Don Pendleton: China Crisis

Stony Man ®AMERICA'S ULTRA-COVERT INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

www.mirabooks.co.uk

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EPILOGUE

Second Department, Intelligence, Beijing, China.

“We are nothing if not versatile,” Director Su Han said. “Industrial espionage is something we have excelled at for many years. At this juncture it can serve us well. Rapid advancement can be ours simply by jumping a generation as it were. The Americans have devoted years and millions of dollars developing the current technology. Now we can reap the benefits.”

“I fully appreciate the concept,” Dr. Lin Cheung said quietly. “My only concern is that this kind of illicit dealing will only increase American hostility toward us if they discover what we are doing.”

“The Americans would like nothing better than to see China remain a backward nation where weapons are concerned. It suits them if we were to remain singularly weak and unable to fully defend ourselves. It keeps us in our place, which would be behind both the Americans and the Russians. That imbalance sits well with the American military. They would breathe easier if we stayed in the background. It would allow their expansion in this part of the world.” The Director leaned forward. “Our voice must be heard. Through military strength we cannot be ignored. If we fall behind, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. This must not be allowed. I will not allow it.”

Director Han waited for his words to take effect. He looked around the table, seeing the approving nods coming from the uniformed military presence. His words were what they had been hoping to hear. He turned his attention to Lin Cheung. He sat quietly considering the director’s statement. Han allowed himself a slight smile. As always, Cheung considered every facet of any proposal before he took it on board. It wasn’t that he was a weakling. Cheung possessed a fertile mind, brimming with originality, but always tempered by caution, and though he might never vocalize it, Han appreciated Cheung’s input. He was almost Han’s conscience.

“Cheung? You are quiet,” Han said, gently prodding the man with his words.

Cheung, slim and reserved in contrast to his superior, turned his full attention to Han.

“We will need to work very carefully. Be certain that whoever we deal with can supply what we need without exposure. Once the Americans become suspicious, they will increase security on all projects and suppliers that we might find all avenues closed against us. If we are shut out before we have all we need then the whole project will falter.”

“Exactly why I have entered into a partnership with an organization that will handle that part of the deal for us,” Han said. “They will gain the major technology for us. And we will pay them for it, leaving us clear to simply handle the hardware and adapt it for our own use.”

“Who are these people?” an air force colonel asked.

“They call themselves Shadow,” Han said, smiling indulgently. “I find these people amusing with their little code names. But in the instance of this group they are extremely proficient. I have had excellent reports from previous users of their services.”

“Have you met them?”

Han nodded. “I have had successful meetings with the man who heads Shadow. He calls himself Townsend. His background is the U.S. military. Many of his people are also ex-military.”

The Chinese army representative, a heavyset man in his sixties, registered alarm.

“You make deals with the Americans? The nation we are competing against?”

“Who better to understand the intrigues of the military-industrial complex? Townsend has contacts, people in place, the means and the motive to provide what we need.”

“Motive?”

Even Cheung understood the response to this.

“Money. The driving force behind the American psyche. It is what keeps the U.S. living and breathing. It is their god.”

“Nicely put, Cheung,” Director Han said. “Shadow operates like any American company, providing a service we pay for. They are not going to risk damaging their own reputation by trying to cheat us. There is a whole world out there willing to hand over large amounts of money for their expertise.”

“Is this entirely wise?” another dissenting voice questioned.

“Do you think I would contemplate such a venture without extreme investigation?” Han asked. “I understand your reservations, but be assured that the security constraints I have raised to shield us will defy any and all attempts at penetration.”

Cheung said nothing this time. He had past experience of so-called impenetrable security protocols. He did not trust them. As secrets were often betrayed, so were loyalties and promises. People were simply people in the end. Whatever nationality, whatever regime, there were always those who harbored weaknesses that could be exploited. Bought and paid for by any number of means or combination of means. Monetary, sexual, politically motivated, or through misguided reasons. It was extremely difficult to maintain total security, and the Chinese were no different than anyone else. He was well aware that the reigning Chinese regime had many enemies, both out of and within the country. The hard-line, Marxist style of government was held in contempt by many of its own people. That the government came down hard on any form of dissention only added fuel to the flames of resistance and simply pushed those dissenters deeper underground where they continued to work on their own manifestos. Director Han had to be aware of such counters to the Chinese administration, and in light of that he had to accept that the covert acquisition of American technology was open to exposure by those who sought to get their hands on anything that might cause embarrassment to the Beijing masters. Whatever he felt on the matter, Lin Cheung kept it to himself.

A short time later, when the meeting had been concluded, Han beckoned Cheung to stay behind. When they were alone he gestured for Cheung to take a seat next to his at the table.

“A quiet word, my friend. This undertaking has the problem of being an unqualified success for us, or a rather messy failure. You agree?”

Cheung inclined his head. “All matters we involve ourselves in have their plus and minus sides.”

Han smiled.

“Lin Cheung, the master of understatement. I sensed during the meeting a faint air of disapproval. Does my intuition serve me well?”

“Only from the point that I can see that gaining this technology could take us forward, but with grave repercussions if something goes wrong. The Americans would orchestrate great political profit if they exposed our intent. Even more if they had names and faces to go with that exposure.”

“Then we will have to be certain nothing does happen to put us in the spotlight.”

“Easy to say, but difficult to put into practice.”

Han leaned back in his seat. “Yes. I will not deny that. But we must take the chance. We need this technology. China needs to maintain its place alongside America and Russia. Too much is at stake to allow us to slide into a weak third place. If we are not careful, North Korea will overtake us and that is something Beijing will not tolerate. Can you imagine how Pyongyang would crow if they gained superiority over us?” Han shook his head. “We must regain the lost ground, Cheung. If this is the only way, then we pursue it with all our might.”