Battlefield China

Chapter 27 Endgame

General Yang Yin placed his notepad in the leather briefcase he planned on bringing with him. His suitcase had already been packed by one of his assistants. Several uniforms, a couple sets of casual clothes, his workout clothes and running shoes comprised the bulk of what he was bringing with him for this short trip. He had hoped to get the Allies to agree to a seven-day ceasefire while they negotiated an acceptable end to the war, but sadly, he had only been able to obtain a three-day cessation in the fighting.

“Perhaps the Allies know I’m just stalling to buy my country more time,” he thought.

A major walked into his office. “Sir, your vehicle is ready to take you to the airport,” he announced.

Yang nodded, not saying anything more as he grabbed his briefcase. He followed the young man out of the office to the elevator that would lead them to the garage and the waiting car. Walking through the command center, General Yang still marveled at how they had managed to stay alive in this building for so long, considering how many times the Allies had bombed it. Thus far, none of the bunker-buster bombs had made their way to his command center.

“Perhaps the Allies haven’t figured out where the bunker is in relation to the building above it,” he thought.

Many of the officers gave him a curt nod as he passed, knowing he was on his way to speak with the Americans. They hoped he’d be able to find some way to end the war without their nation having to endure a prolonged global humiliation or occupation like the Russian Federation had had to accept.

When the elevator arrived at the parking garage level, several additional armed security guards were waiting to meet General Yang. They quickly gestured for him to walk toward another blacked-out vehicle nearby, where a guard opened the rear door and President Xi got out.

Yang smiled at the sight of the President but inwardly felt a pang of fear that his presence might mean something ominous.

Xi quickly grinned, softening his demeanor as he extended his hand to the general, guiding the two of them closer to the wall of the parking lot, away from prying ears, even those of his security detail and especially the general’s men.

Leaning in close, Xi said, “Yang, it’s important that you secure an end to this war.”

Yang looked at him with a bit of surprise. Up to this point, Xi had been adamant that he try to buy more time, find a way to prolong the war until after the American presidential election, when a more amenable government would hopefully come to power. What could have changed that calculus since their last meeting?

Responding in an equally hushed tone, Yang asked, “What if the Allies demand that you step down as the leader of China? What am I to say to those terms?”

Xi had clearly thought about that question. “I will not step down if the Allies plan to replace me with that woman, President Hung Hui-ju. She’s an apostate to our form of government and will ruin everything our country has pursued up to this point. No, she would be a puppet of the West. If I have to step down as President, then the People’s Republic of China will select a new leader through our governmental processes.”

Yang nodded. This was a much better outcome than what they had originally discussed a couple of days ago, when Xi had outlined the parameters of what the PRC would accept to end the war. Still, he pressed the President for more clarity.

“If the Allies don’t agree to this option, then how far can I push them? How far are you still willing to push this war?”

Xi thought about that for a second. “You’ve made the case about further use of nuclear weapons. I agree it would be pointless to try and use them, considering we would still lose. However, if the Allies are not willing to see reason, then tell them that we will continue to arm our populace, that we will encourage and foment a never-ending insurgency across China even after they have defeated our armed forces. Also, let them know that we will look to use every cyber capability we have to turn the lights out in America. If they won’t see reason, then we will try to send them back to the Dark Ages.” There was ice and fire in his eyes as he spoke.

Yang saw Xi’s sincerity. If he was going to have to give up his dream of being the supreme leader of the PRC, the man who would lead the world into the 21st century of Chinese Greatness, then he would have a say in who would take his place, or he would do his best to burn the world to the ground.

Yang nodded, then clasped Xi’s hand as he whispered, “I will do my best, Mr. President. I must be going.”

The two parted ways.

As General Yang flew over the Himalayan Mountains, he thought to himself that this was something everyone should get to experience at least once in their lifetime. The expanse of the mountain ranges, many covered with snow, was a surreal scene to take in. Up here, flying over the mountains had given Yang some time to just pause and think, away from all the decisions and pressures of his new position.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he thought back to his time growing up in America. He had grown up living the American dream. Albeit, his father was a wealthy Chinese businessman, but he still went to the malls, movie theaters, beaches, and theme parks many Americans grew up going to. During his time at the Citadel, he had formed some great friendships. He thought about some of those old friends more and more these days, wondering how many of them were currently fighting against his country.

Yang had lost contact with many of them over the years as he’d moved further up the military ranks. It was frowned upon to stay in touch with US military officers once the Americans had taken a more adversarial relationship with China in the mid-2000s. Still, he wondered how some of his old friends were doing. Thinking back to those times at the Citadel made him question what he was doing on this trip, especially after Xi’s last-minute conversation with him. Was Xi testing him? Would he really accept peace terms if it meant he had to surrender control of the government? Would the Americans even entertain such an idea? From everything he remembered of his training at the Citadel, the Americans would not willingly accept anything less than complete surrender from a foe they felt they could defeat.

In school, he had studied the terms of surrender presented to the Germans and the Japanese by the Allies; during that war, the Americans had been willing to wipe out those countries’ entire populations to achieve victory if they had to. The Americans had had several more atomic bombs sent to the Pacific, ready for use when the Japanese emperor had overruled his military leaders and announced the country’s surrender.

Sighing, General Yang opened his eyes and took another drink of his tea. They were nearly to Kathmandu — he’d need to collect his thoughts and begin to focus on the task at hand: obtaining an end to the war.

After nearly nine hours flying in a plane, General Yang’s back was stiff and sore.

As soon as he landed at the international airport, his advance party was there to meet him. They whisked him away to the secretive location where the peace talks would be held. Because of the nature of these negotiations, the number of staff members involved had been kept to a bare minimum. Neither party wanted protests to form or for any threat to develop that might threaten the talks.

Secretary of Defense Jim Castle, General John Bennet, and Secretary of State Landover sat in one of the executive suites of the hotel they had turned into their temporary operations center. The furniture and bed had been moved out of the room to accommodate the collection of computer monitors, communications equipment, and other odds and ends the senior officials needed to run the war and communicate back to the Pentagon and White House. A handful of Defense Intelligence Agency, CIA, and NSA personnel were also present, representing their own organizations and bringing to bear any capabilities Castle, Bennet, and Landover might need for this all-important meeting.

The three men were in the middle of reviewing the latest battle reports when a major general walked into the room. He snapped to attention before announcing himself. “Sirs, Major General Larry Breedlove reporting as ordered.”

General Bennet looked up at the general and waved off his salute. “Take a seat,” he said. Then he picked up the man’s personnel file while Secretary Castle looked him over.

“You know why you’ve been asked to join us in Nepal?” asked Castle with a blank look on his face.

Breedlove shook his head nervously. “No, Sir. I had no idea any of you would even be in Nepal,” he answered.

Bennet saw the confused look on the man’s face and did his best not to smile. Two days ago, General Breedlove had been commanding a division in Shanghai, and now, through a series of cloak and dagger exchanges, he found himself whisked away to a secretive meeting in Nepal.

“I might be a bit disoriented too,” Bennet thought in amusement.

Keeping a straight face, General Bennet asked, “You graduated from the Citadel, correct?”

Although they all obviously knew the answer, all three men stared at Breedlove, waiting for his response.

“Yes, Sir, I did. I believe you have my military file in front of you. It also lists when I was there and what military schools I’ve completed since then.”

Nodding, Bennet continued, “You were roommates with a foreign student by the name of Yang Yin, correct?”

They all leaned forward. Breedlove shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I was,” he admitted. “Is that a problem?”

Secretary Landover probed, “What are your thoughts on the man? Do you know how he felt about America and his ancestral home?”

General Breedlove sat back in his chair. His eyes shifted up and to the left as he seemed to transport himself to a college dorm room twenty years ago. “I knew Yin to be a very capable cadet. He excelled at everything at the academy. I was actually very surprised when he turned down a commission in the Army to return to China. However, I also knew his father was a very wealthy businessman from China, and his family was only living in America while his father’s business worked through some corporate acquisitions. I must say though, I haven’t talked to Yin in more than ten years. His opinions of America have probably changed a lot over the years.”

“Do you know why all of us are here, in Nepal?” asked Castle.

Breedlove shook his head.

“The Chinese have asked to discuss potential terms to end the war,” Secretary Landover explained.

Bennet added, “And the reason you’re here, General Breedlove, is because your former Citadel roommate, Yang Yin, is the new head of the People’s Liberation Army and the man flying here to discuss that with us. We’ve asked you here because we’d like any insight we can get that might help us end this war — anything from what he’s like, to his character, to possible tactics we might be able to use against him to convince him to agree to a termination of the conflict.”

General Breedlove let out a deep breath. “I’ll do what I can to help. What more would you like to know about him?”

The group talked for several more hours about Yang Yin. By the end of the conversation, they knew everything about the man they could, from what kind of music he appreciated to what his family was like. In negotiations this important, even the PLA general’s favorite American foods could turn out to be important.

Major General Breedlove examined the room. All appeared to be in order. The table for the meeting had been set, with little American flags adorning the place settings of each of the principal American negotiators, and small Chinese flags sitting along the opposite side. At the opposing heads of the table were seats designated for the American and Chinese notetakers, who would transcribe the talks. Along the ornate walls, additional chairs had been placed for staff members.

Security was tight. A contingent of neutral Nepalese Gurkha soldiers had been assigned to secure the room, and both the Americans and the Chinese had a contingent of their own agents to ensure a peaceful negotiation took place.

At 0830 hours, the American delegation entered the room and quickly sat down before organizing their paperwork and files. Five minutes later, the Chinese delegation joined them and likewise prepared themselves for the first meeting. A few adjustments were requested to the setup of the room from both sides, which took up a few minutes.

When the clock showed 0850 hours, Major General Tom Breedlove, who had been placed in charge of the staff function of the meeting, spoke into a handheld radio. “We’re ready to begin,” he said. His PLA counterpart did the same.

General Bennet, the five-star general and Supreme Military Commander of Allied Forces in Asia, entered the room, quickly followed by Secretary of Defense Jim Castle and Secretary of State Philip Landover. A minute later, General Yang Yin entered the room, along with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.

When General Yang saw his former roommate, he did a double take. He was obviously caught completely off guard by the sight of the man who had once been his close friend. Then he brushed off the surprise and his face returned to a neutral expression. He took his seat, opposite General Bennet.

With the principles now seated, the meeting could begin. “General Yang Yin, I’m grateful that we are able to meet together to discuss this proposal in person,” said General Bennet. “As we have all said previously, it’s time for us to find a way to bring about an honorable end to this bloody war that has been consuming our planet.”

He paused after his opening remarks, then continued, “You and I are soldiers, General. We don’t have time or patience for politics. We demand results of our subordinates, and we execute the orders given to us by our political masters. I hope the two of us can dispense with some of these political pretenses and just get down to the business of ending this war.”

General Yang let a slight smile slip. Breedlove was happy to see that his old friend still appreciated the bluntness of the American generals.

Before Yang could respond, Minister Wang spoke first. “General Bennet, Secretary Castle and Secretary Landover — from President Xi, I would like to express his gratitude for agreeing to this private meeting in a neutral country. We agree with you in principle about bringing an end to this war, an honorable end that all parties can agree to. President Xi acknowledges that there are certain demands you’re going impose upon us. I’m here to listen to those demands and determine if the People’s Republic of China can accept them. If you will, can you please outline to us what the basic terms are for us to bring this war to an end, so we can begin the negotiation process?”

General Breedlove examined the faces of Minister Wang and General Yang. Although Wang had spoken first, he got the impression that he was just a face to the negotiation and that it was his friend who truly held any sway in this meeting.

Secretary Landover looked at his two colleagues briefly before he brought out a list of terms in both English and Chinese for everyone to read. The Chinese representatives quickly scanned the pages, murmuring softly to each other. It was clear from their motions to each other that some points were agreeable while others were going to cause a significant problem.

After they’d had a few minutes to review the bullet points, Secretary Landover said, “I believe the outline of the proposal is both fair and equitable, especially considering that it was China who first invaded Southeast Asia, then Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines.”

Minister Wang vigorously shook his head. “The PRC cannot accept some of these terms,” he asserted.

“Please elaborate on which terms the PRC is not able to accept,” replied Landover. Bennet and Castle stayed silent, but Breedlove could see them eying General Yang for any indication of what he thought of the terms.

“The PRC can’t accept nuclear disarmament,” Wang pronounced. “We’ve maintained a small nuclear stockpile as a deterrent for generations, and we need that deterrent more than ever right now.”

Nodding his head, Landover wrote a couple of notes on the side of the document. “OK, we can come back to that point. Did you have another?”

Looking down at the document again, he added, “The PRC won’t give up the territorial gains we’ve made in Southeast Asia. Several of these nations were already communist countries, and many of them want to remain a part of Greater China.”

Major General Breedlove waited for the reaction to this point with interest. It would be difficult to get the PRC to give up control of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, and he knew from his perspective as a commanding general that the Allies were in no position to evict the Chinese from those countries, either.

“The people of Thailand and Singapore don’t wish to remain a part of Greater China,” Secretary of Defense Castle shot back. “These were democratically elected countries prior to your invasion, and they wish to return to that form of government.” He shot Wang an icy stare.

“This is getting good,” thought Breedlove, wishing he could sit back with a bag of popcorn and watch this with some friends.

“The Allies are in no position to remove us from these captured lands,” Minister Wang said sternly.

General Bennet chimed in. “You’re right, my forces are in no position to evict the PLA from those countries,” he admitted. Then he leaned forward. “However, my forces control Guangdong Province, Shanghai and the surrounding area, along with most of northern China. Even now, our forces are marshaling on Beijing. If you don’t want me to divide up your country, then you’ll concede some of these positions, Minister Wang.”

Bennet sat there staring at the foreign minister for a moment before Wang became uncomfortable and broke eye contact. Then General Bennet turned to look at General Yang, who had not said anything as yet.

Secretary Landover broke in. “You know where the Allies stand with ending this war — what are the terms President Xi is willing to accept?”

Wang smiled as he proceeded to pull a piece of paper out of his own briefcase. He handed English copies to the Americans and a copy in Chinese to General Yang, who quickly read it over. Yang raised an eyebrow at some of the points but still remained silent.

Landover and Castle shook their heads. Castle read the points aloud:

“Wow, those are some pretty ballsy requests,” General Breedlove thought. It was hard to stay quiet during this meeting.

Secretary Landover bristled. “These are the demands of a victor, not a nation that’s on the brink of collapse,” he said in a voice that verged on shouting. “Obviously, we won’t accept these terms.”

Minister Wang leaned in. “Tens of thousands of Allied soldiers will continue to die if this war continues. President Xi is committed to fighting the Allies even after our armies have been defeated. The Allies will never be able to occupy our country, and we will never accept the legitimacy of President Hung Hui-ju. We know your plans are to install her government at the end of the war — we won’t allow that to happen.”

The discussion continued on for several more hours. The parties went back and forth over what each side would be willing to consider acceptable. As they neared lunch, the two sides broke for a couple of hours to discuss their positions amongst themselves before returning for more talks and the planned formal dinner that evening.

Following lunch, General Yang opted to take a short stroll through one of the inner courtyards of the hotel to clear his head. He’d never been involved in any of these types of talks, so he was completely out of his comfort zone. He’d been happy to let Minister Wang do most of the talking, though it was clear he was asking for more than he was likely to get. Wang was trying to write checks Yang knew the PLA couldn’t cash.

Sitting at a chair near one of the fountains in the courtyard, Yang spotted his old friend. He smiled as he made his way over to Major General Larry Breedlove.

Breedlove caught eye contact with him and stood. The two looked at each other for a moment before shaking each other’s hands. Then they exchanged some brief pleasantries, catching each other up on their families and talking about life in very general terms. Yang then took a seat in the chair next to Breedlove.

General Breedlove sighed. “I’m not sure an agreement is going to be reached,” he said, sounding rather defeated. “It seems like we’re going to be doomed to keep fighting this war.”

General Yang nodded in solemn acceptance. “It does seem that way,” he agreed. “However, what Minister Wang doesn’t know is that Xi spoke with me prior to coming here. He said he’d be willing to step down as President, but he wouldn’t surrender or dissolve the PRC. He insisted that the PRC be allowed to hold a new election to replace him as President through our own political process.”

General Yang read his old friend’s expression. It was obvious that Breedlove was doing his best to conceal the surprise he must have felt at Yang’s confession.

Breedlove leaned in. “What about other sticking points, Yin? Do you think he’d agree to return the PRC to its original territory prior to the war? Or denuclearization?”

Yang thought about that for a moment before responding, “I think we’d have a better chance of giving up our nuclear weapons than we would giving up some of our occupied territories. A big part of this was about achieving the dream of Greater China. I believe Xi could accept defeat and allow someone else to lead China if it meant his vision had still been achieved.”

“What about Singapore and Thailand? I know those are going to be sticking points with Castle and Bennet,” added Larry.

General Yang crinkled his eyebrows a bit as he thought about that. “Singapore wouldn’t be a big deal, but getting Xi to give up Thailand might be challenging. I think if he knew the PRC would still retain those other territories, I could convince him to agree to those terms.”

“What about Taiwan? If President Hung is not to become the leader of a unified China, then Xi would have to accept Taiwan as a fully independent nation. No more One China Policy.”

Yang turned to face his friend. “You know, I was in charge of the capture and then defense of Formosa. Your Marines fought like men possessed. I didn’t believe they could liberate the island once my forces had dug in…” He trailed off for a moment, lost in a sea of memories. “As to your question,” he resumed, “I don’t believe Xi would have a choice. He would have to accept Taiwanese independence.”

The two sat there silently for a second, not saying anything. Breedlove looked around the courtyard, as if searching for any potential prying eyes. Then he leaned in. “Yin, if Minister Wang and Xi were no longer a factor, do you believe a unified China under President Hung would be possible? Could it work if the current leaders weren’t able to interfere?”

General Yang looked at his friend. He could tell he’d been hoping to ask that question since the moment they’d locked eyes in the negotiation room, and this was a moment in which he was being tested. Yang grunted. “It’s not that simple, Larry. Even if Xi and certain bureaucrats were eliminated, President Hung would have a terrible time trying to manage a unified China. We are a very large country that has been used to autocratic communist rule for more than seventy years. Yes, we’ve loosened up some communist rules and adopted certain aspects of capitalism, but we’re still a strictly controlled and monitored populace. Open democracy such as what the West would insist upon under President Hung just wouldn’t work — at least not right away. It would take time and patience, something the West, and in particular you Americans, are not known to have in abundance.”

Breedlove allowed a half-smile at that comment. Then his voice got even more serious. “Yin, do you think you could think about it though? Maybe figure out if it would be possible and how you would make it work? Imagine if you were in charge — how would you make it work?”

General Yang smiled at the thought of running China. “I will think about it,” he replied. “We should probably get ready for the rest of the meeting. Let me think about what you said. Perhaps we can try to meet again away from prying eyes and ears tomorrow and I can give you a more practical response.” Then he got up and casually walked away.

When Breedlove walked back to his room, he was intercepted by Bennet and Castle, who quickly followed him into his room. Once the door was locked, they pounced on him. “How did the meeting go? Is he the main powerbroker for the meeting? What did he say to our alternative proposal?”

Breedlove held a hand up to stop the flow. “Yes, he’s the powerbroker for the meeting,” he confirmed. “Wang appears to be the figurehead. He thinks he has all the power, but Yin told me that he spoke with Xi multiple times leading up to this meeting, to include just before he flew here. The terms he gave Yin are dramatically different than the terms Wang is pressing for.”

The two of them smiled and looked hopeful.

General Breedlove continued, “As to our proposal, he was less optimistic about it working. He said that despite the communist government loosening some controls and freedoms for the people, they’re still a tightly controlled autocratic government. People are used to that, and turning that up on its head may not be possible. He did, however, give me the terms Xi would be willing to accept…”

The following morning after breakfast, Major General Larry Breedlove sat at a bench in the garden courtyard, drinking a cup of coffee and just enjoying the peace and tranquility of the garden. This was a major change from the turmoil that awaited him. He knew when this meeting was over he’d be flown back to his command; his division was still in the process of fighting it out with the PLA in Changzhou, northwest of Shanghai. His division had been trying to pacify the area while beating back periodic attacks by the PLA and their militia forces, who had not yet accepted defeat.

Ten minutes into his morning solitude, he noticed a figure walking toward him. It was Yin; he’d managed to find a way to slip away from his bodyguards long enough to talk with him again. The two briefly shook hands, and the Chinese general took a seat opposite his longtime friend.

“We don’t have much time to talk, so I’m going to be brief,” General Yang said. His eyes darted around the garden, looking for any prying eyes that might spot the two of them talking privately.

“OK, Yin. I’m all ears. Go ahead.”

Breedlove did his best to pretend he was ignoring Yang while also scanning the area for those who might snoop on their conversation.

“I’ve been told by President Xi that if his generous terms of surrender are not accepted, then he is more than willing to continue to arm the populace and wage a hundred-year insurgency war against any Allied occupation or Hung-led government. I need to know if the Allies are willing to accept his terms I told you about yesterday.”

Landover and Castle were split on what the President should do. General Bennet was against it and said they should continue the war until they were able to get the outcome they wanted. The President was leaning in the direction of his general’s opinion, so that didn’t leave a lot of room to accept Xi’s initial proposal.

Breedlove shook his head somberly. “No, the President and his military leaders won’t accept Xi’s proposal. They are willing to accept the principle of Greater China with the exception of Singapore and Thailand; those two countries have to be returned to their people. The President is also adamant about China moving toward some form of democracy. The proposal I was given was that President Hung would take over as head of a caretaker government for two years until a new general election could be held. The President also said he would like you to remain in control of the PLA to help facilitate a smooth transition of power. There would also be no restrictions placed on you either staying as commander of the PLA with the subsequent government or you running for President of China yourself.”

“What about occupation? Would the Allies occupy China, and if so, for how long?” Yang asked in a hushed tone.

“There would be a limited occupation,” Breedlove responded. “Mostly just in the capital and some of the current occupied territories. It wouldn’t be a full-blown occupation like Russia — not if you were to stay on as the head of the PLA and you could reasonably hold the country together while the new caretaker government was formed and elections were organized.” He was trying to make sure he ran through all the facts quickly; neither of them knew how long they had to talk before a prying eye would eventually spot them.

Yang yawned and stood, stretching his back casually like two random people who had just met at the hotel garden. As he was about to walk away, he turned slightly. “I will think about what you’ve said and try to figure out if it’s even possible. I’ll get back to you later today,” he said, speaking in a voice so low it was almost as if he was muttering to himself. Then he walked away, back to the main building.

General Breedlove stayed a few more minutes and then left, heading a different direction into the building.

The rest of the day’s meetings proved to be utterly fruitless. Foreign Minister Wang wouldn’t budge on several of the key issues Secretary Landover was adamant about. Landover insisted that the American people had suffered horrific losses in a war started by China and that some issues were just nonnegotiable.

“America must accept Greater China. We have been clear about that from the beginning,” Wang said emphatically.

“OK, let’s assume America accepts that,” Secretary Landover said, playing devil’s advocate. “Then we will hold on to the territorial gains we have made in the war thus far. You can keep all of Southeast Asia, we’ll hang on to northern China all the way up to Beijing, along with the rest of Shanghai and the entire Guangdong Province.”

Minister Wang’s mouth dropped open. Then he pounded his fist on the table and yelled, “Impossible, those lands must be returned!”

After snickering at the exchange, General Bennet locked Minister Wang up with one of his icy stares. “I don’t think you understand the present situation, Minister Wang, so let me enlighten you. I have nearly two million soldiers preparing to attack the Beijing capital region. Beijing will be in my hands before the end of the year. By this time next year, we’ll occupy more than half of China. If you’re unwilling to see reason and agree to terms, then you won’t have a country left. Do I make myself clear?”

For his part, Minister Wang looked first shocked, then appalled, and then angry. “You will never be able to subdue China. We have over a billion people.”

“And how many of them will die this winter from starvation?” asked General Bennet. “How long do you think your people will support your government when you can no longer feed them, pay their wages, or provide them basic services? We are giving you an opportunity to save face and save your people. This offer won’t be on the table for long. When this meeting is over, my overall mission to crush your country into the sands of history will resume. You need to decide what kind of country will be left if I’m given my druthers to destroy you.”

Secretary of State Landover held his hand up to stop the bickering between General Bennet and Minister Wang. “Please, gentlemen, this meeting is to discuss ending the war, not how many more people on both sides we intend to kill.”

Pausing for a moment to look at his watch, Landover suggested, “Why don’t we break early and get ready for dinner? Perhaps some good food will open us all up to find some common ground we can work from.”

Later that evening, after the official functionaries had spoken, and again, found little compromise, Major General Breedlove found himself sitting outside on one of the balconies overlooking the garden terrace below. He pulled a cigar out of his specially designed carrying case and lit it up, taking several puffs on it. The fragrance of the tobacco wafted its way through the air around him.

He heard a shoe or boot scuff the tile behind him, and a solitary figure stepped out onto the balcony to join him. When Breedlove looked up, he smiled when he recognized his friend Yang, who had once again managed to slip past his minders and found a quiet place for them to speak. Pulling another cigar out, he handed it over to the Chinese general, who greedily took it. Yang puffed on the cigar to get it up to speed before settling into a seat next to Breedlove, who poured him a healthy-sized glass of some very fine cognac that the hotel had provided.

The two sat there for a moment, sipping on their stiff drinks and enjoying their cigars. Breedlove reminisced about a time many years ago, back at the Citadel, when the two of them had done the very same thing toward the end of their senior year. Yang had just told him that he was not going to accept a commission in to the Army, and that his father was taking their family back to China. Breedlove had been sad to hear the news but even more so concerned when he’d heard Yang was going to take a commission in the People’s Liberation Army. He’d hoped that despite them serving their nations in their respective militaries, they wouldn’t find themselves adversaries one day.

Yang didn’t spend long soaking in the moment; he must have sensed that time was of the essence. “I’ve given your question some thought, Larry. President Xi won’t agree to the terms your side is offering. He will order me to prepare the country to fight a protracted insurgency if necessary. If Xi can’t end the war on terms he can accept, then he is willing to make sure this war never ends, I’m afraid.” He slumped his body back into his chair, dejected. Yang picked up his drink, drained it, and then poured himself another glass as he waited for Breedlove’s response.

For his part, Breedlove had known this was probably going to be the response they would be given. At least, that was the assessment of the CIA and other intelligence groups.

“I guess it’s time to play that final card,” he thought reluctantly.

Turning to face his friend, Breedlove threw back the rest of the brownish liquid in his glass before he made one last, desperate appeal. “Yin, this war has to end. We can’t allow our political masters to pursue a policy that will destroy the very people, the very nations you and I’ve sworn to serve and protect. There comes a time when even a soldier has to decide what is morally right, and what is right for the people we’re sworn to protect. If President Xi won’t see reason, then is it possible for you to take action yourself? As the head of the PLA, surely the army would follow your orders and this war would be ended, right?”

Yang sat there for a moment, not saying anything. Then he chuckled slightly. “You think it’s that easy for a PLA general, even one who is head of the PLA, to simply disobey an order from the President — or worse, lead a coup? It isn’t quite that simple. Xi has already liquidated nearly everyone who was in a position of leadership at the start of this war. He has truly consolidated power these past three months. With defeat staring him in the face, he’s become more and more paranoid about a coup. I’m afraid you overestimate my power and influence. I’m only in charge of the PLA right now because he’s killed off most of my superiors and I’ve managed to eke out some victories against you Americans.” He shook his head disappointedly. “What you’re asking is just not possible, Larry.”

Not accepting defeat, Breedlove pressed on with the alternative plan. “I know this is putting you into a tough position, Yin. What if the Allies just happened to discover where Xi and some of the individuals you believe would be a problem to accepting peace were, and they were suddenly killed by an Allied stealth bomber using specially designed bunker-buster bombs? If that were to happen, do you believe you’d be able to assume control of the country and then pursue a peace that would bring an end to this war?”

Yin stifled a short laugh as he shook his head. “I remember studying Operation Valkyrie our junior year at the Citadel,” he retorted. Turning serious again, he whispered, “If I made this happen, you couldn’t miss. You couldn’t fail. If you failed, then I would most likely be removed, and I can guarantee you Xi would resort to using whatever means necessary to retaliate against you. He wouldn’t hold anything back.”

“If we have to, we can use a nuclear-tipped bunker-buster bomb to make sure we get him and his inner circle. What we’d need to know is when and where to drop it,” Breedlove explained.

“He might actually go for this,” he thought in amazement.

Yang thought silently for a moment as he puffed on his cigar. Without looking at Breedlove, he answered, “If I arranged for them all to be at a meeting, I would need certain assurances that once I assumed control of the country, you wouldn’t try to go after my generals for war crimes. If we committed any wrongs, they were wrongs we had no choice in. Our military system doesn’t have the same moral codes and understandings as America or the West. We can’t simply disobey an order because we feel it’s immoral or illegal. We aren’t governed that way.” He leaned forward. “If this were to happen, the Allies would demand that we dismantle the communist party, wouldn’t they?”

“Yes, the communist party would need to be disbanded in favor of a more democratic form of government,” Breedlove explained. “That’s why the US would like to see the mainland adopt the form of government currently in place in Taiwan. The Republic of China has a functioning democratic process with political parties, a legislature, court system and president. It would take time to implement that process on the mainland, but that’s why a caretaker government would need to be established to work with President Hung until a new election could take place and a new government is established. I won’t lie and say it won’t be messy. It will be, but with you at the head of the government working with President Hung, I’m confident that China as a country will emerge stronger and better than ever before.

“Yin, imagine China with not just freedom of speech, but freedom of thought. Freedom to innovate and capitalize on that innovation without the government seizing control of it or having a heavy hand in every aspect of life. You lived in America, Yin — surely you can see the benefit of this economic model and the personal freedoms it would provide.”

“I don’t dispute the benefits — I question the method by which we would achieve that,” Yang countered. “It wouldn’t just be messy; it could cause the country to collapse into chaos. I would have to maintain a tight grip on the country while it went through this transition period, Larry. This wouldn’t be as easy as you may think. There are a lot of wealthy businessmen who have just as much control of our government as your wealthy businessmen do in your own country.”

Shaking his head, Yin added, “I never wanted to be placed in this position, Larry. I’m in way over my head right now. I’m a corps commander. I understand tactics and I know how to fight…I was never a politician. I wasn’t trained for managing an entire country’s military, let alone fighting a global war. I just want it to end, but if I don’t do my duty or I screw things up, it’s not just me that will be killed — my entire family is at risk, Larry. This isn’t America…it’s China.”

“This is why it has to change,” Breedlove asserted. “You’ve been given a unique opportunity to change China, Yin, and in doing so change the world, the future of humanity.”

He slipped a piece of paper to General Yang. “If you can arrange the meeting, log in to this email. Create a new message with the subject line ‘Valkyrie.’ In the body of the message, state the date, time and location of the meeting. Don’t send the message to anyone — just save the draft and close the email. We’ll check this email at 0900 hours and 2100 hours your local time each day to see if you’ve been able to arrange a meeting. If you’re unable to coordinate all parties to be together, or there’s some other problem, then create an email that explains the issue and just save the draft. We can send a response to your question in a different color and font, using the same draft message. This will be our way of communicating, OK?”

Yang took the paper. He looked at it for a minute, memorizing the login information and password before taking a couple of puffs on his cigar and then holding the paper up to the hot embers until it caught fire, destroying the information written on it. Then he got up. “I’ll be in touch, Larry,” he said. “Give me at least three days before I can figure something out.” With that, he left.

The following day of peace talks dragged on with nothing gained. Minister Wang wanted them to meet again to make another attempt at a peace deal. Secretary Landover agreed but said they would have to get back with him as to when.

In the meantime, the US would not agree to a continued ceasefire. The war would continue until the PRC accepted the Allied terms.