The rotors were still winding down as five wetsuited passengers jumped out of the cargo bay. They turned their attention to Lieutenant General Peng Zhu.
The Chinese officer stood in the doorway. He was not in military uniform, but wearing plain, everyday clothes that Chinese civilians wore: a loose-fitting, black long-sleeve jacket with black pants. He was no taller than 5’6” and had very short black hair. His few personal items were stored in a small drawstring burlap sack. Sewn inside his jacket were the final documents he was able to “procure” from the shipyard. This classified material, that he was about to handover, had brought him to this point in time.
Swiveling his head, he seemed overwhelmed by what he was now seeing. Even more so, he was completely bewildered. His home of forty-two years was now a thing of the past. He’d become a traitor. He was about to step aboard the sovereign territory of the United States of America.
Perhaps one day, if his government’s mindset changed, he would be allowed to return. He realized that was wishful thinking. As a traitor he’d never again set foot in China. But no matter what the future held, his heart would always remain with his country of birth.
In 1958, the Chinese nuclear weapons program began under the direction of Mao Zedong. Mao never expected the Chinese arsenal to match America’s, but he believed just a few bombs would increase China’s diplomatic credibility.
The country began the construction of two uranium enrichment plants: one in Baotou and one in Lanzhou. By 1960, construction was started on a plutonium facility in Jiuquan, and then a nuclear test site, Lop Nur.
During the early part of the program, the Soviets provided advisers to help in the facilities devoted to fissile material production. Their initial promise was to provide a prototype bomb.
However, differences between the two countries began to widen. The Communist Party of China denounced the Soviet doctrine of Communism, calling the Soviets “Revisionist Traitors.” The USSR at the time was headed by Nikita Khrushchev.
The Sino-Soviet split caused the Soviets to pull all its technicians from the program, ending any further assistance.
Both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were concerned about the Chinese nuclear program and studied ways to sabotage or attack it, neither of which came to fruition. In October 1964, the first Chinese nuclear test occurred.
Construction of the first missile submarine began in September 1970 at Huludao Shipyard in Liaoning Province. Due to its tremendous technical complexity and difficulty, the project had been prone to problems. It was further delayed by the impact of the Culture Revolution.
Within the Chinese government and military, there were those who felt China should become closer to the United States in order to mediate the threat posed by the Soviet Union. One of those was General Lin Biao.
Biao at one time was considered to be Mao’s successor. A rift between the two men developed in 1971. It was thought that Biao was planning a military coup or an assassination of Mao. Fearing that he would be arrested, Biao tried fleeing from China. He and his family died in a mysterious plane crash close to the Soviet border.
Biao was eventually labeled as one of the major “counter-revolutionary forces” during China’s Cultural Revolution.
Lieutenant General Peng Zhu, who had served with Biao, carried the same beliefs. But unlike Biao, Zhu remained silent. He never voiced his opinions, or gave any indication he desired to go beyond his current status. He would not be declared a “counter-revolutionary.”
Nearing the end of chaos from the Cultural Revolution, Zhu was assigned as second in command of security at the Huludao Shipyard. After several months at the shipyard, three of his former subordinates contacted him. They revealed their intention to escape from China and flee to the U.S.
Peng Zhu no longer had a family to worry about. His wife died in childbirth in 1970. So he declined the three mens’ request, and instead made a decision to remain in China for reasons that could mean death should he be discovered. But if he succeeded it would mean freedom. And that was worth the risk. He would stay at the facility with the intent to gather as many secret and classified documents as he could on China’s nuclear submarine program.
Little by little, in sections, in no particular order, he managed to have documents smuggled out of China. His former subordinates would act as his contacts in the U.S. He only hoped, with all he was doing, the U.S. would eventually help him escape, and grant him asylum.
Then, in July, after many months of waiting, Zhu received a sealed, “official” Chinese military document. The document ordered him to report for a special temporary assignment to a garrison based in Shanghai. A specific date, time, and place were given. But the message wasn’t from the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) military command.
Created by a CIA operative, one coded sentence within the document told Peng Zhu the message was authentic. Stated within was an old Chinese proverb: “Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come.”
The wheels were about to be set in motion. With what he was “bringing to the table,” the U.S. would help Zhu escape from China.
Rushing to the chopper, Lieutenant Bill Ellis, an interpreter, greeted Shu. “Xiānshēng, qǐng ní.” He offered a hand to Zhu to assist him out of the aircraft, repeating in English, “Please, sir.”
Zhu nodded at the offer, but declined. He sat on the edge of the doorway, then slid off. His legs felt weak, and he held onto the edge of the doorframe. Regaining his balance, he faced the five men who made his escape possible, and gave a slight bow of his head. “Duo xiè.” (Many thanks.) Ellis translated.
Motioning with an arm, Ellis directed Zhu toward the “island.” The superstructure is referred to as the “island” and is the command center for not only flight ops but for the entire carrier.
Captain Gregson’s eyes settled on the wetsuited figures as they crossed the deck. Each one of them had to have questions, regrets, worries. And all pertained to their two missing men.
As the five team members got closer to the island, they looked up at Gregson before disappearing from view. Gregson took a deep breath then exhaled between tight lips. He went back to the bridge with Phelps and Hoffman following.
Executive Officer Steve Dunham stood next to Gregson. “What do you think, sir?”
Gregson turned to look at the water around them. “I think there are two men out there somewhere, and there’s not a goddamn thing we can do about looking for them, or helping them, XO.
“Look, see that those men are taken care of, then I want to meet with them ASAP. I need answers before I put a call through to Washington.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” responded Dunham. “Shall I have them meet you in the Wardroom?”
Gregson just nodded, but then changed his mind. “Belay that, XO.”
“Sir?”
“Have them meet me in my stateroom instead.”
“Very well, sir. What about the Chinese officer?”
“See to it that Doc Varsi checks him over. When he’s finished, take him to my sea cabin. Have Lieutenant Ellis stay with him.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
The sea cabin is located just off the bridge, where a captain sleeps when a ship is underway. It’s usually sparsely equipped, containing a bunk, a desk, and basic toilet facilities.
“How long before we fly him off the ship, Captain?” Dunham asked.
“As soon as Washington gives the word, XO. For now, we keep him as comfortable as possible.”
“Understand, sir.”
“And, XO…post a Marine outside the cabin.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll see that it’s taken care of.” Dunham left the bridge.