Irving Waters - The Wuhan Mission

“I see the boat on radar, but no bogeys.”

“Roger that.”

“Let’s fly a wide circle around the boat and hold that pattern.”

“What the hell are they doing way out here?”

“No idea. Don’t wanna know.”

“Saving whales maybe?”

“This is China, not Japan!”

“Oh yeah. What do the Chinese do?”

“Dogs, man, they eat Dogs!”

“One bogey! Fifty miles out. Coming from the south.”

“Stay low. Let’s just lock him up and see what he wants to do.”

Sam and Xue Lin stood next to the Captain as he continued to steer the speeding boat through the night, towards Korean waters while overhead, the roar of supersonic jet engines tore by. It was hard to tell what was going on in the night sky. All they knew was that if a Chinese fighter plane let loose at the boat, they would all be toast.

“I’m coming round behind him. It looks like a Nanchang Q-5. Just like a Mig. This Man is a shitty pilot. He’s all over the place.”

‘Beeeep.’

“I’m locked on. I’m just gonna stay on his tail until he shits his pants.”

“Watch your language. I’m feeling very sensitive today.”

“Still on him. He’s banking right. Still on him. Oh come ON, just go home dude!”

“Stay with him.”

“He’s… banking again, looks like he’s bugging out this time. He’s going home. Finally dude! Nice playing with ya, Alpha Mike Foxtrot!”

“Nice. We staying for a while?”

“Affirmative. Resume circle pattern. I’m in the lead.”

The Captain gave Sam and Xue Lin a look: “I think we are good! How are our passengers feeling?”

“We haven’t eaten in a while,” said Xue Lin.

“We’ll be back at base before breakfast, but if any of you castaways want some chow, check the cupboard. Should be noodles in there. Someone boil the kettle!”

The Frogmen got out of their drysuits and packed their gear away. Doctor Wu was asleep in his seat, head bobbing from side to side with the motion of the speeding boat. Sam started to debrief Xue Lin who was wearing one of the navy SEAL’s wool hats as she had gotten cold.

She had to talk straight into Sam’s ear, which he didn’t mind at all. She gave him the rundown on the vials that she was carrying in her bag. She gave him the short version of the heist at the lab, the road block. She told him how she thought that there was a piece missing from the puzzle. Why had they not just picked them up and tortured the three of them? Thrown them in jail, never to be seen again.

At least now she understood how they knew she had come to Wuhan and why they had immediately put her under surveillance. It was all because of the chip in her shoulder.

Eventually she fell asleep on Sam’s shoulder, and remained asleep until the Captain slowed the boat as it approached the channel back into port.

“Coffee anyone?” One of the SEALs had a tray of mugs of coffee. Xue Lin and Sam both took one.

“Sam, what do you know about my parents?”

“Well, their file is highly classified, but from what their old case officer told me, they were company folk, just like you and me. I believe they knew your birth parents. They were working that whole SARS thing until 2003 when their cover was all but blown and they got sent home with you in tow. As you know, they are very nice people. Why don’t you ask them?”

“I don’t know Sam. I love them, but they don’t share work stuff. It’s just simpler that way.”

“OK. Well, you can ask Roet. See what he has to say. Try using that baby voice with him. It works on me.”

The Mako pulled up to the dock and the SEALs helped tie up. Dr. Wu and Jimmy were escorted to their quarters which were locked and guarded. Breakfast was brought to them while Xue Lin ate with Sam in the mess hall.

Sam’s phone rang, it was Marcus Roet.

“Hello Marcus. We’re all back safe and sound. It must be knocking off time there in Langley.”

“Good to hear. Did it all go smoothly, any problems along the way?”

“Ah… we had a few bumps in the road actually. Hopefully no repercussions for international diplomacy.”

“So you have the Doctor and Jimmy, and some vials for me?”

“Our two Chinese fellows are having breakfast in their quarters this morning under lock and key. I’ll start debriefing them in their rooms at noon. The vials we are keeping with us. I’m not locking them up for now. I figure it’s better to keep eyes on.”

“Roger that. Be careful with it. Hold off on that debriefing. I’ll be there in 24 hours. I need to be in the room when they are interviewed. That goes for Snow Forest’s debrief too.”

“OK, no problem. I’ll wait for you to get here. Have a good flight.”

Sam thought about his past conversation on the seventh floor with the Deputy Director. His gut was telling him not to trust Roet.

Xue Lin commented: “Roet on his way?”

“Yes, he wants to be there for the interviews. Makes sense I guess. They are his assets but I have a feeling that the good Doctor will not be very pleased to see him. Listen,” Sam hesitated for a few seconds, “I’ve been given permission to go over Roet’s head. It seems he is in the bad books with the higher-ups.”

“Killing Wu’s daughter may have had something to do with that” commented Xue Lin. “I was thinking that we should debrief those two before he gets here. What do you think?”

“Yep, me too” replied Sam, nodding.”I’m cleared to offer them refugee status unless any red flags pop up. Maybe they can do some work for us! Let’s see how they do now.”

“Shall we then?” Xue Lin gestured with her hand, pointing to where their Chinese friends were being held.

Jimmy’s interview was a friendly one in which he happily gave Sam and Xue Lin all the information they wanted. Sam promised him immunity and made reference to a kind of conditional employment at the CIA. Jimmy had demonstrated on the boat his willingness to literally attack his own country. This counted for a great deal. He had certainly become an enemy of the Chinese Communist Party. He would probably have to undergo weekly polygraph tests at Langley if indeed he passed his initial application process but Xue Lin felt that given the right supervision, he would likely prove to be a very useful asset to the company, despite some of his flaws.

Sam left Xue Lin in the room with Jimmy and he went out to make a call.

“Deputy Director Wood, I’m glad I caught you.”

“You have good news for me I hope, Sam?”

“We have Roet’s two assets in custody and my operative is here with us in Seoul, with the package. We did make a bit of a mess in Chinese waters. One of their Coastguard choppers went down, the two pilots KIA, and two of our F-16’s had some fun with one of their fighters, just a bit of cat and mouse, but no damage.”

“I did hear about all that just now. As always though, the military report was quite dry. Thank you and well done. A good result. I’m sure we’ll hear from the Chinese about that helicopter, but they have no proof that it was us I trust. Am I correct in assuming that?”

“Just some gatling gun shells, but they were Chinese made. It was planned well. I just debriefed the first asset. ‘Jimmy’, we call him. He’s coming over to our side if he passes his poly. He’s the one who was ordered to spread the virus in Wuhan. You were right about it. Seems to be a population control thing.”

“Good Sam. Question the Doctor before Roet gets there. I think it’s highly likely that Wu will react badly to Roet’s face. That botched rescue in Brooklyn is going to come back and bite us on the ass.”