Vaughn Heppner: Invasion: China

If America didn’t win with this Orion stunt… would he stay in the orbital dropping arm of the Marines? He didn’t know. He missed Cheri. He missed his son. He wanted to hug both and never let them go. How did being away all the time show them he loved them? Maybe it was time to retire—and do what?

He didn’t know, but he thought about it the rest of the journey. As the lifter neared American lines, Romo gave the call signs to Liaoning Province US defenders. Soon, the lifter slipped around the Chinese front—and after a long journey from inland, China, the Marines landed in friendly-occupied territory.

“We did it,” Paul told his platoon. “We came, we destroyed our enemies and now we’re going home.”

I’m becoming the very thing I hated most , Shun Li thought.

She rode in the Chairman’s armored car with Tang beside her. Fu Tao sat up front with a Lion Guardsman on either side of him. The diminutive man with a bandaged right hand had proved to be the most ruthless killer among them, personally slaying three, top-rank East Lighting commissars and two Ruling Committee members who disagreed with Shun Li’s elevation to power.

It had been three days since Hong’s death. Shun Li’s eyes were red-rimmed and her mind numb. It was becoming almost impossible to concentrate. She hadn’t slept since Fu Tao killed Hong, taking stimulants to stay awake.

I must save China from nuclear annihilation. The only way to do so is to enforce my will over everyone else. To do that, I must rule. To do that now, I must move like lightning and become steel, impervious to all emotions .

With the backing of the Lion Guardsmen and operating with the sublime knowledge that if she failed, China would cease to exist, Shun Li had executed several key East Lightning opponents, cementing her power in the Police Ministry. Afterward, she swept the old Ruling Committee members from office—having them shot in secret. Now she attempted to negotiate with the Army and Navy.

“They may shoot you and take control themselves,” Tang said.

She nodded brusquely.

“Their assurances of letting you leave after the talk means nothing,” he added.

“You are wrong,” Shun Li said. “I have observed the marshals and generals for quite some time. They are military men, which mean they thrive on honor. Besides, I have learned a secret.”

Tang looked down at her, listening.

Closing her mouth, Shun Li realized she spoke too much. She must keep these secrets to herself. Tang could become dangerous if he became too knowledgeable. She must mollify him long enough to gain control of the country.

I do this for China. It is a heavy burden.

The car approached the Army checkpoint on the outskirts of Beijing. The procedure took several minutes. Once they confirmed it was indeed her, the guard colonel gave her new directions.

They fear me. They must wonder if I merely wanted to know where the top command stayed, so I could send a missile to destroy them .

The journey took another half-hour. Her eyelids drooped and her chin slumped onto her chest. She considered taking another stimulant, but at this point, it would merely numb her mind more.

“Chairman,” Tang said softly, “we’re here.”

As she raised her head, Shun Li forced herself awake. They had stopped in an underground garage. She opened the door and saw a hundred or more armored soldiers. Each held an assault rifle at port arms. Each of the weapons was tipped with a stubby bayonet. The massed soldiers caused her to hesitate. She brushed that aside. At least seeing these men woke her up.

With Tang, Fu Tao and the Lion Guardsman driver, Shun Li approached the officers sitting behind a table. It was an odd choice as a meeting place, but that hardly mattered. There were three marshals, a general and an admiral. Did that mean the Navy and Army were united?

Yes, of course it means that .

Shun Li marched past the soldiers with their rifles. All looked on with dour expressions. Wanting to get this over with, she marched ahead of her people.

They think to judge me, but I am here to judge them .

She halted before the table, took a wide stance and folded her arms behind her back. It was time to take charge.

“So, we finally meet,” she said. “Good. I have little time for you. I hope you have the wisdom to make the right decision.”

The oldest marshal glanced at the others. He was stoop-shouldered, with many wrinkles across his face. After scanning his confederates, he spoke in a surprisingly strong voice.

“We have heard strange rumors about you, Police Minister.”

“I am the Chairman of China,” she said in a loud voice. “I command the Ruling Committee.”

“You have given some of your stooges high-sounding titles and called them the Ruling Committee. That does not make it so.”

Shun Li took a step forward. “Listen to me, old man. Maybe you don’t care that China lives or dies. I do.”

The marshal scowled. “You are being foolish, Shun Li. I— we rule China now. You are at my—at our mercy.”

“Rule, you say?” Shun Li laughed. “Your kingdom will become irradiated rubble. Don’t you realize the Americans are about to rain death onto China?”

“They are bluffing.”

“No. They’re. Not,” she said. “They have waited for this day a long time. The director hates us. We must surrender or die.”

“You want our soldiers to give their weapons to the Mexicans? No. I don’t think so. If our army over there does such a thing, the Mexicans will butcher our soldiers. We are not loved in North America.”

“I doubt you’re right,” Shun Li said. “But even if you are correct, it doesn’t matter. If they die, they die.”

“Only Shun Li the Butcher could speak like that,” the marshal said.

She hated the title. She had Hong to thank for it, but that didn’t matter today.

“For the sake of China,” she said, “you will listen closely to what I am about to say.”

They stared at her, waiting. Finally, the old marshal said, “We will listen.”

“Chairman Hong led us down a path of folly. He overreached. There was a time he should have cut his losses and retreated. He didn’t know how to do that. I do. I am also Chinese, as are you. We must now take the long view. Isn’t that our ancient strength?”

“It is,” the marshal admitted.

“The Americans are barbarians, but we have lost. They won’t hesitate to wash our land with nuclear devastation. When the Americans desire revenge, nothing stops them. Ask the Japanese. They know.”

“But to surrender our armies…”

“Like the Japanese when they surrendered, we will rebuild after this is all over,” she told them. “Yes, it may take ten years, it may take twenty, or fifty. The amount of time doesn’t matter as long as we have our country and our people. This is our hour. We stretched too far and now we must pay the price before we rise again.”

“And you wish to rule as the American puppet?”

“No,” Shun Li said. “I am no one’s puppet. But you should be glad I’m willing to rule.”

“Why should we be happy about that? One of us should rule.”

“Don’t you realize that history will judge me harshly? It will look back at whoever rules as a traitor. Do you wish to tar the Army and the Navy with that?”

“You will stain the police if you rule.”

Shun Li laughed. They were so simple. She could see how Hong fooled them all the time. “No one ever loved secret policemen. People have always hated my kind. They already think me a monster. Therefore, I lose nothing by accepting the post in this dark hour.”