Yeh Lien, Political Commissar of the Hong Kong SAR, watched the argument with a sinking feeling.
“We must declare martial law,” Chin said. “Immediately.”
Strong words from a junior officer, even though Yeh agreed with them. But Major General Wei stared at Chin down the length of the table. “We do not make such decisions, Comrade. That is up to Beijing. And Beijing has ordered us to keep Hong Kong in operation, as usual.”
“As usual? How can Hong Kong operate ‘as usual’ when boats and ships are fleeing by the dozens?”
“These are minor vessels, not major shippers.”
“But — ”
The old PLA soldier raised his hand. “The Americans claim not to have fired the missile at Hong Kong, Chin. Whether they are lying or not, that statement allows us to keep this port open and running without loss of honor.”
“But half of Kowloon is still burning!”
“An exaggeration. Besides, half of Kowloon can afford to burn, just as the harbor can afford to lose a handful of junks and fishing boats.”
Yeh stared at the man in astonishment. Glanced at Chin and saw the same expression on the younger man’s face, too.
“This is Hong Kong!” Wei shouted, pounding a fist on the table. “If we declare martial law here, the economies of every country in Asia immediately crashes! This is not acceptable, to Beijing or to me!”
“So the Americans are free to attack us with impunity,” Chin said. “Whose economy does
Shocked, Yeh held his breath. Major General Wei sat silently for a long moment, his body as immobile as one of the rocky islands in the bay. Then, slowly, he reached for the telephone on the corner of the table, lifted the receiver and muttered a few words. Yeh could not hear what he said. He hung up.
“I have taken enough of your insubordination, Major General Chin,” he said flatly. “Not even your connections in Beijing permit you to question my authority this way — remember, for the foreseeable future I represent both the PLA and the State Council itself.”
“I realize that, but it is my job as a commander to question — ”
“Major General Yeh,” Wei said, turning slightly in his seat. “You are the political commissar. Is it permissible for a subordinate officer, however highly placed, to question the orders of a superior?”
Yeh swallowed. “Your orders came directly from Beijing?”
“That is correct.”
“Then… there is no question. Comrade Major General Chin, you are required to follow these orders without hesitation.”
Chin stared at him. “Even if the man issuing them is a traitor to the State?”
“Collector of forbidden antiquities. Briber of smugglers and customs officials. Friend of thieves and corrupt capitalists of all kinds.”
Again, Yeh was stunned. How had the Coastal Defense Force commander gotten this information? Perhaps the man wasn’t quite the helpless dolt he appeared to be.
Wei’s face slowly reversed its color trend, becoming pasty. “You — you — ”
“First Po, then Hsu,” Chin said, shaking his head. “They were also politically unreliable. Criminals. I thought that when they were eliminated, things would improve.”
“Are you saying — ”
“I thought that you, of all people, would remember our true purpose here. I hoped you might even recommend me to fill one of the vacant posts here in the SAR. Instead — ”
The door opened. Three PLA guards stepped in. Wei nodded at them, and all three turned and aimed their AK-47s at Chin.
“Comrade Major General Chin,” Wei said in his most formal voice, “you are under arrest for treason and, from your own mouth, the murders of two of our country’s highest ranking and most distinguished military officers.” He nodded again at the guards, who moved in close to Chin, rifles pointing steadily at his head.
Chin rose slowly to his feet. If he was frightened, he didn’t show it. He pointed a long finger at Wei. “
Wei shot straight up from his chair, face purple. “How dare you, you young — ”
With a tremulous crash, half the room’s windows burst inward. At the same moment Wei’s head snapped to one side, and blood exploded against the wall. His stocky body collapsed forward onto the table, then to the floor. As if in sympathy, all three guards folded straight down, and as they toppled over one another, Yeh saw that their skulls had been caved in by high-energy ammunition.
There had been no sound of gunfire. But Yeh’s old soldierly instincts, honed as an infantryman in Korea, reached out and yanked him to the floor beneath the enormous teak table. He waited there, head covered by his arms, for more gunfire.
Nothing happened. Then he heard the crunching sound of footsteps in broken glass. Turning his head, he saw a pair of military-issue boots. He looked up from under his arm.
Major General Chin loomed over him, fists on hips. Didn’t the fool realize he was a potential target, too? How could he seem so totally unconcerned? Chin held a hand. “Up, Comrade Major General.”
“But — ”
“It is safe.”
This was said with such conviction that Yeh allowed himself to be helped to his feet. He stared at the shattered windows, jagged openings into the darkness beyond. Through the gaps came the wail of sirens, voices shouting, running footsteps. And something else: the drumming rattle of rainfall.
“Comrade,” Chin said. “You and I think alike, and feel alike about the future of your country. You and I both know Hong Kong is no place for politically unreliable leaders. Is this not true?”
Yeh glanced at Wei’s collapsed body. He said nothing.
“Hong Kong is a cancer in the body of China,” Chin went on. “A cancer that must be cut out. Men such as Wei are not the ones to do it, but you and I are. Work with me. With your support, Beijing must give me at least interim command of the Hong Kong garrison, and I can turn this territory into the kind of place the People’s Republic can be proud of.”
Yeh heard the words, but couldn’t seem to take his gaze off Wei’s corpse. It reminded him of the many lifeless bodies he’d seen lying at the foot of the wall where firing squads did their work. More than a few of those men had died for crimes far less severe than the theft of forbidden antiquities.
“The guards will be here any moment,” he said to Chin. “How do you intend to explain what happened here?”
“The attack was carried out by an American SEAL team,” Chin said promptly. “An assassination squad. And we’ll have the videotape to prove it, you can be sure.”
Yeh looked at Chin again, and saw the fires of determination glowing in the young man’s eyes. It was hard to believe he had never noticed it before, even in the form of coals awaiting a breeze. Hard to believe he’d ever considered Chin a fool, a hapless political appointee.
He recalled one of Sun Tzu’s precepts:
“You’ve been planning this for some time,” Yeh said.
“ ‘He will be victorious who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not.’ ”
Yeh made a slow bow. “I am behind you one hundred percent, Comrade Major General.”
ELEVEN
