Dalton swirled the wine. "Then we began imposing our value systems on other countries, like Kosovo. Beijing became more convinced than ever that we were going to do the same thing to Taiwan."
"I can understand their concerns."
"Because of Beijing's feelings of powerlessness in a world they perceive as ruled by the U.S., their appetite for information and technology has become so enormous that the PRC has been actively recruiting spies. They have openly targeted U.S. sailors and civilian tech reps when their ships make port calls in Hong Kong."
"What?"
"Beijing doesn't rely on the old-fashioned cloak-and-dagger spies. As we discussed before, the Chicoms use subtle espionage methods to gather seemingly innocuous information. They identify certain employees at U.S. labs, invite them to China, and then ask them for assistance with a wide variety of technologies. If the employee has ethnic ties, the recruiters use that to their advantage."
"Just a second," Jackie said. "Go back to the port calls in Hong Kong, the sailors and tech reps."
"The Chinese especially like U.S. military technicians and civilian tech reps who are assigned to ships that have the Aegis weapons system."
Scott paused and glanced at the running lights of a distant sailboat. "You know that the Aegis combat system can simultaneously handle a hundred enemy targets, airplanes, submarines, ships, whatever, while it synchronizes guns, missiles, and the electronic umbrella to protect the fleet."
"Yes, I'm familiar with it."
"Knowing how to defeat the Aegis system, and its ability to track baseball-size targets over a wide range, would come in mighty handy if the People's Republic of China launched a massive invasion to recapture Taiwan — which we know is not farfetched."
Jackie tilted her head. "The way things are going, that could happen at any moment. This recruiting effort in Hong Kong, do you know that to be a fact, or are you speculating?"
"It's true. The Agency, the FBI, and the NCIS have documented proof from several sources in the U.S. and Hong Kong. In fact, special agents from the NCIS even have one of the Chicom's high-dollar prostitutes feeding them information from the Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon. She's a spy recruiter working both sides for big paydays."
"Why hasn't any of this corruption made the mainstream print media or cable news networks?"
"They're keeping a lid on the Hong Kong crew until the Agency and the FBI are ready to launch a sting operation to nab the top dogs."
"How? We don't have any authority in Hong Kong."
"The kingpins in the operation get together in California once a year to check on the operation from that end. The money going to the U.S. informers is funneled through a central clearinghouse in San Francisco and distributed by Chinese-Americans to bank safety deposit boxes in California, Arizona, and Nevada."
Jackie sat down beside Scott. "How deep does this go, the recruiting efforts in Hong Kong?"
"No one knows for sure. It's part of Beijing's new rules of unrestricted warfare on all fronts."
"War with no boundaries," Jackie suggested. "Terrorism, thievery, threats, bribery, illicit campaign financing, whatever it takes, right?"
"That's right. Anything goes, and I mean anything The PRC is currently engaged in recruiting spies at the Pentagon and at installations like NORAD and the Air Force Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base."
"The Pentagon?"
"On a daily basis. They're also recruiting a large number of moles, well-educated Chinese-Americans, to join the U.S. military and infiltrate our most sensitive weapons systems and command sites."
Jackie shook her head. "If they're caught, they should be executed — hanged in public."
"I couldn't agree more." He took a sip of wine. "Unfortunately, our country is so focused on terrorism and the Middle East that most people are chasing the nits and lice while the elephants are running loose."
"Don't get me started."
"The Chicoms pay top dollar for information about our most advanced weapons systems. When you're in the service and trying to raise a family on fifteen thousand, say, seventeen thousand a year, two hundred thousand dollars in cash can be very attractive."
"No doubt. And you think Sergeant Wang—"
"Wong."
"— Wong is working with the Chinese?"
"Well, he is in a position to hear and know a great deal of information."
"That's true."
"I expect to have some news by tomorrow afternoon."
Jackie leaned next to him and Scott put his arm around her. "Let's take the pack off and enjoy the evening," he said. "No more business tonight."
"I second the motion."
They sat quietly and watched the vessels that dotted the Pacific.
On the horizon the stars blended with the lights of the larger ships. "Do you know what causes the stars to twinkle?" Scott asked. "It's caused by atmospheric turbulence."
"Very good — that's why you're an academic whiz." Scott rose from the lounge. "C'mon, you can help me fix dinner."
"Yeah, I think you could use some direct supervision, especially in a kitchen full of sharp utensils."
"Hey, I'm a guy."
After a dinner of salmon sushi salad and minced chicken satay, Jackie and Scott changed into bathing suits, charged their wineglasses, and entered the warm, bubbling spa. They relaxed and watched the bright moon rise high in the clear California sky. Their view of the earth's natural satellite was highlighted by a quartet of traditional Hawaiian torches.
"I could get attached to living like this," Scott said, listening to the soft, melodic music coming from the array of concealed outdoor speakers.
She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "Yeah, let's enjoy it while we can."
He embraced her. "Then again, in my humble opinion, there isn't anything like a full moon over Waikiki."
"Don't tempt me."
"I'm serious — give it some thought."
"I don't need to think about it." She looked up and gave him a beguiling smile. "I can be packed and ready to go in three minutes — maybe less if we don't take anything formal."
"Jackie," Scott said, and then froze, sensing a presence moving toward them. Perhaps it was a sixth sense, a natural intuition, but it was definitely real. Someone, or some thing, had entered the outdoor kitchen and was invading a specific area of Scott's cerebral cortex. He rose on one elbow and focused his attention on the kitchen and garden area. The hair stood up on the back of his neck.
"Scott," she whispered, "what is it?"
He placed a finger to her lips at the same moment he detected movement behind the wide vine-covered lattice screen next to the spa.
"Scott?"
Instinctively, Dalton leapt out of the spa and plunged straight through the screen, slamming headlong into a lean and sinewy man. The violent impact knocked the assailant's 9mm Smith & Wesson to the floor and sent both men sprawling across the wooden deck.
With his heart pounding, Scott repeatedly smashed the smaller man's face and upper torso, missing twice and striking the deck with his knuckles. The searing pain was nullified by rage.
During the struggle, Jackie scrambled out of the spa and sprinted toward the home to get her 9mm Glock.
The horrendous fight on the deck continued as both men landed one devastating blow after another. Scott was gaining the advantage until the small-but-powerful attacker kicked him in the groin.
Reeling in excruciating pain, Scott savagely smashed his fists against both sides of the man's face. A resounding CRACK accompanied the severely broken jaw and teeth.
Desperate and wreathing in agony, the wiry gunman fought like a trapped animal and finally broke free.
Bent over in mind-numbing pain, Scott allowed the intruder to flee through the backyard gate and escape down the circle driveway. Searching for the assailant's weapon, Scott was startled when Jackie turned on the bright outdoor floodlights.