Donna expected her and Taylor’s arrival at the Ambassador’s residence to be welcomed like a visit from the undertaker. As the two representatives from Washington were escorted into the Ambassador’s ample living room, they were surprised to see a smiling Ambassador, a confident lieutenant colonel in torn and blackened camouflage fatigues, and a commando sergeant, heavily bandaged about the face, but otherwise erect and alert.
After a short round of introductions, there was an awkward silence as Taylor and Klein stood there, wondering how to break the news of the surrender demand. Donna spoke first, “Say, aren’t you the National Guard colonel we saw on TV destroying several Chinese tanks?”
Alexander blushed and said, “Yes, I suppose that was me and my crew. We did some damage before we got ground down by the Chinese and a lack of spare parts.”
“Colonel,” General Taylor began with a heavy voice, “We have some bad news for you and your men. The PRC is demanding your surrender by 0600 hours tomorrow morning. It seems you put a dent in their pride.”
Alexander looked defiant, “And if we don’t surrender?”
The Chinese have threatened to bombard the hell out of the Ambassador’s residence and maybe even nuke Los Angeles.”
“That’s bullshit! Er, uh, pardon me general, but it is. The Chinese would never nuke L.A., we have, what, 100 or 1,000 times as many nukes as they do!” Alexander protested.
Taylor sighed, “You folks must have been out of circulation for a while. Did you hear about the Chinese missile attack on the West Coast a week ago?”
Alexander’s eyes went wide—Judy! The children! “Oh God! No! What hap…?”
Taylor cut in, “The Chinese fired a Long March space launch vehicle stuffed with propaganda leaflets at the West Coast’s five major cities. Complete chaos erupted. L.A. was hit the worst. As of yesterday it’s still burning.”
Alexander pinched his forehead, then started to speak from behind his hand, slowly taking it away and looking up as began, “So, my government wants me and my men to surrender to appease the enemy and prevent any further attacks on American soil?”
Donna looked at Taylor. The general was caught between the competing obligations to duty and honor.
Ambassador Ross’ smile had long since been erased, but now he saw fit to join the discussion, “Maybe it’s the two of you who have been out of circulation for too long.”
Taylor snapped his head towards the Ambassador.
Donna said, “What do you know to be happening?”
“Please, have a seat. I’ll get you some coffee. I think we have some things to mull over together before we decide to do anything rash,” the Ambassador suggested. “The ROCs came to us with some very interesting news about half an hour before you showed up.” The room was quietly attentive. Artillery fire could be heard in the distance. “There is an uprising in the Chinese countryside of Fujian Province. We’re seeking confirmation from national sources, thanks to Sergeant Heinzleman here who parachuted in last night with a load of communications gear and some other stuff he won’t even let us look at.”
Heinzleman looked at his boots.
“Rough landing?” Taylor asked, looking at the parachutist’s bandaged face.
“You could say that, sir.” Heinzleman said.
“I’m afraid my Marine guards got the jump on him,” Ambassador Ross said, “They weren’t expecting company on the roof last night.”
Heinzleman looked at his boots again.
Taylor smiled gently, “Look, sergeant, everyone did his job. You landed on the roof, no doubt in incredibly adverse conditions, and the Marines butt-stroked you for your troubles. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You kicked ass just to get here, son.”
Heinzleman’s face brightened, “Thank you, sir.”
Alexander, watching this exchange, decided he now had little to worry about in this general—This man would do the right thing. The young woman, however, was still an unknown.
Donna was deep in thought—Word of an uprising… Could the Taiwanese be trusted to tell the truth right now? Were their sources reliable? What could be done to exploit the situation if it was true? It was 5:30 PM. They had just a few hours to come to a decision if they were to act on the Chinese demands by six the next morning.
The Americans in Taipei received confirmation of the Chinese uprising in Lipu County by midnight. Outside, the sounds of war grew more intense and closer as the Chinese pressed their assault on the Taiwanese capital. The Ambassador, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CIA analyst and the National Guardsman huddled and tried to come up with a plan.
“What exactly were the Chinese demands?” Alexander asked.
Donna removed a piece of paper from her briefcase, and read, “And I quote, ‘First, all United States armed forces personnel unlawfully on the Chinese sovereign soil of the province of Taiwan will cease hostilities as of 1800 hours Monday. Second, said forces will surrender to representatives of the Peoples Liberation Army by 0600 hours Tuesday morning. Third, the United States of America will recognize Taiwan as a province of the People’s Republic of China’s by converting their illegal diplomatic presence into consulates of the United States of America to the People’s Republic of China.’”
“Unlawfully on Chinese soil!” Alexander snorted, “Bastards forced us down and they say we’re here unlawfully!” He paused, “Wait, read that first part again…”
Donna cocked her head, “Okay. ‘First, all United States armed forces personnel unlawfully…’”
“That’s it! The only United States armed forces personnel here are the embassy’s Marines, General Taylor and Sergeant Heinzleman!”
Taylor narrowed his eyes, “How do you figure, colonel?”
“I’m a National Guardsman. My Commander-in-Chief is the governor of the state of California.”
“But you’re federalized, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but we can be defederalized in a moment if the President releases us back to state service. At that point we’d no longer be ‘United States armed forces personnel.’”
Donna looked at the two men, “Given the Chinese penchant for legalisms, it might work. However, I think that, right or wrong, there’ll still be hell to pay if we don’t come through under a white flag with a fair number of men.” She shook her head.
“So, what do we do?” Taylor demanded.
“Why not blame the Taiwanese?” Ambassador Ross asked. “We can say that they detained the American troops as bargaining chips.”
“That might work!” Donna’s face brightened, “The Chinese would try the same thing in a similar circumstance. Mr. Ambassador, can you arrange for a ROC ‘road block’ to be erected to prevent our troops from making it to the PLA lines?”
“Sure.”
“Then we’ll make sure the driver makes it back to the river to tell the Chinese about the Taiwanese treachery.”
“Are we in or out of the car when it crosses back into enemy territory?” Taylor asked.
Donna exhaled, looking at the floor, “In.” She looked at Taylor, “If there is a rebellion on the Mainland I want to be near Fu Zemin and his command center. I might be of use there.”
“You mean, ‘We… we might be of use there.’” Taylor said as if he wished it didn’t have to be so.