“Well,” said Anna, pointing at the TV. “Then we’d better get started, because they’re already at war with us.”

Green frowned as he stared at the TV. “Why do you think this happened? Can you tell me?”

“I’ve been telling you. It’s because of Alaska.”

“You’d better start explaining what that means instead of just blabbing the same words over and over.”

“Carriers are the best ships in our Navy,” Anna said.

“I have people who tell me differently. If you remember, we had to move our carriers away from Taiwan when the Chinese invaded there.”

“Because of the nearness of the Chinese airfields,” Anna said.

“Whatever,” Green said. “We’re not here to argue naval tactics. I want to know first, why would the Chinese dare to go to war with us? And second—well, answer me the first one first.”

“Food,” said Anna. “They’re hungry. But I know you know that. You’re one of the architects to the Grain Union.”

“Not one of,” said Green, “but the originator of it.”

“Admiral Carlos Fox of Argentina first suggested it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Green said testily. “Let’s go back to this idea about China needing food. We offered them a trade deal in Sydney. I helped draft the brief myself. We were getting ready to agree to a massive trade of oil for grain. Deng Fong himself came in secret, I think as a sign of their serious intent. Then, a few hours before the meeting, someone blows up our oilrig.”

“The Chinese blew it up.”

“That’s crazy! The Chairman runs China. I know he’s ailing, but everyone knows nothing happens without his permission.”

“Everyone may know that,” Anna said, “but the Chinese blew up the rig just the same.”

“Bah. Give me a good reason why they would do something so foolish. It doesn’t make sense.”

Anna pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I don’t have a good reason why. I don’t understand that part of it yet. What’s important is that they’re making these moves. They blew the oilrig, maybe even to stop the meeting in Sydney. Now they’ve destroyed two carriers, crippling our Navy. This all points to one thing: they’re attempting a surprise attack. Historically, it’s the Chairman’s trademark method. The proof is obvious: Siberia and Taiwan.”

“A surprise attack? Like Pearl Harbor?”

“Only much bigger,” said Anna. “Imagine a Pearl Harbor where the Japanese brought troops and invaded Hawaii in order to keep it.”

“And you’re saying they want Alaska why?”

“Do you even look at the source evidence uncovered by our agencies?” Anna asked.

Mashing the cigarette into a coffee saucer, Green scowled. “I don’t need a smart mouth, young lady. I need answers to give to the President. So far, you haven’t told me anything useful.”

“You should let me speak to the President,” Anna said. “I know the Chairman better than anyone else in Washington.”

Colin Green turned away, becoming thoughtful. Finally, he grunted as he stood. “I want you back at the White House. You’re to prepare a brief for the President. I thought I was stopping a war before. It looks like I was wrong. Will you serve your country?”

Anna knew then she was never going to get an apology from him for what he’d done. “Yes,” she said.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

MUKDEN, P.R.C.

Captain Han Qiang of the Chinese Space Service sat at his remote control panel. He was deep underground in the Command Bunker. The east wall of his cubicle held a large computer screen. On it was a collage of Japanese schoolgirls in plaid skirts and knee-high socks of varying colors.

He was a plump man in his late thirties, with the top two buttons of his uniform undone. Because of his thinning hair, he had shaved himself bald. He had several computers surrounding him. The Meng 950Z to the side contained his gaming information. He had just been playing Lord Yamato, his ninety-eighth level character, Ur-dominator, the deadliest soldier in the Nangsi World. He’d just logged off, because a priority AAA signal had beeped.