Juan studied his screen and continued typing. Neither Lee nor Juan wanted to alarm Alison and DeeAnn, but their concern over those translation errors was growing.
Juan leaned back in his plush chair and continued watching the information scroll down his screen. So far, so good. He glanced up and noticed the others watching him.
“A couple more hours and we can do some tests,” he said to DeeAnn.
DeeAnn smiled and tried to remain calm. She realized at that moment the terrible mistake she’d made with Dulce. The IMIS system had been so astonishingly effective at translating between herself and Dulce, far better than any other technique. Because of it, DeeAnn hadn’t taught Dulce more than a few words in sign language. And without the vest, she couldn’t speak with Dulce, even at a basic level. She was completely paralyzed.
To make matters worse, Dulce was beginning to look very nervous insider her cage.
23
Admiral Langford sat at one end of a large, polished conference room table, joined by Secretary of Defense Merl Miller, Secretary of State Douglas Bartman, and Stan Griffith, the National Security Advisor. A large monitor behind Langford displayed a frozen satellite image that he’d received from Borger.
“How the hell did we miss this?” Miller was the first to speak.
“According to the CIA, the analyst tracking the corvette was inexperienced. China and Venezuela have grown very close recently, after establishing some bi-lateral trade agreements. And Venezuela had announced some military exercises. The analyst thought the corvette was part of a cooperative training maneuver. But instead, the corvette continued on to Guyana before reporting mechanical problems and pulling in at Georgetown. At the time, the explanation was assumed to be authentic.”
“And it just sat there for over four months?”
Langford nodded.
“Christ! Did they even bother to check on it?” Miller held up his hand before Langford could respond. “Forget I said that. We’re talking about the CIA.”
The other three men grinned even though it wasn’t a joke.
Bartman leaned forward. “And a few weeks after this ship arrives, our mystery sub shows up. How did the Russians find out about it?”
“We don’t know. But we do know there was equipment waiting when the Chinese showed up in Georgetown, likely from Venezuela.”
“The trucks and earth moving equipment,” Miller murmured. “So the big question is… what are they bringing back out of the jungle?”
They all looked back up at the large monitor. The frozen screen was displaying a close-up picture of the crate transfer aboard the corvette.
“And this has been going on for over five weeks?” Griffith inquired.
“Just about.” Langford tapped his laptop and the video began to advance in slow motion.
“How about drugs?” Miller offered.
Griffith shook his head. “It wouldn’t take five weeks to bring down a shipment of drugs.”
“Unless it was a big shipment.”
“No,” Bartman agreed. “China has more than enough domestic production of drugs. They wouldn’t need to come all the way over here for more.”
“Well, I’m betting it ain’t sugar!” Miller shot back, sarcastically.
“What else do they have?” asked Griffith.
Bartman was watching Langford and knew what his colleague’s answer would be even before he said it.
“They do have gold.”
Griffith raised his bushy eyebrows. “Gold?”
Bartman considered the idea. “Guyana is a small exporter of gold. It’s a highly valuable commodity and it’s portable. It might also explain the extreme security.”
“Wait a minute,” Griffith interrupted. “Guyana is a gold exporter. If they already sell it to other countries, why would they care about keeping shipments to China secret?”
Langford shrugged. “Maybe they’ve discovered a big deposit that they don’t want anyone else to know about.”
The room became silent as each of the men considered the possibility. China had been hoarding gold over the last several years, from all over the world. They had also been buying up mines in foreign countries. There was something they wanted gold for, and badly. No one knew why, but some suspected China was planning a major global economic event.
“Then why not bring something bigger?” asked Miller. “Like a freighter? And why not more trucks? Whatever it is, they could get it out a hell of a lot faster.”
“And attract a lot more attention.”
“Well, they evidently got the Russian’s attention.”
Langford sat, thinking. “On the other hand, maybe it’s something immaterial.”
“You mean something Guyana’s government doesn’t care about?”
“Right.”
“Or,” said Bartman, from the other side of the table, “they do care about it, but the Chinese has given them an offer they can’t refuse.” He paused and leaned back in his chair. “Well, at least sending the Bowditch was a good call.” The Secretary of State didn’t need to explain his statement. The relationship between the United States and China had become increasingly tenuous in recent years, to put it mildly. A more accurate word, which only a few dared to use, was eroded. The last thing the U.S. needed was to incite more military tension. That was why Langford had sent the Bowditch, a science vessel.
The conference phone on the table suddenly beeped. Langford glanced at the others as he reached for the phone. “I thought there was someone else we might want to have chime in on the subject.” Langford pushed a button on the keyboard. “Langford.”
“I have her on the line, Admiral,” his secretary’s voice came over the intercom.
“Put her through.”
After a moment, the line clicked. Langford cleared his throat and spoke up. “Good morning, Doctor Lokke. Are you there?”
“Yes, Admiral. I am. I’m sorry for being tardy.”
“That’s quite all right. Have you had time to review the information I sent you?”
“I have indeed.”
“Excellent. Standby while I add you.” Langford leaned forward and studied the complicated phone’s keypad for a moment, pushing one of the larger buttons. He looked up at the large monitor and saw Kathryn Lokke’s video feed appear as a smaller window, overlaying the wide still frame from his own computer.
Kathryn Lokke stared into her camera. Her light complexion and short reddish-brown hair filled most of her window.
“Doctor Lokke, allow me to introduce Douglas Bartman, our Secretary of State. I believe you already know the rest of the group.”
Lokke smiled curtly. “Yes, I do. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bartman.”
The Secretary nodded as Langford began. “Doctor, we were just discussing the video from Georgetown. More specifically, the crates being loaded onto the corvette ship and what they might contain. Drugs or agricultural commodities don’t appear practical, but we’re military men. You’re the expert, and we’d like to hear your opinion.”
Dr. Kathryn Lokke was the Director of the United States Geological Survey, the largest scientific and research department on the planet. She had taken over the department somewhat recently and had worked previously with Langford and others on his staff, under rather difficult circumstances. Langford thought very highly of her, as did the President. He also knew she was not someone to be trifled with.
Lokke took a deep breath, studying the footage on her own screen. “Well, it’s not a liquid or gas, or else they would be using cylinders. I also agree it’s not drugs. I doubt the Chinese would sit around for several months loading drugs on a ship. Drugs are moved quickly. As for other commodities, the quantity would have to be significant. But they’re not, especially for someone like China.”