China Crisis

“So we concentrate on Anna’s group first?” Encizo asked. “Get them clear before we go take a look at this missile base?”

“That’s the way we run it. Once we have them sorted, we can decide if going on to Guang Lor is feasible.”

“Does Anna have a figure on the kind of resistance we might face if we do try for the base?” Manning asked, tracing routes across the map with his finger.

“We won’t get that information until later,” McCarter admitted. “But Anna’s group has a man on the inside. He’s already passed on some information about the place, so hopefully we’ll have some data.”

“Oh, that will be helpful,” Manning said.

“I do understand the sarcasm,” McCarter stated. “And I wish we had better intel. If we can’t pin it down to numbers, we’re not going to walk in like a bunch of amateurs.”

“Can we have that in writing?”

The question was posed by James and Manning in the same breath.

McCarter glanced at Encizo, who simply shrugged.

Kai Chek Village, Guang Lor, Xinjiang, one day earlier

L OY H UNG CAUGHT the man’s sleeve and pulled him inside, closing the door.

“What is so urgent?”

The man’s face blanked. His gaze wandered the room, in itself an admission he was nervous.

“Kam Lee?”

Lee hung his head, hands nervously toying with the wide straw hat he held.

“Kang…”

“I know about Kang. You have had to deal with him all these months.”

“I think he may have suspicions about me.”

“After all this time? Why?”

Kam Lee shook his head. “A feeling. Loy, I think my time at Guang Lor may be finished.”

“Then we will have to bring you out,” Hung said.

Lee seemed relieved. “I will complete this assignment, then we will do it.”

“So what is you need to tell me?”

“The missile test went wrong,” Lee said. “Something to do with the stabilizing system. It sent the missile off course and it crashed close to the border.”

“My people will have been tracking it,” Hung said. “I haven’t spoken to them during the last couple of days.”

“There is one more thing,” Lee said. “I was nearby when Controller Kwok was talking to Kang. One of the circuit boards on the missile was a stolen one. It came from America.”

“Truly?” Hung asked.

“Yes.”

Hung smiled. “Just what we need to prove what Beijing has been up to.”

“And because of that, Kang will be working hard to get it back,” Lee stated.

“Have they sent out a search party yet?”

“It’s being organized now.”

“Then we don’t have much time,” Hung said. “You are certain about this stolen board?”

“Yes. Orders came from Beijing for the test of the new missile to go ahead immediately. No excuses. The technicians were still working on the copies of the board, and they knew they wouldn’t get them ready in time. Mau Sung fitted one of the stolen boards so there would be no delay. If the test had gone as planned, the board would have been destroyed when the missile hit its target and detonated.”

“We have to get our hands on that board. This is better than we expected,” Hung told him.

“I should return. If I stay longer, someone might notice,” Lee said.

Hung nodded. “You go. I’ll make contact with our team to locate the missile and retrieve the board. If we can clear the area before the search team arrives, we have a chance.”

“Hung, be careful. Major Kang will be leading the search team personally. If he learns of your involvement…”

“Don’t worry. I know all about Kang. His reputation doesn’t alarm me,” Hung replied.

“Be careful,” Lee advised.

Hung waited until Lee was well away from the house. He closed up and made his way out to the rear of the building where a battered panel truck was parked against the wall. He climbed in, started up the vehicle and drove out of the settlement, picking up the dusty road heading north. Once he was clear he took a cell phone from inside his tunic and switched it on. The cell was Tri-Band and worked through a satellite signal. Hung tapped in a number and waited until his call was picked up.

“I’ve just learned about the missile crash. Have you found it?” Hung asked.

“Yes. We know it landed miles off track. We have it on our monitor.”

Hung explained about the stolen circuit board and the need to get their hands on it.

“I’m on my way,” he said. “Get the team moving. If they are close they should be able to reach the missile well before the team from Guang Lor can assemble and take off. If we locate this board, it has to be moved out of the area quickly before Major Kang can pin us down. Make sure that everyone is armed in case Kang does show up.”

T HREE HOURS LATER Hung met up with the group. There were five of them, all armed and ready to move. He parked his truck alongside their vehicle.

“Have you located the missile?” he asked.

Dar Tan, heading the group, nodded. He led Hung across to the team’s 4x4. The rear door was open and one of the team sat over an electronic tracking system.

“Show Hung where the missile is, Sammy.”

Sammy Cho, a thin, young man wearing a faded denims and a baseball cap, indicated the readout screen on his tracking station.