Anna Chen wore a red hat, sunglasses, a white blouse and skirt as she shopped at Macys. A red purse dangled from her left arm. She examined a pair of dress jeans, luxuriating in being out in public for once.
Most of time she stayed with David Sims. At the director’s orders, the President remained drugged. Because of it, David had grown thinner than ever. Finally, she had prevailed on the doctors, who convinced Harold to let David wake up now and again. She spoke to David then, trying to cheer him up. Today, she looked for the perfect outfit to show him next time.
A small old man in a black Berkshire hat with a feather sticking up from it cleared his throat. He used a cane, his arm trembling from seeming exhaustion. Clearing his throat again, the man appeared to want to walk where Anna stood. She squeezed aside, but he didn’t move, the ornery old man.
“I’m going to leave a chip in these pants,” the old man said in the clear voice of Doctor Levin.
Just barely, Anna kept herself from staring at him.
“Look somewhere else,” he said.
Anna did just that. She’d never realized that Levin could playact as he did.
“I used to be a young man once,” Levin whispered, as if reading her mind. “In those days, I was a case officer and needed to resort to these sorts of antics.”
“Militia operatives are watching me,” Anna whispered, as she kept her mouth aimed down.
“I’m well aware of that, my dear. Is the President still alive?”
“Yes.”
“Is he still drugged?”
“Yes,” Anna said.
“After I leave, take the chip and study it later.”
Anna wasn’t sure Levin would understand her next words. He had gone to great lengths and danger to do this. She hated to disappoint him… but she had a higher propose now.
“I’m not interested in conspiracies against Director Harold,” she said.
She half-expected Levin to leave. Instead, he said, “Once you read the transcript, destroy the chip. I’ll contact you when it’s time.”
“Did you hear me?”
“Of course, my dear,” Levin said. “I simply don’t believe you. Your President dies unless you help me.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Please, Anna. You’re a smart woman. Harold needs David for now. But he won’t always need him. In fact, after a certain point, the President becomes a dangerous liability for Harold.”
Deep in her heart, Anna knew that. It just seemed so impossible to fight all of Homeland Security and the Militia Organization. The CIA didn’t stand a chance.
“Anna?” Levin asked.
“You said you’d contact me when it’s time. Time for what?” she asked.
There was no answer, but she heard the scuffle of shoes and a tapping cane. She didn’t look up, but she continued to examine a pair of orange pants. Finally, she moved back to where she’d been and now looked up. The director of the CIA was gone. Her arms felt weak and lifeless. She didn’t want to do this.
You don’t have to, you know. You can walk away. Yet what if Levin is right? Does Harold plan to murder David?
Anna jeered herself then as a coward and a fool. Harold kept the President drugged. She had to act. She had to help Levin and whoever worked with him.
Over time, she examined another pair of pants. There she found the chip.
Should I really do this?
She knew the answer. Without glancing around, she secreted the chip in her purse, slipping it into her change slot, and she bought the dress jeans.
The Militia operatives trailing her must not have suspected anything. She went home. Her room was several over from David’s sweet. Anna knew very well that her house was bugged. They also monitored her with cameras, the creeps. She felt their stares every time she showered. So she waited.
Finally, late at night, when she pulled the blankets over her, she took out a tablet she’d put under her pillow. Like a little kid, she slid the chip into the computer. Under the covers, she began to read Levin’s transcript of a meeting between the three dictators—Harold, Alan, McGraw—and several other high-ranking government people.
15 July 2042
Strategic Conference, 1.12 P.M.
Participants: Harold, Alan, McGraw, Levin, Caliato (Director of Industry), O’Hara (Admiral, Pacific Fleet), Danner (Air Marshal, US Strategic Command).
HAROLD: We’re all extremely busy, I realize, but we’re going to have to come to a decision on this. The Chinese people have not risen up in moral outrage against Chairman Hong’s tyranny as we’d hoped they might. Even more important, the Chinese Army and Secret Police continue to support him. Perhaps most amazing of all, even though the Chinese have removed their garrisons from Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, those nations continue to remain loyal to the Pan-Asian Alliance.
ALAN: It’s still too soon to expect any of them to defect. The Chinese Navy still rules their local waters. Until we can use our submarines to challenge the Chinese hold on the Eastern Pacific— HAROLD: I’m aware of our marine strategy. For several weeks now, no new reinforcements of any kind have reached Mexico.
ALAN: That’s a misleading statement, Director. Doctor Levin has already informed us of the new understanding. The South American Federation has agreed to supply the PAA Mexico-based army. Even now, Chinese army groups prepare themselves for a new offensive into Texas.
MCGRAW: We’re ready for them. I can assure you of that.
HAROLD: That begs the question. We invaded China primarily in order to pull their army out of Mexico. The Chinese military is in an even better situation in Mexico now that the SAF are entraining all supplies from South America. Our submarines cannot sink trains.
MCGRAW: Our Texas-based troops will halt any—
HAROLD: General, this is a political matter, not a simple military tactic. Opinion polls are quite clear on the issue. The American people presently support our invasion of China, believing as we do that it will solve the Mexico situation. The trouble is that Hong is outlasting us. We have to put an end to him or the war now, not at some later date.
ALAN: I suspect this conference has to do with Premier Konev’s envoy meeting with you two days ago.
HAROLD: That’s insightful. Yes, you’re right, of course. Gentlemen, we’re defeating the Chinese in Manchuria, but at too slow a rate. We’re giving them time to train new troops. We know the danger of that, because we did it to them.
MCGRAW: Three million soldiers are too few to conquer China. They may not even be enough to take Manchuria.
HAROLD: As allies with the Russians, we’re driving through Mongolia and Manchuria.
MCGRAW: I understand. This war looks like the long haul, though. Doubling Allied numbers to six million won’t give us China, either.
HAROLD: In that sense, I agree with you. We have to do more than simply militarily defeat over a billion people. We must stun their hearts and change their thinking about this. We must pulverize the Chinese so they lose faith in Hong or in any further foreign adventures. We must make them yearn to call their Mexico-based army back home.