“Only the evidence of my eyes,” Shun Li said. “And that of the two East Lightning operatives who escorted me to Xiao’s office.”
“So…” Hong whispered. The Chairman of Greater China began to pace before her. “The Army thinks I am weakened by these temporary setbacks. Yes, the marshals are clever. They realize they must pry me from my secret police.”
Hong stopped, and he stared at the cub suckling from the bottle. The Leader stroked his chin.
“The polar bear is an unpredictable beast,” Hong said. “Often he lazes on the Arctic ice. He will amble in peace and go away if a man approaches him. Sometimes, however, the polar bear turns savage, and then nothing can stand before him.”
Chairman Hong smiled. “Shun Li, you can love. Do you love China?”
“Yes Leader.”
“Then you must aid China this hour and help me decapitate the cancer in charge of the police. You will go the Police Ministry. You will take Tang and several other Lion Guardsmen. You must know the passwords.”
“They change every day.”
Hong made a decisive gesture, chopping the air with the edge of his hand. He had a new ring, and it glittered golden in the light. “Listen to me, Shun Li. There is a secret to power that I am about to share with you. Strike first and strike hard. Do you understand?”
Shun Li stared at Hong.
“I will tell you another secret. I can only trust those who love, as you love. I have searched long and hard for a new Minister of Police. I believe you are that person, Shun Li. Are you ready to risk everything for China?”
She nodded, wondering if Hong’s plan had any chance of success. Then she realized it was her only hope. She might have been Xiao’s knife or means to get to the well-guarded Chairman. But Xiao was a crocodile who would eat her without pause. The Chairman was eccentric and strange. But he could love, and that made him more human.
“When shall I go, sir?” she asked.
“As soon as you are done feeding the cub,” he said.
Shun Li nodded, and wondered what the next few hours would hold.
Jake, Goose and the Lieutenant were dug in outside of Idaho Springs. The city was in the mountains, thirty miles from Denver. It was nestled beside I-70 and the town had become the forward point against the Chinese still in metropolitan Denver.
As often happened in war, the military seemed to change its mind abruptly. The survivors of the siege of Denver formed the core group of soldiers holding the line here. Soon came regular food, new uniforms, weapons and plenty of air and artillery support. If the Chinese wanted to knock them out of here, they were welcome to try.
Several drafts of Militia replacements had already joined them out here. The Lieutenant had persuaded the Director to bump Goose to sergeant. He didn’t enough sergeants and if he was going to run a full-strength platoon, he needed more.
For Jake, the reward came when the Lieutenant escorted him to the Battalion comm-shack.
Sergeant Jake Higgins and the Lieutenant stamped their feet on a pad outside the shack and then entered the warm room.
“Heaters,” Jake said. It was like a different world in here.
“Go outside for a bit,” the Lieutenant told the comm-operator.
“Orders are strict, Lieutenant,” the operator said. “I can’t do that while someone else is in here.”
The Lieutenant didn’t hesitate. He drew his pistol and put the barrel against the operator’s stomach. “Let me ask you a question. Do you see the captain in here or am I the highest ranking officer?”
The frightened operator looked down at the gun and then up into the Lieutenant’s face. The operator appeared as if he wanted to say something. Finally, he gulped and hurried outside.
“I’m going to make sure he stays out until you’re done,” the Lieutenant said.
Jake stared at the man, the fanatic who had fought the hardest these past months. This crazy, ardent nationalist had turned out to be his good comrade at arms. They had gone to the wall for each other and they would continue to do so.
“Thanks,” Jake said.
Without another word, the Lieutenant went outside.
Jake used the code words given him. He had to provide them several times. Finally, his father appeared on the screen.
“Dad,” Jake said, grinning from ear to ear.
His father stared at him and tears welled in his eyes. It made Jake’s ears tear up too.
“Jake,” his dad said. “You’ve alive.”
“Yes sir, so are you.”
“Oh, Jake, it’s so good to see you.” His old man wiped his eyes.
Jake did the same to his.
“Where are you?” his dad asked.
“Idaho Springs. We’re all that’s left from the siege.”
Colonel Stan Higgins grinned. “Have you phoned your mother yet?”
“She’s next on the list, Dad. Hey, I’ve seen some footage. You did a real number on the Chinese armies that killed a lot of my friends.”
“We did our best,” Stan said.
“Guess what. I’m a sergeant now. I guess I made it off the bad list and onto the good.”
“You’ve made me proud, Jake, very proud.”
“Is America going to hold this giant pocket and round up the Chinese in it?” Jake asked.
Stan became grim. “This is more than a giant pocket. It’s most of Third Front. The Chinese can’t afford to let us capture more than a million of their soldiers. Heck, it’s probably closer to two million. But to answer your question, it’s going to take a lot more fighting before these soldiers surrender.”
“Do you think they will try to get out this way through Idaho Springs?”
“It doesn’t make any strategic sense for them to try that. I’m thinking you’ve seen the worst of it.”
That was good news, but who could tell?
“Son, I want you to call your mother. I have her number and a priority clearance you’ll need to get through to her. Call her. Tell her you’re well. Don’t tell her anything about the fighting, though.”
“I understand, Dad.”
Stan Higgins grinned. “I’m so glad you’re well. Call me again after you’re done with her, if you can.”
“Yes sir.”
Stan grinned even wider.
It made Jake felt great. He nodded, and then he broke the connection and began typing in the code that would let him talk to his worried mother.
Shun Li figured the plan was crazy and far too risky. Didn’t the Chairman have any idea of the security arrangements around and in the Police Ministry? She’d even been bold enough to question the Leader directly on his insane plan.
“Guardian Inspector, you would be surprised what audaciousness can achieve in a situation like this. The key is twofold. Do not hesitate to kill and act with supreme confidence.”
She now sat in the back of a big Chinese four-door automobile. The vehicle lacked American aerodynamics and often struck her more as a giant metal box with wheels than a car.
A Lion Guardsman drove, and two others sat up front with him. Each wore body armor and the submachine gun they liked carrying. In back with her sat Tang and one other thickly built and heavily armed and armored killer.
A mere six of us to topple Xiao from power. This is preposterous.
They passed several security checks without a problem. It was different at the guard shack before the great gray Police Ministry Headquarters.
The driver’s window rolled down. A stern-faced East Lightning operative looked in. “You are not cleared for entrance.”
“Show him your pass,” Tang whispered to Shun Li.
“Diver,” she said to the Lion Guardsman. “Please instruct the security officer to come to my window.”
The East Lightning officer heard her. His face moved away from the driver’s window. Shun Li opened her window and withdrew her credentials from a packet. This didn’t make sense to her as a way to get in, but she faced the angry-looking officer staring down at her suspiciously.