Even in university, Lee Wang—fifteen years younger than he— had excelled, so much so that Mo Wang had made sure that young Lee had been given a chance with Zedong Electronics. In those days, it was the only company to work for before all this crap about taking over the world had become the reality.
Mo Wang reckoned that they could have taken over the world peacefully by just doing what they were doing—building every single electrical piece of equipment in the world. He had had a drink with the chairman a year or so before Z-Day and had suggested to him that the more peaceful route was just as good. It would only take another decade before the world was totally dependant on the products their 400 manufacturing companies produced, and then the sky was the limit for asking top dollar.
The chairman had laughed at him—yes, laughed in his face, and asked him what enjoyment was there in taking over the world peacefully? China had always been a powerful nation. Enemies were brought before Chinese leaders and dealt with, not chatted to like stupid politicians chat to each other. Kings and queens of enemy factions and countries were beheaded, and the people enslaved as worker bees for the most powerful dynasties. China had been slaves to the rest of the world for too long and it was time to show China’s power and bring the whole world to their knees to beg the most powerful dynasty in the world for mercy. And he was about to do that, starting with the most powerful country in the world—the United States of America.
From that day on, Mo Wang hadn’t slept much, and now he just really wanted to jump ship.
It took him many hours, but finally he gathered up the courage to pick up the phone. It was midnight, and he was about to sink his first cousin Chairman Chunqiao. He hoped that if he did, then maybe he could die peacefully in a place like Panama. “I would like to speak to Carlos Rodriquez, please,” Mo asked as the phone was picked up.
“Comrade Mo Wang, I presume?” replied Carlos.
“Am I calling at an inopportune moment, Mr. Rodriquez?”
“Not really, just having a cold beer,” replied Carlos taking a sip. “Lee Wang and his family and I and a few others have been memorializing our dead this afternoon. I’m just hanging out with Lee and a few friends of mine, like The President of the United States, and having a drink to remember our fallen. I’m putting you on speaker phone so that the 30-odd people around me can hear what you have to say to us, Mr. Wang.”
“You mean that the American President is there with you right now?” asked Mo. This Carlos person always backed him into a corner so quickly.
“Yep! He’s one of the boys and we are deliberating whether to take you out today, tomorrow, or the next day. We haven’t decided yet.”
“Today would be better, Mr. Rodriquez. Then I could also finally rest easy,” replied Mo Wang. “I have decided that I will be leaving Zedong Electronics in Panama in three days time. Lee Wang, are you there?”
“Yes, I am here,” replied Lee, bending toward the speaker phone. He didn’t really need to. The room full of people had gone so quiet that there wasn’t a sound. There were the U.S. President, five Air Force base commanders, Vice Admiral Rogers and three of his men, the Colombian Ambassador and Manuel, Colonel Patterson and the two new majors, Wong and Chong, Preston, Martie, Joe, David, Buck and Barbara, Will and Maggie, and Lin and Ling Wang. All the other pilots had gone back to duty, and every transport aircraft was back in the air ferrying in equipment from all over the eastern part of the country.
“Did you know, Lee, that you and I are related?” and Mo, in English, explained to Lee that he was family after all. Lee was shocked, but did not react visibly to the news.
“Carlos, I’m going to tell you everything I know. I have not been responsible for any deaths, but I am part of the overall picture, so I consider myself guilty. But this madman, my cousin, needs to be stopped before he destroys the whole world.” For another several minutes, Mo gave his new audience the rundown on the leader of Zedong Electronics.
“As you already know, we are two days out from the Panama Canal. Zedong Electronics has many troops in Panama, and has taken over the country so that we can pass through the canal without hindrance. We will spend the last day before we pass through the canal getting our naval ships refueled and supplied from tankers and supply ships. I believe that they will return to the coastal area around Harbin to refuel so they can return to resupply the ships coming back into the Pacific and then going in to Los Angeles. I was reminded about his secret base in Harbin this morning. Harbin is where the missiles originated. He has one left. He purchased four White Falcon missiles from Pakistan a year ago. He told me himself that the fourth missile is destined for Shanghai once he has all his 60,000 troops out of there. It is not meant to fly to the United States. He wants your country untouched because it will be his new base of operations.”
“What are your naval ships?” asked Carlos after receiving a written note from Vice Admiral Rogers.
“We have the aircraft carrier from which I am speaking to you, two modern destroyers, and the last two modern frigates made in China only last year. I don’t know much about ships, but their numbers are 85, 170, 171, 572, and 573. Your Navy will be able to tell you about them since Google no longer exists. I’m sure you will know more about them than I do. But, Mr. Rodriquez, much more important is your people. We are the escort for five of the world’s largest container ships. These five ships are full of billions of pounds of food that the chairman is expecting to use to bribe the women and children in America into accepting a red Communist passport. I’m sure that your people are now desperate for food and there is enough for millions of meals. They will go first to New York harbor, 24 hours after the aircraft you have not yet stolen fly into the three airports and drop in 12,000 troops. Those troops will walk to the harbor and fortify it. The number was meant to be 20,000, but you brought the numbers down when you stole the aircraft. Then those aircraft will take off and return the next day with another 12,000 troops bound for Washington, D.C. Two weeks later, they return again and land with another 12,000 troops in Los Angeles. By then, all your U.S. West Coast troops are expected to be travelling by road to New York to fight the East Coast battle, if there is one. I believe that there are 30 of China’s most modern and powerful fighter aircraft on this ship. Again, speak to your Air Force so they are ready for battle. You need the food, but I’m sure you don’t need the naval ships. If you do, then you will form a plan.
“The chairman expects to take over New York, fight any Americans that resist, take over Washington D.C., and then work on the West Coast. He has 60,000 well-trained troops. I’m hoping that the chairman doesn’t hear that I have spoken with you, because he will terminate me for sure. As you asked, I have told the rest of the termination squads to lay low and not get close to New York, or they will surely die. There are about 200 men left and once I get off the ship, I will tell them to disappear and wait to see who wins the war. These ships are fully armed and they will use our three satellites to work their armament systems.”
“Not anymore,” replied Carlos. “We control them now. We have controlled them since an hour ago. Your cousin Lee is the best you could have ever given us, Mr. Wang. I just don’t know why you employed him as a floor cleaner.”
“Sometimes a floor cleaner can get promoted into better positions,” replied Mo Wang. “Now, I’ve told you the story. Lee Wang, come and find me in Panama. I might look up your aunt who lives somewhere around that area. They say that the weather is warm this time of year. Carlos Rodriquez, good luck.” And with that, Mo Wang hung up, his job done and his destiny sealed.