Shock of War (48 page)

The nurse left. But Greig remained uncomfortable, stiffer than she had been the other day. Much more formal.

Was he being watched? Is that why they'd taken him to the office rather than some other room? Why hadn't Perry come down to see him yet?

Their eyes met. Greig held his glance for a long moment before letting her gaze fall to the floor.

“We're not in a position to do anything about your request,” said Greig.

“You know where she is?” Zeus asked.

Greig shook her head slightly.

“Is she in Hanoi?”

“It's an internal matter.”

Greig raised her head. Zeus looked into her face, trying to understand what else it was that she was saying. Because she
was
saying something else.

“There's nothing we can do?” Zeus asked.

“Nothing.”

As Greig turned, her hand brushed into the stack of white steno pads that had been stacked on the corner of the desk. Flustered, she bent and scooped them up, then walked briskly from the room.

Zeus watched her silently, perplexed by their exchange. He got up and began pacing, flexing his tired muscles.

She'd left a piece of paper between the steno books. It was barely visible, poking out from the edge.

Zeus paced some more. There must be a video camera that he wasn't aware of.

So now his own people were spying on him. But maybe they always had.

He went behind the desk and sat down. As idly as he could, he pretended to play with the notebooks, then let them slip to the floor. When he scooped them up, he grabbed the paper as nonchalantly as he could, putting it into his pocket.

“Zeus.”

He looked up and saw General Perry, standing in the doorway.

“General.”

“Follow me, Major.”

Zeus trailed the general as he led him upstairs to the ambassador's office. It was empty. Perry sat behind Behrens's desk.

“I've arranged for your flight home,” said Perry. “Your mission here is complete.”

“Sir?”

“You've done more than enough,” said Perry.

“General—”

Perry shook his head. “The Vietnamese are very appreciative. You've accomplished far more than anyone could have hoped, or even wished for. You were almost killed, or worse, captured. Several times. Your mission is complete.”

“General, I did nothing wrong.”

Perry stared at him. “Were you ordered to help the Vietnamese use the weapons?”

“I wasn't ordered not to.”

Perry scowled, shaking his head ever so slightly before continuing.

“I'm sure it will all come out very agreeably for you, Major,” he said. “Now get yourself ready to go home. A car will take you back to your hotel. I'll call you once I have the arrangements for your return.”

“I lost my sat phone, sir.”

“We'll get a new one over to you.”

Zeus saw no point in arguing. He left the room and walked to the stairway, descending slowly.

In the car, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled note Greig had left.

Cao Dien Army prison

That was where Anna must be. Greig was telling him she couldn't help. Maybe no one could.

No. One person could. And he owed Zeus.

He definitely owed him.

*   *   *

General Perry sat
in the ambassador's chair for several minutes after Zeus left. He'd been utterly unfair to the young man.

True, he was acting in not only the country's best interests, but in Zeus's as well. Yet that was hardly a consolation. There was something about being unfair that bothered Perry on a very basic level. It was a transgression that could not be entirely expunged by the fact that he was simply doing his duty.

And yet he was doing his duty. The U.S. absolutely must not get any more deeply involved in the war.

Greene's policy was taking them there. Inevitably. Inextricably.

And Zeus was helping. It was a miracle he hadn't been killed. Given enough time, he surely would be.

Harland Perry couldn't be responsible for that. More important, he couldn't be responsible for any more Americans getting killed here. What had happened to Christian was already bad enough.

It was wrong, and it was unjust. The country could not be allowed to drag itself piecemeal into this war. If they weren't going to fight it right, there was no sense fighting at all. It was the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place.

There was only one honorable thing for Harland Perry to do.

The general picked up the phone.

“I need to talk to the White House,” he said. “To the President. It's urgent, and it's personal.”

*   *   *

When he reached the hotel,
Zeus went up to his room. Unsure whether or not he was being followed—he guessed that Perry might have someone watching—he went and started a shower. Then he took out his shaving kit.

“No damn shaving cream,” he said aloud, just in case the room had been bugged.

He pulled a shirt and his boots back on. The clothes Cha
Å«
had gotten him when they got back—Vietnamese army pants and a civilian sweatshirt—were a little loose, but the shoes were nearly two sizes too small now that his feet had swollen up.

He stuffed his toes inside anyway.

Zeus took one of the towels with him, wrapped over his shoulder.

“I wonder if you have any shaving cream,” he asked the desk clerk downstairs.

The man ducked inside the office, and for a moment Zeus worried that he would need to use his backup plan. But the man quickly returned.

“No. Very sorry. No shave. Very, very sorry.”

“It's okay,” Zeus told him. “I think I know where I can get some.” He took off his towel. “Can I just leave this here?”

Outside, Zeus walked to the street and turned the corner. He was going to go to the next hotel and take a cab there, but saw a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction and raised his hand. The driver immediately stopped.

“I need you to take me to a special place,” Zeus said after getting in. He dropped five American twenty-dollar bills on the front seat. “You won't get in trouble. But you have to keep your mouth shut. You will tell no one.”

“Where?” said the man, reaching for the money.

*   *   *

The guards knew who Zeus was
and what he had done, and that made it all considerably easier. Still, he expected it would be more difficult than it proved to get to see Trung. Instead of being questioned about what he wanted, or even made to wait, he was shown immediately to his office.

“It is an honor to congratulate you personally for your service,” said Trung, bowing his head as Zeus came into his small office. “The Vietnamese people are deeply grateful.”

“You're welcome,” said Zeus.

“You have heard of our plans?” asked Trung.

“I—”

“I have accepted your proposal for a counterstrike,” said Trung. “We are gathering our forces now.”

Caught off guard, Zeus could only nod.

“I have decided to lead the battle myself,” said Trung. “We lack only one thing: a tactician to assist in the strategy.”

“You want me to help,” said Zeus.

“It would be most agreeable.”

“I will. On one condition.”

Trung's face remained emotionless.

“There is a woman, a doctor who treated me a few days ago, when I was brought back to Hanoi from behind the enemy lines. She's been arrested on false charges of treason. You will release her, and then I will help you.”

Trung said nothing.

“Her name is Anna Anway,” said Zeus. “She's in Cao Dien Army prison.”

General Trung remained silent, an unmoving stone.

“You'll also probably have to convince my commander. General Perry has ordered me to return home.”

Zeus looked into Trung's eyes. The two men locked stares.

“It will be done,” said Trung finally. “Major Cha
Å«
will see to your needs.”

 

Forge Books by Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice

Larry Bond's First Team

Larry Bond's First Team: Angels of Wrath

Larry Bond's First Team: Fires of War

Larry Bond's First Team: Soul of the Assassin

Larry Bond's Red Dragon Rising: Shadows of War

Larry Bond's Red Dragon Rising: Edge of War

Larry Bond's Red Dragon Rising: Shock of War

About the Authors

Larry Bond is the author of numerous
New York Times
bestselling thrillers, including
Vortex, Cauldron,
and
The Enemy Within
. He previously worked with Jim DeFelice on the First Team series. A former naval intelligence officer, warfare analyst, and antisubmarine technology expert, he makes his home in Springfield, Virginia.

Jim DeFelice is the author of many military-based thriller novels and is a frequent collaborator with Stephen Coonts, Larry Bond, and Richard Marcinko, among other
New York Times
bestselling authors. His solo novels include
Leopards Kill, Threat Level Black, Coyote Bird, War Breaker,
and
Brother's Keeper
. He lives in New York.

 

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously.

LARRY BOND'S RED DRAGON RISING: SHOCK OF WAR

Copyright © 2011 by Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice

All rights reserved.

A Forge Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

www.tor-forge.com

Forge
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bond, Larry.

Larry Bond's red dragon rising : shock of war / Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice. — 1st ed.

       p. cm.—(Red dragon rising)

“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

e-ISBN 9781429986670

  1.  Intelligence officers—Fiction.   2.  International relations—Fiction.   I.  DeFelice, Jim, 1956–   II.  Title.   III.  Title: Red dragon rising.   IV.  Title: Shock of war.

PS3552.O59725S56 2012

813'.54—dc23

2011024950

First Edition: January 2012