After the Marine Corps VH-60 Black Hawk helicopter landed on the apron, Hartwell Prost and his three assistants quickly boarded one of the air force C-32A VIP transports. A specially configured derivative of the twin-engine Boeing 757–200 airliner, the gleaming executive transport was part of the 89th Airlift Wing of the Air Mobility Command. Replacing the aging fleet of four-engine Boeing VC-137s (Boeing 707s), the new planes were used by the vice president, members of the cabinet and Congress, and various government officials.
While the jet taxied for takeoff, Hartwell settled into his seat, kicked his shoes off, and began devouring the neatly organized notes compiled by Dr. Filo Neubauer. Once he was finished with Neubauer's report, there was an intriguing stack of files Jim Ebersole had given him.
Immersed in his research material, Hartwell was impervious to the deep-throated thunder of the powerful engines. The sleek jet accelerated to rotation speed and gently lifted off the runway. After a quick stop at Denver International, Prost would continue to Los Angeles to inspect the secret laboratory near San Clemente, and then proceed to Miramar.
Chapter 12
Scott slowly taxied the Learjet to Signature Flight Support and shut down the engines when a fuel truck approached. While Master Chief Slocum and his men reconnoitered the area around the Lear and the FBO, Scott monitored the fueling for the trip to California. Jackie went inside to check the weather and file an instrument flight plan to MCAS Miramar.
Fifteen minutes later, a pristine air force C-32A transport smoothly touched down at Denver International and taxied to Signature Flight Support.
After the big Boeing came to an imperceptible stop on the parking apron, ackie casually checked her wristwatch. "Exactly thirteen hundred."
"Yep, they're almost as good as we are."
"No one's that talented."
With the engines winding down, Hartwell Prost met Jackie and Scott at the forward entrance to the spacious VIP plane. He escorted them to a conference area, where the trio could converse in private. Once they were comfortably seated, Hartwell loosened his tie, then opened his briefcase and placed a briefing booklet on one of the foldout tables.
"We have a lot to cover. You may want to take notes."
They reached for the government pens and writing pads conveniently placed by their seats.
Prost cleared his throat. "We have reason to believe that Beijing may, and I emphasize may, be connected to the rash of strange accidents. Let me lay this out for you, then I'll answer questions and we'll discuss our options, okay?"
Scott and Jackie nodded.
Prost explained in detail about the voyage itineraries and movements of the various Chinese-flagged cargo ships and the related aircraft disasters, including the Chinese airliner full of dissidents and political activists. He continued the briefing with the latest information concerning the secret laboratory near the TRW Capistrano Test Site.
Hartwell concluded the summary with a report about eight engineers and scientists who had been the nucleus of the laser experiments at the laboratory.
"What was the focus of their work?" Scott asked.
"From what we understand, they were refining a prototype high-energy laser-based weapon system."
"Like the laser in the Team ABL 747s?"
"Yes, but they weren't concentrating their efforts on a system to destroy missiles in the initial stage of flight. The primary role of their system is to destroy aircraft and spacecraft. CIA analysts believe the weapon system could be deployed in cargo planes, railroad cars, truck trailers, cargo ships, possibly submarines, or adapted for use as a satellite killer."
Uncertain about a point in the FBI report, Prost reached for a briefing note. "According to Jim Ebersole, they believe the scientists and engineers were recruited by the same person, a Chinese national."
"Do you know his name?" Jackie asked.
Hartwell consulted his point paper and the photograph of the recruiter. "Let's see, his name is Zheng Yen-Tsung, and he is the—"
"That's our man," Jackie suddenly declared as Hartwell handed them the picture. "Sorry to interrupt."
"No problem."
"What do we know about him?" Scott asked before he and Jackie studied the photograph of the man.
"Zheng is a self-proclaimed aide to a former Chinese prime minister who now chairs the National People's Congress. Zheng reports directly to General Wang Zedong, the deputy chief of staff of intelligence for the People's Liberation Army. As China's chief military spymaster Wang oversees all of the espionage efforts in the United States and around the world. He is very powerful and extremely ruthless."
Hartwell paused to reclaim the photograph of Zheng. "General Wang is the man who in the mid-nineties threatened to incinerate Los Angeles with nuclear weapons if the United States supported Taiwan. Through the People's Liberation Army, Wang again threatened L. A. with a nuclear strike in February of 2000."
"If I recall correctly," Scott said, "wasn't General Wang the puppet master at Tiananmen Square?"
"He certainly was. As a matter of fact, he personally directed the crackdown on the demonstrators — killing hundreds of supporters and injuring more than ten thousand students and workers."
Jackie remembered the horrible scenes. "Politically, Tiananmen ranks right up there with Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and the World Trade Center."
"No kidding." Scott thought about a photograph that had been widely circulated inside the walls of the CIA. "Didn't the former SecDef host and toast him at the Pentagon in early 2000?"
"Yes, I'm afraid that's true."
Sensing the embarrassment Hartwell felt, no one commented.
"Zheng and his associates have ties to the 'Four Seas' Triad gang, and he has been implicated in espionage at Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, and two or three other national U.S. laboratories."
He reached for a copy of a recent article in Xinhua News Service. "Zheng is mentioned twice in this piece about how China's national defense technology and weaponry have closed with the United States in a very short period of time." He handed the article to Jackie.
"Zheng and other operatives in his gang have been given credit for purloining sensitive data on a variety of state-of-the-art weapons systems and atomic secrets related to our modern nuclear weapons."
Hartwell waited for her to share it with Scott before he went on. "They don't even try to camouflage their stealing and bribery. In fact, Zheng is applauded for his highly successful record of recruiting foreign engineers and scientists to assist the People's Liberation Army."
"Anything else on Zheng?" Jackie asked.
"Just the usual narcotics trafficking, prostitution, gun smuggling, extortion, money laundering, and contract murders."
"An all-around prince of a guy," Scott said.
"Oh, yes, a real peach."
Jackie handed the copy of the news article to Prost. "How did they — the FBI — find out about the secret laboratory and the scientists and engineers?"
"From an informant."
"One of the traitors?"
"Let me explain. They were initially contacted by Dr. Filo Neubauer, a prominent physicist who was a close friend of Dr. Lavon Douville and his wife."
"Didn't Douville die in an accident?" Scott asked.
"Yes. Dr. Douville, also a highly regarded physicist, had a deadly accident at his home in New Orleans. It seems as if someone used a hacksaw with a fine-tooth blade to cut most of the way through a balcony railing that Dr. Douville regularly leaned against."
"Any suspects?".
"One obvious one. The Douvilles' Chinese gardener of five months, a Mr. Chu-ko 'Benny' Kuang, who hasn't been seen since Dr. Douville's unfortunate plunge into his fountain."