“What do you do for them?”
“Well, I help the UK identify and exploit opportunities. I help our team navigate risks to our national security, our military… our economy. I work across the globe to counter terrorism, sometimes to prevent the spread of nuclear and other weapons. And I work with a team, like these guys from DIA, to help protect both of our countries. Ford, please don’t let this come between us.”
“That’s… that’s pretty cool, I guess. The finance and banking gig is fake then?” Ford asked.
“Yes, yes it is. The IMF is my cover. A story. People think I work there so I can maintain my status in the event I am needed to do certain things to obtain information,” she said smiling, “I’m glad you are not upset.”
“This is a lot to comprehend, Emily. I guess I’m not upset, no, as I do understand what it takes to be in MI6. Actually. Ah, actually, I’m impressed,” Ford replied back, stunned at Emily’s news.
“Thank you, Ford,” Emily said, as she stood on her toes to give him a hug and kiss.
“I love you, too, Emily. Look, no more surprises. Anything else I need to know?” Ford said with a combination of love and starkness.
“Well, yes. I work here at DIA in DC as a liaison. I’m assigned to work on the China team, which, ironically enough, led us to you.”
“To me?” Ford said surprisingly. “Oh. With this thing with Wu?”
“Yes, Ford. Allow me to introduce you to the rest of our team,” Emily said as they did the introductions.
Ford did the usual handshakes with the other members of the DIA team, but he wasn’t totally there. Mentally, he was far off. He just found out that Emily worked for MI6 and DIA and not the IMF. It was somewhat of a punch in the gut. Was I being played? Years with this girl and her job was a lie? Aw, man. How did I not know? Things had always been so easy with Emily, as it was like hanging out with his best friend. Ford was beginning to think she might be ‘the one’ until this new situation, but now, not so sure. Did she really love me? he silently asked himself. So many thoughts were competing in Ford’s mind, and now there was something serious going on with Wu.
The Devil Dragon sat in the hangar, nose first, like an animal with its nose buried into its mother’s body. Warm and comfortable, the Devil Dragon rested with beauty, being kept clean, maintenance free, and coddled by her team. Her tail barely made it through the hangar doors, both in length and height. This was a Lieutenant General Chen design, so that most hangars in the country could hide her whenever they landed. It kept tourists, spies, citizens with cameras, and satellites from space, at arm’s length.
Lieutenant General Chen, full of alcohol and roaming around the hangar, was all over the ground crew, micromanaging and getting in their business. Because he helped oversee the design, and build, one of the most radical aircraft in the world, not only did he take great pride, but great personal ownership. It was his aircraft, his speed records, his covert dragon of magnificence. This hands-on oversight, mixed in with the alcohol abuse, extended to the pilots, too, which was why Wu hated him breathing down his neck so much.
The ground crew, flying around the country, usually ahead of the Devil Dragon when able, set up shop at a new airport nightly. It consisted of auxiliary power units on wheels, which provided electricity to the jet when its own engines weren’t running. The ground crew flew with spare parts, such as engine fuel filters, oil, hoses, and avionics, as well as whole racks of extensive and rare metal tools for unique, non-standard titanium aircraft skin. They also carried with them an array of aircrew gear, from helmets to flight suits to kneeboards, ready to push the aircrew to greatness. Lieutenant General Chen made sure the whole maintenance team, as well as the Devil Dragon herself, were completely expeditionary, something he learned as a student at China’s National Defense University.
Nearly as important as the Devil Dragon to Chen, was his dual pursuit of another star in achieving his next rank of four stars. Everything Lieutenant General Chen did was related to the new development of the aircraft, which he foresaw as his ticket to achieving rank. In his mind, and in his plan, pleasing the political and uniformed leadership above him was the ticket to success. If he couldn’t get the star, Chen thought he would be a shoe-in candidate for a politically appointed position in the Party’s senior leadership. Unfortunately, chasing these simultaneous and multiple goals was on the backs of the folks below him.
Part 5 — Disclosure
Robert turned on the audio for the screen and was able to bridge and connect the equipment to the U.S. Consulate in China. The encryption was tight and high-end, and the room, as well as the people on the call, were all cleared.
The team entered the teleconference room from the hallway, talking about Ford’s relationship with Wu. They were not talking for more than 30 seconds before the live feed started to come in from the Consulate. Ford sat at the end of the table facing the camera and screen, while Emily, Robert and Mark were seated at the table and off-camera.
“Chris, Robert here in DC, how to you read?”
“Four by four. All good.”
The camera moved off of Chris inside the Consulate to Wu, who was sitting with an emotionless face, staring at the camera.
Ford looked up at the screen and saw Wu, and immediately noticed his coloring and weight loss. He gave a smile, but knew that something wasn’t right. Oh my God, Ford thought.
“Jojo rising, Wu,” Ford greeted him.
“Jojo rising, Ford.”
“Wu. What’s going on, buddy? What- why are we here, why are we meeting like this? Why didn’t you just fly here or give me a call to talk?” Ford asked.
“Ford, it is so great to see you my friend. How are you?” Wu asked.
“I’m fine, just fine,” Ford replied, but knew this wasn’t a time for small talk. “Wu, ahh… you have contacted the DIA, and me, for something, in what I determine is extremely unusual. I’ve known you for, what, 15 years? What are you doing?” Ford asked, probing a bit more aggressively than usual because of the situation.
“Ford, yes, a bit unusual, but I think you’ll understand here in a moment,” Wu said, taking a drink of water and swallowing. He closed his eyes longer than normal, then opened them glassy eyed, near tears. “I am sick.”
“What do you mean? You have a cold?”
Wu turned away from the camera, a tear streaming down each cheek, then turned back to the camera again.
Aw, man, he’s crying. I’ve never seen Wu cry before.
“No. Ford,” Wu said, waiting about five seconds. “I have cancer, Ford. Terminal cancer,” Wu shared, and didn’t say anything else for a few brief moments. “It started in my pancreas, and spread.”
A pin drop could he heard in the silent room.
“Oh my God, Wu,” Ford said quietly and emotionally, with his eyes filling up with tears. “How- what… what did the doctors say?”
Wu swallowed. “I am nearly stage 4. Went to the doctors over the past few months. They kept telling me it was nothing. Take some aspirin. Played it down. I went two times. Even went to the ER. Then one day I finally get a CAT scan, and it’s everywhere. The cancer is everywhere. Liver. Lungs. It’s all over, eating me up.”