saturated with water to ensure liquefaction when the explosives go off.”
Implementation of Red Island had been designed to coincide with Panama’s rainy season so that the land had soaked up a tremendous amount of water. Under the onslaught of the special explosives they were to use, the wet ground would become a liquid slurry unable to support its own weight. The principle was the same that caused such devastation during earthquakes. Structures on solid rock fared well during a temblor but buildings on reclaimed land were severely damaged because the soil seemed to dissolve in a process called liquefaction.
Liu continued. “Most of the crew have already been taken off Gemini and the submersible is ready to retrieve the remainder once everything is in position.”
“What about the diving chamber near the lock?”
“Explosive charges are in place to destroy it as soon as the men have attached the diverter submersible to the ship we intend to use to block the canal.”
“And you know which ship that will be?”
“Yes, sir. Like Gemini, it’s a bulk carrier registered in Liberia. She’s named
“Well thought out.”
“Thank you, General.” Liu was startled by the compliment. “It was an idea I had after first making this proposal to the minister of defense.”
“Who is crewing the
“As the name implies she’s owned by a shell company in Italy with Liberian registration. Her crew is mostly Filipinos with Greek officers. They have no idea what’s in store for them. Gemini will detonate less than a hundred feet from their ship. Just before the explosion, the submersible will dock at Gamboa to unload the divers and the crew from Gemini. It will be scuttled there. All the men will be driven straight from Gamboa to Cristobal on the Atlantic coast, where a ship will spirit them away.”
“And it is the last piece of physical evidence?”
“That’s correct. The diving bell and mini-sub are the last links. At some point during the redredging operation, their remains will be quietly retrieved and disposed of.”
“You’ve thought this out well, Yousheng. I’m pleased. With the exception of finding the gold, everything has gone remarkably smoothly. Just for the sake of argument, could you maintain control of Panama after the canal is closed if you don’t find the treasure?”
Liu shook his head. “For the short term, perhaps, but it’s not sustainable. Panama’s economy depends on transit tariffs far and above what we can provide through taxes on using our railroad and pipeline. Without the money, the country will descend into chaos. Quintero would be overthrown and his likely replacement would invite American troops in to keep the peace and see that the canal is reopened.”
“But if we keep them afloat economically, they will resist when the Americans pressure them to allow them in?”
“That’s why we’ve paid Quintero and Silvera-Arias. It’s up to them to defy any U.S. pressure.”
“They’ll hold up?”
Liu looked at his superior. “As long as the money keeps flowing, they’ll do what we want. By the time we reveal the missiles to the American government, our position here will be unassailable.”
“A well-thought-out plan,” Yu repeated.
Knowing that if it succeeded the general would take all the credit, Liu was certain that if it failed, that failure would rest on his shoulders alone. Such was the way of Chinese politics. But success meant Liu would forever be attached to the general as he continued his rise in Beijing.
“Go tell our Panamanian friends about the change in schedule.” Yu stood. “I’m returning to the city. I have an early flight in the morning.”
Meaning you won’t be anywhere near the action when it comes, Liu thought bitterly. But this was the price he had to pay. A man like General Yu had already proven himself again and again. Now it was Liu’s turn. “Yes, sir.”
“Do you know what time you will detonate Gemini?” Yu asked as he led his subaltern toward the door without any thought to President Quintero or Director Silvera-Arias.
“My explosives experts tell me that when it is overcast, the pressure waves bounce back from the sky and amplify the detonative forces. So it will depend on the weather on the day after tomorrow, General.”
“Very well. I look forward to your call telling me it is done.”
Liu snapped another salute. “It will be my honor.”
The wily old general didn’t return the salute as he wandered over to the sedan he’d commandeered from Hatcherly for this visit. Liu waited until the vehicle’s taillights faded down the long drive, absently blowing on his fingers. Then he went in search of Captain Chen. He found the leader of the commando group just returning from one of the outbuildings.
“Tell Sun to get to work as soon as he gets here,” Liu barked. Yu had set a near-impossible task, made worse because of the situation Liu had intentionally kept from him-the Special Forces, or whoever they were, who’d been interfering at every turn. “Yu’s ordered the timetable pushed up. We have about thirty-six hours.”
The soldier couldn’t hide his shock. “Is that feasible?”
“It damned well better be,” Liu said. “And sometime tomorrow morning I want Maria picked up and disposed of.”
“You mean. .”
“You know damned well what I mean. Kill her.”
Liu could feel the pressure mounting: a lead weight in his gut and a burning ache behind his eyes. That was why he had no compulsion about ordering his lover’s murder. Even an hour ago, the thought had given him pause. No longer. Too much was at stake to care about his conscience or anything else. Same went with using Mr. Sun’s talents. Having Mercer tortured had bothered him on one level, surely not enough to stop him from ordering it, but the feelings were there. That too was gone now. He would use any assets open to him to see Red Island’s successful completion.
Red Island. He’d even picked the code name, as an allusion to what the Soviets had attempted in Cuba. Of course they had wanted their missiles discovered, otherwise they would have camouflaged them rather than leave them in the open for U-2 spy planes to find. The Cuban Missile Crisis had been a game of nuclear brinkmanship: remove yours and we’ll remove ours. What he had in mind was much subtler.
Nuclear blackmail-back off when we take Taiwan or eight American cities get carbonized.
The Radisson Royal Hotel Panama City, Panama
Mercer struggled awake shortly after dawn. He was far from refreshed. His back ached from the night spent on the couch and as soon as he remembered the events from the day before, his soul felt stripped. A shower and coffee from room service did little to revive him. He was standing at the picture window when Harry shuffled from the bedroom. The old man was naked save a pair of baggy boxers and his fake leg.
“Morning,” Mercer said.
“Bah,” Harry snorted, a cigarette already burning between his fingers. He grabbed the coffee cup from Mercer’s hand on his way to the bathroom and slurped noisily without a backward glance.
He emerged ten minutes later and grunted again as he moved to the bedroom. He returned to the main part of the suite only when he was dressed. “Morning, Mercer,” he said pleasantly, his transformation from hungover curmudgeon to moderately robust curmudgeon complete. “If I’m going to steal your coffee, for Christ’s sake put some sugar in it.”
Mercer couldn’t help but laugh no matter how badly he was hurting inside. Harry had that effect on him. “There’s more on the tray.”
Harry lit another cigarette.
“Second of the day already?”
